Trump hush money trial

[neverfstop]

Apr 22, 2024 10:49:33 GMT -5 dutchgirl678 said:

People should really be referring to this as the election interference trial. This is about more than just hush money, this is about keeping people quiet before the 2016 election so it wouldn't hurt his chances.

To be fair, almost all his trials are about election interference except the top secret docs case... the GA/RICO is about over turning the election & the Jan 6 trial is about interfering with the election certification...

It's honestly shocking that there aren't more criminal trials...I'm sure he did a ton more illegal things in office other than try to get himself re-elected. 

[neverfstop]

And David Pecker (who had to approve the catch & kill) is on the stand....although this was sort of normal behavior for tabloids, it seems $150K is a very large amount to pay for story to kill it...

Court will end today at lunch time...

[mrsslocombe]

Apr 22, 2024 11:14:15 GMT -5 neverfstop said:

Apr 22, 2024 10:49:33 GMT -5 dutchgirl678 said:

People should really be referring to this as the election interference trial. This is about more than just hush money, this is about keeping people quiet before the 2016 election so it wouldn't hurt his chances.

To be fair, almost all his trials are about election interference except the top secret docs case... the GA/RICO is about over turning the election & the Jan 6 trial is about interfering with the election certification...

It's honestly shocking that there aren't more criminal trials...I'm sure he did a ton more illegal things in office other than try to get himself re-elected. 

Any federal crimes he committed while in office would have to go through the House/Senate. That's why.

[dutchgirl678]

Apr 22, 2024 11:14:15 GMT -5 neverfstop said:

Apr 22, 2024 10:49:33 GMT -5 dutchgirl678 said:

People should really be referring to this as the election interference trial. This is about more than just hush money, this is about keeping people quiet before the 2016 election so it wouldn't hurt his chances.

To be fair, almost all his trials are about election interference except the top secret docs case... the GA/RICO is about over turning the election & the Jan 6 trial is about interfering with the election certification...

It's honestly shocking that there aren't more criminal trials...I'm sure he did a ton more illegal things in office other than try to get himself re-elected. 

True but I feel that it diminishes the perceived severity of the allegations if you say this is about hush money payments to a porn star.

[fortnightlily]

Cannot verify but someone posted this on my work Slack. The MSNBC chyron reads "Trump Worried About Pecker Leaking". Amazing.

[icedcoffee]

I already knew this, but this case has just emphasized that Trump surrounds himself with the sleaziest garbage humans. Biden isn't my top choice, but at least he surrounds himself with people with some sense of right or wrong.

[icedcoffee]

Also Pecker is a terrible last name.

[sugarbear1]

Apr 22, 2024 12:27:27 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

Also Pecker is a terrible last name.

Yes. 
But evidently no longer a synonym for penis, at least in middle school vernacular. I learned this today in my civics class, but perhaps it is regional. LOL.

[basilosaurus]

Apr 22, 2024 13:02:47 GMT -5 sugarbear1 said:

Apr 22, 2024 12:27:27 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

Also Pecker is a terrible last name.

Yes. 
But evidently no longer a synonym for penis, at least in middle school vernacular. I learned this today in my civics class, but perhaps it is regional. LOL.

and you learned this how? Not a criticism at all. Living in a place where English is not a first language I'm always surprised and curious about which words come across as their slang counterparts.

Related, I had to explain to a friend's mother why my picture of cock soup led to laughter. (Cock wasn't unheard in her generation. She was just sheltered)

[sugarbear1]

Apr 22, 2024 14:04:12 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

Apr 22, 2024 13:02:47 GMT -5 sugarbear1 said:

Yes. 
But evidently no longer a synonym for penis, at least in middle school vernacular. I learned this today in my civics class, but perhaps it is regional. LOL.

and you learned this how? Not a criticism at all. Living in a place where English is not a first language I'm always surprised and curious about which words come across as their slang counterparts.

Related, I had to explain to a friend's mother why my picture of cock soup led to laughter. (Cock wasn't unheard in her generation. She was just sheltered)

I have no idea how / when / where I understood "pecker" to be a euphemism for "penis." I feel like this is something I've known forever.

But in my 8th grade class today, I was reticent to say his name because I didn't want to deal with the giggles (I'm all for middle school humor, but I'm salty for other reasons today and don't have the patience). Kids were asking questions, though, and for clarity's sake I figured what the heck, might as well say his name. There was zero response. Did not even phase them. 

[SusanBAnthony]

I just asked my 8th grader and she said it means beak or nose.

[pixy0stix]

The trial will start without the jury to talk about Trump violating the gag order.

[AAM2012]

www.nytimes.com/live/2024/04/23/nyregion/trump-hush-money-trial-news/ad643f8e-d7f9-5fbb-af32-6d0a8537ea17?smid=url-share

[icedcoffee]

Oh what do you know, sounds like Trump and his little friends invented “fake news”.

[kath16]

Apr 23, 2024 11:40:49 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

Oh what do you know, sounds like Trump and his little friends invented “fake news”.

hoooooo boy trump is gonna be maaaaaaaaaddddddddd


(my fave excerpt from Wa Po live coverage is that Pecker gave him a big smile as he walked out - paraphrased since i was on a free article and closed it too quickly)

[pixy0stix]

Fake news! Copied from WP:

With guidance from Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, the National Enquirer also published numerous stories attacking Donald Trump’s rivals in the 2016 Republican presidential primary, Enquirer publisher David Pecker testified. Those headlines included:

Ted Cruz Shamed by Porn Star
Boozin’ Ted Cruz Fixin’ to Lose
Ted Cruz’s Father Caught with JFK Assassin
‘Family Man’ Marco Rubio’s Love Child Stunner!
Bungling Surgeon Ben Carson Left Sponge in Patient’s Brain!

[icedcoffee]

It’s really too bad this can’t be televised because I think people deserve to hear this before the election and these live feeds just don’t do it justice.

[basilosaurus]

Apr 23, 2024 11:53:58 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

It’s really too bad this can’t be televised because I think people deserve to hear this before the election and these live feeds just don’t do it justice.

in many ways I agree. Seeing his toddler tantrums should benefit our country.

But two things. First, why should he be found something denied the entire state? Second, his sycophants who l will only use it to their benefit. They're a list cause.

This is a battle of turn out, not convince people

[pixy0stix]

Court day - He's been found in contempt of court for his statements. $9k fine and a threat of jail.


apnews.com/live/trump-trial-hush-money-day-9

[pixy0stix]

The banker that opened the account that was used to pay Daniels is testifying today. So far he's saying that the bank was told it the money was for a real estate transaction. Had they known the true purpose the account probably would have been delayed or not approved.

[fortnightlily]

I appreciated this opinion piece outlining what the case is about, at its core: www.nytimes.com/2024/04/29/opinion/trump-bragg-manhattan-case.html?unlocked_article_code=1.oU0.RfP1.ynM0qscREwfG&smid=url-share

"Now that the lawyers are laying out their respective theories of the case in the criminal prosecution of Donald Trump in New York, it would be understandable if people’s heads are spinning. The defense lawyers claimed this is a case about hush money as a legitimate tool in democratic elections, while the prosecutors insisted it is about “a criminal scheme to corrupt the 2016 presidential election.”

Yet this case is not really about election interference, nor is it a politically motivated attempt to criminalize a benign personal deal. Boring as it may sound, it is a case about business integrity."

...

"Lawmakers in New York, the financial capital of the world, consider access to markets and industry in New York a privilege for businesspeople. It is a felony to abuse that privilege by doctoring records to commit or conceal crimes, even if the businessman never accomplishes the goal and even if the false records never see the light of day."

...

"Mr. Trump is accused of creating 11 false invoices, 12 false ledger entries and 11 false checks and check stubs, with the intent to violate federal election laws, state election laws or state tax laws. The number of lies it took to create this false record itself helps prove intent. "

[fernweh]

Apr 30, 2024 9:23:59 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Court day - He's been found in contempt of court for his statements. $9k fine and a threat of jail.


apnews.com/live/trump-trial-hush-money-day-9

I don’t want him to say anything that could lead to harm for the jurors or anyone else, but I really hope he says just enough to get himself jailed for awhile.

[pixy0stix]

Apr 30, 2024 10:22:00 GMT -5 fernweh said:

Apr 30, 2024 9:23:59 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Court day - He's been found in contempt of court for his statements. $9k fine and a threat of jail.


apnews.com/live/trump-trial-hush-money-day-9

I don’t want him to say anything that could lead to harm for the jurors or anyone else, but I really hope he says just enough to get himself jailed for awhile.

He should continue to go after Cohen, as long as Cohen can keep his mouth shut. Win/win for everyone.

[pixy0stix]

NYT ran an article today saying Trump has been attacking his lawyer... which seems like a sound legal strategy. www.nytimes.com/2024/04/30/us/politics/trump-trial-todd-blanche.html

[ellipses84]

Apparently TX AG Ken Paxton is in the courtroom. It’s so cute when evil criminals support their fellow evil criminals.

I’d say he should be in TX doing his actual job but they are probably better off with him gone.

[mcsangel2]

Apr 30, 2024 9:55:15 GMT -5 fortnightlily said:

I appreciated this opinion piece outlining what the case is about, at its core: www.nytimes.com/2024/04/29/opinion/trump-bragg-manhattan-case.html?unlocked_article_code=1.oU0.RfP1.ynM0qscREwfG&smid=url-share

"Now that the lawyers are laying out their respective theories of the case in the criminal prosecution of Donald Trump in New York, it would be understandable if people’s heads are spinning. The defense lawyers claimed this is a case about hush money as a legitimate tool in democratic elections, while the prosecutors insisted it is about “a criminal scheme to corrupt the 2016 presidential election.”

Yet this case is not really about election interference, nor is it a politically motivated attempt to criminalize a benign personal deal. Boring as it may sound, it is a case about business integrity."

...

"Lawmakers in New York, the financial capital of the world, consider access to markets and industry in New York a privilege for businesspeople. It is a felony to abuse that privilege by doctoring records to commit or conceal crimes, even if the businessman never accomplishes the goal and even if the false records never see the light of day."

...

"Mr. Trump is accused of creating 11 false invoices, 12 false ledger entries and 11 false checks and check stubs, with the intent to violate federal election laws, state election laws or state tax laws. The number of lies it took to create this false record itself helps prove intent. "

It's more than that, though. Just falsifying the business records would be a misdemeanor, unless done so to facilitate another crime, then it becomes a felony. The other crime was using campaign funds to pay off Stormy Daniels, as it's illegal to use campaign funds for personal expenses.

[icedcoffee]

Did anyone see Bill Barr's interview with CNN? He seriously looked like he was a hostage being told what to say. He looked dead inside.

Also I know the $9k is nothing to Trump, but I'm happy with all financial penalties that scum bag needs to pay.

[sugarbear1]

Apr 30, 2024 11:20:39 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

Did anyone see Bill Barr's interview with CNN? He seriously looked like he was a hostage being told what to say. He looked dead inside.

Also I know the $9k is nothing to Trump, but I'm happy with all financial penalties that scum bag needs to pay.

And from what I gather, they are starting to actually plan for jailing him. Merchan is frustrated that the fines will have minimal impact.

[basilosaurus]

Apr 30, 2024 11:20:39 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

Did anyone see Bill Barr's interview with CNN? He seriously looked like he was a hostage being told what to say. He looked dead inside.

Also I know the $9k is nothing to Trump, but I'm happy with all financial penalties that scum bag needs to pay.

While I'd prefer jail, I am receptive to the prosecutor saying that's what he wants to be a martyr, and they're not going to give him what he wants.

But I also don't think trump is that smart to pay that many moves ahead

[pixy0stix]

This exchange made me laugh - www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/04/30/trump-hush-money-criminal-trial/how-david-dennison-came-to-be-00155259