Just caught up on today’s SCOTUS action and it feels like they’re gonna punt it back down to the Appeals Court to mire it in the shit for another year or two.
And also, what is the fucking point of Brighton?
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As sick as it sounds , just can’t escape the idea that this is payback from the Trump appointed jusrices.
Back in Manhattan , the prosecutors have wrapped up with Pecker and cross examination has begun.
Sam Alito is a cunt, but I cannot believe he’s now helping city to another dubiously earned title. Does his awfulness know no bounds?
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https://x.com/kaitlancollins/status/1783571713508221215
Trump using the white house press secretary as his personal admin is I think the perfect illustration of why he has so much trouble with the presidential records issue. He just cannot see the difference between the office and him as a person occupying it, something that is pretty central to how it all works.
I am not sure where a country goes when the Supreme Court seems to be stumbling over the basic notion of the rule of law.
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Greatest country in the world.
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It’s hard not to think in terms of parallels to the failure of the Roman Republic. The acts necessary to end the current situation will necessarily give rise to a reaction that brings the Republic to a definitive end.
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I guess that’s when you should start getting scared, very scared.
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I think Jack Smith can kiss goodbye to his election interference case happening anytime now before the election. ( I have now altered the thread title to accomodate discussion of the other cases.)
It was better news over in Manhattan though yesterday for the prosecutors. There’s a good summation here of how it went ;
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/25/trump-trial-david-pecker-testimony-00154517
Does that put more onus on this case succeeding in order to keep Trump out of the Whitehouse?
Reading that back sounds like an utterly despicable perspective and thing to say but I feel we’re in unprecedented times and need unprecedented actions.
It certainly does. Polls have suggested that a conviction would cost him dearly ( I think around 15%) amongst otherwise likely Republican voters. In such a close race that’s enough to sink him.
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To my mind this is probably the least of the cases, but it’s the one we have. At that point credit to the enormous effort put in to actually get this to a courtroom, because he has lots of form for delaying, appealing, and swerving justice.
And this case feels like the genesis of his rise to prominence, as it seemed like a watershed moment. A lot of his base would usually be appalled by his morals, grab em by the pussy, sleeping with porn stars and glamour models while his wife was pregnant/or with baby… and on those grounds alone, in a normal world, he would be sunk. It’s just so against what a conservative leaning group of people would find acceptable.
But then weave in Trump’s sleight of hand, and downplay the deeds, and overplay the political hack job narrative, and by and large, people assembled in their tribal ranks, and millions of conservatives got behind him, and either overlooked his appalling behavior, or didn’t believe it was that bad, and was more of a political hit job on him.
So…
If there is a chance that as many as 15% can be moved by the outcome of this trial, the stakes are enormous, and it could well sink Trump as a political entity, assuming he loses the Presidential election.
Ideally it will be a bellwether case where people start to part from Trump, and then the other cases can come, and in time, he might come to be seen as the utter monster he is.
That might be too much to hope for, but a bit of truth about the man, coming out in the courtroom, and hopefully a conviction, might plant enough seeds in the minds of enough people that it will sink him.
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Counterpoint, those voters often add the caveat that they dont mean this case.
The prosecution is doing a good of demonstrating that it is an election interference case with a consistent pattern of behavior and broad reach, and not simply a case of trying to embarrass him by paying off a porn star, but the press are insistent on calling it “the hush money case” which helps trivialize it in the minds of people not paying attention to the details (90%?)
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Sleepy Don.
“The courtroom is pretty low-energy today, and folks are fatigued after a long week of testimony. Trump appears tired. Before Pecker took the stand, Trump briefly checked his phone. He has had a few brief conversations with his lawyers, but for the most part, he is sitting at the defense table with his eyes shut as Pecker testifies.”
Since the criticism she received for the ill advised and conducted townhall with Trump shortly after her promotion as one of the new faces of the new CNN, Kaitlan Collins has really grown into the role. She is now bodying Trump on a daily basis, but doing so with such above the fray journalistic objectivity that makes it even more perfect.
She was absolutely stitched up in that townhall by that idiot who CNN subsequently sacked. She did as well as could be expected and she’s a very competent journalist who doesn’t normally wilt in front of anyone. I think she’s got a very bright future.
Seriously how is he not being held in contempt for that post?
Horrible Horrible Man…
Trump Challenges Gag Order Amid 2024 Presidential Campaign Turmoil
Former President Donald Trump is taking a stand against a gag order imposed by New York Judge Juan Merchan, demanding its immediate removal to allow him to engage openly with voters and the media.
As Trump gears up for the 2024 Presidential race, where polls show him in a leading position, this legal restriction has sparked a fiery debate over free speech and electoral fairness.
Trump’s Team Strikes Back
On his platform, Truth Social, Trump voiced his frustrations loudly, claiming the gag order is stifling his ability to respond to what he describes as a “Rigged Biden Trial.”
He argued that while his opponents freely critique him, he is silenced from defending himself due to the constraints of the gag order, which he deems “UNPRECEDENTED AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL.”
Legal Tensions Escalate
The legal battle surrounding the former president is intensifying. Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg insists that Trump has breached the gag order at least 14 times, proposing a $1,000 fine for each infraction and seeking to hold him in contempt of court. Trump’s legal team, however, maintains that the gag order infringes on his First Amendment rights, calling into question the balance between judicial decorum and free speech.
With a crucial hearing scheduled for Thursday, the political and legal eyes are on Judge Merchan’s next move.
As Trump’s request to lift the gag order hangs in balance, the outcome could significantly impact both his legal confrontations and his campaign strategies.
I think it has been quite clearly established a while back that none of the cases can prevent him from running, winning and executing office. The best way to keep him out of the Whitehouse is to beat him in the election, and I think this has been lost on many democrats that are so focused on him rather than themselves. Play the course and not the opponent!
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Let me help her out.
Again, the courthouse is open for the public. The park outside, where a handful of his supporters have gathered on trial days, is easily accessible.
Hopefully no egg on my face 