Live Updates: Cohen Says Trump Approved Payments at White House Meeting
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/05/14/nyregion/trump-trial-news-michael-cohen?unlocked_article_code=1.r00.w9QA.PKJe5fBhuRUj&smid=url-shareOpen linkView original on slrpnk.netSyndicated from the fediverse. Read and engage on the original instance.
View original on slrpnk.nethttps://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/05/14/nyregion/trump-trial-news-michael-cohen?unlocked_article_code=1.r00.w9QA.PKJe5fBhuRUj&smid=url-shareOpen linkView original on slrpnk.net
15 replies
I had read Trump posted and deleted a rant on witnesses just yesterday or over the weekend. Maybe that was false or I misread older news.
Edit: looks like I saw an older post. Trump has moved on to having his pawns do the lies for him.
This latest stunt of having a rotating set of bootlicking douche canoes attend court with him then talk shit in the media is pathetic and disgusting.
It's funny because his lawyers are in court right now arguing that Michael Cohen did not act on Trump's behalf. Meanwhile, there's a parade of losers outside clearly acting on Trump's behalf.
The defense lawyers don't really have a coherent argument, but part of their strategy is to pretend Michael Cohen used his own home equity loan to pay off Stormy Daniels for no reason. As if that's totally normal. We've all (at some point) acted in Donald Trump's best interest, not at his direction, right?
That's the thing that cracks me up. They've got to convince the jury that there are just rogue lawyers out there taking out home equity loans to protect their clients without discussing it with their clients. Like it's just a completely normal thing to do.
Maybe Trump's current team of lawyers will make their closing arguments and be like "and it turns out that during this trial, the entire defense team has mortgaged their houses to keep this trial going, all unbeknownst to our client. The defense rests."
Yea it is pathetic and disrespectful to his supporters. Trumps says he'll trade jail for free speech, then immediately has his booklicking douche canoes come and do the speaking, so Trump can avoid jail. Imagine how little self respect you have to have to see this and think "Yea, trumps my guy".
IMHO, this isn’t two tiers of justice. It’s three. Trump is on a whole new tier.
The Shit Tier
The point of the gag order was to stop Trump from intimidating key witnesses (Daniels, Cohen, and Pecker). Whether or not it achieved its goal, it's much harder to justify after the witnesses have already testified.
The only testimony remaining would be from the defense. Cohen’s testimony concluded the prosecution’s case.
The gag order is still in effect. It’s just not justifiably enforceable in protection of witnesses that have completed their testimony.
IAAL, however, I don't practice in the USA.
Although infrequent, witnesses for the prosecution can be called back if the presiding judge allows reopening of the prosecution's case.
See in the USA: https://katzjustice.com/when-may-a-prosecutor-reopen-the-case-in-chief/
That's why I tend to agree with [email protected]. The order should continue to be enforced until the end of the trial.
That’s true. I still think it’s motivated by Merchan’s desire to avoid providing any grounds for appeal. It turns out the request was overturned.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/14/politics/gag-order-appeal-trump-hush-money-denied/index.html
That is correct. Once the witnesses have testified, there’s no reason to enforce it without inferring bias. The gag order is still very much enforceable in protection of jurors and court staff until the trial is complete.
People who think this trial might end in a person sentence are completely delusional.
This has been amazing. Cohen has been calm, cool, and collected, and I'm pretty sure Trump's lawyers are on the verge of tears because of it.
“That sounds like something I’d say,”