"Stock market way up on Trump's conviction, investors liked the strong vote of confidence in the integrity of the American legal system."

~ Matthew Yglesias as quoted by Jay Kuo

#Trump #felon #ConvictedFelonDonaldTrump #guilty #crime #LawandOrder #ElectionInterference #economy #StockMarket

Fox News predicted that the market would fall as a result of Trump's conviction.

https://thinkbigpicture.substack.com/p/week-progressive-wins-june-2

"If she [Hillary Clinton] were to win this election, it would create an unprecedented constitutional crisis. In that situation, we could very well have a sitting president under felony indictment and ultimately a criminal trial. It would grind government to a halt."

~ Donald J. Trump, 5 November 2016

#Trump #felon #ConvictedFelonDonaldTrump #guilty #ElectionInterference #LawandOrder #Republicans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDmrom_TMaE&t=552s

Speech: Donald Trump - Reno, NV - November 5, 2016

Speech given by Donald Trump on November 5, 2016 in Reno, NV.

^YouTube

"Trump stared blankly ahead as the verdict was read. 'Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty.'”

#Trump #crime #criminal #felon #guilty #ElectionInterference #LawandOrder #Republicans
/2

"There will be no such thing as an uninformed voter from this day forward. Everyone, with the possible exception of a cave explorer spelunking a thousand feet down at the bottom of Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, will hear the news that a jury of 12 citizens of New York City found Trump guilty of falsifying business records in order to conceal a sexual liaison with Stormy Daniels."

~ Lucian K. Truscott

#Trump #crime #felon #guilty #ElectionInterference #Republicans
/3

https://luciantruscott.substack.com/p/trump-guilty-verdict-changes-everything

Trump guilty verdict changes everything

This is the first day of the rest of the campaign for president. Donald Trump’s conviction on all 34 counts at his trial in Manhattan changes everything.

^{Lucian K. Truscott IV (Lucian Truscott Newsletter)}

"ACCOUNTABILITY FOR TRUMP’S MISDEEDS is all the more important given that the U.S. Supreme Court, with its right-wing majority, is AWOL from its most basic tasks: seeking equal justice under law and winning public trust in a prudent and steady system of rules not subject to radical revision based on the whims of recent appointees."

~ Donald B. Ayer and Dennis Aftergut

#Trump #crime #criminal #felon #guilty #ElectionInterference #LawandOrder #SupremeCourt
/4

https://www.thebulwark.com/p/donald-trump-convicted-felon-guilty-verdict?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Donald Trump Is Now a Convicted Felon

Guilty verdict in hush-money coverup case is a triumph for the rule of law.

^{Donald B. Ayer (The Bulwark)}

"Today, twelve ordinary Americans did what Republican senators refused to do.

They protected the rule of law and held Trump accountable for his attempt to rig an election."

~ Heather Cox Richardson

#Trump #crime #criminal #felon #guilty #ElectionInterference #LawandOrder #Republicans
/1

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/may-30-2024

May 30, 2024

After slightly less than ten hours of deliberation, a jury today found former president Donald J. Trump guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in order to unlawfully influence the 2016 election.

^{Heather Cox Richardson (Letters from an American)}

Justice #Merchan is done, & now the court reporter will read the #testimony. 2 court reporters will read. The first explains that she is the “lawyer” & that her colleague, on the witness stand is “David Pecker.” They start w/ testimony pertaining to a phone call that #Pecker & #Trump had in June 2016, acc/to Pecker’s testimony.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney

This #testimony is good for the prosecution.

David #Pecker testified that #Trump acknowledged speaking to #MichaelCohen about the issue & acknowledged knowing #KarenMcDougal, one of the women who was eventually paid to keep quiet during the 2016 campaign about her story of having had an affair w/ Trump.

“Karen is a nice girl,” Trump said on this call, according to Pecker’s testimony.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney

#Pecker testified that he recommended that #Trump buy #KarenMcDougal’s story. The portion of #testimony ends before the #jury hears what comes next. Pecker testified that #MichaelCohen called him back & told him to buy McDougal’s story on Trump's behalf.

Jurors heard the portion of Pecker's testimony when he said he believed the story of Trump having had an affair w/McDougal was true, & would be embarrassing to Trump.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference

Next the court reporters read the second part of David #Pecker’s #testimony that the #jurors asked to hear, where he explains that he decided he did not want to be repaid for #KarenMcDougal’s story after purchasing it. The implication was that he was concerned about the #legal consequences of accepting a reimbursement - he testified that the concern was regarding FEC violations.

#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference

#Pecker’s #testimony here is key to prosecution's case. Jurors also asked to hear MichaelCohen’s testimony about the #TrumpTowerMeeting. They will hear that next.

One of the major arguments the defense made during closings also pertained to this meeting, & concerned the idea that the phrase #CatchAndKill was not used during it.
(It’s not used in the charges either. It’s just a characterization not a legal term.)

#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #conspiracy #ElectionInterference

The #jurors just again heard #Pecker’s #testimony that the reason he was purchasing negative stories on #Trump’s behalf was to benefit his presidential campaign.

Defense atty Emil #Bove cross-examined Pecker, & jurors are hearing part of that cross now. Bove elicited testimony that Pecker misremembered the exact date of the Aug 2015 meeting, & more generally that Pecker was testifying about events from a long time ago.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference

The end of the cross-examination of #Pecker was less good for the defense. It was just read aloud again. “There was a discussion about that I was going to be the eyes and ears of the campaign,” Pecker testified. “And there was a discussion that I would be notifying Michael Cohen of any women that were in the process of or going to be selling stories.”

#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference

Court reporters now read the 4th & final portion of #testimony that jurors asked to hear: #MichaelCohen’s recounting of that same #TrumpTowerMeeting.

Cohen’s testimony matches Pecker’s account closely. #Pecker testified that he had said he would be #Trump’s “eyes & ears” & watch out for negative stories. Cohen recalls him saying he would “keep an eye out for anything negative.”

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference

The #testimony readbacks are complete, & #jurors are excused to continue their #deliberations. They have asked to use both headphones & speakers to listen to #evidence that includes an audio portion.

#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference

Marc F. Scholl, who served in the Manhattan DA’s office for nearly 4 decades, specializing in white-collar crimes & appeals, said: “Recently, there has been some slight loosening about whether it can be done w/ the defense’s consent, but it remains a minefield that judges do not want to risk.”

#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #Deliberations #JuryInstructions #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney

There’s a #verdict

They request 30 minutes to fill out the forms.

Trump, who had been smiling a minute ago, is suddenly serious after the judge’s alert that there’s a verdict.

His arms are now crossed across his chest as he whispers with his lawyers.

#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #GagOrder #StochasticTerrorism #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal #NodFarter

The #verdict must be unanimous on the primary crime falsification of business records.

Once #jurors inform the court they have reached a verdict, Justice Juan #Merchan will summon the parties to the courtroom to hear it read by the foreperson.

Merchan must still affirm the verdict & enter a final judgment.

#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #GagOrder #StochasticTerrorism #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal #NodFarter

#OpenAI finds its #tech being used for #propaganda & #US 2024 #ElectionInterference

#ChatGPT maker OpenAI found #Russia, #China, #Iran & #Israel groups using its #technology to #influence global political discourse, highlighting concerns #generative #ArtificialIntelligence is making it easier for state actors to run covert #propaganda campaigns as the presidential election nears.

#ForeignDisinformationCampaigns #disinformation #generativeAI
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/05/30/openai-disinfo-influence-operations-china-russia/

Justice #Merchan calls in the #jury & instructs them that #Blanche’s comment about sending #Trump “to prison” was “improper” & that they must disregard it. He reminds them that a #prison sentence is NOT required in the event of a #guilty #verdict.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics

Joshua #Steinglass opens prosecution’s #ClosingArgument by reminding the #jury that during opening statements, his colleague said that the case, at its core, is about “a conspiracy & a coverup.”

He then delineates 3 elements that the prosecution must prove: That there were false business records, that they were used as part of the conspiracy & that #Trump himself was involved.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics

↑This goes directly at 1 of the 10 reasons for reasonable doubt that #Blanche kinda listed at the end of his closing. Blanche questioned whether the #evidence was handled properly.

Next, #Steinglass says that one of the defense’s narratives is “this notion that #StormyDaniels is trying to extort the defendant … threatened to go public unless she was paid off. But that's just not reality.”

#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference

#Steinglass quickly disposes w/some of #Blanche’s arguments, including the idea that there was an alternative #conspiracy involving #StormyDaniels, her manager & a #NationalEnquirer editor. He says that the defense is trying to distract from a key issue in the case, adding, “In the end, all of this doesn’t really matter.”

[thank you! This is about falsifying business records]
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics

#Steinglass list the many witnesses who testified who are still loyal to #Trump: #HopeHicks, #MadeleineWesterhout, #JeffreyMcConney, #RhonaGraff & David #Pecker. Steinglass says that Pecker has “absolutely no reason to lie here,” & adds, “and yet, his testimony is utterly devastating.”

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics

#Steinglass addresses #StormyDaniels’s testimony, saying that while she does not like Trump — & wants to see him convicted — her testimony about her sexual encounter w/him was credible, w/details that had the ring of truth.

He says, the encounter itself was important, because if the jury finds Daniels's testimony credible, it explains why #Trump would have sought to buy her silence.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics

#Steinglass tells jurors #Trump would not have paid a lot of money to #StormyDaniels just because someone had a photo of them on a golf course.

Steinglass says anyone in #MichaelCohen’s shoes would want the defendant to be held accountable”

“Mr. Trump decided, like he often does, 'I’m not going to pay this bill,'” Steinglass said, of the payment to the tech firm for which Cohen was eventually overpaid when he was reimbursed in 2017.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #ElectionInterference

#Steinglass notes that the defense accused #MichaelCohen of stealing for overstating the amount he was owed for paying the technology firm. Steinglass acknowledges that Cohen was wrong to steal. But, he says, “it’s not a defense to a false business records charge that one of the conspirators is also guilty for stealing from another.”

#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics

#Steinglass addresses another problem w/ #Blanche's argument — that he is trying to both say this wasn’t a reimbursement & it was also a legitimate legal expense.

“Their arguments are not necessarily consistent, but they’re passionate,” Steinglass says, about the defense's contradictory arguments at one point they argued #Trump didn’t know about the reimbursement & at another point that he did.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics

#Steinglass starts a timer & pretends to have the exact same conversation, he adds a bunch of asides & silences. He plays the role of Cohen, talking first to #KeithSchiller & then to #Trump.

The call feels loooong. When Steinglass stops the timer, it’s only been ~49 secs, about as long as the call in question.

The point:
#MichaelCohen could have easily talked to both men, as he testified.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics

#Steinglass asks #jurors to remember that “we didn’t choose #MichaelCohen to be our witness. We didn’t pick him up at the witness store.” Then he raises his voice & says that #Trump chose Cohen “for the same qualities that his attorneys now urge you to reject his testimony because of.”

Steinglass adds that Trump chose Cohen “because he was willing to lie & cheat on Mr. Trump’s behalf.”

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics

#Steinglass is making the significant points that this case is not about #MichaelCohen, & that Cohen was exactly what #Trump wanted in a lawyer.

This is always the issue w/cooperating witnesses. As Jonah Bromwich put it, “if you want to know what happens in the gutter, you have to talk to the rats.”

Steinglass reminds jurors that Michael Cohen testified he went to his family who questioned his “blind loyalty” to Trump.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference

#Steinglass notes that #MichaelCohen has been consistently describing the events that took place in this case for 6 yrs.

Steinglass moves on from Cohen & turns to the documents prosecutors say were falsified. He displays a chart on the screens in front of jurors but says they don’t have to understand it just yet.

#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics

“This scheme, cooked up by these men, at this time, could very well be what got President Trump elected,” #Steinglass says, concluding the portion of his closing that refers specifically to the #Trump Tower meeting. He moves on to the first of the #HushMoney deals, which involved the #TrumpOrganization doorman who was hawking a story about Trump fathering a child out of wedlock.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference

Steinglass is highlighting David Pecker’s testimony that he discussed Karen McDougal with Trump. Steinglass says it offered “powerful evidence” of Trump’s involvement in her hush-money deal, and showed he knew about the payment and was actively involved in arranging it.

Steinglass also notes that the testimony does not rely on Michael Cohen in any way.

#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics

#Steinglass notes that after closing the #HushMoney deal w/ #KarenMcDougal, the editor of The #NationalEnquirer did not immediately call his boss. Instead he placed a call to #Trump atty #MichaelCohen, underscoring, again, that The Enquirer was working on Trump's behalf.

We’re over hour 2, & Steinglass has a way to go, this won’t be done today.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics

#Steinglass tells the jury that #Pecker was willing to sacrifice his bottom line in service of #Trump’s campaign, & adds that this deal was “the very antithesis of a normal legitimate press function.”

Steinglass shows through call records the degree to which Trump would have had knowledge of the discussions around acquiring #KarenMcDougal’s life rights. Cutting against Blanche’s portrayal of Trump as a dupe who people took advantage of.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #ElectionInterference

#Steinglass plays the recording of the conversation between #MichaelCohen & #Trump discussing the #KarenMcDougal deal in Sept 2016.

Steinglass argues that the conversation shows Trump’s “cavalier willingness” to hide this payoff & “unequivocally shows a presidential candidate actively engaging in a scheme to influence the election.”

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics

#Steinglass shows the jurors video clips of #Trump himself acknowledging that the “#AccessHollywood” tape & its aftermath could swing a very tight election. “If 5% of the people think it’s true, & maybe 10%,” Trump says in one clip, “we don’t win.”

Steinglass takes jurors through testimony from #HopeHicks describing what a disaster Trump understood the “Access Hollywood” tape to be, because she was “in the room where it happened.”

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #ElectionInterference

Now, having painted a picture of just how desperate the #Trump campaign was as it spun the #AccessHollywood tape, #Steinglass reintroduces the jurors to #StormyDaniels (well done Josh).

“During the exact same month that the defendant was desperately trying to sell the distinction between words & actions, he was negotiating to muzzle a porn star who was preparing to go public,” Steinglass says.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics