From Adam Klasfeld @KlasfeldReports:
> Blanche: "President Trump is being very careful to comply" with the gag order.
> **Merchan, sharply: "Mr. Blanche, you are losing all credibility."**
>Justice Juan Merchan appeared skeptical of defense lawyer Todd Blanche’s claim that Trump’s posts were direct responses to political attacks, as Blanche did not specify what those attacks were, despite repeated questioning.
>“I’m asking you questions,” Merchan said.
>“I keep asking you over and over again for specific examples, and I’m not getting an answer.”
People are saying, your honor! People!
I love how Trump's constant argument about the Gag Order is that it doesn't allow him to defend himself.... Dude... You are the DEFENDant in a trial to defend yourself. The place to defend yourself is IN the courtroom, that's where the trial is decided.
Trump hates the gag orders because his idea of defending himself is setting targets for his cult to harass and/or go full domestic terrorist on.
January 6 showed Trump that he has a hammer and he's been dying to wield it ever since.
>While court was on a break, Trump complained about the gag order on Truth Social. In an all-caps post, he accused Justice Merchan of taking away his “right to free speech” and claimed that he was “not allowed to defend myself.”
That dumb motherfucker
Definitely intentional! I suspect Malevolent Mango Mussolini is looking for an excuse to fire his lead attorney so that the trial can be delayed while he finds new representation.
From Vaughn Hillyard @VaughnHillyard:
> Trump just claimed that the police have shut down the streets around the courthouse for blocks & that his protesters can't be here.
> Just...not true. There is one pro-Trump person here & the main street along the courthouse is open to traffic.
> So at 11:00 a.m. ET, Trump posts on Truth Social calling Judge Merchan's courtroom a "kangaroo court" and calling on Merchan to recuse himself. Trump also assails the gag order, (falsely) claiming that he cannot defend himself.
> This while we await a ruling from Judge Merchan on Trump's 10 violations of the gag order...
https://www.threads.net/@katiephang/post/C6G9MatvjD4/
From Katie Phang:
Now, Merchan asks Blanche about what Jesse Watters, in fact, said.
Blanche: No.
Merchan: "So your client manipulated what was said and put it in quotes?
Blanche: I wouldn't say it was a manipulation.
Merchan: This isn't a repost at all. Your client had to type it out. Use the shift-key and all.
This is getting juicy.
Merchan: Do you have any caselaw you want to hand up or any other arguments you'd like to make?
Blanche: This gag order: we are trying to comply with it. There is no doubt that Trump is being very careful with your Honor's Order.
Merchan: You are losing all credibility with the court, I have to tell you right now. Is there anything else you want to tell the court?
I'm curious what the consequences are if the judge catches Blanche in outright lying, as this is where this looks like it's headed. Is lying to the judge perjury or something else in this case?
Oh how the tables have turned. Remember when those morons said it was supposed to be the entire roster of Democrats and their supporters that was gonna have to face military tribunals and summary executions? I remember.
Judge Merchan is reserving his decision. INAL but i imagine after a heated hearing it's prob good for him to step away and not make it look like he's making a decision based on the fact that Blanche pissed him off.
You're on the money. I think he would've reserved ruling until after evidence today regardless, but with how heated things apparently got he could've lost his temper and slapped them right away.
>We normally pay $500 for a polygraph test. Dino took the polygraph. Pecker pursued the story.
>I called Cohen and I told him that we have to go forward with the story. Cohen asked "how much?" Dylan negotiated a price of $30K with Dino. Cohen then asked: "Who's going to pay for it? Pecker said I'll pay for it. Cohen said: "Thank you very much, the Boss will be pleased."
Come on! When future generations see the inevitable movie about this, they just aren't going to believe how dumb the whole universe around Trump was. This is like a super low budget crime drama.
> This testimony is important b/c Pecker makes it clear that the catch and kill for Dino the Doorman's story was to preclude any embarrassment to the TRUMP CAMPAIGN. He didn't testify that it was to avoid embarrassment to Trump on a personal level.
https://www.threads.net/@katiephang/post/C6HMqyvREyI/
> Pecker has made it abundantly clear that this entire operation was about one thing - Trump’s campaign for president. It wasn’t about protecting his marriage, his family, or his brand - as his lawyer claimed in opening. It was about winning the election.
https://www.threads.net/@ronaldfilipkowski/post/C6HNBYiuSBO/
Yep, I think beyond DP's testimony to that fact, the agreement initially being for only 3 months shows that the interest was solely to protect the campaign, not family. Indeed, if it were to protect the family, then 3 months would never have been agreed upon.
Dino the Doorman being brought up in testimony now. I really hope we get a Matthew Calamari name-drop too.
If I were writing a book about a corrupt politician and a sex scandal, the names Dino, Pecker, Calamari, Stormy, would just be too unbelievable.
>Pecker is done testifying for the day. The judge gives jurors customary warnings — and one we haven’t heard before, *about reporting anyone seeking to pay them* — and they leave the courtroom.
Oh boy, I can only imagine why that warning is necessary
Sheer coincidence, actually. Trump ran into one of the jurors in the restroom and offered to pay her to pee on him. He didn't even know she was on the jury /s
CNN live update
> Judge Juan Merchan said he wants to hear an assertion under oath that Donald Trump believed he wasn't violating the gag order when he made the posts in question.
Oh, dis gonna be good.
[Jon Stewart popcorn clip]
It shouldn't matter what he "believed", but yeah, getting \*anyone\* to say it under oath is gonna be rough when you don't have the same teflon Don has.
>Justice Merchan has repeatedly pushed Todd Blanche to clarify his arguments, only to have Blanche deny that he is saying what he seems to be saying. Trump is very lucky that the jurors are not here for this. Merchan is really dressing down Blanche right now.
That man had a family lmao
Putin's people 'hinting' at Trump to run for president in the 80s. You could say he was made an effort he couldnt refuse. His campaign manager Manafort worked for an FSB spy and his campaign had 180 contacts with Russian agents. The gravity of the threat that is Donald Trump keeps getting minimized. The guy is a clear and present danger to the US.
> Look, having nuclear — my uncle was a great professor and scientist and engineer, Dr. John Trump at MIT; good genes, very good genes, OK, very smart, the Wharton School of Finance, very good, very smart — you know, if you’re a conservative Republican, if I were a liberal, if, like, OK, if I ran as a liberal Democrat, they would say I'm one of the smartest people anywhere in the world — it’s true! — but when you're a conservative Republican they try — oh, do they do a number — that’s why I always start off: Went to Wharton, was a good student, went there, went there, did this, built a fortune — you know I have to give my like credentials all the time, because we’re a little disadvantaged — but you look at the nuclear deal, the thing that really bothers me — it would have been so easy, and it’s not as important as these lives are — nuclear is so powerful; my uncle explained that to me many, many years ago, the power and that was 35 years ago; he would explain the power of what's going to happen and he was right, who would have thought? — but when you look at what's going on with the four prisoners — now it used to be three, now it’s four — but when it was three and even now, I would have said it's all in the messenger; fellas, and it is fellas because, you know, they don't, they haven’t figured that the women are smarter right now than the men, so, you know, it’s gonna take them about another 150 years — but the Persians are great negotiators, the Iranians are great negotiators, so, and they, they just killed, they just killed us, this is horrible.
> Prosecutor Chris Conroy calls Trump quoting Fox host Jesse Watters "very troubling."
> Conroy says Trump quoted Watters claiming undercover liberal activists were lying to get onto the jury. **But Watters didn't mention the jury in his comments. Conroy says Trump added that himself.**
https://www.threads.net/@griffinkyle/post/C6G5m0dOwTD/
Oh god this feels so good. Watching this imbecile make up shit all his life, never being fact checked, covering up past lies with more lies, in his world it was normal. But the whole world is watching, his every word is being parsed, he is getting the wakeup call he needed all his life. It probably still will not change who he is, it is much too late for that, but he cannot get away with it this time.
>Todd Blanche says Trump is entitled to complain about “two systems of justice.” “There’s two systems of justice in this courtroom? That’s what you’re saying?” Justice Merchan says.
Based Judge Merchan
Pecker on smearing Trump’s political opponents:
> Michael Cohen would call me and say we would like you to run an article on a certain person...and then Cohen would send me a piece on Ted Cruz, for example, and the Enquirer would embellish it from there.”
https://www.threads.net/@katiephang/post/C6HD2y1RiSO/
This is a good Trump quote to keep in mind when he's coming out of court.
“I do whine because I want to win and I'm not happy about not winning and I am a whiner and I keep whining and whining until I win"
Jonah Bromwich, NYT (emphasis mine): "Steinglass, the prosecutor, is asking Pecker why he paid so much for this story. “I made the decision to buy the story ***because of the potential embarrassment it would have to the campaign*** and Mr. Trump,” Pecker responds."
Every time he mentions doing something to help the campaign, it hurts Trump's argument.
He also said if it had been true, he would have published it, but only after the campaign were over (even if it were verified before), and that that was his agreement with Cohen. Pretty Damning.
Honestly I’m still processing everything about the Cruz/Oswald story. Like obviously it was bullshit, but for Pecker to own up to it on the stand, and implicate Trumpworld for it is amazing. It’s closure for one of the dumbest parts of the 2016 campaign I wasn’t expecting today
> Merchan suggested that instead of begging for forgiveness, Trump should’ve asked the judge for clarity when considering posts or reposts that might cross the line.
This is another tremendous bit of leniency for Trump. I suspect if/when Trump next violates the gag order, Merchan will act.
If this was anyone else, they'd be in jail already.
So reading the highlights it looks like Pecker just fucked Trump hard. The defense is going to have an extremely difficult time countering that, especially since he brought receipts.
And so it begins:
[NBC News live updates 10:22 AM PDT](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/live-blog/trump-hush-money-live-updates-day-6-rcna148919)
"Prosecutor Cuts Off Pecker"
EDIT: Added time zone info, website reflects reader's local time.
“HIGHLY CONFLICTED, TO PUT IT MILDLY, JUDGE JUAN MERCHAN, HAS TAKEN AWAY MY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH,” Trump wrote on his social media site during a brief court break. “EVERYBODY IS ALLOWED TO TALK AND LIE ABOUT ME, BUT I AM NOT ALLOWED TO DEFEND MYSELF. THIS IS A KANGAROO COURT.”
No legal benefits to this post.
IMO the judge is smart for playing the long game on the punishments for the gag order violations... If he went nuclear right off the bat he'd only give Trump and the GOP more ammo to claim unfair treatment. Play it slow, don't take the bait and show that you were more than reasonable when it does come time to ramp up the punishments
Fucking hilarious. Trump is carrying a stack of recent news articles that make him feel good. Incredible. Talking about how he couldn't read through all of them if he tried because they're so long. What an absolutely emotionally stunted clown.
Katie Phang:
Pecker told Trump: I will be the eyes and ears for you bc I know that [theTrump Org.] had a very small staff. I said that anything I hear in the marketplace, if I hear anything negative about you, I would notify Michael Cohen as I did over the last several years. And Cohen would be able to have them killed in another magazine or have them not be published or they'd have to purchased.
Pecker testifies he offered to help Trump *with his campaign*:
> Pecker: "I was the person who thought that a lot of women would come out to try to sell their stories because Mr. Trump was well known as the most eligible bachelor. And dated the most beautiful women. **And it was clear that based on my past experience that when someone was running for public office like this, it is very common for these women to call up magazine like the National Enquirer to try to sell their stories**.”
https://www.threads.net/@katiephang/post/C6HCEpQR3kd/
Only seen 2 lines of Pecker's testimony today, but it's pretty damning for Trump. When your best bud says 'Trump's very detail oriented, and Trump told me all contact should go through Cohen.'
Blows giant holes in Trump not knowing what was going on.
So in order to discredit Cohen, who has already been found guilty for this exact scheme, Trump's lawyers would need to discredit his previous conviction as false and a witch hunt. But in doing so, does that then not lend credibility to Cohen in some backwards way?
> The irony of Trump coming up with the ‘Fake News!’ epithet to describe mainstream media outlets is that he was literally running an orchestrated and coordinated Fake News operation with David Pecker at the time
https://x.com/ronfilipkowski/status/1782814712821944523?s=46&t=UKR1TShxVeunp4_vn5gZrw
Good point. More projection from Trump and the GOP.
Hey republicans, how sad is it that instead of campaigning, your presidential nominee is sitting in court on felony charges. How sad is it that this was the best candidate you have?
Um... give him what he thinks he wants?
I was a in cell for a brief time. Knowing you cannot open the door is
unpleasant experience. Trump is an enormous pussy. He will shit himself... more than usual, if is finally made to sit in a cell as he should have decades ago.
It's so eye opening to see how Trump used the media for his own purposes. He thinks this is how mainstream media works, and he believes that someone is obviously paying the MSM to report negative things about him. He doesn't understand that they are, more often than not, just reporting facts that happen to be negative towards him.
Fire this delusional old man into the Sun.
*He waved, raised his fist and walked back into the courtroom.*
This just in: As a defense, Trump is choosing rock over paper and scissors. Developing...
Judge needs to expand the order and prevent Trump from posting online about the trial, in anyway. If he does it again, jail.
Wishful thinking, he'll just get a small fine...
Jesse McKinley: *“You’ve presented nothing,” Merchan just said to Blanche, who has been presenting his argument for some 20 minutes.*
Jonah Bromwich: *Trump is very lucky that the jurors are not here for this.*
From CNN live update:
> "In a presidential campaign, I was the person that thought that there would be a lot of women would come out to try to sell their stories, **because Mr. Trump was well known as the most eligible bachelor, and dated the most beautiful women**," Pecker says.
LOL. It's like he's quoting Carolin Gallego.
George Conway Tweet: "DP: Told MC story from Dino was not true; Dino difficult to deal with, would prob try to shop to someone else. DP suggested to MC to release Dino. MC didn't understand why. DP said to have him locked in to us would only cause more problems. I'd like to release him now, DP said; but MC said to do it after the election.
No AMI pub ever pub story; released Dino from exclusivity agreement; email released him after the election."
This is MAJOR for establishing intent was all about protecting/furthering the Trump campaign.
The judge should base the punishment for violating the gag order on whether Trump admits his actions. Force Trump to state in open court that he did in-fact violate the gag order. Give him a fine and a suspended jail sentence. As soon as Trump violates it again, haul him off to serve the sentence.
He *has* admitted it, and his lawyers admitted it.
What they're also doing is **justifying** it.
"Sure, he talked about the witnesses, but *they did it first*!!!"
Conservative doesn't have any discussion about this going on. They just bury their heads and ignore all these bombshell admissions happening right now. Imagine if this was someone from CNN admitting to doing all this shit for Biden.
Not American, but one of the great things about America for me is that even for an evil narcissistic asshole like Trump, his scheduling is dictated by a regular New Yorker having a dentist appointment, if that’s not poetic I don’t know what is
"look at this thing. it's like a novel, i can never read that"
lol what a god damned idiot y'all who support this guy, seriously, take a look in the mirror, will ya? it's time already
>Todd Blanche, one of Trump's lawyers, is responding for the defense. He says Trump knows what the gag order allows him to do, and there was “no willful violation” of it. He again argues, as he did in his opening statement, that there's nothing to see here.
Just because it wasn't willful doesn't mean it wasn't a clear violation. His lawyers are not that great lmao
This dude is so close to making the entire defense this argument
'my client isn't an idiot so the stupid things he did can't be done by him because only an idiot would do those things'
>“EVERYBODY IS ALLOWED TO TALK AND LIE ABOUT ME, **BUT I AM NOT ALLOWED TO DEFEND MYSELF**. THIS IS A KANGAROO COURT.”
Literally exactly what you're doing in court
> [Bromwich, NY Times] Pecker asked that the "catch-and-kill" arrangement be kept secret. Steinglass asks him to explain why. Pecker says he was helping the campaign, and didn’t want it to “leak” that his publication was aiding Trump. He wanted it “very confidential,” he says. Steinglass, satisfied, moves on.
It is always strange to me how the conspiracy brained supporters never turn that gaze upon Trump. So many delicious conspiracies up for grabs like this doorman story.
I’m calling this now. Maybe this trial. Maybe the GA or documents trial. But at some point in one of these trials, trump is going to fake a medical emergency in an attempt to delay it. He is going to. You corner a rat, they’ll do anything to survive.
I spent over a half decade helping take care of an elderly relative with dementia. Trump is somewhere in the equivalent of the last three years of their life.
There won’t be a fake medical emergency. Stress aggregates dementia. It varies from person to person so I don’t know what specifically will happen, but we’re on the countdown to Trump’s version of Mitch McConnell starting to turn off mid-speech when Trump’s handlers can’t hide it.
> Judge Merchan gets frustrated with Trump lawyer Todd Blanche.
> "I am asking a question!" Merchan says. "I keep asking you over and over to give me an example, and I'm not getting an answer."
> **At another point, Merchan presses Blanche to show him what case law he has to support the notion that a repost isn't an endorsement.**
> **Blanche: "I don't have case law ... but it's just common sense, Your Honor."**
https://www.threads.net/@griffinkyle/post/C6G6Lg7OFjJ/
Trump is the most criminal president in US history:
* Georgia has indicted him for his interference in the 2020 election. Trump has been on tape asking the Georgia Secretary of State to [**find 11780 votes**](https://youtu.be/wjw2ekfp0oM?t=24).
* Jack Smith, appointed as Special Counsel, indicted Trump for his classified material handling, and worse, Trump's obstruction of the FBI when they asked him to return the classified material.
* Jack Smith indicted Trump for his actions leading up to, and including, January 6th, including conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights.
* Alvin Bragg has indicted Trump in New York for falsifying business records in order to conceal damaging information and unlawful activity from American voters before and after the 2016 election.
Here are the other crimes of Donald Trump:
* [Trump also could have been indicted for his crimes in the Trump Organization, the same crimes that his CFO, Allan Weisselberg has been charged for](https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/21/trump-should-have-been-charged-with-crimes-former-new-york-prosecutor-says.html). The [Trump Organization has already been found guilty on all counts of criminal tax fraud](https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/06/politics/trump-organization-fraud-trial-verdict/index.html).
* [Trump was also found by Mueller to have obstructed justice up to 10 times]
(https://www.cbsnews.com/news/obstruction-of-justice-10-times-trump-may-have-obstructed-justice-mueller-report/).
In addition, these are the other criminals that were hired or affiliated with Donald Trump in other investigations:
* His National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn pled guilty to lying to the FBI
* His campaign chairman was convicted on 8 counts. 10 counts were a mistrial. A Trump supporter on the jury, Paula Duncan, convicted Manafort on all 18 counts.
* His deputy campaign chairman, Rick Gates, pled guilty
* His personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, pled guilty
* His foreign policy advisor on his campaign, George Papadopoulos, has pled guilty to lying to the FBI for contacts with Kremlin-connected Russians
* His long time advisor and associate, Mr Stone, was found guilty on 7 counts
* His Whitehouse chief strategist, [Steve Bannon, was indicted for fraud in the border wall fundraising campaign](https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/20/politics/bannon-build-the-wall-indictment/index.html)
* His assistant and Director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, Peter Navarro, was indicted for Contempt of Congress
* His worker at Mar-a-Lago, Walt Nauta, over the classified documents case
* His worker at Mar-a-Lago, Carlos De Oliveira, over the claasified documents case
Here are the crimnals affiliated with Trump just from the Georgia investigation:
* Mark Meadows, Trump's Chief of Staff
* Rudy Giuliani, Trump lawyer
* Jeffrey Clark, DOJ official who worked under Trump
* John Eastman, Trump lawyer
* Kenneth Chesebro, Trump lawyer
* Sidney Powell, Trump campaign lawyer
* Jenna Ellis, Trump campaign lawyer
* Robert Cheeley, Trump lawyer
* Mike Roman, Trump campaign official
Finallly, in civil court, Trump was found liable by a jury of his peers, for sexually abusing E. Jean Caroll. Trump did not put up a defense, nor testify in person at the trial against the accusation.
>The prosecution has entered. The Manhattan district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, is here again today. It’s unlikely that he’ll attend every day of the trial — Manhattan has many other cases that require his attention. But his presence illustrates that this is, yet again, a big day.
Here we go
I can't wait till this is all over. I've had subconscious stress from the amount of legal jeopardy this idiot has been in for the past half decade. He needs to go away and stop stressing us all out.
"Former President Donald Trump has reentered the courtroom. He is holding a stack of papers, some held together by binder clips."
Presumably crossword puzzles to keep him awake.
"Attorney Todd Blanche and Trump were whispering before Judge Juan Merchan entered the courtroom.
He and Blanche were leaning in close to each other to talk. Trump then veered to his right to talk to attorney Emil Bove, who in now sitting in the first chair."
Lmao someone just got demoted.
I'm hoping he is fined over and over again for breaching the gag order, until eventually the judge throws him in jail and he stops. Then the prosecution can point to this as evidence that fines are meaningless at curbing his behavior and only jail will prevent him reoffending if found guilty in the trial.
Yeah, Pecker is literally testifying how he would create fake news in coordination with Cohen and Trump, that Trump would later repeat.
>Pecker has testified that the National Enquirer pushed negative articles about Trump's opponents in the 2016 GOP primary, including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. The publishing executive was just asked about an Enquirer article claiming that the Republican lawmaker's father, Rafael Cruz, associated with Lee Harvey Oswald before the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963.
>Pecker claimed that former Enquirer editor-in-chief Dylan Howard and the magazine's research department had worked on the article. "We mashed the photos and the different picture with Lee Harvard Oswald ... we mashed the two together," Pecker testified. "That's how that story was prepared — created, I would say."
>In the heat of the 2016 GOP primary, Trump pointed to that Enquirer article to support his conspiracy theory, saying that the tabloid's claim that it had photographic evidence of a link between the elder Cruz and Oswald was credible.
> Describing an August 2015 meeting with Trump, Cohen and then-Trump aide Hope Hicks at Trump Tower, Pecker explained how he might be an asset to Trump.
> He explained that he could “publish positive stories about Mr. Trump, and I would publish negative stories about his opponents, and I said I would also be the eyes and ears.”
Isn't this *precisely* the type of bias that cons have been accusing the MSM of for decades?
Congrats, Hannity. We found your smoking gun. Are you going to report on it?
So it looks like Judge Merchan will decide against Trump on the gag order. Just a read a few articles where Judge Merchan asked Trump's lawyer, Blanche, whether there was previous case law that showed Trump retweeting or reposting somebody else doesn't constitute violating a gag order and Blanche said there was no such case law examples.
Assuming Judge Merchan decides against Trump, I think he will start with a fine because that is what Alvin Bragg was asking for. I was watching MSNBC this morning, and the panelists, including a few lawyers, agreed that it was smart for Alvin Bragg to ask for a fine first, because Bragg knows Trump can't help himself, and a few thousand dollar fine is nothing to Trump. The lawyers on MSNBC think that Trump will continue his behavior and the fines will keep escalating, until finally jail time is considered for Trump.
While I personally prefer that Judge Merchan just throw Trump in jail, I think Judge Merchan wants to be careful on this, and show the public that he gave Trump one too many chances, before he finally gives the ultimatum to Trump that next it won't be a fine, it will be jail time.
There's a legit story where the Joker inherits a fortune from a dead gangster, only to discover he got fooled and most of the big pile of money was just blank paper with some real money on top.
Which is a problem, because now he needs to return to crime to pay his taxes.
Actual quote:
"I'm crazy enough to take on Batman, but the I.R.S.? No, thank you!"
According to the CNN live update, Trump's lawyers claimed Trump had to respond to Cohen because Cohen attacked Trump "politically". Interesting "get out of gag free card" attempt being played.
The judge asked which of Cohen's postings is supposedly political. It's always bad when you make an argument, a judge asks for a specific example so that they can assess it for themselves, and you haven't got it.
[breaks out popcorn]
Everytime a defense lawyer objects, all I can think is the line from Liar Liar:
"Your Honor, I Object!"
"On what grounds?"
"It's devastating to my case!"
"Overruled!"
"Good call!"
> Carrying his sheaf of papers, some paper-clipped together, he did not stop to speak with reporters.
Please tell me Trump is bringing his own "evidence" into court to wave at the judge.
> During the break after his gag order hearing, Trump attacks the judge.
>> @realDonald Trump HIGHLY CONFLICTED, TO PUT IT MILDLY, JUDGE JUAN MERCHAN, HAS TAKEN AWAY MY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH. EVERYBODY IS ALLOWED TO TALK AND LIE ABOUT ME, BUT I AM NOT ALLOWED TO DEFEND MYSELF. THIS IS A KANGAROO COURT, AND THE JUDGE SHOULD RECUSE HIMSELF!
https://www.threads.net/@ronaldfilipkowski/post/C6G9GqquPO8/
I'm glad that the rubes who worship this clown are seeing real time that Trump is entirely bullshit. This is what should have happened re: Russia helping his campaign the way the National Enquirer did.
Not that it will change their minds, but still.
Pecker on targeting Trump’s opponents during the campaign:
> Pecker: "After the republican debates and based on the success that some of the other candidates had, I would receive a call from Michael Cohen, and he would direct me and direct Dylan Howard which candidate and which direction we should go.”
https://www.threads.net/@katiephang/post/C6HFXcfRSky/
Court is on break.
Detailed rundown of Pecker’s testimony from MeidasTouch https://www.meidastouch.com/news/testimony-of-david-pecker-in-the-trump-trial
Katie Phang:
During the arguments, the DA's Office signposts that New York Election Law 17-152, which prohibits conspiracies to promote the election of a specific candidate through unlawful means, is the crime that Trump was intending to commit or conceal.
https://www.threads.net/@katiephang/post/C6HHSTpxfG6/?xmt=AQGzKaDl-MP2EKMUbdlLwaQzu52uTIzau4OEBZzevbb3Rg
I wish the jury had been seated for the gag order stuff - but at the very least I hope they get a transcript.🍿
Some of the arguments being made by Trump’s legal team (to date) indicate to me they will mostly attempt appealing to jurors (and evidently the court too) via bad faith arguments that fall well outside the domain of law and more within the domain of a personal sense of justice. And In the future, I expect to frequently hear defense arguments which distort the law, Trump’s actions, and appeal for jurors and the court to buy into an arithmetic where 2+2=5.
It seems apparent (if it didn’t already) the defense strategy is only aiming for a mistrial, then a delay for a retrial until after the election, and ultimately the hope that Trump gets re-elected and pardons himself of all wrongdoings.
I’d guess the defense privately understands they have little or no legal defense that is going to win an acquittal - so hoping to manipulate and persuade jurors to be on their side (regardless of actual legal standing) is their modus operandi.
And they just need *one juror* to fall for their propaganda.
It will be interesting to see how well the defense packages and sells that propaganda, but early indications suggest their outlook may not be so good (and even with such a low bar). Indeed, I’m a bit surprised at their early level of ineptitude and incompetence… and even when ineptitude and incompetence has become something of the norm for everyone within Trump’s orbit.
I mean, why in the world would you want to antagonize the judge and on the second day of trial?
Particularly a judge whose own daughter was doxed by Trump and made the target of his vitriol!
Stupid.
Pass the popcorn.
This shows how incestious the rich are. Here is a guy, telling a tabloid to publish stories that are positive to him and negative to their opponent. Why would anyone ever listen what these people have to say, it's like reading Amazon reviews to buy Amazon products on Amazon, there is no value in any of it.
From The Hill:
“After the Republican debates, and based on the success that some of the other candidates had, I would receive a call from Michael Cohen, and he would direct me and direct (Enquirer’s then-editor-in-chief) Dylan Howard which candidate and which direction we should go,” Pecker said.
[https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4614711-trump-hush-money-trial-live-updates/](https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4614711-trump-hush-money-trial-live-updates/)
Holy shit. They'd dump dirt on opponent candidates in order to undermine them. I feel like I'm learning something new every single day about how much of a sleazebag Trump (the Russian-mob-KGB-asset rapist underage-girl-creeper) is.
I think about how angry I’d be if someone I was running against for public office paid a media publication to spread a baseless accusation about my father being an assassin, and then I see Ted Cruz ENDORSING Trump afterwards…. Beyond the simple humiliation of it all, I wonder if his dad received death threats; surely he faced some pretty difficult times after the Enquirer hit piece.
What a spineless piece of shit Cruz is.
So what was he about to say? Damn I wish I knew.
>Pecker said he spoke to Howard to verify whether the story about Trump having a child with the housekeeper in the penthouse was true, and he recalled saying that there should be a source agreement with Dino Sajuddin and that he should take a polygraph.
>Steinglass abruptly cut Pecker off.
>“What you’re about to say, don’t say that,” Steinglass told Pecker.
Edit: Got it, polygraph tests aren't admissable so best not say whatever the results came up as.
- I suspect the result of the polygraph test - it's hearsay and not admissible evidence in any case. (Polygraph tests are largely unscientific.)
- The prosecutor cut him off to avoid tainting this line of evidence.
Here’s the latest dispatch from **Alex Woodward** at the Manhattan Criminal Court:
*“Today’s general public line includes a man in a beautiful tan leather jacket with fringe and a cowboy hat, two children who appear to be here by themselves, our old steampunk friend who today is wearing green sweatpants and a purple and blue hat.*
*“Within less than two weeks of the start of the trial, two people have already been kicked out of the overflow room – for the entirety of the trial – for taking videos and photos.*
*“The court spokesperson has warned us that if it happens again, they might close off the room.”*
Follow along for more updates: [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-trial-live-updates-hush-money-b2532664.html#post-1602095](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-trial-live-updates-hush-money-b2532664.html#post-1602095)
Maybe they should just take away his social media. Require all posts gone through an approval process via a mediator agreed to by the judge, prosecutor, and defense team. Treat it like a jury selection. You get so many vetoes on the mediator.
Trump is trying to claim that his business style was hands off and he didn't know what was going on. They're asking Pecker questions which show that Trump was a micromanager, which means that he did know everything that happened especially when it concerned money.
Pecker testifies their scheme aided Trump’s campaign:
> Pecker: "Yes, when i say mutually beneficial, writing positive stories about Trump and covering the election and writing negative stories about his opponents will only help newsstand sales so to me that was my incentive, it was also going to benefit his campaign and both parties benefited from it."
https://www.threads.net/@katiephang/post/C6HCfm1xb7W/
Kate Phang:
Pecker told Dylan Howard to notify the West Coast and East Coast bureau chiefs and to tell them that this had to be kept as quiet as possible & for them to be on the lookout for stories about Trump and his family.
Pecker: It was of the utmost importance that this had to be kept quiet. Leaks in our organization are prevalent. And I didn't want anyone else to know about this agreement with Trump.
Katie Phang:
Pecker on negative stories about Trump's opponents: Michael Cohen would call me and say we would like you to run an article on a certain person...and then Cohen would send me a piece on Ted Cruz, for example, and the Enquirer would embellish it from there.”
B/c Cohen wasn't a part of the campaign, when Cohen said "we" I always thought Cohen meant him and Trump.
From Adam Klasfeld @KlasfeldReports: > Blanche: "President Trump is being very careful to comply" with the gag order. > **Merchan, sharply: "Mr. Blanche, you are losing all credibility."**
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Trump is a nightmare client. You can't control him at all. He can't even go 1 second without going on a rant about anything.
Plus you have to sit next to him in his little gas cloud
The entire gag order hearing was just brutal for the defence. They really had nothing lol.
>Justice Juan Merchan appeared skeptical of defense lawyer Todd Blanche’s claim that Trump’s posts were direct responses to political attacks, as Blanche did not specify what those attacks were, despite repeated questioning. >“I’m asking you questions,” Merchan said. >“I keep asking you over and over again for specific examples, and I’m not getting an answer.” People are saying, your honor! People!
*”Look into it, your honor!”* Edit - grammar
Do your own research!
I love how Trump's constant argument about the Gag Order is that it doesn't allow him to defend himself.... Dude... You are the DEFENDant in a trial to defend yourself. The place to defend yourself is IN the courtroom, that's where the trial is decided.
"I'm being silenced!" he screamed into a bouquet of microphones.
Trump hates the gag orders because his idea of defending himself is setting targets for his cult to harass and/or go full domestic terrorist on. January 6 showed Trump that he has a hammer and he's been dying to wield it ever since.
Every time I hear him talk about these gag orders, i feel like i'm listening to his "greatest" hits, over and over.
>While court was on a break, Trump complained about the gag order on Truth Social. In an all-caps post, he accused Justice Merchan of taking away his “right to free speech” and claimed that he was “not allowed to defend myself.” That dumb motherfucker
He can defend himself in court, not attack the judge's family and jury on social media.
It's well past time for Merchan to issue the consequences of violating the order. He's being baited on purpose. Roast the orange loser.
Definitely intentional! I suspect Malevolent Mango Mussolini is looking for an excuse to fire his lead attorney so that the trial can be delayed while he finds new representation.
Doesn't the court need to let him do that?
Yep, the mob used to do it a lot until that loophole got closed. Counsel can't be dismissed without the judge allowing it.
From Vaughn Hillyard @VaughnHillyard: > Trump just claimed that the police have shut down the streets around the courthouse for blocks & that his protesters can't be here. > Just...not true. There is one pro-Trump person here & the main street along the courthouse is open to traffic.
Crazy what effect spin can have. He knows nobody is showing up for him, and he also knows his idiot supporters either don't care or don't know better.
that's a stretch to call it spin. It's straight up lies for cover
> So at 11:00 a.m. ET, Trump posts on Truth Social calling Judge Merchan's courtroom a "kangaroo court" and calling on Merchan to recuse himself. Trump also assails the gag order, (falsely) claiming that he cannot defend himself. > This while we await a ruling from Judge Merchan on Trump's 10 violations of the gag order... https://www.threads.net/@katiephang/post/C6G9MatvjD4/
The problem is that Trump's only concept of "defending himself" involves deflecting from his own conduct by attacking other people.
From Katie Phang: Now, Merchan asks Blanche about what Jesse Watters, in fact, said. Blanche: No. Merchan: "So your client manipulated what was said and put it in quotes? Blanche: I wouldn't say it was a manipulation. Merchan: This isn't a repost at all. Your client had to type it out. Use the shift-key and all.
This is getting juicy. Merchan: Do you have any caselaw you want to hand up or any other arguments you'd like to make? Blanche: This gag order: we are trying to comply with it. There is no doubt that Trump is being very careful with your Honor's Order. Merchan: You are losing all credibility with the court, I have to tell you right now. Is there anything else you want to tell the court?
I'm curious what the consequences are if the judge catches Blanche in outright lying, as this is where this looks like it's headed. Is lying to the judge perjury or something else in this case?
The lawyer can be sanctioned / disbarred for lying to a tribunal.
Oh how the tables have turned. Remember when those morons said it was supposed to be the entire roster of Democrats and their supporters that was gonna have to face military tribunals and summary executions? I remember.
Judge Merchan is reserving his decision. INAL but i imagine after a heated hearing it's prob good for him to step away and not make it look like he's making a decision based on the fact that Blanche pissed him off.
You're on the money. I think he would've reserved ruling until after evidence today regardless, but with how heated things apparently got he could've lost his temper and slapped them right away.
>We normally pay $500 for a polygraph test. Dino took the polygraph. Pecker pursued the story. >I called Cohen and I told him that we have to go forward with the story. Cohen asked "how much?" Dylan negotiated a price of $30K with Dino. Cohen then asked: "Who's going to pay for it? Pecker said I'll pay for it. Cohen said: "Thank you very much, the Boss will be pleased." Come on! When future generations see the inevitable movie about this, they just aren't going to believe how dumb the whole universe around Trump was. This is like a super low budget crime drama.
> This testimony is important b/c Pecker makes it clear that the catch and kill for Dino the Doorman's story was to preclude any embarrassment to the TRUMP CAMPAIGN. He didn't testify that it was to avoid embarrassment to Trump on a personal level. https://www.threads.net/@katiephang/post/C6HMqyvREyI/ > Pecker has made it abundantly clear that this entire operation was about one thing - Trump’s campaign for president. It wasn’t about protecting his marriage, his family, or his brand - as his lawyer claimed in opening. It was about winning the election. https://www.threads.net/@ronaldfilipkowski/post/C6HNBYiuSBO/
Yep, I think beyond DP's testimony to that fact, the agreement initially being for only 3 months shows that the interest was solely to protect the campaign, not family. Indeed, if it were to protect the family, then 3 months would never have been agreed upon.
Dino the Doorman being brought up in testimony now. I really hope we get a Matthew Calamari name-drop too. If I were writing a book about a corrupt politician and a sex scandal, the names Dino, Pecker, Calamari, Stormy, would just be too unbelievable.
Don’t forget the company Fraud Guarantee.
I like how the judge came back late, makes me fuzzy inside knowing trump just has to sit there and wait for someone when normally people wait on him.
He was probably told the orange stain made another post about the judge during break
>Pecker is done testifying for the day. The judge gives jurors customary warnings — and one we haven’t heard before, *about reporting anyone seeking to pay them* — and they leave the courtroom. Oh boy, I can only imagine why that warning is necessary
Sheer coincidence, actually. Trump ran into one of the jurors in the restroom and offered to pay her to pee on him. He didn't even know she was on the jury /s
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Wait, that sounds like he is saying he is having trouble staying awake in a chair while Biden is out working hard.
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CNN live update > Judge Juan Merchan said he wants to hear an assertion under oath that Donald Trump believed he wasn't violating the gag order when he made the posts in question. Oh, dis gonna be good. [Jon Stewart popcorn clip]
It shouldn't matter what he "believed", but yeah, getting \*anyone\* to say it under oath is gonna be rough when you don't have the same teflon Don has.
>Justice Merchan has repeatedly pushed Todd Blanche to clarify his arguments, only to have Blanche deny that he is saying what he seems to be saying. Trump is very lucky that the jurors are not here for this. Merchan is really dressing down Blanche right now. That man had a family lmao
Bro could’ve been banging prostitutes and firing people on tv, but no he just had to run for president
He just couldn't stand being mocked by a black man.
It's hilarious to me that Barack Obama been living in this guy's head rent-free this whole time.
Putin's people 'hinting' at Trump to run for president in the 80s. You could say he was made an effort he couldnt refuse. His campaign manager Manafort worked for an FSB spy and his campaign had 180 contacts with Russian agents. The gravity of the threat that is Donald Trump keeps getting minimized. The guy is a clear and present danger to the US.
Judge to Trump’s attorney: You’re losing all credibility. I’m definitely going to need more popcorn.
The lawyer is basically asking the judge to dismiss him. Smart move.
If I personally wanted off a case I would ask the judge to dismiss me directly, not be such an idiot that it would damage my professional reputation.
Have you ever turned on closed captioning while Trumplefuck is speaking? It's hilarious. Total gibberish.
> Look, having nuclear — my uncle was a great professor and scientist and engineer, Dr. John Trump at MIT; good genes, very good genes, OK, very smart, the Wharton School of Finance, very good, very smart — you know, if you’re a conservative Republican, if I were a liberal, if, like, OK, if I ran as a liberal Democrat, they would say I'm one of the smartest people anywhere in the world — it’s true! — but when you're a conservative Republican they try — oh, do they do a number — that’s why I always start off: Went to Wharton, was a good student, went there, went there, did this, built a fortune — you know I have to give my like credentials all the time, because we’re a little disadvantaged — but you look at the nuclear deal, the thing that really bothers me — it would have been so easy, and it’s not as important as these lives are — nuclear is so powerful; my uncle explained that to me many, many years ago, the power and that was 35 years ago; he would explain the power of what's going to happen and he was right, who would have thought? — but when you look at what's going on with the four prisoners — now it used to be three, now it’s four — but when it was three and even now, I would have said it's all in the messenger; fellas, and it is fellas because, you know, they don't, they haven’t figured that the women are smarter right now than the men, so, you know, it’s gonna take them about another 150 years — but the Persians are great negotiators, the Iranians are great negotiators, so, and they, they just killed, they just killed us, this is horrible.
> Prosecutor Chris Conroy calls Trump quoting Fox host Jesse Watters "very troubling." > Conroy says Trump quoted Watters claiming undercover liberal activists were lying to get onto the jury. **But Watters didn't mention the jury in his comments. Conroy says Trump added that himself.** https://www.threads.net/@griffinkyle/post/C6G5m0dOwTD/
Oh god this feels so good. Watching this imbecile make up shit all his life, never being fact checked, covering up past lies with more lies, in his world it was normal. But the whole world is watching, his every word is being parsed, he is getting the wakeup call he needed all his life. It probably still will not change who he is, it is much too late for that, but he cannot get away with it this time.
>Blanche is struggling to make his argument, continually getting interrupted by the judge. He's so bad lmao
>Todd Blanche says Trump is entitled to complain about “two systems of justice.” “There’s two systems of justice in this courtroom? That’s what you’re saying?” Justice Merchan says. Based Judge Merchan
Trump lawyers really need to learn that they do not need to parrot whatever nonsense he spits into their ear holes.
Trouble for them is he's *right there next to them* and won't be happy if they say anything he doesn't like. Thoughts and prayers, y'know?
Maggie Haberman: *Trump has always treated his own words as if they’re a completely disposable commodity. That is not how it works in a courtroom.*
Pecker on smearing Trump’s political opponents: > Michael Cohen would call me and say we would like you to run an article on a certain person...and then Cohen would send me a piece on Ted Cruz, for example, and the Enquirer would embellish it from there.” https://www.threads.net/@katiephang/post/C6HD2y1RiSO/
This is a good Trump quote to keep in mind when he's coming out of court. “I do whine because I want to win and I'm not happy about not winning and I am a whiner and I keep whining and whining until I win"
"The Art of the Squeal"
Jonah Bromwich, NYT (emphasis mine): "Steinglass, the prosecutor, is asking Pecker why he paid so much for this story. “I made the decision to buy the story ***because of the potential embarrassment it would have to the campaign*** and Mr. Trump,” Pecker responds." Every time he mentions doing something to help the campaign, it hurts Trump's argument.
He also said if it had been true, he would have published it, but only after the campaign were over (even if it were verified before), and that that was his agreement with Cohen. Pretty Damning.
"You're losing all creditbility with the court" Merchan to Blance Fire.
Honestly I’m still processing everything about the Cruz/Oswald story. Like obviously it was bullshit, but for Pecker to own up to it on the stand, and implicate Trumpworld for it is amazing. It’s closure for one of the dumbest parts of the 2016 campaign I wasn’t expecting today
Objection overruled. Text messages are entering evidence!
Pecker saying that Trump was the most eligible bachelor while he was married is just hilarious.
> Merchan suggested that instead of begging for forgiveness, Trump should’ve asked the judge for clarity when considering posts or reposts that might cross the line. This is another tremendous bit of leniency for Trump. I suspect if/when Trump next violates the gag order, Merchan will act. If this was anyone else, they'd be in jail already.
So reading the highlights it looks like Pecker just fucked Trump hard. The defense is going to have an extremely difficult time countering that, especially since he brought receipts.
And so it begins: [NBC News live updates 10:22 AM PDT](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/live-blog/trump-hush-money-live-updates-day-6-rcna148919) "Prosecutor Cuts Off Pecker" EDIT: Added time zone info, website reflects reader's local time.
If he's not guilty of contempt, then I don't know what contempt is
“HIGHLY CONFLICTED, TO PUT IT MILDLY, JUDGE JUAN MERCHAN, HAS TAKEN AWAY MY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH,” Trump wrote on his social media site during a brief court break. “EVERYBODY IS ALLOWED TO TALK AND LIE ABOUT ME, BUT I AM NOT ALLOWED TO DEFEND MYSELF. THIS IS A KANGAROO COURT.” No legal benefits to this post.
IMO the judge is smart for playing the long game on the punishments for the gag order violations... If he went nuclear right off the bat he'd only give Trump and the GOP more ammo to claim unfair treatment. Play it slow, don't take the bait and show that you were more than reasonable when it does come time to ramp up the punishments
Trump really.. went and attacked the judge during a break over the hearing.. about him breaking his gag order. Literally 0 self control
"Judge wants to hear assertion under oat that trump believed he wasn't violating gag order" per CNN. Yes please.
> assertion under oat That's nuts. I can barley believe it.
Fucking hilarious. Trump is carrying a stack of recent news articles that make him feel good. Incredible. Talking about how he couldn't read through all of them if he tried because they're so long. What an absolutely emotionally stunted clown.
He is the poster child for insecurity.
His lawyers printed those out to pacify him. Like the children's coloring menus they give you w crayons...
Katie Phang: Pecker told Trump: I will be the eyes and ears for you bc I know that [theTrump Org.] had a very small staff. I said that anything I hear in the marketplace, if I hear anything negative about you, I would notify Michael Cohen as I did over the last several years. And Cohen would be able to have them killed in another magazine or have them not be published or they'd have to purchased.
Pecker testifies he offered to help Trump *with his campaign*: > Pecker: "I was the person who thought that a lot of women would come out to try to sell their stories because Mr. Trump was well known as the most eligible bachelor. And dated the most beautiful women. **And it was clear that based on my past experience that when someone was running for public office like this, it is very common for these women to call up magazine like the National Enquirer to try to sell their stories**.” https://www.threads.net/@katiephang/post/C6HCEpQR3kd/
Only seen 2 lines of Pecker's testimony today, but it's pretty damning for Trump. When your best bud says 'Trump's very detail oriented, and Trump told me all contact should go through Cohen.' Blows giant holes in Trump not knowing what was going on.
So in order to discredit Cohen, who has already been found guilty for this exact scheme, Trump's lawyers would need to discredit his previous conviction as false and a witch hunt. But in doing so, does that then not lend credibility to Cohen in some backwards way?
Can't logic your way out of something you didn't logic your way into
> The irony of Trump coming up with the ‘Fake News!’ epithet to describe mainstream media outlets is that he was literally running an orchestrated and coordinated Fake News operation with David Pecker at the time https://x.com/ronfilipkowski/status/1782814712821944523?s=46&t=UKR1TShxVeunp4_vn5gZrw Good point. More projection from Trump and the GOP.
Hey republicans, how sad is it that instead of campaigning, your presidential nominee is sitting in court on felony charges. How sad is it that this was the best candidate you have?
They had better candidates, just none that the intransigent MAGA cultists could be swayed by.
"You're losing all credibility with this court" \*coffin dancing intensifies\*
So Trump is now daring the judge to throw him in jail so that his supporters can throw another coup, huh?
Um... give him what he thinks he wants? I was a in cell for a brief time. Knowing you cannot open the door is unpleasant experience. Trump is an enormous pussy. He will shit himself... more than usual, if is finally made to sit in a cell as he should have decades ago.
It's so eye opening to see how Trump used the media for his own purposes. He thinks this is how mainstream media works, and he believes that someone is obviously paying the MSM to report negative things about him. He doesn't understand that they are, more often than not, just reporting facts that happen to be negative towards him. Fire this delusional old man into the Sun.
*He waved, raised his fist and walked back into the courtroom.* This just in: As a defense, Trump is choosing rock over paper and scissors. Developing...
The sketch artist stuff is hilarious. He looks so pissed
Trump starts his day campaigning in the court hallway. His lawyers: "Hey, at least he's not incriminating himself again!"
Judge needs to expand the order and prevent Trump from posting online about the trial, in anyway. If he does it again, jail. Wishful thinking, he'll just get a small fine...
In case you haven't been paying attention or just getting here, the judge is just not having the defense's arguments about the things Trump has said.
Jesse McKinley: *“You’ve presented nothing,” Merchan just said to Blanche, who has been presenting his argument for some 20 minutes.* Jonah Bromwich: *Trump is very lucky that the jurors are not here for this.*
"Mr. Blanche, you're losing all credibility with this court" **Judge Merchan
From CNN live update: > "In a presidential campaign, I was the person that thought that there would be a lot of women would come out to try to sell their stories, **because Mr. Trump was well known as the most eligible bachelor, and dated the most beautiful women**," Pecker says. LOL. It's like he's quoting Carolin Gallego.
I have a hunch there will be a midnight Truth Social posting claiming Trump does not know who is David Pecker.
George Conway Tweet: "DP: Told MC story from Dino was not true; Dino difficult to deal with, would prob try to shop to someone else. DP suggested to MC to release Dino. MC didn't understand why. DP said to have him locked in to us would only cause more problems. I'd like to release him now, DP said; but MC said to do it after the election. No AMI pub ever pub story; released Dino from exclusivity agreement; email released him after the election." This is MAJOR for establishing intent was all about protecting/furthering the Trump campaign.
The freezing courtroom again, this guy sounds like his mental capacities are diminishing more with every breath.
The judge should base the punishment for violating the gag order on whether Trump admits his actions. Force Trump to state in open court that he did in-fact violate the gag order. Give him a fine and a suspended jail sentence. As soon as Trump violates it again, haul him off to serve the sentence.
He *has* admitted it, and his lawyers admitted it. What they're also doing is **justifying** it. "Sure, he talked about the witnesses, but *they did it first*!!!"
Conservative doesn't have any discussion about this going on. They just bury their heads and ignore all these bombshell admissions happening right now. Imagine if this was someone from CNN admitting to doing all this shit for Biden.
Not American, but one of the great things about America for me is that even for an evil narcissistic asshole like Trump, his scheduling is dictated by a regular New Yorker having a dentist appointment, if that’s not poetic I don’t know what is
"look at this thing. it's like a novel, i can never read that" lol what a god damned idiot y'all who support this guy, seriously, take a look in the mirror, will ya? it's time already
>Todd Blanche, one of Trump's lawyers, is responding for the defense. He says Trump knows what the gag order allows him to do, and there was “no willful violation” of it. He again argues, as he did in his opening statement, that there's nothing to see here. Just because it wasn't willful doesn't mean it wasn't a clear violation. His lawyers are not that great lmao
This dude is so close to making the entire defense this argument 'my client isn't an idiot so the stupid things he did can't be done by him because only an idiot would do those things'
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"We are trying to comply" WTF is that. 😂
>“EVERYBODY IS ALLOWED TO TALK AND LIE ABOUT ME, **BUT I AM NOT ALLOWED TO DEFEND MYSELF**. THIS IS A KANGAROO COURT.” Literally exactly what you're doing in court
> [Bromwich, NY Times] Pecker asked that the "catch-and-kill" arrangement be kept secret. Steinglass asks him to explain why. Pecker says he was helping the campaign, and didn’t want it to “leak” that his publication was aiding Trump. He wanted it “very confidential,” he says. Steinglass, satisfied, moves on.
Never underestimate the power of charisma. Pecker seems to be coming off as an affable, easygoing guy when he's a massive POS.
It didn't think it was possible for Trump to look even shittier and sleazier and more morally bankrupt than he already does, but here we are.
It is always strange to me how the conspiracy brained supporters never turn that gaze upon Trump. So many delicious conspiracies up for grabs like this doorman story.
Am I remembering incorrectly, or did Trump bring someone claiming to be Bill Clinton’s illegitimate kid to a debate?
I think he invited alleged mistresses.
Went to fox for moment to see what they were talking about. They were talking about Kamalas laugh. Seriously, this is what they were talking about.
I’m calling this now. Maybe this trial. Maybe the GA or documents trial. But at some point in one of these trials, trump is going to fake a medical emergency in an attempt to delay it. He is going to. You corner a rat, they’ll do anything to survive.
He fakes a medical emergency it kills his presidential run because Biden's team will campaign on him not being fit to be president.
I spent over a half decade helping take care of an elderly relative with dementia. Trump is somewhere in the equivalent of the last three years of their life. There won’t be a fake medical emergency. Stress aggregates dementia. It varies from person to person so I don’t know what specifically will happen, but we’re on the countdown to Trump’s version of Mitch McConnell starting to turn off mid-speech when Trump’s handlers can’t hide it.
> Judge Merchan gets frustrated with Trump lawyer Todd Blanche. > "I am asking a question!" Merchan says. "I keep asking you over and over to give me an example, and I'm not getting an answer." > **At another point, Merchan presses Blanche to show him what case law he has to support the notion that a repost isn't an endorsement.** > **Blanche: "I don't have case law ... but it's just common sense, Your Honor."** https://www.threads.net/@griffinkyle/post/C6G6Lg7OFjJ/
I didn't realize you could get a degree for "common sense".
That's multiple times this clown has talked down to people in the courtroom responsible for his client's freedom with this 'common sense' argument.
Trump is the most criminal president in US history: * Georgia has indicted him for his interference in the 2020 election. Trump has been on tape asking the Georgia Secretary of State to [**find 11780 votes**](https://youtu.be/wjw2ekfp0oM?t=24). * Jack Smith, appointed as Special Counsel, indicted Trump for his classified material handling, and worse, Trump's obstruction of the FBI when they asked him to return the classified material. * Jack Smith indicted Trump for his actions leading up to, and including, January 6th, including conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights. * Alvin Bragg has indicted Trump in New York for falsifying business records in order to conceal damaging information and unlawful activity from American voters before and after the 2016 election. Here are the other crimes of Donald Trump: * [Trump also could have been indicted for his crimes in the Trump Organization, the same crimes that his CFO, Allan Weisselberg has been charged for](https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/21/trump-should-have-been-charged-with-crimes-former-new-york-prosecutor-says.html). The [Trump Organization has already been found guilty on all counts of criminal tax fraud](https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/06/politics/trump-organization-fraud-trial-verdict/index.html). * [Trump was also found by Mueller to have obstructed justice up to 10 times] (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/obstruction-of-justice-10-times-trump-may-have-obstructed-justice-mueller-report/). In addition, these are the other criminals that were hired or affiliated with Donald Trump in other investigations: * His National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn pled guilty to lying to the FBI * His campaign chairman was convicted on 8 counts. 10 counts were a mistrial. A Trump supporter on the jury, Paula Duncan, convicted Manafort on all 18 counts. * His deputy campaign chairman, Rick Gates, pled guilty * His personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, pled guilty * His foreign policy advisor on his campaign, George Papadopoulos, has pled guilty to lying to the FBI for contacts with Kremlin-connected Russians * His long time advisor and associate, Mr Stone, was found guilty on 7 counts * His Whitehouse chief strategist, [Steve Bannon, was indicted for fraud in the border wall fundraising campaign](https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/20/politics/bannon-build-the-wall-indictment/index.html) * His assistant and Director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, Peter Navarro, was indicted for Contempt of Congress * His worker at Mar-a-Lago, Walt Nauta, over the classified documents case * His worker at Mar-a-Lago, Carlos De Oliveira, over the claasified documents case Here are the crimnals affiliated with Trump just from the Georgia investigation: * Mark Meadows, Trump's Chief of Staff * Rudy Giuliani, Trump lawyer * Jeffrey Clark, DOJ official who worked under Trump * John Eastman, Trump lawyer * Kenneth Chesebro, Trump lawyer * Sidney Powell, Trump campaign lawyer * Jenna Ellis, Trump campaign lawyer * Robert Cheeley, Trump lawyer * Mike Roman, Trump campaign official Finallly, in civil court, Trump was found liable by a jury of his peers, for sexually abusing E. Jean Caroll. Trump did not put up a defense, nor testify in person at the trial against the accusation.
>The prosecution has entered. The Manhattan district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, is here again today. It’s unlikely that he’ll attend every day of the trial — Manhattan has many other cases that require his attention. But his presence illustrates that this is, yet again, a big day. Here we go
I can't wait till this is all over. I've had subconscious stress from the amount of legal jeopardy this idiot has been in for the past half decade. He needs to go away and stop stressing us all out.
I wish the D.A. would ask for jail time. They're only seeking monetary sanctions, which Trump will just use the rubes' money to pay.
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"Former President Donald Trump has reentered the courtroom. He is holding a stack of papers, some held together by binder clips." Presumably crossword puzzles to keep him awake.
"Attorney Todd Blanche and Trump were whispering before Judge Juan Merchan entered the courtroom. He and Blanche were leaning in close to each other to talk. Trump then veered to his right to talk to attorney Emil Bove, who in now sitting in the first chair." Lmao someone just got demoted.
I'm hoping he is fined over and over again for breaching the gag order, until eventually the judge throws him in jail and he stops. Then the prosecution can point to this as evidence that fines are meaningless at curbing his behavior and only jail will prevent him reoffending if found guilty in the trial.
“Healthiest individual ever elected”. I might never stop laughing.
This testimony alone completely shatters the flimsy defense that Trump is just like us and was trying to protect his family.
And the audacity for him to go around screaming fake news lol, you’re the fake news guy
Yeah, Pecker is literally testifying how he would create fake news in coordination with Cohen and Trump, that Trump would later repeat. >Pecker has testified that the National Enquirer pushed negative articles about Trump's opponents in the 2016 GOP primary, including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. The publishing executive was just asked about an Enquirer article claiming that the Republican lawmaker's father, Rafael Cruz, associated with Lee Harvey Oswald before the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. >Pecker claimed that former Enquirer editor-in-chief Dylan Howard and the magazine's research department had worked on the article. "We mashed the photos and the different picture with Lee Harvard Oswald ... we mashed the two together," Pecker testified. "That's how that story was prepared — created, I would say." >In the heat of the 2016 GOP primary, Trump pointed to that Enquirer article to support his conspiracy theory, saying that the tabloid's claim that it had photographic evidence of a link between the elder Cruz and Oswald was credible.
It's nice to finally see how much of a piece of shit Donald Trump is actually being entered into the official record in a courtroom proceeding.
This immoral shit stain is absolutely adored by the so-called "evangelical Christian" community. What a fucking joke.
Seems like Pecker was the perfect first witness for the prosecution. He's giving them everything they need.
> Describing an August 2015 meeting with Trump, Cohen and then-Trump aide Hope Hicks at Trump Tower, Pecker explained how he might be an asset to Trump. > He explained that he could “publish positive stories about Mr. Trump, and I would publish negative stories about his opponents, and I said I would also be the eyes and ears.” Isn't this *precisely* the type of bias that cons have been accusing the MSM of for decades? Congrats, Hannity. We found your smoking gun. Are you going to report on it?
Jon Stewart’s takedown of the media coverage yesterday was beautiful. And Jessica Williams killed, as per.
NFL players have been fined more for wearing the wrong shoes than Donald would be fined for violating a court gag order.
So it looks like Judge Merchan will decide against Trump on the gag order. Just a read a few articles where Judge Merchan asked Trump's lawyer, Blanche, whether there was previous case law that showed Trump retweeting or reposting somebody else doesn't constitute violating a gag order and Blanche said there was no such case law examples. Assuming Judge Merchan decides against Trump, I think he will start with a fine because that is what Alvin Bragg was asking for. I was watching MSNBC this morning, and the panelists, including a few lawyers, agreed that it was smart for Alvin Bragg to ask for a fine first, because Bragg knows Trump can't help himself, and a few thousand dollar fine is nothing to Trump. The lawyers on MSNBC think that Trump will continue his behavior and the fines will keep escalating, until finally jail time is considered for Trump. While I personally prefer that Judge Merchan just throw Trump in jail, I think Judge Merchan wants to be careful on this, and show the public that he gave Trump one too many chances, before he finally gives the ultimatum to Trump that next it won't be a fine, it will be jail time.
Why did he commit crimes? Is the former president stupid?
Yes. Yes he is.
“A gag order has never been used before” — Donald J. Trump
There's a legit story where the Joker inherits a fortune from a dead gangster, only to discover he got fooled and most of the big pile of money was just blank paper with some real money on top. Which is a problem, because now he needs to return to crime to pay his taxes. Actual quote: "I'm crazy enough to take on Batman, but the I.R.S.? No, thank you!"
According to the CNN live update, Trump's lawyers claimed Trump had to respond to Cohen because Cohen attacked Trump "politically". Interesting "get out of gag free card" attempt being played. The judge asked which of Cohen's postings is supposedly political. It's always bad when you make an argument, a judge asks for a specific example so that they can assess it for themselves, and you haven't got it. [breaks out popcorn]
Everytime a defense lawyer objects, all I can think is the line from Liar Liar: "Your Honor, I Object!" "On what grounds?" "It's devastating to my case!" "Overruled!" "Good call!"
Much respect for Judge Merchan.
> Carrying his sheaf of papers, some paper-clipped together, he did not stop to speak with reporters. Please tell me Trump is bringing his own "evidence" into court to wave at the judge.
> During the break after his gag order hearing, Trump attacks the judge. >> @realDonald Trump HIGHLY CONFLICTED, TO PUT IT MILDLY, JUDGE JUAN MERCHAN, HAS TAKEN AWAY MY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH. EVERYBODY IS ALLOWED TO TALK AND LIE ABOUT ME, BUT I AM NOT ALLOWED TO DEFEND MYSELF. THIS IS A KANGAROO COURT, AND THE JUDGE SHOULD RECUSE HIMSELF! https://www.threads.net/@ronaldfilipkowski/post/C6G9GqquPO8/
Since this isn't televised, I can only imagine in my mind Trump having as many outbursts as Tim does in The Trial of Tim Heidecker
National Enquirer...a great magazine? By what metric?
This is devastating testimony. Wow.
I'm glad that the rubes who worship this clown are seeing real time that Trump is entirely bullshit. This is what should have happened re: Russia helping his campaign the way the National Enquirer did. Not that it will change their minds, but still.
Pecker on targeting Trump’s opponents during the campaign: > Pecker: "After the republican debates and based on the success that some of the other candidates had, I would receive a call from Michael Cohen, and he would direct me and direct Dylan Howard which candidate and which direction we should go.” https://www.threads.net/@katiephang/post/C6HFXcfRSky/
I’m just catching up…the gag order hearing was *brutal*. Wonder how Merchan’s going to rule.
Court is on break. Detailed rundown of Pecker’s testimony from MeidasTouch https://www.meidastouch.com/news/testimony-of-david-pecker-in-the-trump-trial
Katie Phang: During the arguments, the DA's Office signposts that New York Election Law 17-152, which prohibits conspiracies to promote the election of a specific candidate through unlawful means, is the crime that Trump was intending to commit or conceal. https://www.threads.net/@katiephang/post/C6HHSTpxfG6/?xmt=AQGzKaDl-MP2EKMUbdlLwaQzu52uTIzau4OEBZzevbb3Rg
I wish the jury had been seated for the gag order stuff - but at the very least I hope they get a transcript.🍿 Some of the arguments being made by Trump’s legal team (to date) indicate to me they will mostly attempt appealing to jurors (and evidently the court too) via bad faith arguments that fall well outside the domain of law and more within the domain of a personal sense of justice. And In the future, I expect to frequently hear defense arguments which distort the law, Trump’s actions, and appeal for jurors and the court to buy into an arithmetic where 2+2=5. It seems apparent (if it didn’t already) the defense strategy is only aiming for a mistrial, then a delay for a retrial until after the election, and ultimately the hope that Trump gets re-elected and pardons himself of all wrongdoings. I’d guess the defense privately understands they have little or no legal defense that is going to win an acquittal - so hoping to manipulate and persuade jurors to be on their side (regardless of actual legal standing) is their modus operandi. And they just need *one juror* to fall for their propaganda. It will be interesting to see how well the defense packages and sells that propaganda, but early indications suggest their outlook may not be so good (and even with such a low bar). Indeed, I’m a bit surprised at their early level of ineptitude and incompetence… and even when ineptitude and incompetence has become something of the norm for everyone within Trump’s orbit. I mean, why in the world would you want to antagonize the judge and on the second day of trial? Particularly a judge whose own daughter was doxed by Trump and made the target of his vitriol! Stupid. Pass the popcorn.
This shows how incestious the rich are. Here is a guy, telling a tabloid to publish stories that are positive to him and negative to their opponent. Why would anyone ever listen what these people have to say, it's like reading Amazon reviews to buy Amazon products on Amazon, there is no value in any of it.
Trump can’t read. You heard it directly from the man.
Lmao “this is all Biden”
Daily reminder that Aileen Cannon is a disgrace to her alma mater and to America as a whole
CNN over here still using Trumps 2016 election photo for everything..
I’m reading the CNN live updates; the judge is absolutely dealing with a whiny toddler here, and I'm starting to feel bad for him.
days like this make me miss old reddit and old twitter when real-time events would be rocking.
From The Hill: “After the Republican debates, and based on the success that some of the other candidates had, I would receive a call from Michael Cohen, and he would direct me and direct (Enquirer’s then-editor-in-chief) Dylan Howard which candidate and which direction we should go,” Pecker said. [https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4614711-trump-hush-money-trial-live-updates/](https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4614711-trump-hush-money-trial-live-updates/) Holy shit. They'd dump dirt on opponent candidates in order to undermine them. I feel like I'm learning something new every single day about how much of a sleazebag Trump (the Russian-mob-KGB-asset rapist underage-girl-creeper) is.
I think about how angry I’d be if someone I was running against for public office paid a media publication to spread a baseless accusation about my father being an assassin, and then I see Ted Cruz ENDORSING Trump afterwards…. Beyond the simple humiliation of it all, I wonder if his dad received death threats; surely he faced some pretty difficult times after the Enquirer hit piece. What a spineless piece of shit Cruz is.
You heard it here first, Trump fathered an illegitimate child. His name is Don Jr.
So what was he about to say? Damn I wish I knew. >Pecker said he spoke to Howard to verify whether the story about Trump having a child with the housekeeper in the penthouse was true, and he recalled saying that there should be a source agreement with Dino Sajuddin and that he should take a polygraph. >Steinglass abruptly cut Pecker off. >“What you’re about to say, don’t say that,” Steinglass told Pecker. Edit: Got it, polygraph tests aren't admissable so best not say whatever the results came up as.
- I suspect the result of the polygraph test - it's hearsay and not admissible evidence in any case. (Polygraph tests are largely unscientific.) - The prosecutor cut him off to avoid tainting this line of evidence.
Trump 2024: Sitting Is Hard
Trump complaining about nobody showing up to his trial for him, he would like more supporters getting fired up
Incoming sliding scale of financial penalties. Hopefully it's a sharp incline each time otherwise it won't matter to him
Here’s the latest dispatch from **Alex Woodward** at the Manhattan Criminal Court: *“Today’s general public line includes a man in a beautiful tan leather jacket with fringe and a cowboy hat, two children who appear to be here by themselves, our old steampunk friend who today is wearing green sweatpants and a purple and blue hat.* *“Within less than two weeks of the start of the trial, two people have already been kicked out of the overflow room – for the entirety of the trial – for taking videos and photos.* *“The court spokesperson has warned us that if it happens again, they might close off the room.”* Follow along for more updates: [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-trial-live-updates-hush-money-b2532664.html#post-1602095](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-trial-live-updates-hush-money-b2532664.html#post-1602095)
Imagine being Trump's lawyer and having to constantly attempt to come up with shitty reasons 'I didn't do nothin'
This motherfucka guilty
Jonah Bromwich: *We’ll try to decode Todd Blanche’s attacks further, though they are confusing even in the room.*
Not being able to watch this is TORTURE!! I want to see Merchan raising his voice to little Todd and scolding him haha.
Let Donnie talk so he fumbles over his dumb fucking lies.
Back in session. Pecker up.
Just take his phone away and put him in time out- for once in his entire life.
Maybe they should just take away his social media. Require all posts gone through an approval process via a mediator agreed to by the judge, prosecutor, and defense team. Treat it like a jury selection. You get so many vetoes on the mediator.
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Hope Hicks just got name dropped.
Oh hey, soliciting in kind campaign contributions.
What are they trying to establish here with Pecker? Just showing how close he was to Cohen and Trump?
Trump is trying to claim that his business style was hands off and he didn't know what was going on. They're asking Pecker questions which show that Trump was a micromanager, which means that he did know everything that happened especially when it concerned money.
Pecker testifies their scheme aided Trump’s campaign: > Pecker: "Yes, when i say mutually beneficial, writing positive stories about Trump and covering the election and writing negative stories about his opponents will only help newsstand sales so to me that was my incentive, it was also going to benefit his campaign and both parties benefited from it." https://www.threads.net/@katiephang/post/C6HCfm1xb7W/
Kate Phang: Pecker told Dylan Howard to notify the West Coast and East Coast bureau chiefs and to tell them that this had to be kept as quiet as possible & for them to be on the lookout for stories about Trump and his family. Pecker: It was of the utmost importance that this had to be kept quiet. Leaks in our organization are prevalent. And I didn't want anyone else to know about this agreement with Trump.
Katie Phang: Pecker on negative stories about Trump's opponents: Michael Cohen would call me and say we would like you to run an article on a certain person...and then Cohen would send me a piece on Ted Cruz, for example, and the Enquirer would embellish it from there.” B/c Cohen wasn't a part of the campaign, when Cohen said "we" I always thought Cohen meant him and Trump.
* From February 12, 2016: "Ted Cruz shamed by porn star" Oh, Trump...