I’m expecting an avalanche of commentary on the indictments late this afternoon. I have no doubt that battalions of legal experts are standing by ready to crank out analyses.
In the meantime, one of the best things I’ve read today is by Dahlia Lithwick:
While he has done yeoman’s work raising funds in the days since his indictment was announced ($4 million in the first 24 hours), it’s not clear whether that translates to actual minions in the street, poised to light a match for him yet again. As Aymann Ismail reported Monday, it’s awfully hard to predict the actions of uncoordinated angry extremists, but experts don’t see a lot of the markers of a coordinated insurrection campaign, despite TV threats-slash-demands that they occur. Perhaps that’s why the former president has already decided he’ll return to Mar-a-Lago Tuesday night in order to deliver an address from there—a streamed address doesn’t have to reveal the crowd size, after all. And at Mar-a-Lago, the sets still suggest he’s a king.
It’s almost as if—much like the ex-president himself—even the most emboldened supporters of Donald Trump now exist mostly in the frothy ether between Twitter and Truth Social, between Reddit and Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Greene’s busted memory chip. Asked to travel through corporeal time, in their actual bodies, to the streets of New York, where they might end up being deemed legally responsible for their actions, most of the zeal falls away. We can thank the January 6 committee and the prosecution of over 1,000 insurrectionists for the possibility that bodily, monetary, and liberty-based accountability may have been enough, this time, to deter another band of Trump enthusiasts from unloosing the violent protest he has repeatedly demanded of them in recent days.
Even so, the New York Times reports a Trump rally in lower Manhattan near the courthouses today (no paywall).
Scores of demonstrators from both sides began amassing hours before Mr. Trump, 76, was due at the Manhattan Criminal Courts Building, with a pro-Trump rally outside the courthouse headlined by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a far-right Republican from Georgia. …
…The appearance by Ms. Greene, who supports conspiracy theories and has falsely suggested that Democrats support pedophilia, had brought a crush of onlookers and counterprotesters.
Police were separating pro- and anti-Trump demonstrators in Collect Pond Park, keeping an aisle — and an array of officers — between the two groups, who were largely peaceful, though at least one small skirmish broke out. Ms. Greene’s arrival was accompanied by heavy security.
“Go back to Georgia!” one person shouted. …
…During a City Hall news conference on Monday, Mayor Eric Adams warned protesters from out of state to “control yourselves.”
“New York City’s our home, not a playground for your misplaced anger,” the mayor said, provoking a furious response from Ms. Greene, who falsely accused the mayor of sending “henchmen” to the pro-Trump event on Tuesday.
It might have been fun to see MTG subjected to the full NYPD crowd control treatment. Your average henchmen are a mild and forbearing crew compared to New York’s finest. But the day isn’t over yet. Perhaps we can still hope.
Insider reports that only about 100 protesters showed up with Marjorie Taylor Greene. It isn’t clear if that number included just Trump supporters or all protesters. They were in Collect Pond Park, it says. As I recall, Collect Pond Park only occupies a square block or so. It’s basically a small pond and picnic tables surrounded by courthouses. Court employees eat their bag lunches there in nice weather.
Well, more later, I’m sure.
A Manhattan MAGAt Passion Play
Starring
The Donald tRump as Jeebsus
Alvin Bragg as Herrod
Juan Merchan as Caiaphas
with 12 anonymous New Yorkers as the Sanhedrin
with Michael Cohen as Judas
And Rudy "he melts from the booze" Guliani as the leper. Redeemed.
I read the same article in the NYT. One of the commenters picked up on the word "scores" as in scores of protesters, and started laughing, echoing Dahlia Lithwick's shrug.
I read that MTG was there for maybe 10 minutes and then left. My hat's off to Mayor Adams for calling her, and her lies out, by name.
It seems like it will be a long time (months) before there's any action on this case, much less a trial and resolution, so today's action is what amounts to the opening salvo on Trump's (and Fox News') legal invincibility. Again, today's just the appetizer for the more serious cases in the pipe.
I'm really relishing Trump and MTG shrinking to near nothing. I can't wait for the majority of the Republican party to finally wake up, which might not happen fully until after 2024. They're a bit like Wily Coyote who's run out past the edge of the cliff, unaware that there's no bottom beneath them.
In the meantime, the grifters will grift, and Trump will brag that he's raised $x million because of this. "There's one born every day" is all that's worth saying about it; some fool willing to pay coin to make Trump feel that he's popular. His sell-by date has long since passed.
"I can't wait for the majority of the Republican party to finally wake up"
I read your comments, I know your pretty sharp. You don't actually believe any republican is going to "wake up" do you?
A leopard never changes its spots, but it can become neutered.
Most (Republican) politicians are merely following their base, saying whatever they need to say in order to stay in power. They have to say that stuff to placate their rabid base, who will vote them out otherwise. Kevin McCarthy is the clearest example of someone who will say anything to stay in power. A few of them (MTG) are true believers, but most of them are not.
As their constituents: get hammered with the reality of Trump's criminality, as their media bubble begins to fracture with revelations of how Fox News lied to them, and as their families, communities, and especially their children have had enough of right-wing extremism – a big chunk of their base is going to start waking up from the dream. Not everyone, but enough to shift the tide. It's already begun, with a few politicians (Chris Christie) sensing this sea change, and trimming their sails.
Their politicians, who are mostly followers, will shift their stances, or get voted out. The extremists will always be there, but their influence will diminish. It works from the grassroots up to the politicians.
34 felony counts…WOW, that's nothing to sneeze at. It reminds me of the old saying: If you're going to steal, steal big. I guess Alvin Bragg believes that if you're going to charge, charge big.
Ok, folks, no schadenfreude today.
Schadenfreude, schadenfreude, schaden, schaden, freude.
Schadenfreude, schadenfreyde, schaden, schaden, freude.
The more you schaden, the more you freude!
The more you freude, the more you schaden!
Schadefreude, schadenfreude, schaden, schaden, freude!!!!!
Ok, so I lied!
I couldn't help myself.
I'm so NOT ashamed!!!!!
🙂
Had a bunch to do, didn't watch much. I listened to some coverage on the cables. It took them about an hour, but they all seemed to settle on asking why Garland didn't bring charges if this was so serious (never ask why Barr didn’t). Nicole Wallace asked why Garland hasn’t charged Stump twice i 1 minute on msnbc. They have no idea what to say as unplanned events unfold, completely lost. Eventually they settled on defending Stump. Surprise, Surprise. Roll commercial!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPlG7X_vKhg&list=OLAK5uy_lJqNqm51SRDVrpwnnGN_65GU9Hhh_4uoQ
First off, thirty-four felonies is not going to be more significant than one. I read through the indictment and all the separate charges are the same crime. Bragg filed a felony charge for every occurrence of creating a fake document in the furtherance of suppressing scandal(s). Several scandals, with the involvement of numerous people who have since flipped. So the case is not Michael Cohen v Donald Trump. Another witness is Pecker, who owned National Inquirer and met personally and directly with Trump about keeping misdeeds out of the public eye until after the election.
If Trump is found guilty, it's standard practice for the sentences of all the crimes that are related to the same event to be served concurrently. All at once. So if Trump was found guilty on 34 counts and sentenced to a year of home confinement, all the sentences would be served at the end of one year.
According to the Statement of Facts released today, two people were freed from legal bans on talking about their secrecy deals with Pecker in the week after the election. As I read the Statement of Facts, there's at least one witness from inside the Trump Org who can testify to the payments to Cohen signed for by Trump being fraudulent.
From what I read, Bragg brought up Trump's threatening social media. I was disappointed that the judge (if the account is accurate) downplayed Trump's attacks and chalked them up to the stress of the moment. That's not a quote. The judge reportedly fell into some bothsiderism asking Bragg and Trump to tone down the rhetoric. WTF??!!! Did Bragg threaten Trump with a baseball bat?
This judge put away Weiselberg for five months. He's familiar with the tricks and stunts of the Trump Org. On opening day, he handed Trump two wins, prohibiting cameras (which is understandable considering New York's history of banning cameras) and less than a slap on the wrist for mobster-type verbal attacks on the prosecutor. I hope the judge is giving Trump enough rope to hang himself but we shall see.
Diff topic: The kids showed up in huge numbers in TN demanding action.
Also, the CEO pushed back publicly on DeSantis who is looking like an idiot. He's blustering but the rhetoric from Tallahassee is laying the groundwork for a massive suit against Florida if the next attack from the governor isn't grounded in a legitimate function of government. Censorship and financial retaliation against a specific business entity seems like grounds for damages.
Ordinarily, I'd predict that now that Trump is charged, the House will back down on making demands of Alvin Bragg to testify or produce documents. IMO, Trump is on the phone, like today, telling his toadies that thay have to stop this. But I found this interesting.
House GOP Inappropriately Interfering In Trump's Criminal Probe, Say Legal Experts | HuffPost Latest News
I'm going after GULAG's record for consecutive posts.
Also today, Trump's emergency appeal to stay the decision that Trump insiders WILL have to testify to the Grand Jury looking at Trump's involvement in the J6 conspiracy to overturn the election. These people will either take the fifth, (which makes them targets) or read the handwriting on the wall – and sing to the Grand Jury.
This is the appropriate metaphor – Mene, Mene, Tekil Upharsin – “the handwriting on the wall” was gibberish until translated. "Your kingdom has been weighed in the balance and found wanting." Who's gonna go down with the ship and who's looking for a lifeboat? At the end, when DOJ has the witnesses they need, offers to turn state's evidence for a lesser sentence will be refused. You had your chance and you held out. Live with it – in a small room with bars.
Trump is back in Florida and he went before the cameras to weep and gnash teeth. Or dentures. I understand everybody cut away as he went into his "the election was stolen" routine. He didn't limit himself to the charges in NY. He demanded GA drop their investigation. Somebody told him he can't pardon himself for a state conviction.
MTG made a ten-minute appearance and got her ass out of there. Her speech was drowned out by counter protesters. And Pinocchio George was there! What a feel-good moment that had to be for Trump. As far as I can tell, that was IT! McCarthy is still mouthing the words Trump is speaking and the House GOP is "outraged." Which means they took a torpedo amidships and they know it. By that I mean: Trump is almost certain to get the GOP nomination and crash in the General under the weight of at least four criminal trials. They have to support Trump while their political power evaporates.
When Wall Street grasps that the tax cuts are going to expire because Trump is a loser, there may be serious money invested in replacing Trump before it's too late. It's already too late but the DC lobbyists will give it a try… if big money will throw enough cash their way.
What's the record, GULAG?
This is huge. It may be pivotal in some critical decisions on the horizon.
Liberals gain control of the Wisconsin state Supreme Court for the first time in 15 years (msn.com)
The judiciary has been the forgotten third branch for a long time. That's changing. On that note may I remind everyone that the FOX trial brought by Dominion is less than two weeks away. Some of the talking heads are going to be called to testify. This will be a huge blow to the "election was stolen" narrative.
Maha, did I take the title from GULAG?
I dunno. Gulag still has a significant lead, I think.
I'll be interested in hearing more about Trump paying a doorman $30,000. in hush money to conceal a love child. Thinking back I remember the name Elliot Brody and how he claimed to have impregnated some woman he was having an affair with that refused to abort the child. I remember wondering at the time if Brody was taking the rap for Trump's love child because if the women was financially compensated and Brody's wife knew that he was only covering for Trump and wasn't the real father then that issue would just go away.
It was reported on NBC Nightly News Full Broadcast – April 4 – YouTube at the 3:32 – 4:07 mark that Trump paid a doorman $30,000. in hush money. Why would Trump pay a doorman and how would Bragg even know that it was hush money? It's going to come out eventually.
The National Inquirer paid off the doorman. Pecker testified they did so without investigating and later investigated and determined no love child.
I could understand this all better if I had a written copy of the gospel of greed. In order to get your way (can't quote chapter and verse because I don't have a copy) the justice system must kowtow to an ostentatious display of wealth. This follows from a primary teaching (wish I knew the source, but I have no copy) that those with wealth are always more moral and important to deities and society than those without money. In this case money itself was mis accounted for, laundered, and spent for nefarious purposes. Such an abuse of money, the most sacred icon of the gospel of greed, was mistreated, the justice system itself seems to be considered by some as malfunctioning. It must defend the most sacred icon from one of its most blatant flaunters of wealth. We will see how well it performs. The primary teaching hangs in the balance.
Columbus and other cannibals : the wetiko disease of exploitation, imperialism, and terrorism
Jack D Forbes
https://archive.org/details/columbusothercan0000forb
wetiko greed spirit.
Profound stuff, Jack.
I think I did 5 in a row a few years ago.
So better luck next time, Doug!
🙂
Dang!