Donald Trump indicted by Manhattan grand jury

[RocksInMyHead]

He doesn’t know what Cohen told Trump. Cohen will testify about that, a convicted perjurer

I'm aware. Though he did testify that Cohen told him that Trump would not be happy with him when he said he wouldn't pay for Clifford's story - which suggests that he was planning on telling Trump (or at least was threatening to). Again, it's about establishing a pattern of behavior. If you make it clear that Trump was told about other similar situations, and that he wanted to hear about them, then that helps back up Cohen's (potential) testimony that he told Trump about Clifford as well.

 

[BPPLEE]

I'm aware. Though he did testify that Cohen told him that Trump would not be happy with him when he said he wouldn't pay for Clifford's story - which suggests that he was planning on telling Trump (or at least was threatening to). Again, it's about establishing a pattern of behavior. If you make it clear that Trump was told about other similar situations, and that he wanted to hear about them, then that helps back up Cohen's (potential) testimony that he told Trump about Clifford as well.

This is something he should have been fined for, like Hillary.
What’s happening just feeds the appearance that there’s a two tiered justice system

 

[essentialsaltes]

This is something he should have been fined for, like Hillary.

He's not being dinged for campaign finance violations. He's charged with criminal counts of falsifying business documents.

 

[BPPLEE]

He's not being dinged for campaign finance violations. He's charged with criminal counts of falsifying business documents.

Which is a misdemeanor without the campaign finance violation.
I was not even planning on voting for Trump and thought he had no chance in the general but these charges are helping him

 

[RocksInMyHead]

Which is a misdemeanor without the campaign finance violation.

And there was a campaign finance violation - Cohen took the fall for that. Trump's actions in covering up that violation (allegedly, falsifying business records) are what he's being tried for here.

 

[BPPLEE]

And there was a campaign finance violation - Cohen took the fall for that. Trump's actions in covering up that violation (allegedly, falsifying business records) are what he's being tried for here.

Yeah you’ve got a misdemeanor ( that’s past the statute of limitations) and something that others have been fined for

 

[essentialsaltes]

Yeah you’ve got a misdemeanor ( that’s past the statute of limitations) and something that others have been fined for

Cohen pleaded guilty to felonies.

Trump's actions in covering up that [crime] ... are what he's being tried for here.

 

[BPPLEE]

Cohen pleaded guilty to felonies.

Yes that why there’s a trial

 

[perplexed]

This is something he should have been fined for, like Hillary.
What’s happening just feeds the appearance that there’s a two tiered justice system

Honestly that is my impression but you are making me reconsider it

 

[BPPLEE]

Honestly that is my impression but you are making me reconsider it

He’s hardly squeaky clean but the optics are that he’s not being treated fairly. And it’s working in his favor so far

 

[RocksInMyHead]

Yeah you’ve got a misdemeanor ( that’s past the statute of limitations) and something that others have been fined for

I'm not sure how else this can be spelled out for you - the fact that the business records were falsified in order to cover up another crime (the one that "others have been fined for") upgrades the charge from a misdemeanor to a felony. That's a fact of New York law.

And the DA has addressed the statute of limitations questions - we'll see if the court agrees (I think they do). Of note, New York law suspends the statute of limitations once you leave the state.

 

[BPPLEE]

I'm not sure how else this can be spelled out for you - the fact that the business records were falsified in order to cover up another crime (the one that "others have been fined for") upgrades the charge from a misdemeanor to a felony. That's a fact of New York law.

And the DA has addressed the statute of limitations questions - we'll see if the court agrees.

The judge will.

 

[RocksInMyHead]

The judge will.

I agree - under New York law, the statute of limitations is put on hold when you leave the state, so during the whole of Trump's presidency, as well as when he was living in Florida, the clock would have been stopped. I doubt that he's spent more than 5 years in New York since 2016.

 

[essentialsaltes]

But the underlying charge that this is based on is a NY state election law isn’t it?

Cohen pleaded guilty to federal election crimes.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Yes but the underlying charge is a violation of NY State election law is it not?

Can a DA from Manhattan enforce Federal election laws?

I'm stepping off the merry-go-round.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Trump Appears to Balk at Testifying in NY Hush Money Trial​

Donald Trump seems to be hesitating about testifying in his criminal hush money trial, despite his earlier firm assertion that he would “absolutely” do so.

The former president phoned into Newsmax on Thursday evening following the end of the seventh day of his unprecedented trial. Anchor Greg Kelly questioned him about his plans to testify in his defense, considering his observations of the trial proceedings thus far.

“Well I would if it’s necessary,” Trump answered. Right now, I don’t know if you heard about today. Today was just incredible. People are saying – the experts, I’m talking about legal scholars and experts – they’re saying, ‘What kind of a case is this? There is no case.’

 

[RocksInMyHead]

I thought it was because they delayed bringing charges because the FEC was looking into it

They delayed bringing charges, in part, because the FEC was looking into the issue. That doesn't really relate to the statute of limitations though.

But the underlying charge that this is based on is a NY state election law isn’t it?

The charge that Trump is facing is under New York State business law - falsifying business records. The felony upgrade comes from that law being broken in order to conceal Cohen's violation of federal election laws - something that has already been determined in federal court, and for which Mr. Cohen has served jail time

 

[BPPLEE]

What Harvey Weinstein’s Overturned Conviction Means for Donald Trump’s Trial

The legal issue behind Weinstein’s successful appeal is also at the heart of the former President’s hush-money case.

www.newyorker.com

 

[RocksInMyHead]

A lawyer was on television making the case that. Trump was charged with state election violations and he wasn’t running for state office

This is a poor argument on two levels:

1. Trump is NOT being charged with state election violations.
2. States administer their own elections, per the Constitution. State election laws apply to every person running for office in the state - including those running for federal office. So long as the activity took place in New York, it is subject to New York law.

 

[BPPLEE]

This is a poor argument on two levels:

1. Trump is NOT being charged with state election violations.
2. States administer their own elections, per the Constitution. State election laws apply to every person running for office in the state - including those running for federal office. So long as the activity took place in New York, it is subject to New York law.

Yes, and it didn’t match the facts anyway. I’ve heard so many opinions today I turned it off