Bragg Manhattan DA charges tfg? Hush money. tfg “INDICATED!”

[Kendra]

https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/ ... index.html

Nauta, Miller and Epshteyn have been around with Trump today in courthouse
Before entering the courtroom, Trump waved to cameras.

You could see Trump's valet Walt Nauta in the background behind the double doors.

He and Stephen Miller and Boris Epshteyn have been around today with Trump.

The former president did not answer questions.

[Kendra]

Rhona Graff up now.

[Tiredretiredlawyer]

Does Weinstein case have impact on Turnip criminal trial?


Hubby says CNN disagrees with Popok.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/29/opinions ... index.html

[Tiredretiredlawyer]

Geesh. As if it never happens that a Judge thinks he can squeeze one more hearing into a busy day and then other urgent matters make that impossible.

[Dr. Ken]

[chancery]

TPM's Josh Kovensky's report on today's trial session.

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/stan ... f-cynicism

His attorney Emil Bove channeled that approach during cross-examination of former tabloid executive David Pecker on Thursday and Friday. Through rapid-fire questions, Bove tried to exhaust, muddy, and poke holes in Pecker’s testimony for the jury.

But most of all, Bove emphasized one thing: all of the sleaze, muck, “mutually interested” self-dealing, and assorted seaminess were simply examples of “standard operating procedure” in the seedy, backscratching, New York City milieu Pecker had detailed — the way Pecker did things with an assorted coterie of celebrity associates, none of whom have faced prosecution save for Donald Trump.

That approach picked up on a theme that defense attorney Todd Blanche leaned heavily on during his opening statements: the alleged crimes in this case are all normal, if not somewhat sordid, features of high-level politics and business. It’s the crude facts of life for many New Yorkers, he suggests: sometimes it’s dirty, but that doesn’t mean it’s a crime.

[skipping quite a bit here]

It emphasizes the defense’s point: these are all separate, self-interested actors. They’re all confined in their own self-interest. McDougal is trying to advance her career, Pecker is trying to keep his magazines afloat through titillating content. Trump is running for president, and needs to stay above it all. It’s all separate, and there’s no big conspiracy — just a lot of sleaze. “Standard operating procedure.” Business as usual.

That approach muddies the waters for the jury. But also, it overwhelms them.

With scandals around Trump stretching on for years, the effect of this line of questioning is to sully everyone else who might stand as a relative point of comparison. McDougal, Pecker — they’re all as self-interested as Trump.

Prosecutors managed during redirect to have Pecker reaffirm that the McDougal contract’s sole purpose was to keep her silent — not to advance her career in a meaningful way.

Bove tried to salvage it on Friday by asking Pecker if McDougal was a “legitimate celebrity at the time,” apparently hoping that he would validate the idea that she had a career to advance.

But Pecker began to stutter. “Would she meet the celebrity category at that time?” he asked, repeating the question back to himself.

“No,” he concluded.

[keith]

Hmm. I have put 2 and 2 together and come with 4. Probably. I think. Maybe.

2 number 1 => folks here have established that Turnip is on Adderall. Possibly this is a joke, but it would, of course, be irresponsible to not speculate that it is accepted as established fact.

2 number 2 => Turnip is falling asleep in court.

2 number 3 => (wait wut?) Adderall is used to treat ADHD and narcolepsy.

4 => (is this really 6?) Turnip has gone off his meds and his narcolepsy is out of control.

The proof is left as an exercise for the reader.

[poplove]

Hmm. I have put 2 and 2 together and come with 4. Probably. I think. Maybe.

2 number 1 => folks here have established that Turnip is on Adderall. Possibly this is a joke, but it would, of course, be irresponsible to not speculate that it is accepted as established fact.

2 number 2 => Turnip is falling asleep in court.

2 number 3 => (wait wut?) Adderall is used to treat ADHD and narcolepsy.

4 => (is this really 6?) Turnip has gone off his meds and his narcolepsy is out of control.

The proof is left as an exercise for the reader.

The answer is 4. My daughter takes adderall and it definitely keeps her awake for hours.

[RTH10260]

Longtime Trump assistant and bank executive each take the stand in hush money trial
Rhona Graff, who said she was testifying pursuant to a subpoena, told the court that Donald Trump’s contact list included information for Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal.

April 26, 2024, 1:00 PM GMT+2 / Updated April 26, 2024, 10:59 PM GMT+2
By Adam Reiss, Gary Grumbach, Jillian Frankel and Dareh Gregorian

The prosecution moved on to its second witness in its case against Donald Trump after former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker finished his testimony, which included attempts by defense attorneys to muddy his remarks about a joint scheme to benefit Trump’s 2016 campaign.

Pecker's dramatic testimony was followed by two other witnesses, including Rhona Graff, Trump’s longtime assistant and gatekeeper, who said she was testifying pursuant to a subpoena.

Graff said she worked for the Trump Organization for 34 years and was responsible for maintaining Trump's list of contacts and his calendar. People on the contacts list — which prosecutors have a copy of — included former Playboy model Karen McDougal and adult film star Stormy Daniels, Graff acknowledged. Both women have alleged that they had sexual relations with Trump in 2006 and received money to keep quiet about their claims during his 2016 presidential campaign. Trump has denied their claims.

The listing for McDougal included multiple phone numbers and addresses. The contact information for Daniels just said "Stormy" and included a cellphone number, Graff confirmed after their listings were shown in court.

Asked by prosecutor Susan Hoffinger if she'd ever seen Daniels in a reception area at Trump Tower, Graff said she had a "vague recollection" of that. Asked if she knew that Daniels was an adult film actress, Graff said, "Yes, I did."

Prosecutors used Graff's testimony to authenticate Trump's contact list and calendar, while Trump's lawyers used it show another side of their client. Graff testified her job was "exciting" and "stimulating." Asked if Trump was a good boss, Graff said, "I think he was fair." Asked if she felt Trump respected her, Graff said, “I don’t think I would have been there 34 years if he didn’t.”



https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald ... rcna149455

[RTH10260]

Michael Popok on this testimony

“Mini” Witness Was LETHAL for Trump at Trial

MeidasTouch
27 Apr 2024

Sometimes the most mild-mannered witnesses for the prosecution are used to set up and bolster the future testimony of more controversial witnesses later in the case. Michael Popok explains how the Manhattan DA this week used Trump’s 30 + year right-hand person — little known Rhona Graff against him at the New York criminal trial by having her: (a) bolster the future testimony of Trump’s other assistant- Madeline Westerhaut— who can cooperate Michael Cohen’s testimony; (b) put Trump in New York during key dates on the prosecution’s timeline in mid-January 2017 before he left for the White House; and (c) bolster the future testimony of Stormy Daniels; Karen McDougal and Michael Cohen before they take the stand, all while Trump smiled and nodded during her testimony in court.

[andersweinstein]

It looks like Shad Riley will continue to post transcripts converted to searchable pdf as they appear on the court web site. Since you can find them on his Twitter feed, I plan to stop posting the links here unless anyone tells me they want them.

ETA: one vote for posting pdf links, so I'll keep it up.

[Dave from down under]

Please continue to post the links - I don’t Xitter

[Slim Cognito]

Geez, I hope that bastard gets convicted. If he’s acquitted, he gets reelected. Yes, it’s frustrating to see him successfully drag this on and on and on. But if the other trials were to happen before the election, and he’s acquitted, they’ll be no stopping the son of a bitch.

[MN-Skeptic]

Gift link to NYTimes article from a former New York D.A. Attorney -

I Was an Attorney at the D.A.’s Office. This Is What the Trump Case Is Really About.

Now that the lawyers are laying out their respective theories of the case in the criminal prosecution of Donald Trump in New York, it would be understandable if people’s heads are spinning. The defense lawyers claimed this is a case about hush money as a legitimate tool in democratic elections, while the prosecutors insisted it is about “a criminal scheme to corrupt the 2016 presidential election.”

Yet this case is not really about election interference, nor is it a politically motivated attempt to criminalize a benign personal deal. Boring as it may sound, it is a case about business integrity.

Lawmakers in New York, the financial capital of the world, consider access to markets and industry in New York a privilege for businesspeople. It is a felony to abuse that privilege by doctoring records to commit or conceal crimes, even if the businessman never accomplishes the goal and even if the false records never see the light of day. The idea is that an organization’s records should reflect an honest accounting. It is not a crime to make a mistake, but lying is a different story. It is easy to evade accountability by turning a business into a cover, providing a false trail for whichever regulator might care to look. The law (falsification of business records) deprives wealthy, powerful businessmen of the ability to do so with impunity, at least when they’re conducting business in the city.

[RTH10260]

Trump DETERIORATING in Speeches and ENTIRE WORLD is Catching On

MeidasTouch
14 hours ago

Anthony Davis translates Donald Trump's incoherent post-court ramblings

[MN-Skeptic]

Oh good lord...

Gift link to NYTimes article -

Right-Wing Network Retracts False Story About Key Witness in Trump Trial

One America News, a right-wing cable news network, on Monday retracted a report claiming that Donald J. Trump’s former fixer had been the person who actually had an affair with the porn star whose claims of a sexual relationship with Mr. Trump are key to his criminal trial.

The retraction came after the fixer, Michael D. Cohen, hired a leading defamation lawyer to address the false report, which was posted on the network’s website on March 27.

The lawyer, Justin Nelson, had represented Dominion Voting Systems in a suit against Fox News that cost that network $787.5 million to settle. Mr. Nelson worked with Mr. Cohen’s longtime lawyer, Danya Perry, in what was a remarkably quick about-face by OAN.

There are no monetary damages, but the story is being removed from the website “and all social media,” the network said in a statement on Monday.

“This retraction is part of a settlement reached with Michael Cohen,” the statement said. “OAN apologizes to Mr. Cohen for any harm the publication may have caused him.”

[andersweinstein]

Trump Trial Transcripts (Searchable PDF): 4/26/24
H/T Shad Riley on Twitter:

[p0rtia]

Merchan imposes fines for gag-order violations.

Unclear this particular second if this means Thurs hearing is kaput.

https://www.nycourts.gov/LegacyPDFS/pre ... -FINAL.pdf

Decision
This Court rejects Defendant's arguments and finds that the People have established the
elements of criminal contempt beyond a reasonable doubt as to Exhibits 2-10. This Court's
Expanded Order is lawful and unambiguous. Defendant violated the Order by making social media posts about known witnesses pertaining to their participation in this criminal proceeding and by
making public statements about jurors in this criminal proceeding.

[p0rtia]

Snippets:

It is counterintuitive and indeed absurd, to read the Expanded Order to not ptoscribe
statements that Defendant intentionally selected and published to maximize exposure. This is not to say that a repost will always be deemed a statement of the reposter, as context is directly relevant. However, here, under the unique facts and circumstances of this case, the only credible finding is that the reposts constitute statements of the Defendant.

Turning next to Defendant's post in which he purports to quote Jesse Watters. Exhibit 10. This is not a repost but rather the Defendant's own words. Mr. Watters uttered a statement which Defendant altered, placed in quotes, attributed to Mr. Watters and posted. The purpose being to call into question the legitimacy of the jury selection process in this case. This constitutes a clear violation of the Expanded Order and requires no further analysis.

The Court is cognizant that Defendant has made, through the various motions he has filed during the pendency of this case, numerous references to the commentary of Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels and as indicated above, u.ill consider such in any future Filings. Nonetheless, the Court finds that it is not yet necessary to modify the terms of the Expanded Order to exclude any of the currently protected parties. The Court finds Defendant in criminal contempt for willfully disobeying a lawful mandate of this Court in violation of Judiciary Law Section 750(3) on nine separate occasions.

THEREFORE, Defendant is hereby warned that the Court will not tolerate continued willful violations of its lawful orders and that if necessary and appropriate under the circumstances, it will impose an incarceratory punishment; and it is hereby

ORDERED, that Defendant pay a $1,000 fine for each of the nnie violations of this Court's
lawful order by the close of business on Friday, May 3, 2024; and it is further

ORDERED that Defendant remove the seven offending posts from Defendant's Truth
Social account and the two offending posts from his campaign website by 2:15pm Tuesday, April
30,2024.

[RTH10260]

Lock him up! Lock him up! Lock him up!

[Mr brolin]

THEREFORE, Defendant is hereby warned that the Court will not tolerate continued
Willful violations of its lawful orders and that if necessary and appropriate under the circumstances,
it will impose an incarceratory punishment; and it is hereby ordered......

Pay fine and probability of pokey time increased....

[raison de arizona]

[bob]

I saw on the Twitter machine that the defendant may attend the graduation ceremony.

Which basically means he now has to attend the graduation ceremony.

[p0rtia]

[p0rtia]

Talking goobers on MSNBC say that this order relates only to the _first_ series of gag-order violations. So the Thurs hearing is still on, for the _second_ series.

FWIW

Instant verification:

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