#Trump’s #criminal trial for falsifying business records during the 2016 presidential campaign to hide an extramarital affair that occurred while his 4th(?) wife was pregnant from his majority #evangelical#Christian#electorate; to that end he arranged an illegal & financially fraudulent #HushMoney pay-off to the adult-film actress #StormyDaniels.
Once the prosecutor & Trump’s #legal team have outlined their cases to the jury, the 1st witnesses will be called.
Lawyers indicated that their opening statements will take a little more than an hour combined. Justice Juan #Merchan also noted that one #juror reached out before court resumed to express nervousness about the media attention surrounding the case, but the judge added that the juror is still here.
Earlier, #Trump falsely claims #courthouse area is ‘completely CLOSED DOWN’ to protesters again suggesting there is a #DoubleStandard for him & his supporters, when evidence supports the opposite.
Facts: ~100 protesters at Columbia arrested. Outside courthouse, there are some bike-rack-type barriers (haven’t we learned those are ineffective?), but #protesters have been chanting & walking on the sidewalk. The park outside the courthouse was closed off very early Monday, now it’s unlocked.
the #civil#fraud finding that he misstated his assets; his 2 violations of a #GagOrder stemming from that case; 2 separate court findings of #defamation of #EJeanCarroll; & the dissolution of the #Trump foundation as part of a settlement w/the NYAG. The judge said he would not allow prosecutors to discuss in detail the underlying facts of those matters — but added a warning that could change.
“The court cautions defendant that this #Sandoval ruling is a shield, not a sword,” Merchan said. Defense arguments at court could prompt him to reconsider where he draws the line on these issues, he added.
The #jury is now in the courtroom. Justice Juan #Merchan is reading them their instructions.
Matthew #Colangelo, one of the Manhattan DA’s prosecutors, up.
Per Jonah Bromwich:
“Colangelo is known for his writing, but he has very little experience in Manhattan criminal court — I’ve never heard him give an opening before. He begins by telling the jury that #Trump lied “over & over & over” again by disguising business records.”
Monday, April 22 opening statements in the criminal trial of the biggest criminal in American history.
Manhattan Jury Hears Trump Committed 'Pure and Simple' Election Fraud.
This was a planned, coordinated, long-running conspiracy to help Donald Trump get the criminal elected and deny voters the true facts.
Prosecutors at hush money trial say Trump led 'porn star payoff' scheme to 'corrupt' 2016 election.
Former National Enquirer David Pecker is also expected to take the stand as the first witness for the prosecution, a source with direct knowledge of the situation told NBC News
Trump’s part in the hush money scheme was a crime,
Trump knew it was a crime,
Trump falsified the documents, and
Trump falsified the documents with the intent to cover a crime.
On Thursday, the #scotus will be hearing arguments where lawyers for the criminal defendant are arguing that all former presidents are forever immune from criminal prosecution for any official acts done in office.
Failure to respect the election of a new President, is the ultimate crime against the people, who are the basis of government. The President, by constitutional design, should have no role- official or unofficial-in the determination of the people's
vote. Immunity for the crimes here alleged would be most abhorrent to the Framers, because immunity would upset the constitutional scheme and aid a President in overriding the people's power over him.
The Framers would also have been appalled that Trump, despite having left office, seeks permanent immunity. As a Federalist wrote for the Maryland ratifying convention:
It seems, however, that the president may possibly be continued for life. He may so, provided he deserve it.
If not, he retires to obscurity, without even the consolation of having produced any of the convulsions, attendant usually on grand revolutions. Should he be wicked or frantic enough to make the attempt, he attones for it, with the certain loss of wealth, liberty or life.
The Founding Generation sought to ensure that, unlike a king, the President would not acquire any special status that would carry forward after the end of his term. Instead, the President would be "elected from the mass of the people, and, on the expiration of the time for which he is elected, return to the mass of the people again."
Former President Trump evidently does not wish to bear the burdens of "the mass of the people" again. That's understandable; no one enjoys being held to account. But Founding Era history provides former President Trump no solace in his efforts to evade the ordinary operation of law.
The man doused himself w/a liquid around 1:35PM ET in Collect Pond Park, across the street from the courthouse. Onlookers screamed as bright orange flames engulfed the man. It was unclear what motivated his action.
BLANCHE: …I would ask that the People provide us w/the names of their first 3 witnesses so that we can prepare...
STEINGLASS: Look, I got to be honest: That's a courtesy that we normally extend. [but] Mr. #Trump has been tweeting about the witnesses. We're not telling who the witnesses are.
Video games, LeBron James, tattoos, and copyright law, in one story? The internet is really spoiling us today. @polygon reports on a long-drawn-out case in which tattoo artist Jimmy Hayden is suing Take-Two Interactive Software, makers of the NBA 2K video games, over the use of tattoos he made for LeBron James that were reproduced in games from 2016 to 2020. Hayden's attorney argues that Take-Two "painstakingly copied" the designs. Take-Two's team says that James' tattoos are a very small part of NBA 2K, and that James has licensed his own likeness to Take-Two, so a ruling in favor of Hayden would mean James would have to ask Hayden for permission to license his own being. Here are all the details, plus background on other cases in which tattoo artists have sued video game companies. What do you think?
A #juror was quickly dismissed at the start. She was among the 7 already selected, she said she was very worried that despite the fact the court ruled to keep jurors’ name secret, she would still be exposed & targeted.
The jury in the #TrumpTrial is going to see a lot of paperwork #evidence, & prosecutor Joshua Steinglass explained to the prospective #jurors.
“As jurors you’re going to have to analyze the evidence, apply your common sense & draw the appropriate conclusions from that evidence. You’re going to have to roll up your sleeves & get into the weeds a little bit,” Steinglass said
That evidence will include voluminous checks, emails, invoices & texts, he said.
“We’re going to ask you to be patient as we walk you through all those documents in what sometimes may seem like excruciating detail.”
The potential jurors, called on individually by Steinglass, said they could do that.
#Trump is reportedly staring intently at the jury box as the #VoirDire goes on. He (again) shakes his head as Steinglass references someone being “criminally liable” for the acts of others.
Steinglass explains the concept of “accessorial liability.” He uses the same analogy he did on Tues: a husband hiring a hitman to murder his wife, he asks prospective #jurors if they would understand the husband to be #guilty of the #crime. Today, though, the #defense lawyers object. #Merchan overrules, & the hitman question stands.
Steinglass managed to compare #Trump coordinating the falsification of docs w/a husband putting out a hit on his wife.
Steinglass wrapped up by asking whether any of the 18 prospective jurors would have trouble finding #Trump#guilty if prosecution proves its case. He asks each individually. Not one expresses any concerns about doing so.
Susan Necheles, defense, is up. She begins by saying she has “the honor of representing President Trump."🤮
This could backfire if any prospective jurors are irked by hearing Trump referred to in the “dear leader” way he insists.
#Trump will likely be pleased w/Necheles's #VoirDire. She questioned the #credibility of those who are expected to testify against Trump, & made a reference to #MichaelCohen, suggesting that some #witnesses might want to seek “revenge” (the title of a Cohen books) on Trump. Cohen’s book is specifically named on the questionnaire.
Trump gives the hairy eyeball to jurors when Necheles suggests that a witness may be lying if they change the details of their story.
Necheles, Trump's atty, is trying to get the jurors to say they don’t like #Trump.
Prospective jurors are mostly answering that their disagreements w/Trump as president won’t impact their impartiality.
Necheles appears to be trying to draw prospective jurors into lying, which would be reason to dismiss them “for cause.” The defense has a limited number of opportunities to dismiss prospective #jurors for no reason at all, this is a way around using those.
Another prospective juror interviewed by Necheles, says she is very "centrist." She says she appreciates #democracy & a diversity of #political opinion. But, says, "I really don't think this case is about my #personal politics, this case is ultimately about the #evidence & the #facts presented." She concludes by saying that her family background "comes from #totalitarian regimes," & that bc of that, she believes in "innocent until proven guilty."
#Trump's lawyer, Susan Necheles, confronted many prospective #jurors about their #socialmedia activity, clearly the lawyers know things about them, a lot of which was not stuff they were asked in open court. They clearly have people doing deep dives on these people. It’d be pretty hard to not have concerns that their identities will be leaked
The prospective #jurors left for the lawyers discussion, some may be brought back in for individual interviews. The defense & the prosecution may both seek to strike jurors "for cause." If they can't do so, they will use their limited number of peremptory challenges, which allow them to excuse jurors w/o a reason.
Those who survive challenges will be seated on the jury unless this process has given them the concerns articulated above.
More about the question of whether #Trump violated his #GagOrder by posting a quote from #FoxNews' #JesseWatters, Trump didn’t “repost” Watters, he wrote out his own post referencing Watters’s false characterization of prospective jurors.