The Bulwark: Tim Miller & Olivia Nuzzi: 'Donald Trump is POWERLESS At His Trial'

Source:The Bulwark with Tim Miller & Olivia Nuzzi.

"The one-time most powerful man in the world is now being told when to sit, when to stand, and what he's permitted to say. Scenes from the New York courthouse, with Olivia Nuzzi. Stay tuned for Part 2 of today's episode!" 

From The Bulwark

I just have a couple observations here first and then I'll get into what I really want to talk about here. 

Tim Miller and Olivia Nuzzi were talking about how cold it is in Judge Juan Merchan's courtroom and how Donald Trump has been uncomfortable with that. Defendant Don's lawyer Todd Blanche (according to Olivia Nuzzi) asked the Judge could they just turn the temperature up 1 degree. And Judge Merchan said this is a very old building and if they just raised the temperature 1 degree, it would be like 20 degrees warmer and they would all be roasting in the courtroom. 

Imagine if it was too hot in the courtroom: 

The Judge shows up to court wearing a tank top and shades. 

Maybe the male male lawyers are shirtless all together. 

The female lawyers are all there in bathing suits. 

Maybe DJT is sitting in his own outdoor, I mean courtroom kiddy pool trying to stay cool. 

Instead of the lawyers arguing with each other about the facts and evidence of the case, they're arguing over water: 

"Judge, they''re hogging all the water over there. You should hold them in contempt. We're roasting and dying of first over here." Of course the Judge doesn't care, because he has his own pitcher of ice tea and perhaps margarita. I think it might make a good skit for Saturday Night Live, especially if it were real. 

And then Defendant Don's lawyer Todd Blanche (who unless he was kidnapped and forced at gunpoint to represent Donald Trump: I don't feel sorry for him at all) in his own damn opening statement, I guess not turning over a smoking gun and flat out saying that his client had an affair with Stormy Daniels, but instead saying that: "Nondisclosure agreements are not illegal." coming pretty close to acknowledging that the affair happened. I mean it's like the defense attorney saying: "My client is not guilty of anything here. But even if he did it, it's not illegal." 

But Senator Mitt Romney who ever since he stopped running for President after he lost in 2012, has been living with a strong case of candor and honesty had the best line about Donald Trump and his porn chicks: 

“I think everybody has made their own assessment of President Trump’s character,” he told CNN’s Manu Raju outside the Capitol. “And so far as I know, you don’t pay someone $130,000 not to have sex with you.”

From The Hill

As far as Donald Trump in the courtroom; before some MAGA maniac who finally broke out of the state hospital to defend his cult hero Donald Trump, accuses me of calling Mr. Trump a mobster and I'm not saying that DJT has ever ordered the murders of anyone, but only because I don't know that he has, but I think the mobster reference is app here. 

Think about it, Donald Trump has been in complete control of his own life, at least since his father Fred died in 1999. But now he's like a mobster whose essentially at the complete mercy of the Judge in this case and is now getting ordered around in an old, freezing courtroom. And forced to sit in place for several hours at a time and be quiet like a 7 year old boy in a classroom. Maybe falling asleep in court helps this man get though these long days for him.

You can also see this post on WordPress.

Michael Smerconish: David Pecker Exposes The National Enquirer

Source:Michael Smerconish with a look at Donald Trump's tabloid political world.

Source:The New Democrat

"Enquiring Minds.... 

From Michael Smerconish

"David Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer, testified at Donald Trump's trial Tuesday that the tabloid completely manufactured a negative story in 2016 about the father of Sen. Ted Cruz, of Texas, who was then Trump's rival for the GOP presidential nomination.

The paper had published a photo allegedly showing Cruz's father, Rafael Cruz, with Lee Harvey Oswald handing out pro-Fidel Castro pamphlets in New Orleans in 1963, not long before Oswald assassinated President John F. Kennedy.

Trump repeatedly referred to the story on the campaign trail and in interviews.

“I mean, what was he doing — what was he doing with Lee Harvey Oswald shortly before the death? Before the shooting?” Trump said in an interview with Fox News in May 2016. “It’s horrible.”

Manhattan prosecutor Joshua Steinglass asked Pecker about the story's origins during the trial Tuesday in Manhattan. Pecker said that then-National Enquirer editor-in-chief Dylan Howard and the tabloid's research department got involved, and Pecker indicated that they faked the photo that was the foundation for the story.

“We mashed the photos and the different picture with Lee Harvey Oswald. And mashed the two together. And that’s how that story was prepared — created I would say," Pecker said on the witness stand.

Asked by Steinglass whether Cruz had gained popularity in the presidential race at the time, Pecker said, “I believe so.”

The revelation came up as the prosecution focused on negative articles that were published by the tabloid about Trump's Republican opponents at the time. Pecker explained that it was Michael Cohen, Trump's personal lawyer, who would orchestrate the planting of these stories.

Pecker said Cohen would call and say they'd like his publication to run an article on a certain candidate, adding that Cohen would then send him a piece about Cruz, for example, and the National Enquirer "would embellish it from there."

Pecker suggested that Trump was directly involved in the process, too. He said that the negative stories about Trump's opponents were published as part of an arrangement that was struck in 2015 at a Trump Tower meeting that also included a directive to write positive stories about the real estate mogul." 

From NBC News

Sorry for the tabloid title of this post. Actually, that's a lie. I'm definitely not sorry for the title. But what's a little lie anyway when you are talking about a tabloid publication anyway? Lies for tabloids are what food are for restaurants, gas is for cars, lawyers, politicians, fundamentalist preachers even for prostitutes, it's how they stay in business. 

I think the David Pecker revelations (I'm still having a hard time writing his last name without laughing and I'm 47 years old) is a perfect example of why American voters are stereotyped as stupid. At least gullible because here you had this well-known, national tabloid magazine, that promoted stories about Donald J. Trump back in 2015-16, to get him into The White House and you had 10s of millions of American voters, who simply bought all of those garbage stories. 

10s of millions of American voters. probably mostly Independents, as well as some blue-collar Democrats, who perhaps weren't ready for a female President of the United States, bought those garbage stories, as if they were buying an 1985 Ford Escort, thinking that car was as good as a Mercedes SEL, or a Jaguar sedan, etc. Without doing any of their homework: "Hey, if The National Enquirer says that Ted Cruz's father was involved in the JFK assassination, it must be true." 

And so yesterday, you have the Manhattan prosecutors laying out exactly what The National Enquirer was doing in partnership with Donald J. Trump, with the man who was in charge of this entire scheme, their publisher at the time David Pecker, exposing (pun in intended) this whole operation. And they have all the texts, the emails, the phone calls even, to back up all of Mr. Pecker's claims here on what they were doing for Mr. Trump.

Michael Popok: 'Donald Trump Co-Conspirator SCREWS HIM To HIS FACE At Trial'

Source:Meidas Touch- left to right- David (don't call me Richard) Pecker & Defendant Don.

"David Pecker the lead road map witness for the Manhattan DA is absolutely killing Trump with his testimony today, as he “cashes all the checks” that the prosecution wrote to the jury in their opening statement yesterday. Michael Popok explains the impact of Pecker’s testimony on the jury of him confessing that he entered into a criminal conspiracy with Trump and Michael Cohen to help the 2016 Trump campaign by buying negative  “women stories” against Trump." 

From the Meidas Touch

I think Michael Popok laid this out very well. The thing that I would add to this is to remind people exactly why Donald J. Trump is being prosecuted here. 

Donald Trump is not being prosecuted for adultery in Manhattan. I mean think about it, this is Manhattan, if anything adultery is encouraged here. If you are not rich and divorce by the time you are 40, if you are a man who doesn't have kids with multiple women, by the time you are 40, you are considered to be some outsider, who should go move to Cleveland or some place. You are not considered a real Manhattanite, certainly not a real New Yorker. 

Donald Trump is not being prosecuted for paying off a porn chick, who he was having an affair with, when his wife Melania was pregnant with his son Barron. Hell, Defendant Don is not even being charged with cheating on his wife, while she was pregnant with their son. Again, this is Manhattan, they're not looking for saints and for people who are playing to make it to Heaven. I'm having a little fun with this, but you get the idea. 

What Donald J. Trump is being prosecuted here for, is for falsifying his business records and his campaign contributions that he made to himself, that he didn't report during the 2016 election campaign season. Specifically the payment that he made to Stormy Daniels on behalf of his campaign. 

As well as the catch and kill scheme, this "checkbook journalism" (as David Pecker called it) that Pecker and Trump were involved with together, to get DJT into The White House. And Pecker has all the goods on Defendant Don. I guess you could say that David is exposing Defendant Don with his Pecker and screwing him over "bigly". But only to stay out of prison himself. 

You can also see this post on WordPress.

Harry Litman: 'Judge Merchan EVISCERATES Donald Trump in Gag Order Hearing'

Source:Harry Litman- Not that I'm a psychic, but I'm thinking Judge Juan Merchan is not a fan of Defendant Don.

"Judge Merchan held a hearing this morning in which prosecutors argued that Trump is in violation of his gag order due to several of his Truth Social posts. Merchan did not yet rule on the issue." 

From Harry Litman

I'm willing to bet this is not a great reference, I doubt it's even a good reference, but when I'm watching courtroom dramas, which at time can seem more like courtroom soap operas and even courtroom comedies, you see out-of-control defendants all the time. And the judge will say something like: "Mr. Jones (or whatever the name of the lawyer is) please get your client under control, or I'll hold him in contempt. And if these outbursts continue, I'll hold you in contempt as well." 

Now, other than falling asleep in court and perhaps badly in need of some under armour, perhaps even taking a shower before showing up in court, perhaps even issues with flatulence, (and that's as nice as I'll be about this) Donald Trump hasn't yet been in violation of Judge Juan Merchan's rules in court yet. It's outside the court where Defendant Don has been in clear violation of the Judge's gag order. 

But I'm wondering if Defendant Don keeps violating the gag order, could the Judge take that out on his lawyer and do that first, before he holds the defendant in contempt and throws him in a holding tank. 

You can also see this post on WordPress.

Michael Popok: 'Judge QUICKLY Makes Move On Donald Trump Bond'

Source:Meidas Touch- left to right: New York State Judge Arthur Engoron & Defendant Don.

"Judge Engoron has successfully brokered a deal to keep Trump’s $175 million dollar bond in place in the $456 million dollar civil fraud case, with Trump agreeing to keep $175 million cash in a locked account to secure the bond. Michael Popok is joined by former NY State Supreme Court Justice Barbara Jaffe, a colleague, and friend of the judge’s, for her observations having had a ring side seat in court today for the hearing." 

From the Meidas Touch

"Former President Donald Trump agreed on Monday to additional restrictions on the $175 million bond in the former U.S. president's New York civil fraud case, resolving concerns by the state attorney general that the funds were not secure.

The bond issued by Knight Specialty Insurance is meant to secure Trump's compliance with a $454.2 million judgment won by state Attorney General Letitia James if he does not succeed in an appeal. 

Justice Arthur Engoron imposed the penalty after finding that Trump, the Republican presidential candidate to face President Joe Biden in the Nov. 5 election, fraudulently inflated his net worth and real estate assets to deceive banks and insurers into providing better terms.

James, a Democrat, had challenged the bond this month, saying Trump still had access to the Charles Schwab account pledged to the insurer as collateral. 

But at a hearing on Monday, down the block from where jurors heard opening arguments in Trump's criminal hush money trial, lawyers for Trump and Knight agreed that the funds would remain as cash and not be traded for securities.

They also agreed that Knight would have exclusive control of the account and not withdraw funds, and to provide James with monthly statements to assure that the cash isn't going anywhere. 

The agreement was reached after Engoron questioned the security of the collateral.

"You keep using the word agreement, what if they break the agreement?" he asked Trump's lawyer Christopher Kise. "It all seems like a house of cards."

Knight is owned by billionaire Trump supporter Don Hankey.

Earlier on Monday, Trump defended the bond outside the courtroom at the criminal trial.

"We put up cash and the number is 175," Trump said. "She shouldn't be complaining about the bonding company. The bonding company would be good for it because I put up the money. I have plenty of money to put up." 

James had argued in court papers that a Trump-owned trust still controlled the account, and Knight's own financial arrangements appear insufficient to cover the bond.

Hankey previously said in an interview that he charged Trump a low fee as he did not anticipate problems.

"We thought it would be an easy procedure that wouldn't involve other legal problems and it's not turning out that way," he said. "We probably didn't charge enough."

Hankey made his fortune in subprime car loans, with some regulators criticizing his companies' debt collection tactics. He is worth $7.4 billion, according to Forbes magazine.

Trump was originally required to obtain a guarantee for the entire verdict while he appeals, but a state appeals court let him post a smaller bond.

With much attention now focused on Trump's criminal trial, Engoron noticed the relative paucity of courtroom attendees compared with when he oversaw the civil fraud trial.

"Where is everyone?" he joked at the beginning of the hearing." 

From Reuters 

Not that Chinese, Greek, Arabic, Russian, (whatever foreign language you want to name) are my first languages, (generally just English is hard enough for me) I'm going to translate here. 

To put this in plain English: Don Hankey and company (and that name is hard to say with a straight face because it sounds like the name of a West Hollywood pimp or pornographer) is on the hook for Donald Trump's bond. 

Knight Speciality Insurance put up the 175 million for Donald J. Trump. And if he doesn't pay that, assuming he loses his appeal here in the New York fraud case, KSI is on the hook and out 175 million. And then probably would have to sue a Bankrupt Don, whose now just out 500 million dollars, but at severe risks of losing his business properties, if he hasn't lost those properties already. 

You can also see this post on WordPress.

CNN: David Pecker Took The Stand As The First Witness

Source:CNN- left to right: National Enquirer publisher David Pecker & and his long time business ally Donald J. Trump, who is now Defendant Don.

"The first witness took the stand in former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial after both sides laid out parts of their cases to the jury in opening statements. During his testimony, David Pecker described his job at the time as the former chairman of the National Enquirer’s parent company." 

From CNN

Just on a personal note first and I don't mean to be overly insulting, but since we're talking about the publisher of The National Enquirer, who also happens to be one of Donald J. Trump's longest and closest former allies, I feel a little liberty to be insulting first. 

If your name was David Pecker, wouldn't just at least change your last name? I mean imagine if your last name was Balls or even Balz and your parents decided to name you Harold and called you Harry, because of course they hated you as soon as you were born. Perhaps they stuck a kick me sign on your rear end without you knowing about everyday before you went to school. 

David Pecker has the perfect last name for a guy who runs The National Enquirer. Whose business is to reveal the very private sex lives and affairs of some of the most famous people, at least in New York City, if not all of America. Who also just happens to be a former, longtime, very close ally, who had affairs with pornstars, while his wife was carrying his 3rd son. 

The Pecker-Trump relationship almost sounds like an arraigned marriage. Hard to imagine two people who are better suited for each other, perhaps especially in Manhattan, but they would perfect for Hollywood as well.

Now having said all of that and I really don't want to sound like Donald J. Trump's defense attorney because I like getting paid for my work, but The National Enquirer, probably especially David Pecker, knows all about the affairs that Donald Trump had with Stormy Daniels and perhaps Karen McDougal as well. And because of that, he's going to tell the jury how the Enquirer covered up those affairs for Donald Trump back in 2015-16. So he's a very important witness for the Manhattan prosecutors.  

You can also see this post on WordPress.

CSPAN: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries On Motion To Vacate

Source:CSPAN showing House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (Democrat, New York) weekly press conference. Leader Jeffries is perhaps the only responsible, adult, leader, in the House right now. (I mean party leader) And perhaps Speaker Mike Johnson is jealous of that. Or he just wants to save his job and he wants the Minority Leader to save it for him. 

"House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on possible motion to vacate the chair against Speaker Johnson: "Moscow Marjorie Taylor Greene, Massie and Gosar are quite a group...and I’m sure that will play some role in our conversation. But, central to the conversation...is to make sure that the national security legislation in totality is passed by the House..." Full video here... 

From CSPAN

"House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY) told reporters he was pleased the House was moving forward on bills providing military aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, saying House Democrats had wanted action for weeks. He also answered questions on moves by some House Republicans to push a motion to vacate that would oust Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) as House speaker, saying he wanted to get the bills past the finish line before deciding with his conference what they would do." 

From CSPAN

Just a few side points first and then I'll get into what the House Minority Leader is saying here. 

Hakeem Jeffries has an excellent, pretty quick, sense of humor. At least political wit. And if you follow him on social media, you really see that everyday. He called House Republicans "Moscow Marjorie Taylor Greene", Matt Gaetz, and Paul Gosar "quite a group" and did that with a smirk on his face. Meaning, that wasn't a complement. “Quite a group” is a step down from “distinguished gentleman” or “distinguished gentlelady”. But 2, he was also holding back. But 2, he was holding back. 

Imagine visiting a mental hospital, or a criminal forensic hospital, where the criminally insane inmates are sent. And you are in the day room (hopefully with excellent security) and there are like 3 out of like 20 mental patients there that really stand out from all the rest. And you are thinking something to the effect: "They're a different level of crazy." 

Representatives Matt Gaetz and Paul Gosar, just might completely stupid and simply not qualified and too irresponsible to be serving in government at all, let alone the U.S. House of Representatives. But Moscow Marg (referring to Marjorie Taylor Greene) I think is that different level of crazy. Or, she could just be a complete idiot. I'll let you make that call on that one. 

As far as Leader Jeffries statement on Speaker Mike Johnson and what looks like a motion to vacate the Speaker after the national security bill passes on Saturday: Congressional politics is a poker game. I would be surprised if Leader Jeffries would publicly announce: "That if Speaker Johnson brings the Ukraine aid bill to the floor and it passes, I'll deliver the votes to save his job for him." That would be like a QB on a football team announcing to the defense what play they'll be running before they run it. But that's what he's saying here, if you read between the political lines here. Pass the Ukraine aid bill and all the other must-passed bills, no more chaos in the House this year and Mike Johnson can remain Speaker. 

You can also see this post on WordPress.