Michael Popok: 'Donald Trump SECRET Phone Call Revealed, SINKS HIM in Criminal Trial'

Source:Meidas Touch- left to right: Defendant Don & one of his longtime assistants Hope Hicks.

"Watch Hope Hicks as she “dumps on Trump” at his ongoing NY criminal trial. Michael Popok analyzes a new previously unknown SECRET PHONE CALL set up by Trump among the National Enquirer publisher, then White House press secretary and now Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Trump’s Melania-twin and White House coms director Hope Hicks, in which they conspired TO COMMIT MORE ELECTION CRIMES BY PAYING playboy playmate Karen McDougal EVEN MORE MONEY to keep her from doing damage to Trump’s REELECTION bid." 

From the Meidas Touch

As I wrote about this last week: 

"As someone who is looking at this case as a non-lawyer, I think the Manhattan District Attorney has a very specific mission to accomplish here. Not just get a conviction of Donald J. Trump, but convict him of a felony, multiple felonies... 

From The New Democrat

So according to the Meidas Touch, (at least) Hope Hicks not only knew about the adulterous affairs that Donald Trump had with both Stephanie Clifford (perhaps better known as Stormy Daniels) and Karen McDougal. And perhaps was in on setting up the payoffs to both women to keep them both quiet before the 2016 presidential election. 

If that's true, they now have two credible witnesses before they get to McDougal and Clifford, that these affairs not just happened, the women were not just paid off, but paid off to keep them quiet before the 2016 presidential election. And if that's the case, they now have him on two felonies. And you just need the paperwork, the bank records, the phone calls, texts, emails, etc, to prove this story. 

You can also see this post on WordPress.

Michael Smerconish: Doggonit Kristi Noem

Source:Michael Smerconish talking about Governor Kristie Noem's "dog day afternoon".

"Dog Day Afternoon #pets #dog #news" 

From Michael Smerconish 

The Kristie Noem story about her dog, is similar to Senator Katie Britt's State of the Union response back in March. And this is what I wrote about that about 6 weeks ago: 

"Now having said on that, either Senator Britt got some really, horrible advice, but she took it anyway, or she’s simply not ready for prime time. Donald Trump and the rest of the MAGA wing of what’s left of the Republican Party, is getting buried by Democrats when it comes to female voters. As much as MAGA wants people to think it’s still the 1950s, or they want to take us back there, the average American woman today works out of the home." 

From The New Democrat 

I have my alternative theory to why Governor Kristi Noem personally leaked this doggone (pun intended) story about herself. But I'll give you the conventional "wisdom" first. 

What Michael Smerconish and company seem to believe is that Governor Noem was simply trying to get ahead of this story. Perhaps a South Dakota political reporter was about to release this story about her and maybe that reporter could back it up as well. 

Another conventional theory about this story, is that Governor Noem wants to be Donald Trump's vice presidential nominee so badly, that she believes the only way to do that, is to go all in with MAGA and look like the biggest badass (or whatever the MAGA term is) to the point that she wants people to believe that she'll murder her own animals, to protect her property. Even if they're a lot more humane ways to dealing with difficult animals, especially your own pets. 

When Senator Katie Britt gave her response to President Biden's SOTU back in March, one of the commentators from the center-right The Bulwark podcast, Jonathan V. Last, had an interesting theory for why Senator Britt bombed so badly. He said he thought it was intentional on her part because she doesn't want to be Donald Trump's VP nominee. But she's from Alabama, which is like a state capital in Redneckistan, the heart of the MAGA movement and she doesn't want the MAGA followers to know that. 

My theory for why Kristi Noem decided to do this, is she's a much smarter politician than she seems to want anyone whose not inside of her South Dakota circle to know. I think she believes that Donald Trump is a loser, whose going down, because he's going to lose overwhelmingly with women. And even lose too many Republicans with all his legal baggage, including the fact he could be a two-time convicted felon before election day in November and that will make it too hard for him to beat President Biden in November. And she doesn't want to be part of that electoral catastrophe. And she sure as hell doesn't want to get blamed for it. But that's my theory. 

You can also see this post on WordPress.

The Bulwark: Tim Miller & Peter Wehner: 'Evangelicals Put Their Faith in Donald Trump's Sinful Grievance'

Source:The Bulwark with Tim Miller & Peter Wehner, talking about some guy named Donald J. Trump.

"Political power often changes the church more than the church changes those in power—the most glaring example is the damage Trump has done to the credibility of the white evangelical world. Plus, Bill Barr is a liar, and the evolution of Mike Johnson. Peter Wehner joins Tim Miller." 

From The Bulwark

Peter Wehner makes at least two excellent points here about Donald Trump. The 1st one about former Attorney General Bill Barr, who went on CNN last Friday night to talk to Kaitlan Collins about why he can't vote for Joe Biden. I think she did an excellent job in getting him to say exactly why he won't vote for Joe Biden for any reasons. He didn't hold back on that. 

I'm sure there are Democrats like this as well. Just look at the so-called Squad and the so-called Congressional Progressive Caucus in the House, who probably for no reasons whatsoever could vote for a Republican. Even a Republican running against a Democrat whose literally dead. But there are a wing of true Conservative Republicans, who can't vote for Democrats, simply because they can't live with themselves helping to create a unified Democratic government (White House & Congress) because they believe that would be bad for the country. That is a type of Republican that I think Bill Barr is. 

As far as Donald Trump and how he became President of the United States: I believe I agree with Peter Wehner there as well. 

The thing that I would add is that Donald Trump has wanted to be President of the United States, at least since the late 1980s. The only question is how would he run. He never wanted to run just to run and take a shot at it. He would only run to win the election and find the best path to the presidency that he could possibly find. 

With Barack Obama winning the presidency, that the far-right, birther, Tea Party opposition to President Obama, Trump saw those folks as his path to the presidency. Go all in with the most crazy, most irresponsible, most violent, hateful people that he could find on the far-right in America and become their cult leader. Nail those folks down, while going after blue-collar voters in both major parties, as well as the Independents, never moderate at all, and then squeak out a small victory with only 45% of the vote, against Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Donald Trump doesn't give a damn about anyone other than Donald Trump. Especially the hardcore base in his movement, that he views, at least in private, the same way as his most hardcore opponents do, which are out-of-control, uneducated, assholes (to be frank) and losers, who perhaps should all be committed. But, without these people, he's nothing in the Republican Party and American politics in general. And like with any successful conman, he's going to do whatever he can to keep these people on his side, as long as he can. 

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Don Lemon: 'Scott Galloway On Protest Chaos, Cancel Culture, & Donald Trump's Legal Woes'

Source:Don Lemon talking to Clinical Professor Scott Galloway.

"Don Lemon sits down with NYU Marketing Professor and Host of @TheProfGShow, Scott Galloway for a deep dive into the campus protests, youth in America, and the former president's many legal woes." 

From Don Lemon

 As I wrote about this on Friday: 

"I think Michael Smerconish hit the nail on the head when he posed the question: "Are these protests at Columbia and Southern California genuine, or is someone astroturfing them?" Meaning do these protestors really hate Israel and what Israel is doing in Gaza right now, or is someone ginning them up and getting to do these protests, to bring attention to their political movement? 

Considering that Columbia University is not a school that's known for producing professional athletes. I mean the Lions football program is known for winless seasons and they compete in the Ivy League. You are talking about a lot of wealthy, overprivileged students, who are the sons and daughters of politicians, doctors, lawyers, journalists, some of the most successful and wealthy people in America. 

And young people, especially overprivileged young people are very impressionable to begin with. Especially with leftists who are cool and are hipsters and know how to get young people's attention. So you have all these young overprivileged students, seeing all these people, especially children and women, suffering in Gaza, mostly because of the Hamas regime there, but also because of the Israeli military as well and the students are reacting to that." 

From The New Democrat

If anything, I and this blog is more liberal than Scott Galloway when it comes to free speech. That even includes hate speech. 

If these Columbia students want to hold antisemetic rallies at Columbia and get permission from the school to hold those rallies and do them peacefully, don't call for violence against Jews, simply because they're Jewish, that's their 1st Amendment right as far as I''m concern. But as Sir Issac Newton brilliantly said: 

"third law of motion states that “every action has an equal and opposite reaction”.

If college leftists want to have 1st Amendment protected rallies against Jews and the State of Israel they can do that. But the reaction to that, is Columbia puts its school funding at risk because Americans aren't forced to subsidize schools that allow, if not promote antisemitism and neither are taxpayers. 

But my main point from Friday about this discussion is that young people are young an inexperienced. (If you don't like young and stupid) And are overly impressionable and tend to make big mistakes. It's really just about whether or not they're smart enough not to make mistakes that are so bad that they ruin the rest of their lives. Or, do they go too far, too soon in their lives and put their futures at severe risk. 

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Ben Meiselas: 'Donald Trump Lawyer Makes a FOOL OF HERSELF At Interview ON TRIAL'

Source:Meidas Touch with a look at MAGA lawyer Alina Habba.

"MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on Donald Trump’s lawyer Alina Habba’s disastrous interview during the criminal trial." 

From the Meidas Touch

"Alina Habba has said that she doubts the New York court system and the jury in Donald Trump's hush money case will do the "right thing."

Speaking to Newsmax's Greg Kelly on April 24, Habba, a Trump lawyer and legal spokesperson, said she didn't think the jury would "do the right thing." 

She said: "I don't have hopes really that high at this moment that the New York courts will do the right thing, that the jury will do the right thing, we're in a blue state as you know."

Habba later posted to X (formerly Twitter) to say that she believes Trump will "prevail" in his trial." 

From Newsweek

Alina Habba: "Let me be very clear: the truth firmly stands with the President. He did nothing wrong and a fair hearing will expose this sham case for what it is—a partisan hoax designed to interfere in the election. President Trump will prevail." 

From Alina Habba

In case I haven't been clear about what I know and what I think about Alina Habba in the past: this is what I wrote about her back in November, before she became a MAGA media celebrity: 

"Alina Habba is not really a trial lawyer. She can barely afford to do whatever she does as a lawyer right now. She's more of a public relations lawyer, if anything at all, who makes her living trying her client's cases on TV and on social media. But she's officially Donald Trump's civil lawyer right now because she's about the best of what's left to try to defend him, because of his own financial situation and all the evidence that's against him right now, in multiple cases. 

Perhaps one of the reasons right now that Alina Habba owes millions of dollars, is because her own client is not paying her. But she's trying to work for him anyway, perhaps banking on the fact that defending a former President of the United States, would lead to clients who can and would pay her very well for her legal advice and actions in the future. But that career strategy is obviously not working out for her right now." 

From The New Democrat

In case anyone thinks that I'm obsessed with Alina Habba or I have a crush on her: I haven't written anything about her in about a month on The New Democrat. And that was about her leaving the country. But unfortunately only for a short vacation. 

No offense to Ben Meiselas, (who I think has been spot on about Alina Habba the last 6 months or so) Newsweek has a better story about her. 

When the evidence and facts are on your side, you argue the facts and evidence in this case. But when they're not, as Carl Sandberg brilliantly said: “If the facts are against you, argue the law. If the law is against you, argue the facts. If the law and the facts are against you, pound the table and yell like hell”

From Goodreads

With David Pecker's testimony, plus all the text messages, the emails, the conversations that they have on tape, the Manhattan District Attorney has already proven that Donald Trump not only knew about the payoff and the coverup, but he was in on it. So Trump and company have already lost that round. 

So what Alina Habba and company want to do now, is have the jury and public believe and see everything that has nothing to do with the facts and evidence of the case: 

This is a Manhattan court 

Manhattan jury

Overwhelmingly Democratic

Donald J. Trump is overwhelmingly unpopular in Manhattan

Judge Juan Merchan's daughter is a Democratic Party activist

Donald Trump is not the only adulterous and cheating politician whose slept with porn chicks and covered up those affairs 

And then they throw new garbage onto the case that it's really Joe Biden and the U.S. Department of Justice whose behind this Manhattan prosecution. 

Alina Habba has essentially already admitted that Donald Trump has lost the case and can't win in Manhattan. But not because of the facts and evidence of the case. Because that would require her to be honest and tell the truth on national TV. Something she's obviously not comfortable doing. What she does instead, is try to make the case about anything other than the actual facts and evidence in the case. But if you look at her track record of using the exact same media tactics, she has a bad habit losing "bigly" for Donald Trump. 

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Michael Smerconish: College Unrest

Source:Michael Smerconish talking about the college Israel-Palestine protests.

"Sorry Grads college politics" 

From Michael Smerconish

I've been looking for an opportunity to get into this discussion for at least the 2nd half of this week. But David Pecker really exposed my interest (pun intended) in Donald Trump's porn star hush money case in New York. 

I think Michael Smerconish hit the nail on the head when he posed the question: "Are these protests at Columbia and Southern California genuine, or is someone astroturfing them?" Meaning do these protestors really hate Israel and what Israel is doing in Gaza right now, or is someone ginning them up and getting to do these protests, to bring attention to their political movement? 

Considering that Columbia University is not a school that's known for producing professional athletes. I mean the Lions football program is known for winless seasons and they compete in the Ivy League. You are talking about a lot of wealthy, overprivileged students, who are the sons and daughters of politicians, doctors, lawyers, journalists, some of the most successful and wealthy people in America. 

And young people, especially overprivileged young people are very impressionable to begin with. Especially with leftists who are cool and are hipsters and know how to get young people's attention. So you have all these young overprivileged students, seeing all these people, especially children and women, suffering in Gaza, mostly because of the Hamas regime there, but also because of the Israeli military as well and the students are reacting to that. 

But then the other part is, when you are young, taking a stand against the establishment and even risking your own future, is considered cool. Even if you don't know what you are doing and what you are supposed to taking a stand against. 

Just being there is a social political statement for these folks and they can say: "Yeah, I'm down with Palestine. Fuck the Jews. From the river to the see, Palestine will be free." Not having any idea what that actually means. And apparently having no idea that a statement like that puts you in the same political company as Neo-Nazis. 

"But hey, when you are in your early 20s, it's being cool and popular which is what counts. Not intelligent and successful."  

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MSNBC: 'Direct Evidence': David Pecker Testimony Links Donald Trump To Hush Money Payment

Source:MSNBC with a look at Defendant Don in court.

"Ex-National Enquirer publisher David Pecker spells out details of a "catch-and-kill" scheme in former President Trump's hush money trial. Former FBI General Counsel Andrew Weissman and former Assistant Manhattan District Attorney Catherine Christian provide their expertise." 

From MSNBC

As someone who is looking at this case as a non-lawyer, I think the Manhattan District Attorney has a very specific mission to accomplish here. Not just get a conviction of Donald J. Trump, but convict him of a felony, multiple felonies. 

Even if the Manhattan DA wins on all 34 misdemeanors, Defendant Don wins, at least politically. But, if they prove that he committed real felonies under New York law by: 

They show that he had an affair with Stormy Daniels and perhaps Karen McDougal as well, but that he not just tried to cover up those affairs with hush money. 

And not just try to prevent his wife Melania and his son Barron from finding out about these affairs, but to prevent the voters, especially Independents, as well as Republican college educated, urban and suburban women from finding out about these affairs, before they voted in 2016

As well as covered up these affairs and did that with illegal political contributions to his his own 2016 presidential campaign, that he didn't even report, which is another crime in New York 

They can convict Defendant Don of election interference as well, which is a felony in New York. 

And this David Pecker-Michael Cohen link with the hush money payments is a direct way to move the ball down that road. 

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Don Lemon: SCOTUS: CAN PRESIDENTS KILL OPPONENTS? - With Tim Miller & Sarah Longwell

Source:Don Lemon talking to Tim Miller & Sarah Longwell from The Bulwark.

"Don Lemon is joined by Tim Miller and Sarah Longwell of @BulwarkMedia to discuss the latest case before the Supreme Court and the political influences on Trump's voters." 

From Don Lemon 

"The Supreme Court on Thursday appeared likely to reject former President Donald Trump’s claim of absolute immunity from prosecution over election interference, but it seemed possible Trump could still benefit from a lengthy trial delay, possibly beyond November’s election.

Chief Justice John Roberts was among at least five members of the court who did not appear to embrace the claim of absolute immunity that would stop special counsel Jack Smith’s prosecution of Trump on charges he conspired to overturn his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

But in arguments lasting more than 2 1/2 hours in the court’s first consideration of criminal charges against a former president, Roberts also was among several justices who suggested that the case might have to be sent back to lower courts before any trial could begin. Roberts indicated he was unhappy with the reasoning adopted by the federal appeals court that ruled against Trump. 

The timing of the Supreme Court’s decision could be as important as the outcome. Trump, the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee, has been pushing to delay the trial until after the election, and the later the justices issue their decision, the more likely he is to succeed." 

From the Associated Press

If Donald Trump's lawyers were honest (and the sky was green and humans could walk on water and hold their breath for days) they would just argue at the Supreme Court that Donald J. Trump is immune to all criminal prosecutions, simply because he's Donald J. Trump. And they should just say: 

"Our client is running for President of the United States. We need him back in The White House to save America and save it from Joe Biden and the Socialist Democrats. And if we lose here, he's going to prison. So you have to give him absolute immunity here, because he's Donald Trump and he can't save America, while he's in prison, or just being prosecuted."

If the John Sauer's of the world (whose one of Donald Trump's defense attorney's) were honest, that is what their argument would be. And you would probably have Justice Clarence Thomas and perhaps Justice Samuel Alito cheering them on. But perhaps just in private. 

But of course the sky isn't green, (except for perhaps on St. Patrick's Day or when the Celtics win the NBA Finals) humans can't walk on water, (but Donald J. Trump gets damn close to being able to do that everyday) and no human being, perhaps especially Donald J. Trump, who probably has long, unintelligible conversations, out loud, with himself, in his asleep, (assuming he ever sleeps) can hold their breath for days. 

So what you get from the Trump lawyers are all these ridiculous arguments about the President of the United States, well, probably just Donald Trump, has absolute immunity to do whatever the hell he wants to do, whenever the hell he wants to do it, because they're not honest. And has Sarah Longwell pointed out to Don Lemon, they have no shame. 

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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.

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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. 

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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.  

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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. 

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Don Lemon: Sleepy Donald Trump & His Jurors

Source:Don Lemon hosting a discussion about Defendant Don & his Manhattan, New York trial.

"Don lemon sits down with Attorney and Legal Analyst Areva Martin along with Legal Analyst Dina Doll to dive into the latest updates in Trump's trial." 

From Don Lemon

As far as Donald J. Trump's let's say stamina in court: ever since he's been running for political office, which is since the summer of 2015, one of the main talking points against his opponents, including Republican opponents, is talk about what he sees as their lack of energy and stamina. 

DJT called Jeb Bush low energy and questioned whether Hillary Clinton had the stamina to be President of the United States. And almost 10 years later when he's older than his past opponents and just 3 years younger than the current President of the United States, the 77 year old, 2 months away from 78, can't stay awake in his own criminal trial, even though his personal, as well as financial freedom are both at stake. 

As someone whose young enough to be Donald Trump's son, if my personal freedom and financial security were at stake in a criminal trial and if Rikers Island Jail was almost in my future if, I kept violating the rules of the court, safe bet that alone would keep me awake during the trial. But that's me. 

I'm sure DJT is freaking out at home back at Trump Tower every night, because he knows what he did during the 2016 hush money scheme: 

he knows he paid off Stormy Daniels, and he failed to report that and didn't want the voters to know about his affair with Stormy, just before the 2016 election. 

And he knows that the prosecution has the witnesses, bank records, text messages, to prove the affair and the coverup about it. It's just a matter of the prosecutors proving that in court. 

So Donald Trump is under a helluva lot of pressure right now and probably can't relax. Especially since he's currently being deprived of his daily six pack of Diet Cokes everyday. But if he thinks that's bad, wait till he goes to Rikers Island, where he might be lucky just to get clean water and hot coffee while he's there. 

But the falling asleep in court goes to other issues about Donald J. Trump. It's just another example that this man is not just not morally fit to be President of the United States again, but he simply doesn't have the energy, the strength, the mental capacity as well. Which is not surprising when you are talking about man whose almost 78 years old, who has a poor diet and rarely if ever exercises, who struggles to get any sleep at night. But again, if he can't sleep now, wait till he gets to Rikers Island. He might has better luck sleeping at a NASCAR race. 

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The Bulwark: 'BREAKING: GOP Speaker Cornered by ANGRY Freedom Caucus Over Ukraine Aid!'

Source:The Bulwark talking about the MAGA House. That's right: MAGA is in the House and almost no one is happy about that. Except for perhaps 100-431 members, who are all MAGA.

"Joe Perticone breaks down to Sonny Bunch the dramatic scene from the House of Representatives today, where Speaker Mike Johnson was surrounded by MAGA Republicans furious over his foreign aid bills!" 

From The Bulwark

As my colleague Fred Schneider wrote about this earlier today: 

"The reason why Speaker Johnson is now in trouble with House MAGA, is because he's doing his job. MAGA is not there to govern. This blog has made that point several times this year alone. They are there to knock off (one way or another) as many as the real Republicans that they can and simply just take over what's left of the Republican Party all together. 

And the question is will House Democrats led by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, will they give the Speaker a lifeline so he can keep doing his job, just as long as he continues to work with them. Or, will Leader Jeffries just allow for the House that they could very well be running in the next Congress, get thrown back into chaos and be ungovernable again." 

From The New Democrat

If you were looking at this from a completely objective and nonpartisan perspective and you were looking at Speaker Mike Johnson (Republican, Louisiana) literally fighting for his political survival and was dong all of that by actually trying to do his freakin job, which is to govern and get must-passed legislation passed and you were looking at what is the role of the House Democrats (led by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries) was here, I think the answer is obvious. 

As Fred Schneider already got to this earlier today and I'm just going to make the case for why House Democrats should back the Speaker, just as long as the Speaker actually governs and works with them. And as Joe Perticone already mentioned on The Bulwark today, there's a lot of stuff that Congress has get done, even before the elections in November. And you simply can't do that without a Speaker of the House, even if the Senate is passing all their must-passed legislation. 

So if you just a regular House Democrat, or a committee ranking member, or some other senior member on Appropriations, or Foreign Affairs, Armed Services, etc, or the House Minority Leader, you have a real question here to ask yourself and to decide on it fairly quickly: 

vote for the Ukraine aid bill this Saturday. But once Moscow Marg (also known as Marjorie Taylor Greene) files her motion to vacate Speaker Mike Johnson perhaps as early as Monday, do you vote for that and send the House back into chaos and allow for some politically escape mental patient or secret operative for the Russian Federation, (or both) to be Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and therefor be 3rd inline to the Presidency, or do you go with the devil that you know and say: 

"You know what, we don't like Mike Johnson either. But at least he's not trying to shut down the government, or allow for one of our allies to be taken over by Russia, simply because they like Vladimir Putin." 

There's going to be elections in November and you have to think with all of this House MAGA chaos, the fact that Donald Trump will be a convicted felon, as well as the Republican nominee for President and with House Republicans having no room to operate by themselves, the 20-30 House Republican seats in districts that Joe Biden won in 2020, that will be up for election, that House Democrats are probably a solid favorite to win back the House anyway right now. 

I think the choice here is obvious. House Democrats would take no political heat, other than perhaps from the so-called "Squad" that represents the militant far-left of the Democratic Party. And they would be seen as responsible adults who know how to govern to everyone else. 

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Rick Wilson: Donald Trump's Trial & Speaker Mike Johnson

Source:The Rick Wilson is a former Republican political strategist, who divorced himself from the party when MAGA took over the asylum and kicked the staff and the rest of the adults out. Generally when mental patients take over the asylum, they escape. (Not that I know from personal experience) But in this case, MAGA decided to just stay as close to home for them as possible.

"Given my gimpy paw and the limits of voice recognition, here’s a quick video note on Trump’s misery in the legal system and Mike Johnson’s misery in the MAGA caucus: Donald Trump is in the system...and it sucks for him. Mike Johnson is in trouble. 4/16/24" 

From The Rick Wilson

This is what I said about then new Speaker of the House Mike Johnson back in October: 

"I'm not saying that Speaker Mike Johnson is not MAGA Mike, because he could very well be MAGA Mike, which is what Representative Matt Gaetz (whose not as politically braindead, as he seems to want people to believe) calls him. I'm just saying that there are other things and possibilities that people need to think about here and also take a lesson from fairly recent political history and at least consider this before making up their minds on the new Speaker." 

From The New Democrat

My only point about Mike Johnson back in October is, as much as the mainstream media, especially the partisan Democratic media were talking about Speaker Johnson being "MAGA Mike", we didn't know then what kind of Speaker of the House he would be. 

Yes, up until February you could argue that he was MAGA Mike. (As Representative Matt Gaetz coined him) But then he was basically forced to govern: 

Speaker Johnson had to work not just with The White House, but House Democrats,  otherwise the government would shut down. And he had to work with Democrats again on the debt ceiling, or the U.S. Government would default. 

Representative George (I can be bought at any price, as long as I stay fabulous) Santos, is not just expelled but replaced by a Democrat. 

Donald Trump became the nominee of the Republican Party (not official yet, but he is) and he's still very unpopular outside of MAGA and House Republicans are going to have to run with him one way or another in 2024. 

And I think now the Speaker is looking for some independence from Donald Trump and perhaps MAGA all together. Being a human puppet can be really bad for you. (Not that I know from personal experience) Not just for your head and back going up and down all the time, like you are on a school bus all the time. But it must be mentally draining as well. 

Two Republican representatives not just immediately retiring, but waiting until they couldn't be replaced until next year, Ken Buck and Mike Gallagher. 

And of course Ukraine being in danger of being taken over by Russia, if America doesn't act and help them out. 

And all these things especially as they relate to the governing part and avoiding shutdowns and defaults, House Republicans would've taken the blame for that, especially if they simply let those things happen, because they couldn't even pass their own damn bills to deal with those issues. 

The reason why Speaker Johnson is now in trouble with House MAGA, is because he's doing his job. MAGA is not there to govern. This blog has made that point several times this year alone. They are there to knock off (one way or another) as many as the real Republicans that they can and simply just take over what's left of the Republican Party all together. 

And the question is will House Democrats led by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, will they give the Speaker a lifeline so he can keep doing his job, just as long as he continues to work with them. Or, will Leader Jeffries just allow for the House that they could very well be running in the next Congress, get thrown back into chaos and be ungovernable again. 

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