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NOTICE: I did not ever say that Libertarianism was "viable" (Dilip's description).
Bob A (DM'ist)
Bob A (DM'ist)
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You will, when you start using common sense in your quest for a good political system...Comment
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Jon Stewart nails it again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9LZ...l=TheDailyShow
For those who need a chess analogy, watching Republicans & Democrats 2024 Presidential battle is like watching three year olds play chess.
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Trump's Legal Problems - Criminal Case # 3 (Of 4) – Falsifying Corp. Docs # 1 (Hush Money)
Prosecutor: Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, under New York Attorney General, Letitia James. Senior Counsel to the DA is Matthew Colangelo, with Ms. Susan Hoffinger.
Manhattan Criminal Court Charge: Falsifying corporate documents # 1
34 counts of falsification of New York business records in an attempt to cover up hush-money payments to Stephanie A. Gregory Clifford, known professionally as Stormy Daniels, an American pornographic film actress, director and former stripper. Stephanie claims she had an extramarital affair with Trump, which he vehemently denies.
Mr. Bragg further accuses Mr. Trump of trying to hide “damaging information and unlawful activity from American voters before and after the 2016 election". Public disclosure of this could have derailed Trump's stunning victory in the 2016 presidential election.
Note: Mr. Bragg seeks a "felony" conviction for what would normally be a "misdemeanor". He argues that the intent to commit or conceal another crime (By making the illegal hush money payment), including breaking “state and federal election laws,” raises the charge to a felony, punishable by up to four years in prison, under New York law.
Interim Motions & Decisions (prior to trial): See Post # 231 (24/4/12)
Start of Trial (Mon. 24/4/15) - Trial Judge Juan Manuel Merchan
This is the first criminal prosecution and conviction of a former American president. It may be the only one of the 4 current criminal cases against Trump where the trial gets started in 2024.
Trial Opening Statement - Prosecutor
“This is a case about a criminal conspiracy,” Mr. Colangelo told the jury. “The defendant, Donald Trump, orchestrated a criminal scheme to corrupt the 2016 presidential election.”
Mr. Colangelo then began to unfold, step by step, how Mr. Trump and Mr. David Pecker, [National Enquirer former CEO, then good friend of Trump] using the Enquirer, conceived a scheme “to influence the presidential election by concealing negative information” about Mr. Trump with the help of his former personal lawyer [and now current nemesis], Michael Cohen. The prosecutor called him Mr. Trump’s “former fixer.”
The three men met in August 2015 at Trump Tower and cooked up a three-point plan to help Mr. Trump win the 2016 election, the prosecution alleged. The Enquirer would run “headline after headline that extolled the defendant’s virtues,” Mr. Colangelo argued.
Trial Summary
Here are five things we learned during the trial:
1. The head of the National Enquirer described a partnership with Trump aimed at boosting his presidential bid
2. Hope Hicks said Trump was worried about the Stormy Daniels story coming out before the 2016 election.
3.Stormy Daniels described being pressured into sex with Trump
4. A handwritten note described Michael Cohen being reimbursed $130,000
5. Michael Cohen admitted he stole from the Trump Organization.
Closing Argument of Prosecutor: Donald Trump engaged in “a conspiracy and a cover-up”.
Closing Argument of Defense: The star witness, lawyer Michael Cohen, is the “greatest liar of all time”; the jury should render an across-the-board acquittal.
Jury Verdict: Guilty – He did falsify business records as alleged.
Pre-Sentencing Report (Being prepared):
Monday, June 10: Probation Officer had a video interview with Donald Trump.
The officer is preparing a “Sentencing Report” for Trial Judge Marchan.
Expert Sentencing Opinions
- a typical defendant convicted of the charges at hand would be very unlikely to face prison
- however, none of them would speculate about what this would mean for President Trump, since it is in many ways a precedent-setting case.
Gag Order – March 2024 – before the trial started - on application by Bragg, Judge Merchan had issued an order that prohibited Trump from speaking about jurors, witnesses, prosecutors, court staff or members of their family. But It does not bar Trump from speaking about Marchan or Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Fine - During the trial, Trump was fined $10,000 and held in criminal contempt for violating the gag order 10 times. Merchan also warned that he would have to jail Trump if he continued to do so.
Trumps Appeal of Gag Order – 24/6/18 - The New York Court of Appeals - declined to hear Trump's appeal, dismissing his effort to fight the gag order "without costs" and "upon the ground that no substantial constitutional question is directly involved."
Trump has 30 days to file a motion for leave to appeal. Once he does so, the court will decide whether or not to hear the case again.
Bragg Application to Extend the Gag Order – 24/6/21 – Bragg applied to Judge Juan Merchan to extend major elements of the gag order, citing dozens of death threats that have been made to Bragg and others. Bragg and Merchan are not covered under the gag order. An affidavit provided to the court says that the New York Police Department has logged 56 “actionable threats” against the DA, his family and his staff members since the beginning of April.
Update 24/7/12
Revoking of Conviction Application /Application to Delay Sentencing (24/7/11)
Former President Donald Trump’s legal team has formally asked Judge Juan Merchan to toss the charges in his criminal hush money case and vacate his conviction, saying that last week’s Supreme Court ruling means some of the evidence that prosecutors used should not be allowed.
The Manhattan DA’s office will have until July 24 to respond in writing.
Newsweek – Trump Trial Watch Newsletter
July 12, 2024
Bob A
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Trump's Legal Problems – Criminal # 4 (Of 4) – Mishandling Presidential Government Docs
Charge: 32 charges under the Espionage Act - Illegal handling of Presidential documents (At his Florida Home, Mar-a-Lago).The Espionage Act was passed in 1917.
Prosecutor: Special Counsel, Jack Smith
Trial Judge: US District Judge Aileen Cannon
Application for Summary Dismissal (Thurs., March 14, 2024) - President Trump contended that the Espionage Act under which he is criminally charged is fatally flawed, an argument that, if vindicated, could mean the end of the case against him. He argued that the Espionage Act is unconstitutional as applied to former presidents.
Judgment: Reserved
Appeal Prospects: It could lead to the Supreme Court weighing the law under which whistle-blowers Daniel Ellsberg, Chelsea Manning, and Edward Snowden were prosecuted, and a communist couple, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, were put to death.
Cannon's Trial Date Ruling (24/5/7) – 5 pages- canceled the May 20 trial date, postponing it indefinitely; no new date set.
- “it would be “imprudent” to finalize a new trial date now.”
- reasons -
- 1. still-unresolved issues in the case;
- 2. Trump is currently on trial in a separate case in Manhattan charging him in connection with hush money payments during the 2016 presidential election. This case involves several of the same lawyers representing him in the federal case in Florida.
Judge Aileen Cannon Paperless Order (24/7/6) - granting a partial pause in former President Donald Trump’s classified documents trial after his legal team made the request on grounds that they should be allowed to argue the merits of the recent U.S. Supreme Court’s immunity decision before the trial moves forward.
Update 24/7/15
Trump's 2nd Application for Summary Dismissal – the ground is that the special prosecutor, Jack Smith, was improperly appointed to carry the case forward.
Evidence on 2nd Application – Judge Cannon heard from expert witnesses on the legal point
Judge Cannon Ruling – case dismissed
"Judge Dismissed Trump Documents Case, Ruling Prosecutor Unlawfully Appointed
An indictment against former U.S. President Donald Trump for mishandling classified documents has been dismissed by a federal judge.
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon found that special counsel Jack Smith’s appointment had been unlawfully made because it had not gone through the appropriate approval process.”
Epoch Times – Morning Brief Newsletter – 24/7/16
So one of the 4 criminal charges Trump is currently facing is now gone.
But the prosecutor has the right of appeal, if he wishes to pursue the matter.
Bob AComment
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Great news. Biden has decided to pass the torch.
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He can now prepare for Bob's 80+ chess tourneyComment
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Predictions for 2025
President Kamala Harris
She does not pardon Trump.
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She won't be able to. Trump will pardon himself though the way the court cases are going it is possible that he won't need to.Originally posted by Bob Gillanders View PostComment
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He's just bidin' his time waiting for the tournament announcement.Originally posted by Dilip Panjwani View Post"We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office." - Aesop
"Only the dead have seen the end of war." - Plato
"If once a man indulges himself in murder, very soon he comes to think little of robbing; and from robbing he comes next to drinking and Sabbath-breaking, and from that to incivility and procrastination." - Thomas De QuinceyComment
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Hi Guys:
At the moment, the 80+ "Active" Swiss will be quite small, even if we hold it in 2025 when I can play: 14 players.
And there are a few minor logistics problems:
1. players spread across Canada
2. no $$ for tournament expenses/prizes/appearance fees/accommodation/meals/spending money/etc., given no registration fee.
We'd need big-time benefactors!
And the biggest problem is the possibility of ballooning expenses when all the ineligible 80+'ers decide this is their moment to shine!
Any bright ideas?
Bob A
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If you hold it in 2026, Trump may play, and have all other players flown to Mar-a-Lago in his private plane and given free residence there for the tourney... Barron could help you with the score-cards, and Melania could prepare some delicious meals for all!Last edited by Dilip Panjwani; Tuesday, 23rd July, 2024, 07:32 PM.Comment
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Possible Problem - In 2026 I may be the only 80+ Canadian (Active) with a USCF membership.........we'd definitely want it USCF/CFC & FIDE rated, no?
Would Barron pay for our needed USCF memberships?
Bob AComment
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I am sure he would do much more than that, if you promise not to insist on fleecing him with your DM!Originally posted by Bob Armstrong View PostComment
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