NY - Ex-President Donald Trump, charged with 34 criminal counts of falsifying business records, Apr 2023, Trial 25 Mar 2024 #3

[SouthAussie]

Lots of people associated with Trump have either been convicted of something, or at least charged.Strange! I can't wait to hear the tapes Cohen made.

The thing that gets to me is (for example) that if a person pays someone to get rid of their spouse, they (generally) will be convicted of the crime.

But trump has so far skated, even though his employees committed crimes on his behalf.

imo

 

[MyBelle]

They have had compelling evidence about the business records from people who worked with Trump for a long time, and from someone who still works for him,(apparently when she testified, Eric Trump-her now boss-came into court for the first time to watch her testimony, either to support her or intimidate her ?),-as well as outsiders such as Pecker. The chief financial officers's testimony would have been interesting, but alas, he is in prison, for the second time for crimes associated with his work with Trump. (This time for perjury in the New York civil trial, so obviously, if the jury did get to hear his evidence, they would have to be careful) I'm hanging out to hear Cohen's testimony, another long term insider. I know, also a convicted person, but so many of those around Trump are!
I think there is sufficient evidence to say what normally happened within the business, and what happened in this case. There is also a lot of evidence about the reason about why it happened-the intent. Hope Hicks was devastating on the stand, and I'm not talking about her tears falling down her face as her hair fell over it, like lots of media.
I've been fascinated by lots of little factoids that are not really important in this trial, but help to paint a picture. Pecker's testimony that Trump had stiffed him on an earlier payment, which is why Cohen got involved. The payments from Trump to the media to apparently report on false polling results. (The irony!) That Trump was hoping to defer payments to SD until after the election, and then not pay. This sort of information might not matter in this case, to this jury, but I think they still matter.

BBM. I think the DA is doing an excellent job of painting the picture the jury needs to see.

JMO

 

[RANCH]

I think a $130,000 hush money payment in late October, 2016--for a sexual encounter that took place in 2006--was absolutely for political reasons.

JMO

From my link upthread:

In the messages, the two discuss whether American Media Inc. would buy Daniels’ story – and for how much – before giving a play-by-play of the status of the negotiations and payment Cohen ultimately made to Daniels’ attorney in late October 2016.
The texts are notable because neither Howard nor Rodriguez is expected to testify in the trial. Some of the texts were introduced through David Pecker, who was Howard’s boss, but prosecutors used a paralegal to show more of them to the jury this week.
“We’re not doing the Trump deal,” Rodriguez texted Howard on October 17, 2016.
“Keith (Davidson) gave me a heads up. What happened?” Howard responded.
“They didn’t pay when they said they would and they keep trying to buy more time,” Rodriguez responded.

A NDA is perfectly legal. That's why President Trump is not charged with any criminal act related to it.

He's charged with falsifying business records. JMO.

 

[MyBelle]

The thing that gets to me is (for example) that if a person pays someone to get rid of their spouse, they (generally) will be convicted of the crime.

But trump has so far skated, even though his employees committed crimes on his behalf.

imo

BBM. Gangster Al Capone skated for quite a while until he was finally nailed for tax evasion...and contempt of court.

JMO

 

[RANCH]

They have had compelling evidence about the business records from people who worked with Trump for a long time, and from someone who still works for him,(apparently when she testified, Eric Trump-her now boss-came into court for the first time to watch her testimony, either to support her or intimidate her ?),-as well as outsiders such as Pecker. The chief financial officers's testimony would have been interesting, but alas, he is in prison, for the second time for crimes associated with his work with Trump. (This time for perjury in the New York civil trial, so obviously, if the jury did get to hear his evidence, they would have to be careful) I'm hanging out to hear Cohen's testimony, another long term insider. I know, also a convicted person, but so many of those around Trump are!
I think there is sufficient evidence to say what normally happened within the business, and what happened in this case. There is also a lot of evidence about the reason about why it happened-the intent. Hope Hicks was devastating on the stand, and I'm not talking about her tears falling down her face as her hair fell over it, like lots of media.
I've been fascinated by lots of little factoids that are not really important in this trial, but help to paint a picture. Pecker's testimony that Trump had stiffed him on an earlier payment, which is why Cohen got involved. The payments from Trump to the media to apparently report on false polling results. (The irony!) That Trump was hoping to defer payments to SD until after the election, and then not pay. This sort of information might not matter in this case, to this jury, but I think they still matter.

I'm waiting to hear from convicted liar Cohen myself. It should be very interesting. JMO.

 

[RANCH]

BBM. Gangster Al Capone skated for quite a while until he was finally nailed for tax evasion...and contempt of court.

JMO

Like Michael Cohen. JMO.

 

[MyBelle]

A NDA is perfectly legal. That's why President Trump is not charged with any criminal act related to it.

He's charged with falsifying business records. JMO.

As the Jury learned, the NDA used fake names for both Daniels and Trump. The falsified business record charges are directly tied to the hush money payments.

JMO

Donald Trump using pseudonym in settlement agreement raises questions

Trump is identified as "David Dennison" in his non-disclosure agreement with adult film star Stormy Daniels.

www.newsweek.com

Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, is the first former president in United States history to stand trial in a criminal case. He has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records to hide payments to Daniels.

 

[minusfour]

The thing that gets to me is (for example) that if a person pays someone to get rid of their spouse, they (generally) will be convicted of the crime.

But trump has so far skated, even though his employees committed crimes on his behalf.

imo

Exactly!

This time he is sitting in a criminal court though, facing charges. You never know what will happen with a jury, but it's something that he is facing charges.

I know that sometimes it is hard to discern causality and correlation, but this doesn't seem to be one of those times. At best, this guy has been surrounded by a bunch of crooks, actively committing all sorts of crimes, which benefit him, wherever he goes and whatever he does. He's just the poor schmuck in the middle, according to him. (Crooks on one side, conflicted and corrupt judges on other)

 

[minusfour]

Like Michael Cohen. JMO.

Not really like Cohen. The tax evasion was more of a technicality, wouldn't you say? Cohen is one of many of Trump's lawyers who have been charged with crimes in connection to Trump, strange!

I think Cohen is the perfect example of redemption. He did something wrong, paid a very heavy price, and is now a very useful member of the community.

 

[minusfour]

Like Michael Cohen. JMO.

How many times has Trump been found guilty of contempt in this case alone? He talks about not being able to defend himself, he can't say a word-even though he never stops talking. His restrictions are not to attack the jury, not to attack the judge's family-the same as every criminal defendant, but he can't manage that? There is moral corruption on a grand scale, and politicking going on, but it's hardly on the prosecution side, is it?

 

[RANCH]

As the Jury learned, the NDA used fake names for both Daniels and Trump. The falsified business record charges are directly tied to the hush money payments.

JMO

Donald Trump using pseudonym in settlement agreement raises questions

Trump is identified as "David Dennison" in his non-disclosure agreement with adult film star Stormy Daniels.

www.newsweek.com

Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, is the first former president in United States history to stand trial in a criminal case. He has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records to hide payments to Daniels.

Maybe the fake names were used to prevent personal embarrassment.

I'm waiting to see if the defense can show that President Trump falsified business documents and records. If they have to rely on the testimony of convicted liar Michael Cohen I will have some major doubts. JMO.

 

[RANCH]

Not really like Cohen. The tax evasion was more of a technicality, wouldn't you say? Cohen is one of many of Trump's lawyers who have been charged with crimes in connection to Trump, strange!

I think Cohen is the perfect example of redemption. He did something wrong, paid a very heavy price, and is now a very useful member of the community.

Michael Cohen's tax evasion is not a technicality but a real crime. Along with his bank fraud and lying to Congress.

I see no redemption from Micheal Cohen but instead an angry man who wish's to punish President Trump no matter what it takes. JMO.

 

[SouthAussie]

Maybe the fake names were used to prevent personal embarrassment.

I'm waiting to see if the defense can show that President Trump falsified business documents and records. If they have to rely on the testimony of convicted liar Michael Cohen I will have some major doubts. JMO.

I am pretty sure that there will be those who have major doubts, regardless.

But the players seemed to grasp what they had done. imo


Immediately following Trump's shock victory in 2016, Davidson picked up his phone and sent a 3 a.m. text to Howard.
"What have we done?" he wrote as it became clear that Trump was going to win enough electoral votes to become president.
"Oh my god," Howard responded.

Daniels lawyer texted "what have we done?" after seeing Trump win

Keith Davidson realized "our activities may have in some way assisted the presidential campaign of Donald Trump."

www.salon.com

 

[RANCH]

I am pretty sure that there will be those who have major doubts, regardless.

But the players seemed to grasp what they had done. imo


Immediately following Trump's shock victory in 2016, Davidson picked up his phone and sent a 3 a.m. text to Howard.
"What have we done?" he wrote as it became clear that Trump was going to win enough electoral votes to become president.
"Oh my god," Howard responded.

Daniels lawyer texted "what have we done?" after seeing Trump win

Keith Davidson realized "our activities may have in some way assisted the presidential campaign of Donald Trump."

www.salon.com

Is Keith Davidson on trial here?

 

[MyBelle]

Like Michael Cohen. JMO.

Michael Cohen entered a guilty plea. Al Capone went to trial and was convicted.

JMO

 

[RANCH]

Michael Cohen entered a guilty plea. Al Capone went to trial and was convicted.

JMO

Both convicted. That's my point.

 

[MyBelle]

Michael Cohen's tax evasion is not a technicality but a real crime. Along with his bank fraud and lying to Congress.

I see no redemption from Micheal Cohen but instead an angry man who wish's to punish President Trump no matter what it takes. JMO.

Michael Cohen agreed to enter a guilty plea and promised to help the very angry employees of the federal government who wished to punish Trump for his very real crimes.

JMO

Michael Cohen has destroyed his life trying to put Donald Trump in jail. Here's why he flipped on his former boss

Michael Cohen was once Trump's personal attorney and said he would "take a bullet" for his boss, so what happened to make him flip?

www.abc.net.au

He testified to the US Congress that Trump was "a racist, a con man and a cheat." He did every interview he could. He wrote two books from jail.

We now know that what he was doing was actually crucial to getting a case against Trump going.

Federal prosecutor Geoffrey Berman revealed that, under pressure from Washington, his office had stopped investigating the president for fraud and campaign finance violations.

But Cohen's constant waves of allegations and evidence against Trump were too powerful to ignore.

By the end of Trump's term in office, he had issued presidential pardons to all of his imprisoned cronies — except Michael Cohen.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

Maybe the fake names were used to prevent personal embarrassment.

I'm waiting to see if the defense can show that President Trump falsified business documents and records. If they have to rely on the testimony of convicted liar Michael Cohen I will have some major doubts. JMO.

I think you mean to see whether the prosecution can show that?

There have been plenty of other witnesses and documents presented in court. From what I've seen, they are not relying on Cohen to make their case.

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

Michael Cohen's tax evasion is not a technicality but a real crime. Along with his bank fraud and lying to Congress.

I see no redemption from Micheal Cohen but instead an angry man who wish's to punish President Trump no matter what it takes. JMO.

I agree there’s no redemption for him. If he wanted an attempt at redemption he wouldn’t be doing what he’s doing now on tik tok. He comes across as vindictive. imo

I wish the defense would enlarge a screen shot from tik tok and place it front and center as he testifies. moo

 

[RANCH]

Michael Cohen agreed to enter a guilty plea and promised to help the very angry employees of the federal government who wished to punish Trump for his very real crimes.

JMO

Michael Cohen has destroyed his life trying to put Donald Trump in jail. Here's why he flipped on his former boss

Michael Cohen was once Trump's personal attorney and said he would "take a bullet" for his boss, so what happened to make him flip?

www.abc.net.au

He testified to the US Congress that Trump was "a racist, a con man and a cheat." He did every interview he could. He wrote two books from jail.

We now know that what he was doing was actually crucial to getting a case against Trump going.

Federal prosecutor Geoffrey Berman revealed that, under pressure from Washington, his office had stopped investigating the president for fraud and campaign finance violations.

But Cohen's constant waves of allegations and evidence against Trump were too powerful to ignore.

By the end of Trump's term in office, he had issued presidential pardons to all of his imprisoned cronies — except Michael Cohen.

There shouldn't be any "angry employees of the federal government" targeting American citizens that they want to go after. But I'm afraid your right and it does happen. JMO.