NY - Former President Donald Trump charged with 34 criminal counts of falsifying business records, Apr 2023

[Sundog]

No handcuffs and a not-guilty plea when Trump surrenders, his lawyers say​

Fri, March 31, 2023 at 10:18 AM EDT

No handcuffs and a not-guilty plea when Trump surrenders, his lawyers say

Former President Donald Trump will not be handcuffed when he surrenders next week in New York to face criminal charges, his defense lawyer Joe Tacopina said on Friday. Susan Necheles, another Trump attorney, said the former president will plead not guilty. Tacopina said, while Trump was not...

www.yahoo.com

Makes sense. Why would they use handcuffs? It would look an awful lot like political theater.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Trump went from joking about 'golden handcuffs' to being 'irritated' and 'deflated' after the indictment: WaPo

Trump's good mood and jovial demeanor turned foul after the indictment dropped and his team started scrambling, per The Washington Post.

www.businessinsider.com

Former President Donald Trump was joking with aides and in high spirits until the New York indictment took him and his staffers by surprise, per The Washington Post.

The Post spoke to an aide who said Trump was joking about "golden handcuffs" in the days before he was indicted. Trump also thought an indictment would not come for weeks, if at all, two advisers told The Post.

One of the two advisers the Post spoke to added that Trump quickly became "irritated" and "deflated" after the indictment.

The New York Times journalist Maggie Haberman reported on Thursday that Trump and his team were blindsided by the indictment. They assumed that reports of a weekslong break in the grand jury's deliberations meant the indictment would not be announced until the end of April, per The Times.

Other indicators also show Trump was unprepared to be indicted on Thursday. Less than 24 hours before his indictment, Trump posted on Truth Social that he had gained "SUCH RESPECT" for the grand jury.

The post aged poorly. In a Truth Social post after his indictment, Trump said he had been indicted by "Thugs and Radical Left Monsters."

 

[MyBelle]

I dunno, for me, I think it's much scarier to think that you can get away with breaking the law as long as you're part of the elite group who makes the laws. I think this is definitely a step in the right direction in reinforcing that the law applies to EVERYONE, no matter the political party, your social status, or your position in America.

God Bless the USA for holding everyone accountable!

MOO

So true. No politician is above the law. Quite a few have been convicted of corruption.

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

Justice Department 'irritated by Manhattan DA's indictment of Trump'

Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney (left) on Thursday announced that Trump would be criminally charged. DoJ officials told The New York Times they were worried.

www.dailymail.co.uk

I am not the only one concerned about the timing of this, what is felt to be "weak" case. The DOJ is irritated.

The Daily Mail didn't provide a link to this claim. They attribute it to the NY Times but I can't find any story there that says this.

 

[Twistinginthewind]

I saw that article - I will go over it over the weekend and will add to my list! Thanks! And yes VERY busy for me - keeping everything straight! LOL!

Glad you're up to the challenge, @Niner! Thanks a bunch for all you do!

 

[NeverPersonal]

I am stunned to read this thread today and the joy of Trumps indictment. I guess I am the minority believing these are scary times for America. We do not even know the details.

Really? You can't believe a man who's beyond obsessed with money and power (who has also been directly accused of SAing a 13 yr old girl) could possibly falsify business records? lol.

All the assault allegations against Donald Trump, recapped

Their charges range from an unwanted touch from behind to aggressive, sudden kissing to fingers groping up their skirt and into their underwear. Donald Trump and his campaign insist all of the stories are fabricated and politically motivated.

www.pbs.org

 

[MyBelle]

Personally, I've never been too interested in what a malignant narcissist has to say. I'm sure he'll try to play the victim, as always, and, as always, <modsnip> his base, will fall for it.

I would have rather seen him prosecuted for the rape of E. Jean Carroll, which is a more serious crime.

I'm concerned that the general public won't care all that much about the crimes listed in this indictment, and then he'll just manipulate the situation to generate publicity and support.

Rape is so difficult to prove so many years later. I think the general public has low tolerance for financial crimes committed by politicians. There was a Congressman convicted last year and I think the illegal campaign contribution was $30,000.

 

[bestill]

Really? You can't believe a man who's beyond obsessed with money and power (who has also been directly accused of SAing a 13 yr old girl) could possibly falsify business records? lol.

All the assault allegations against Donald Trump, recapped

Their charges range from an unwanted touch from behind to aggressive, sudden kissing to fingers groping up their skirt and into their underwear. Donald Trump and his campaign insist all of the stories are fabricated and politically motivated.

www.pbs.org

You're putting your words into my post. I said I was stunned by the joy on the thread of a former president being indicted. The indictment is sealed - we don't know what his charges are.

 

[10ofRods]

Can someone correct my impressions about this case?

On Tuesday, 30 charges will be filed, but there how many charges related to Stormy Daniels, so far? Just a misdemeanor or is there an included felony?

The financial charges seem they'd include felonies, otherwise NYC surely wouldn't require him to appear in person for booking, right?

And then, according to what was posted on this thread, there could be even more charges from other jurisdictions?

Am I close?

Thanks.

 

[MyBelle]

Can someone correct my impressions about this case?

On Tuesday, 30 charges will be filed, but there how many charges related to Stormy Daniels, so far? Just a misdemeanor or is there an included felony?

The financial charges seem they'd include felonies, otherwise NYC surely wouldn't require him to appear in person for booking, right?

And then, according to what was posted on this thread, there could be even more charges from other jurisdictions?

Am I close?

Thanks.

Just a guess....the more serious charges will relate to the financial crimes in the civil lawsuit the NY AG has filed against him. I think his company hugely inflated the market valuations of the various Trump properties in order to obtain bank loans and then they hugely deflated market valuations on their tax returns to pay less taxes.

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

Former Trump Organization exec Allen Weisselberg cuts ties with attorneys

The move comes as a Manhattan grand jury is believed to be nearing a decision on whether to charge Trump in a long-running hush money investigation.

www.usatoday.com

There's been speculation about why the switch, whether he could be cooperating now, or is facing new charges. But nobody knows.

 

[Cool Cats]

New York DA Alvin Bragg made tough-on-Trump record central to campaign

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s decision to bring criminal charges against former President Donald Trump makes good on the Democratic prosecutor’s campaign boast that he is tough on Mr. Trump.

www.washingtontimes.com

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg‘s decision to bring criminal charges against former President Donald Trump makes good on the Democratic prosecutor’s campaign boast that he is tough on Mr. Trump.

Mr. Bragg put his tough-on-Trump bona fides front and center as he faced other Democratic contenders in the 2021 race to become the top prosecutor in one of the country’s most liberal-leaning cities.

Throughout his campaign, Mr. Bragg boasted about his work overseeing the lawsuit against the Donald J. Trump Foundation while serving as New York state’s chief deputy attorney general from 2017 to 2018.

That case resulted in a judge ordering Mr. Trump to pay $2 million in damages and led to the foundation being shut down over allegations of misused funds.

Mr. Bragg cited the case in a December 2020 campaign forum as he sparred with his Democratic rival in the Manhattan district attorney’s race.

“I have investigated Trump and his children and held them accountable for their misconduct with the Trump Foundation,” he said. “I know how to follow the facts and hold people in power accountable.”

 

[ZoriahNZ]

This Manhattan case may be one of those "it's not the crime, it's the cover up that'll get ya" kinda deals. While falsifying business records might be a misdemeanor on their own, they can be elevated to a felony if it's in service of concealing or committing other crimes. I can see this reasoning being used, especially since we have not 1 but possibly 30+ counts.

Please remember that the timing is partly because Trump was actually US President for FOUR of those years. There was no way they would have been able to move on this case (subpoenaing the officials & attorneys, the people pertinent to the case that they needed to question) nor bring it to completion while he was in the Oval Office. We already know that there's a reluctance to charge a sitting President due to that memo, it's an untested legal precedent. Can you imagine what the screams of "political witch hunt!!" would have been like DURING his presidency? So the timing is what it is, because it has to be this way to be the LEAST political. And Trump has known all along (in my opinion) that the only way to escape all of these impending criminal and civil investigations is to constantly be in the Oval Office. It's his get out/stay out of jail card for now.

It's the chickens coming home to roost imo. Accountability is extremely important, especially in one's high ranking politicians. There would never be a convenient time for criminal charges to come down for DJT. It would always be called politically motivated, "fake", "monstrous", "witch hunt" etc. Because that's the kind of incendiary rhetoric Trump uses regularly about anything even remotely negative about himself. JMO.

 

[Chelly]

Can someone correct my impressions about this case?

On Tuesday, 30 charges will be filed, but there how many charges related to Stormy Daniels, so far? Just a misdemeanor or is there an included felony?

The financial charges seem they'd include felonies, otherwise NYC surely wouldn't require him to appear in person for booking, right?

And then, according to what was posted on this thread, there could be even more charges from other jurisdictions?

Am I close?

Thanks.

Yes.
The exact charges are unknown because the indictment remains under seal until Trump — who is campaigning to reclaim the presidency in 2024 — appears in court for his arraignment. That is expected on Tuesday, though Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg could unveil the charges sooner.

The case is just one of at least three criminal probes into Trump, who during his single term in office also earned the ignoble distinction of being the only U.S. president to be impeached twice.

Trump faces about 30 counts in New York grand jury indictment

The exact charges are still under seal, but they are expected to be revealed when Trump is arraigned. That court hearing is expected on Tuesday.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[SouthAussie]

Can someone correct my impressions about this case?

On Tuesday, 30 charges will be filed, but there how many charges related to Stormy Daniels, so far? Just a misdemeanor or is there an included felony?

The financial charges seem they'd include felonies, otherwise NYC surely wouldn't require him to appear in person for booking, right?

And then, according to what was posted on this thread, there could be even more charges from other jurisdictions?

Am I close?

Thanks.

From what I understand, the felony comes into play if the misdemeanor charges (Stormy Daniels) arise from the commission of another crime.
That other crime being campaign finance violations - as in, the payout to Stormy Daniels was an improper campaign donation engineered to help his presidential prospects.

Donald Trump Was Just Indicted. Here’s What to Know About the Charges and the Case

For the first time in American history, a former President has been criminally indicted

time.com

 

[Twistinginthewind]

I'd much prefer they pursue the more serious allegations against Trump and his cohorts, and there are some serious ones.

IMO, they have to start somewhere

 

[10ofRods]

Does that rule apply if he faces federal charges? I think the Special Counsel investigating the classified documents and January 6 is far more serious because it is tied to the presidency.

What I'm reading says that the Constitution makes absolutely no provision for it. It doesn't exclude any sort of criminal conviction. I just learned that people have run for president while serving long prison terms (for third parties, obviously).

So, in theory, he could be sent to Federal Prison and still run for president.

‘Tiger King’ announces from prison that he will run for president in 2024

Exotic says he has a constitutional right to run for president, even from prison.

www.kiro7.com

 

[MyBelle]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed> While it has been said that a DA can "indict a ham sandwich" it is important to remember the grand jury handed down the indictment and if it is true there are 30 charges, I think he must have some very compelling evidence.

 

[arielilane]

https://www.npr.org/2023/03/31/1167281449/trump-indictment-charges-key-takeaways

 

[Chelly]

From what I understand, the felony comes into play if the misdemeanor charges (Stormy Daniels) arise from the commission of another crime.
That other crime being campaign finance violations - as in, the payout to Stormy Daniels was an improper campaign donation engineered to help his presidential prospects.

Donald Trump Was Just Indicted. Here’s What to Know About the Charges and the Case

For the first time in American history, a former President has been criminally indicted

time.com

RE: Felony charges
The indictment is still sealed but reportedly brings more than 30 counts against Trump related to business fraud, likely for falsifying business expenses—which can be a felonyand punishable by up to four years in prison in New York if done to cover up another crime. The indictment against Trump and the tax fraud charges against his company and Weisselberg are all products of the Manhattan DA’s long-running investigation into Trump and his company, which began in 2019

Trump’s Criminal Charges To Be Overseen By Same Judge Who Sentenced His Company For Tax Fraud—And He’s Not Happy About It

Trump claimed on Truth Social that Justice Juan Merchan “HATES ME.”

www.forbes.com