The Trump Investigation(s) Thread

[malchior]

CNN

Subtext: Thuggery works.

As the investigation nears its final stages, prosecutors are considering the historic nature of prosecuting a former president – an unprecedented act, sources tell CNN. Other sources tell CNN the DA’s office is taking a moment to regroup after the events of the past week.

New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office has suggested to an attorney for at least one witness in the past 24 hours that they might need to provide more testimony to the grand jury in its hush money probe, according to one source familiar with the probe.

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office is trying to determine whether to call back Trump's former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, to refute the testimony provided earlier this week by lawyer Robert Costello —or to call an additional witness to buttress their case before the grand jurors consider a vote on whether to indict the former president, the source familiar with the investigation said.

Not that they are wrong on the merits but I don't know how wise it was to engage like this instead of just going about the office's business.

[pr0ner]

Evan Cocoran testified for three hours today in front of a grand jury.

[malchior]

There is probably nothing quite like being questioned about why you signed a letter saying you conducted a 'diligent search' to only have the FBI come in and find material all over the place.

[El Guapo]

There is probably nothing quite like being questioned about why you signed a letter saying you conducted a 'diligent search' to only have the FBI come in and find material all over the place.

That's the potential gold mine for investigators, right - he kind of needs to say that either he knew it was false (bad for him) or that Trump told him it was true and didn't give him a means to check.

[Grifman]

No executive privilege for Meadows:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/24/us/p ... ticleShare

What worked on congressional hearings won’t work in a criminal inquiry.

[Grifman]

[Smoove_B]

“A judge has just ordered former vice president Mike Pence to testify before a federal grand jury that is related to the special counsel's January 6th investigation.”

[waitingtoconnect]

Funny, the guy who called on police to be a little bit rough with suspects is upset that police were allegedly treating suspects a little poorly?

Yep, makes sense.

[malchior]

Bragg's spine has resumed its gelatinous nature. Trump is obviously going to take it as a sign that thuggery works and we might see him step it up.

[Jaymann]

Sometimes the threat is mightier than the execution.

[Octavious]

I mean the only reason anyone said something was happening now is because Trump made the shit up. I mean hell it works. Nothing happened and it looks like a win to people. I hate him so much. So so much... Like more than a lot.

[Smoove_B]

Just need to hold out a little bit longer before its either "too soon to an election to bring charges" -or- "we can't indict someone running for President" are invoked. Clearly "we can't indict a former President" has been doing all the work since 1/6, but I can't realistically expect that to hold much longer.

Would be amazing to watch in a movie. Not enjoying it in real time.

[Zaxxon]

[malchior]

I mean the only reason anyone said something was happening now is because Trump made the shit up. I mean hell it works. Nothing happened and it looks like a win to people. I hate him so much. So so much... Like more than a lot.

That gives him too much credit. Actually there were several legal experts who noted that Bragg's grand jury had invited Trump and his lawyers to appear which is the sign of an impending indictment. Usually the last stop before a vote to indict. Trump's lawyer spoke on that Monday.

He very well might have been advised that he was under threat of imminent arrest by his lawyers. He spent that weekend freaking out on Truth. Ultimately culminating with him publishing images of him threatening Bragg. The effect was a story from insider's saying Bragg was re-evaluating the case and now we see indications the grand jury saw the brakes come on. It's not absolutely clear what happened but it's not a stretch to think that Trump is going to see it as his appeals to violence and thuggery protected him from arrest.

Also, we are seeing GA passing laws to protect Trump from indictment there. We now again approach another appalling episode of a rich, white thug appearing to be above the law. It's incredibly corrosive to public order to see it happen over and over.

Edit: Just to reinforce and counter the idea that Trump drove a narrative. The NY Times published this story on March 9th. Costello testified on the 20th after Trump claimed he'd be arrested on the 21st. Bragg then subsequently cancelled the rest of the week. He then brought Pecker back on Monday and now has potentially left it to cool off until late April/early May? Bragg very possibly has wimped out.

The Manhattan district attorney’s office recently signaled to Donald J. Trump’s lawyers that he could face criminal charges for his role in the payment of hush money to a porn star, the strongest indication yet that prosecutors are nearing an indictment of the former president, according to four people with knowledge of the matter.

The prosecutors offered Mr. Trump the chance to testify next week before the grand jury that has been hearing evidence in the potential case, the people said. Such offers almost always indicate an indictment is close; it would be unusual for the district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, to notify a potential defendant without ultimately seeking charges against him.

In New York, potential defendants have the right to answer questions in the grand jury before they are indicted, but they rarely testify, and Mr. Trump is likely to decline the offer. His lawyers could also meet privately with the prosecutors in hopes of fending off criminal charges.

[malchior]

Evergreen.

[Zaxxon]

NYT reporting that the grand jury has voted to indict. #popcorn

[Zaxxon]

[El Guapo]

NYT reporting that the grand jury has voted to indict. #popcorn

That's weird, I was told that Bragg had certainly crumbled in the face of adversity.

Anyway, will be interesting to see how this goes. Also what other indictments are coming.

[pr0ner]

NYT reporting that the grand jury has voted to indict. #popcorn

That's weird, I was told that Bragg had certainly crumbled in the face of adversity.

That's the issue with news in the social media age and the tendency of people (not just here) to overreact to everything.

[Jaymann]

Still on track for a Friday afternoon arrest and a weekend in jail.

[em2nought]

Still on track for a Friday afternoon arrest and a weekend in jail.

Deep fake, don't moisten your boxers just yet.

[malchior]

NYT reporting that the grand jury has voted to indict. #popcorn

That's weird, I was told that Bragg had certainly crumbled in the face of adversity.

That's the issue with news in the social media age and the tendency of people (not just here) to overreact to everything.

FWIW I personally was listening to people who had left Bragg's office. One was on a segment last night who thought he was unlikely to indict before May. It wasn't based on "social media". Speculation is definitely ... speculative but count me in as happily surprised that we were wrong.

[Alefroth]

And just a couple of days ago he praised that grand jury.

[Unagi]

And just a couple of days ago he praised pandered that grand jury.

I would rephrase that.

[El Guapo]

NYT reporting that the grand jury has voted to indict. #popcorn

That's weird, I was told that Bragg had certainly crumbled in the face of adversity.

That's the issue with news in the social media age and the tendency of people (not just here) to overreact to everything.

I do wonder whether those DAs who resigned last month after Bragg expressed doubts about the case turned it around thereby. Also possible that Bragg just had doubts but after considering it decided to go forward.

[Unagi]

NYT reporting that the grand jury has voted to indict. #popcorn

That's weird, I was told that Bragg had certainly crumbled in the face of adversity.

That's the issue with news in the social media age and the tendency of people (not just here) to overreact to everything.

I do wonder whether those DAs who resigned last month after Bragg expressed doubts about the case turned it around thereby. Also possible that Bragg just had doubts but after considering it decided to go forward.

Are Were the foundation of the doubts 'in the system' that they will be applied against, or was the foundation of the doubts in regard to the merits of the case?

[malchior]

NYT reporting that the grand jury has voted to indict. #popcorn

That's weird, I was told that Bragg had certainly crumbled in the face of adversity.

That's the issue with news in the social media age and the tendency of people (not just here) to overreact to everything.

I do wonder whether those DAs who resigned last month after Bragg expressed doubts about the case turned it around thereby. Also possible that Bragg just had doubts but after considering it decided to go forward.

That was last year.

Pomerantz's case was based on a different theory. He ended up publishing a book slamming Bragg in late January. Some said it had the effect of pushing Bragg to do something which might have gotten us here.

[malchior]

NYT reporting that the grand jury has voted to indict. #popcorn

That's weird, I was told that Bragg had certainly crumbled in the face of adversity.

That's the issue with news in the social media age and the tendency of people (not just here) to overreact to everything.

I do wonder whether those DAs who resigned last month after Bragg expressed doubts about the case turned it around thereby. Also possible that Bragg just had doubts but after considering it decided to go forward.

Are Were the foundation of the doubts 'in the system' that they will be applied against, or was the foundation of the doubts in regard to the merits of the case?

Pomerantz claims he got buy in from the previous AG (Vance) to stand up a grand jury. Bragg came in and kiboshed it with Pomerantz alleging at the time that Bragg never showed any interest in understanding the case that they had assembled. Pomerantz resigned and leaked his resignation letter. Pomerantz ended up detailing his side of it in a book. There has been a lot of back and forth since about the whole thing that amounts to a little bit of a prosecutorial religious war about prosecutorial ethics, the right's of people to not have investigation details leaked, etc.

[Zaxxon]

[Unagi]

LOL - wtf. And I love it.

[Pyperkub]

Mr Fed:

https://mastodon.social/@Popehat/110114364386674035

I HAVE A BRIEF DUE DAMMIT

[Unagi]

Mr Fed:

https://mastodon.social/@Popehat/110114364386674035

I HAVE A BRIEF DUE DAMMIT

and

At this point my main hope is that nobody gets killed and the government doesn’t get violently overthrown and replaced with something based on truck nutz

[waitingtoconnect]

To admit defeat is to blaspheme against the Trump Emperor and blessed is the mind too small for doubt.

[Pyperkub]

It is important to realize that this is just for the Stormy Daniels payment.

Essentially the nothingburger of all the alleged crimes...

[Zaxxon]

[Unagi]

It is important to realize that this is just for the Stormy Daniels payment.

Essentially the nothingburger of all the alleged crimes...

While that is true - it does get a whole bunch of other 'porn star' related evidence out into the public salad bar for people to pick at. Additionally, I can also enjoy the idea that this will put additional pressure on Melania to feel like a complete human failure for partnering with someone like Donald Trump (if she's capable of that reflection).

[Alefroth]

LOL - wtf. And I love it.

Ditto. That is random but awesome.

[Unagi]

sigh... really should have had an "it burns us" in there.

[malchior]

It is important to realize that this is just for the Stormy Daniels payment.

Essentially the nothingburger of all the alleged crimes...

While that is true - it does get a whole bunch of other 'porn star' related evidence out into the public salad bar for people to pick at. Additionally, I can also enjoy the idea that this will put additional pressure on Melania to feel like a complete human failure for partnering with someone like Donald Trump (if she's capable of that reflection).

It's also Trump's propaganda in a way. It was just a porn star hush payment distracts from the whole fraud and falsifying business records aspect. It's just a little 'light white collar crime'. Also we don't know all the details yet.

[Zaxxon]

If nothing else, this breaks the seal, so to speak.