Octopus Overlords

The federal judge presiding over the criminal prosecution of Donald Trump in the classified documents case ruled against the government in her first pre-trial order on Monday, denying a request from federal prosecutors to file a list of potential witnesses against the former US president under seal.

Zarathud wrote: Mon Jun 26, 2023 8:46 pm The bootlicking sickens me as much as the retention of classified information.

Victoria Raverna wrote: Mon Jun 26, 2023 9:11 pm Who is the staffer?

The audio of Trump was recorded at his golf resort in Bedminster, New Jersey, as part of a meeting the former president had with people helping his former chief of staff Mark Meadows write his autobiography. Also in attendance was Trump aide Margo Martin, who regularly taped conversations authors had with the former president to ensure his comments were reported accurately.

Martin, a former deputy director of communications for Trump's Save America PAC who now works on his 2024 campaign, testified to a special grand jury in March as part of the classified documents probe after having her laptop and phones imaged by prosecutors in January.

Kurth wrote: Tue Jun 27, 2023 11:46 am You can’t make this stuff up.

Former President Donald Trump insisted on Tuesday that he was not showing off classified documents in an audio clip first published by CNN in which he referred to “highly confidential” material and “secret information” that he could no longer declassify.

“I would say it was bravado, if you want to know the truth, it was bravado,” Trump said in an interview aboard his plane with Semafor and ABC News. “I was talking and just holding up papers and talking about them, but I had no documents. I didn’t have any documents.”

...

Asked about his use of the word “plans” during a Fox News interview earlier Tuesday to describe some items he may have highlighted in the 2021 meeting, Trump insisted he was referring to “building plans” and plans for golf courses strewn about his desk.

“Did I use the word plans?” he said. “What I’m referring to is magazines, newspapers, plans of buildings. I had plans of buildings. You know, building plans? I had plans of a golf course.”

malchior wrote: Wed Jun 28, 2023 7:47 am It was all just secret plans for a ... golf course. General Milley had some great ideas about the 6th hole at his Trump Tehran resort.

Former President Donald Trump insisted on Tuesday that he was not showing off classified documents in an audio clip first published by CNN in which he referred to “highly confidential” material and “secret information” that he could no longer declassify.

“I would say it was bravado, if you want to know the truth, it was bravado,” Trump said in an interview aboard his plane with Semafor and ABC News. “I was talking and just holding up papers and talking about them, but I had no documents. I didn’t have any documents.”

...

Asked about his use of the word “plans” during a Fox News interview earlier Tuesday to describe some items he may have highlighted in the 2021 meeting, Trump insisted he was referring to “building plans” and plans for golf courses strewn about his desk.

“Did I use the word plans?” he said. “What I’m referring to is magazines, newspapers, plans of buildings. I had plans of buildings. You know, building plans? I had plans of a golf course.”

malchior wrote: Wed Jun 28, 2023 7:47 am

“Did I use the word plans?” he said. “What I’m referring to is magazines, newspapers, plans of buildings. I had plans of buildings. You know, building plans? I had plans of a golf course.”

GreenGoo wrote: Wed Jun 28, 2023 10:03 am

malchior wrote: Wed Jun 28, 2023 7:47 am

“Did I use the word plans?” he said. “What I’m referring to is magazines, newspapers, plans of buildings. I had plans of buildings. You know, building plans? I had plans of a golf course.”

Great, let's see them. First, plans for what golf course? Second, you have 15 mins to produce those plans. 10 mins. 5 mins.

Montag wrote: Wed Jun 28, 2023 3:03 pm I know where it is, one sec. It's under the Republican health care plan... Where is that stack now...

Grifman wrote: Thu Jun 29, 2023 6:37 pm More charges may be incoming:

Carpet_pissr wrote: Thu Jun 29, 2023 11:14 pm

Grifman wrote: Thu Jun 29, 2023 6:37 pm More charges may be incoming:

“And his allies”

PLEASE be Giuliani, please!

Rudy Giuliani’s interview with federal prosecutors investigating Donald Trump’s push to overturn the 2020 election was carried out under a proffer agreement—which often foreshadows a cooperation agreement, The New York Times reports. Under such signed agreements, the subject of a criminal investigation shares information with prosecutors with the understanding that it generally will not be used against them in court

Carpet_pissr wrote: Fri Jun 30, 2023 2:31 pm

gilraen wrote: Fri Jul 07, 2023 4:38 pm D.C. bar panel issued an official recommendation to disbar Giuliani.

Lawyers for former President Donald J. Trump asked a federal judge on Monday night to indefinitely postpone his trial on charges of illegally retaining classified documents after he left office, saying that the proceeding should not begin until all “substantive motions” in the case had been presented and decided.

The written filing — submitted 30 minutes before its deadline of midnight on Tuesday — presents a significant early test for Judge Aileen M. Cannon, the Trump-appointed jurist who is overseeing the case. If granted, it could have the effect of pushing Mr. Trump’s trial into the final stages of the presidential campaign in which he is now the Republican front-runner or even past the 2024 election.

While timing is important in any criminal matter, it could be hugely consequential in Mr. Trump’s case, in which he stands accused of illegally holding on to 31 classified documents after leaving the White House and obstructing the government’s repeated efforts to reclaim them.

There could be complications of a sort never before presented to a court if Mr. Trump is a candidate in the last legs of a presidential campaign and a federal criminal defendant on trial at the same time. If the trial is pushed back until after the election and Mr. Trump wins, he could try to pardon himself after taking office or have his attorney general dismiss the matter entirely.

Octavious wrote: Tue Jul 11, 2023 11:13 am She will delay it until after the election and there's nothing we can do about it. He's rigged the country.

Several Miami lawyers, some of whom asked to remain anonymous because they have active cases before Cannon, noted that Trump’s chances to win what otherwise appears to be an insurmountable criminal case increase the further north he goes.

“You drive around, and you’ll see ‘Trump’ flags and ‘Make America Great Again’ flying in front of houses,” said Paul Bernard, a criminal defense lawyer in Fort Pierce. “With Trump’s trial down this way, he’s going to have a bunch of supporters—and they’re going to make their way onto the jury panel.”

According to local court rules, federal trials in the Fort Pierce division draw jurors from five counties: Highlands, Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie.

It’s solidly MAGA country: all five counties voted heavily in favor of Trump in the 2020 election he ultimately lost, with Okeechobee topping out at 72 percent. Across the board, the former president nabbed 62 percent of the vote on average.

Smoove_B wrote: Tue Jul 11, 2023 12:46 pm Jury selection incoming:

Several Miami lawyers, some of whom asked to remain anonymous because they have active cases before Cannon, noted that Trump’s chances to win what otherwise appears to be an insurmountable criminal case increase the further north he goes.

“You drive around, and you’ll see ‘Trump’ flags and ‘Make America Great Again’ flying in front of houses,” said Paul Bernard, a criminal defense lawyer in Fort Pierce. “With Trump’s trial down this way, he’s going to have a bunch of supporters—and they’re going to make their way onto the jury panel.”

According to local court rules, federal trials in the Fort Pierce division draw jurors from five counties: Highlands, Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie.

It’s solidly MAGA country: all five counties voted heavily in favor of Trump in the 2020 election he ultimately lost, with Okeechobee topping out at 72 percent. Across the board, the former president nabbed 62 percent of the vote on average.

I'm assuming this was all accounted for in a worst-case scenario by the prosecution and that there are things happening behind the scenes that I just cannot appreciate, right?

Octavious wrote: Tue Jul 11, 2023 11:13 am She will delay it until after the election and there's nothing we can do about it. He's rigged the country.

Smoove_B wrote:Jury selection incoming:

Several Miami lawyers, some of whom asked to remain anonymous because they have active cases before Cannon, noted that Trump’s chances to win what otherwise appears to be an insurmountable criminal case increase the further north he goes.

“You drive around, and you’ll see ‘Trump’ flags and ‘Make America Great Again’ flying in front of houses,” said Paul Bernard, a criminal defense lawyer in Fort Pierce. “With Trump’s trial down this way, he’s going to have a bunch of supporters—and they’re going to make their way onto the jury panel.”

According to local court rules, federal trials in the Fort Pierce division draw jurors from five counties: Highlands, Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie.

It’s solidly MAGA country: all five counties voted heavily in favor of Trump in the 2020 election he ultimately lost, with Okeechobee topping out at 72 percent. Across the board, the former president nabbed 62 percent of the vote on average.

I'm assuming this was all accounted for in a worst-case scenario by the prosecution and that there are things happening behind the scenes that I just cannot appreciate, right?

Pyperkub wrote: Tue Jul 11, 2023 3:53 pmOn the other hand, we, but more importantly the DoJ, will know if she is going to try to throw the trial right now based on her ruling here, and could be likely to start the appeal process to reassign/move the case to a different judge - which would IMHO, be very bad for her future as a Judge...