The Trump Card...

ATeam · Feb 23, 2023

Pilgrim said:
No - really? A number of actual legal experts aren't so sure.

So it is with some. Not so with others. We legal non-experts can always find an expert to quote to support our point of view.

Pilgrim said:
No doubt all the Trump haters are once again rubbing their hands with glee thinking "we've got him this time!"

No doubt, some are indeed doing that. While I don't rub my hands with glee, I maintain high hopes that Trump will be indicted and convicted for the real crimes I believe he actually committed. And I am continually amazed at his ability to keep the justice system at bay.

Pilgrim said:
But when the actual evidence is analyzed there may be no indictments at all,

I think not, but time will tell. In support of your point, there is the Gaetz episode. There was a fair amount of gleeful hand rubbing when "news" broke about his purported sex crimes. But in the end, no charges were filed. I'm no fan of Gaetz, but I feel bad he had to go through such a thing. It was undeserved and unfair. Trump's cases are different. With three grand juries well into their work, and tons of evidence unearthed by investigators and the Jan 6 committee, much more weighs on Trump.

Pilgrim said:
and this ditzy idiot with the big nose and yellow teeth who seems to have enchanted the mainstream media may create a serious obstacle to that course of action. Even the far-left legal talking heads at MSNBC are concerned.

Ditzy idiot, yes. Serious obstacle, no. If Trump is indicted in Fulton County, the ditzy idiot will certainly be raised in Trump's defense, but it's not a deal killer in my view. I hears a few TV legal experts say that very thing. Quoting one does not a convincing case make (for you or me).

ATeam · Feb 24, 2023

Pilgrim said:
No - really? A number of actual legal experts aren't so sure.

From a legal expert. Emphasis mine.

"It certainly would have been better for decorum if Kohrs had refrained from speaking to the media, and she may even trigger motions challenging potential indictments. But that won’t change anything legally.

"Any such motions will fail under Georgia law because she is neither a member of the regular grand jury that would ultimately issue charges, nor of the trial jury that would adjudicate them." (Source)

Pilgrim · Feb 24, 2023

ATeam said:
From a legal expert...
(Source)

Source: CNN Opinion

ATeam · Feb 25, 2023

Pilgrim said:
Source: CNN Opinion

Of course it's an opinion. That's all anyone can offer at this stage. Even in court, the cases that will be made by the lawyers will be the opinions of the case they want the judge and jury to accept. And even when a ruling is made, it is an opinion of the court.

Pilgrim · Feb 28, 2023

The GA grand jury soap opera just got more interesting:

"...members of the grand jury involved in the matter "can talk about the final report" – following the jury forewoman's eyebrow-raising media tour.
However, Judge Robert C. McBurney acknowledge that if jurors start to "synthesize the testimony" and the group's thoughts on on their deliberations the matter can get "problematic."

If the grand jury foreperson is any indicator, one has to wonder how many of the panel are sophisticated enough to avoid "synthesizing their testimony" and letting their statements to the media wander into forbidden territory. That would further taint any possible jury pool for any indictments that might come in the future'

Trump's lawyers must be wiping away tears of laughter.

Judge says OK for grand jury members in Georgia election case to talk about testimony

The special grand jury in the state's Fulton County was empaneled to consider whether indictments should be filed in the case.

justthenews.com

muttly · Feb 28, 2023

By all means, allow them to illuminate us all with their “brilliance” about the goings on in the Grand Jury.
Any bets on if the other jurors are more flaky than the foreperson?

muttly · Feb 28, 2023

You know there’s going to be a book deal with them.
Probably will be called “The Freedom Fighting Grand Jury Heroes Of Fulton County” or something.

danthewolf00 · Feb 28, 2023

muttly said:
By all means, allow them to illuminate us all with their “brilliance” about the goings on in the Grand Jury.
Any bets on if the other jurors are more flaky than the foreperson?

Not betting on it.

ATeam · Feb 28, 2023

Pilgrim said:
If the grand jury foreperson is any indicator, one has to wonder how many of the panel are sophisticated enough to avoid "synthesizing their testimony" and letting their statements to the media wander into forbidden territory. That would further taint any possible jury pool for any indictments that might come in the future'

Other than that reckless foreperson, no special grand jurors have stepped forward to say anything. And the foreperson has not breathed a word in public since she enjoyed her 15 minutes of fame. I think she got the message.

ATeam · Feb 28, 2023

Trump Will be a Major Factor through Nov. 2024.

Trump does not have enough support to win the election or maybe even the Republican nomination. Assuming he is not in jail or otherwise legally prohibited from putting his name on the ballot, he does have a chance as a third-party candidate in a tight three-way race..

"... Trump’s base remains rigid, and even his critics believe it may be fatal to annoy them.

"Despite his difficulties since he left office, about a third of Republicans and Republican-leaning voters still consider themselves supporters more of Trump than the Republican Party, according to a recent NBC News poll. Many of them aren’t going anywhere. Fully 28 percent of Republican primary voters are so devoted to the former president that they said they’d support him even if he ran as an independent, according to a national survey last month from The Bulwark and longtime Republican pollster Whit Ayres. Indeed, the “Always Trump” component of the party is so pronounced that it’s affecting how Trump’s opponents operate around him." (Source)

muttly · Mar 2, 2023

In other news , some of the police are suing Trump for telling a crowd to “go peacefully and patriotically” and in NY, BLM protesters/ rioters will get paid over twenty thousand dollars each for their efforts.
Wacky times…

ATeam · Mar 3, 2023

More Lawsuits Coming Trump's Way ... So What?

DOJ tells the court that Trump is not immune from civil claims for inciting death and destruction on Jan 6 because it is outside the scope of his duties as president. If the court agrees, Trump will be named in additional lawsuits.

From Trump's point of view, it must seem like he gets sued every time he turns around. Yet he never seems phased by it. He just keeps running the same play (deny, defend, delay, paper his opponents with insults and lies). The man is a master at using the courts to his advantage and twisting things up to the plaintiffs' disadvantage.

That strategy worked quite well in many civil cases where the plantiffs had limited resources and/or could be intimidated. It's different in criminal cases where plaintiff resources are more abundant and prosecutors are less intimidated or not intimidated at all. But even then, there is plenty of reason to believe Trump's ferocity and willingness to stoop to any level to smear his opponents has an effect.

DOJ to appeals court: Donald Trump can be sued over role in Jan. 6 Capitol riot

Donald Trump doesn't deserve absolute immunity from three civil lawsuits accusing him of inciting the Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021, the DOJ said.

www.usatoday.com

muttly · Mar 3, 2023

It’s called *U money. That’s what makes Trump so resilient to the Left’s lawfare b.s.

ATeam · Mar 6, 2023

Does Trump Have a Crowd Size Issue?

Chris Christie: "'You saw the scenes at CPAC, that room was half-full,' Mr Christie said on ABC’s This Week. 'The reason I don’t think the rallies are going on… I don’t think the rallies would be nearly as big as they were before.'” (Source)

Christie's report seems correct. Photos and other reports from CPAC suggest Trump did not fill the room when he spoke. I have wondered why Trump has not done a big rally since he officially launched his campaign. I'm not ready to say Trump cannot draw big rally crowds any more, but I am beginning to wonder. He may very well surprise his critics by filling fill a major venue one day soon. But for now, people are beginning to suggest Trump has lost his big-crowd draw, which is why he is appearing in smaller meeting rooms instead.

Trump does not need a reason to hold a big rally. He used to have them frequently, for no apparent reason beyond liking to have big rallies. Buit he has not had a big rally for a while now. Why did he stop?

muttly · Mar 6, 2023

It’s too early to have campaign rallies yet.

ATeam · Mar 6, 2023

muttly said:
It’s too early to have campaign rallies yet.

Is it also too early to fill a room at CPAC?

muttly · Mar 6, 2023

ATeam said:
Is it also too early to fill a room at CPAC?

So what? Are crowd sizes important? Because Biden allegedly got " 81 million votes" and he couldn't fill up a phone booth, if there are any left.

danthewolf00 · Mar 6, 2023

ATeam said:
Is it also too early to fill a room at CPAC?

Trump's people did not control the venue cpac is run by someone else so a smaller group should be expected.

ATeam · Mar 11, 2023

Why Trump Will Defeat DeSantis in the Republican Primary

Assuming the Republican primary will come down to a contest between Trump and DeSantis, Trump will win.

Why? Trump is 6'3" tall. DeSantis is 6' 1" tall. In most elections, the taller candidate wins.