Trump found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records

[Walker88]

2 hours ago, Berkshire said:

My understanding is that a POTUS is automatically granted the highest levels of security clearance.  It comes with the job.  But if he were incarcerated....not sure how that would work. 

Wrong.

 

President's do not have any security clearance. They are allowed access to classified information at the discretion of agency chiefs because of the vote of the public. In his case, there was much denied him, especially after he exposed a Mossad penetration of ISIS when he blabbed to Lavrov and Kislyak and their FSB "cameraman" in the Oval Office.

 

Presidents are rarely, if ever, provided with the identities of foreign clandestine assets, as they have no need to know. In the PDB, the intel is usually given a rating and an asset described as, for example, "a long term asset whose previous reporting has been found to be highly reliable".

 

The US maintains liaison relationships with many nations' intelligence services, and after that exposure, intel was only passed to US intel officials under a guarantee it would not be shared with him.  Many of the documents he stole upon defeat were only in his possession because his two hand-picked lackeys at DNI---Grenell and Ratcliffe---gave then to him. Dan Coats and Gina Haspel were too smart to do that.

 

An actual security clearance requires a lengthy background investigation, depending on the level of clearance required. Since no investigation of a Presidential candidate is undertaken, no winning President is ever given an actual clearance. The day a President leaves office, he no longer has any right to view or be told anything classified. He is a private citizen. Traditionally, some intel is shared with former Presidents, but not with him, as he was not trusted, besides being under indictment for his massive document theft.

 

It will be interesting, should he win in November, what will happen. Yes, he can appoint his own lackeys as DCI or DNI or DirNSA, but unless the workforce provides intel, the agency chief would have nothing to share. Liaison relationships would likely cease, and a good many skilled and talented field officers in the different agencies would likely resign or retire. Finding skills among his cult would be like finding a basketball center for the Yemen Olympic team who could compete with Wembanyama or Jokic.

 

In any event, when he was POTUS he did not like the intel community, because they told him the truth, not what he wanted to hear. Many Presidents have had trouble with that, but they come to understand that the intel community's job is to collect and then assess intel, not manufacture it or cherry pick according to what the President wants to believe.

Edited May 31 by Walker88

[Eric Loh]

10 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

Even the Prosecution's opening statement said that they make no claim as to whether the Daniels dustup would have materially affected the 2016 election results.

This was the prosecutor opening statement. Somehow different from your version.

This was a planned, coordinated, long-running conspiracy to influence the 2016 election — to help Donald Trump get elected through illegal expenditures to silence people who had something bad to say about his behavior, using doctored corporate records and bank forms to conceal those payments along the way,” prosecutor Matthew Colangelo said. “It was election fraud, pure and simple.”

[YouAgain]

4 minutes ago, earlinclaifornia said:

I think that the turnout will be much larger than 2020 as Democracy is on the ballot. 

 

Agreed, especially because of the Roe v Wade abortion issue being on state ballots as referendums...the female turnout will be MASSIVE...those suburban female swing voters are gonna leave a mark!!  

[Hanaguma]

6 minutes ago, earlinclaifornia said:

I think that the turnout will be much larger than 2020 as Democracy is on the ballot. 

The hysteria is strong in this one.

 

According to Statista, it doesn't even make the top 10. Inflation, health care, immigration, jobs are the top 4.

 

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1362236/most-important-voter-issues-us/

 

[Presto]

9 minutes ago, earlinclaifornia said:

I think that the turnout will be much larger than 2020 as Democracy is on the ballot. 

It was in 2020. Trump gained 10 million more votes than in 2016.

[rudi49jr]

I’m actually quite surprised, because I was pretty sure there would be at least one or two doubters (or Trumpers) on the jury, resulting in a hung jury. That they came to this guilty verdict unanimously speaks volumes.

And like other posters here, I would like to express my worries about the safety and well-being of the jurors, seeing as how crazy and violent MAGA cult members can (and probably will) become about this guilty verdict.

[jerrymahoney]

13 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

This was the prosecutor opening statement. Somehow different from your version.

This was a planned, coordinated, long-running conspiracy to influence the 2016 election — to help Donald Trump get elected through illegal expenditures to silence people who had something bad to say about his behavior, using doctored corporate records and bank forms to conceal those payments along the way,” prosecutor Matthew Colangelo said. “It was election fraud, pure and simple.”

He said both.

 

“This was a highly unusual deal even for tabloid journalism,” Colangelo said. "It was election fraud, plain and simple. We’ll never know — and it doesn't matter — whether this conspiracy was the difference maker in a close election.”

 

https://www.courthousenews.com/prosecutors-chide-trumps-criminal-conspiracy-in-opening-statements-of-nyc-criminal-trial/

 

 

Edited May 31 by jerrymahoney

[Walker88]

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Simplistic ... but we all / intelligent people, know what is really at stake.

 

Here's a hint;

... Snowden

... Manning

... Assange

... JFK

... RFK

... now Trump

... so many more before them

 

Don't dare go against or expose the system of control, or pay dearly

 

Goodness. You really subscribe to the fringe conspiracies.

 

Snowden is always good for a laugh. As soon as he loses his propaganda value to putin, he'll be given the Edward Lee Howard treatment, which is an at-home tumble down the stairs resulting in his death.

 

I always laugh at people who think the NSA cares they exist or keeps watch on them. The same people willingly give their life's details away on social media, or algorithms are run on their shopping and credit card use to create a picture of them for advertisers. SOme people actually drive Chnese-made cars, totally oblivious to the fact every conversation they have inside their car is recorded and forwarded to the MSS via the manufacturer. It is aimed at domestic dissidents so the CCP can monitor its own people, but it also exists in every Chinese vehicle shipped anywhere in thre world.

 

But the NSA !!!!! Blah Blah Blah.

[Walker88]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

The chances of Trump being incarcerated even without becoming POTUS is IMO infinitesimal. The Secret Service will see to that, IMO.

Your opinion has no basis in fact. The SS has one job: to offer protection to their charge wherever he is. They have zero control over where law enforcement might send him. They have zero authority to dictate where he can or cannot go.

 

Should Judge Merchan sentence the convicted felon to prison, room would be made for SS agents to live in the same facility, though unlike the criminal, the agents would be free to come and go.

[BarraMarra]

I suppose paying off a prostitute to silence her was a book keeping Error. Mind you at least he didn't drive into a River like 1 of your other Presidents did and drown his Mia Noy.

[Eric Loh]

3 minutes ago, rudi49jr said:

I’m actually quite surprised, because I was pretty sure there would be at least one or two doubters (or Trumpers) on the jury, resulting in a hung jury. That they came to this guilty verdict unanimously speaks volumes.

And like other posters here, I would like to express my worries about the safety and well-being of the jurors, seeing as how crazy and violent MAGA cult members can (and probably will) become about this guilty verdict.

The jury was vetted, selected and agreed upon by the Defense and Prosecutor attorneys showed impartiality in their verdict. Trump is still under gag order and if his crazy supporters attack any of the jurors and if that can be linked to Trump’s verbal or posting threats, he will be in a heap of real legal perils. 

[HappyExpat57]

6 minutes ago, BarraMarra said:

I suppose paying off a prostitute to silence her was a book keeping Error. Mind you at least he didn't drive into a River like 1 of your other Presidents did and drown his Mia Noy.

No, this was a conspiracy to cover up election fraud. Try to keep up, OK?

[earlinclaifornia]

19 minutes ago, Hanaguma said:

The hysteria is strong in this one.

 

According to Statista, it doesn't even make the top 10. Inflation, health care, immigration, jobs are the top 4.

 

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1362236/most-important-voter-issues-us/

 

pay wall!

[herfiehandbag]

10 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

The jury was vetted, selected and agreed upon by the Defense and Prosecutor attorneys showed impartiality in their verdict. Trump is still under gag order and if his crazy supporters attack any of the jurors and if that can be linked to Trump’s verbal or posting threats, he will be in a heap of real legal perils. 

Trump will be unable to resist taking revenge. From the Judge down, prosecutors, jurors, witnesses, probably even the sketch artist, (well some of his sketches weren't very flattering) they're all marked.

Edited May 31 by herfiehandbag

[earlinclaifornia]

22 minutes ago, Hanaguma said:

The hysteria is strong in this one.

 

According to Statista, it doesn't even make the top 10. Inflation, health care, immigration, jobs are the top 4.

 

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1362236/most-important-voter-issues-us/

 

Here you go. Add womans rights and see how the female turn out the vote.

https://news.gallup.com/poll/1675/most-important-problem.aspx

 

[YouAgain]

21 minutes ago, Hanaguma said:

According to Statista, it doesn't even make the top 10. Inflation, health care, immigration, jobs are the top 4.

 

Fox News Poll May 10 - 13, 2024: Abortion, economy, and border security are top deal-breakers in 2024 elections

 

Sometimes there is an issue so important to a voter that it alone decides whether they can back a candidate or not. 

 

In 2024, three issues meet that criteria more than others:  abortion, border security, and the economy all fight for the top "deal-breaker" spot, with different groups of voters citing each.

 

At 15%, abortion edges out the economy and border security/immigration (each at 14%) as the biggest deal-breaker issue.

[owl sees all]

23 minutes ago, BarraMarra said:

I suppose paying off a prostitute to silence her was a book keeping Error. Mind you at least he didn't drive into a River like 1 of your other Presidents did and drown his Mia Noy.

Was that not the ex-POTUS's brother?

[jerrymahoney]

1 minute ago, owl sees all said:

Was that not the ex-POTUS's brother?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chappaquiddick_incident

[HappyExpat57]

1 minute ago, owl sees all said:

Was that not the ex-POTUS's brother?

MAGA brains don't rely on facts.

[earlinclaifornia]

1 minute ago, owl sees all said:

Was that not the ex-POTUS's brother?

His hands were ahead of his brain

[jerrymahoney]

46 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Somehow different from your version.

No -- only one Prosecution opening statement. And just as I said:

 

Even the Prosecution's opening statement said that they make no claim as to whether the Daniels dustup would have materially affected the 2016 election results.

 

[newnative]

   Yaa!  Hope the judge runs the 34 convictions consecutively.  Trump is the new orange.  Lock him up.   Worst president in history and now a convicted felon.   Do Republicans really want this as their candidate?

[rudi49jr]

3 minutes ago, newnative said:

   Yaa!  Hope the judge runs the 34 convictions consecutively.  Trump is the new orange.  Lock him up.   Worst president in history and now a convicted felon.   Do Republicans really want this as their candidate?

Republicans - or at least the MAGA crowd - would nominate Beelzebub himself. Maybe they already have with Trump.

[Hanaguma]

9 minutes ago, newnative said:

   Yaa!  Hope the judge runs the 34 convictions consecutively.  Trump is the new orange.  Lock him up.   Worst president in history and now a convicted felon.   Do Republicans really want this as their candidate?

That is one of the ironies of this election. Both parties seem stuck with candidates that they didn't really want.

[gravity101]

1 hour ago, BobBKK said:

 It can and will go to the SC; that's the process. I don't watch Fox, and I'm not a Trump voter - sunshine.

The SC won't have anything to do with that hot potato if they can escape it I bet.  He'll have to get through two NY appeals courts first anyway. It's certainly not the process that the SC will hear it. They may eventually get a request to hear it but they'll give a reason not to entertain it.

[earlinclaifornia]

1 minute ago, Hanaguma said:

That is one of the ironies of this election. Both parties seem stuck with candidates that they didn't really want.

I do not agree.  Biden IMO has achieved many accomplishments. True, his age has him facing strong concerns.

The bottom line is he alone can beat Trump. I put my pants on one leg at a time.

[tgw]

and now how does the scumbag get to say "the judge is corrupt" upon exiting the court ?

 

this should bring another defamation case, and in an expedited procedure.

after giving 24h to Trump to provide proof of his statement, then directly to sentence.

Edited May 31 by tgw

[earlinclaifornia]

Really interesting interview:

Kaitlan Collins asked Todd Blanche if he regrets not having Trump take the stand. Hear his response.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5dHFcyRG94

 

[HappyExpat57]

4 minutes ago, earlinclaifornia said:

I do not agree.  Biden IMO has achieved many accomplishments. True, his age has him facing strong concerns.

The bottom line is he alone can beat Trump. I put my pants on one leg at a time.

No. A moldy ham sandwich could beat the convicted felon in 2024. Biden has done some wonderful things, but he ran on being a one-term president. His hubris overtook his previous promise.

 

I'm still not worried. After this conviction, 45 is toast, regardless of who runs against him.

[Eric Loh]

52 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

Trump will be unable to resist taking revenge. From the Judge down, prosecutors, jurors, witnesses, probably even the sketch artist, (well some of his sketches weren't very flattering) they're all marked.

I detect sarcasm. Anyway even his most fanatic supporters are not totally invested in him as much as some of you may think. Reality that they may suffered the same fate as Henry Enrique 22 years in prison will wake up their senses.