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Trumps legal team in the Carroll civil case have called no defending witnesses, including Trump.
Closing arguments likely today.
I thought Trumps team had released video of his deposition - I thought that was his "defence"? IIRC it amounted to "I mistook her for my then wife, even though she wasn't my type at all"
Trumps legal team in the Carroll civil case have called no defending witnesses, including Trump.
Loved the way Trump stormed back from Ireland to 'confront her' when he knew fine well that is was too late to do such a thing. Then the judge trolled him by extending the hearing so he could have his say. And Trump promptly bottled it conveniently didn't turn up.
TBH, much as I'd like to see it, I don't think he'll be found to be guilty in this one, despite the fairly low bar in the civil case. The other cases seem to be getting juicy though, especiually as they seem to have an insider who is spilling the beans (and has photo eveidence by all accounts) on the secret documents case.
Its civil standard of proof and Carrols witnesses sounded like they stood up well to cross examination.
I think guilty on defamation charge is highly likely; battery charge less so - not because of doubts about his guilt but time elapsed and no hard (no pun intended) evidence.
Punitive damages likely, I think.
As don is '...so wealthy' as he would have us believe, a few millions is easily affordable.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-us-canada-65502076
Donald Trump liable for sexual abuse of magazine columnist E Jean Carroll in a New York store in the 1990s, a jury in a civil case finds.
Well it’s wrong to be happy about it. Poor woman
$5 million. He'll appeal and stall, of course, until the inevitable grifting begins again
Has the grifting ever stopped?
Sad thing is I cant see it making much difference. The maga nutters will just go fake news/law and the rest of the republicans will be too scared of the loons to point out he really isnt fit for office.
Can't believe someone has got something to stick though. Well done
Can’t believe someone has got something to stick though. Well done
But, but, but, he’s the victim here, anyone can see that!
I'm glad that E Jean Carroll has been vindicated and gets some semblance of justice.
As for Trump, it tells us nothing we didn't know before. His base won't care, and the lies will still keep coming. Hopefully this and the future indictments will be enough to lose him the swing voters completely. He can never win with just the right wing base.
Dirty rapey powerfull man gets a big hit... 5 million deneros.. that will probs bankrupt him, again, but it's not a shell company this time.
I do love a good news story.
hopefully more to come.
It also only took 3 hours to decide for a unanimous verdict, albeit on the lesser of the assault charges. That's quite significant as well as they really appear to be have had no doubt. I wonder if his team expected that
It was mentioned that there may be an appeal on telly last night. If he appeals, does he have to appear in court? I doubt that would help his case.
It sounds right, but the US courts process seems so ****ed up, I'd not bet on it.
BBC reporting that two GOP senators are saying he shouldn't run for election, his rivals staying quiet.
His support will shrink to the hard-core nutters, though there are many of those, but anyone planning on there being a Republican president will drop him.
The question will be, how much damage will he do to the GOP if he tries to run or, even better, sets up his own party.
Three hours for the jury to return a unanimous verdict - probably most of it spent drinking coffee - just shows it was a slam-dunk as far as the jury were concerned. If Trump want to counter-sue it should be his attorney for the feeble defence, mind you the video deposition meant he was starting from 6ft under.
BBC reporting that two GOP senators are saying he shouldn’t run for election, his rivals staying quiet.
But one Senator (Tuberville) saying “I’d vote for him twice!” Graham and Rubio all jumping to his defence!
It'd be interesting to see how Fox and the other sources of 'news' that the tooled-up, squirrel-eating shitkickers of Arsewipe, Idaho rely on for their worldview are reporting this?
I'm guessing they're going full bore for the conspiracy/witch-hunt line with Trump as the wronged, persecuted victim
It was mentioned that there may be an appeal on telly last night. If he appeals, does he have to appear in court? I doubt that would help his case.
Not sure what the basis of any appeal would be, apart from to stall for time and to allow him the opportunity to grift some more cash off his supporters.
It's astonishing to see his evangelical base standing by him, until you realise that this particular brand of Christianity is a political device driven by hate and money, rather than anything 'godly'. Obviously, they'll drop him as soon as they realise he's finished politically, or a better alternative comes along. But DeSantis is making no headway against a nappy-wearing, twice-impeached, sexual predator, so it's looking like Trump has the nomination if he wants it.
It’s astonishing to see his evangelical base standing by him, until you realise that this particular brand of Christianity is a political device driven by hate and money, rather than anything ‘godly’.
They have the Cyrus defence for that. Its ok for someone to be an unbeliever so long as they are "doing the lords will".
I’m guessing they’re going full bore for the conspiracy/witch-hunt line with Trump as the wronged, persecuted victim
they'll react to this in the same way the right wing "free speech" grifters reacted to the news of the Republican protestors being arrested by the Met.
i.e. by ignoring it.
It’s astonishing to see his evangelical base standing by him, until you realise that this particular brand of Christianity is a political device driven by
hatecontrol and money, rather than anything ‘godly’.
Saturday calling, Oi can we have our ip back please
Fibbing for god the evangelical call it. Its ok to lie if you are doing gods work
I have run up against this with the assisted dying campaign.
Also see Kavenagh on the us supreme court. He said he would not reverse wade v roe
Hope a criminal case follows.
Guys an abhorrent oozing pustule
May be this has been posted already, but my god the deposition is insane
He says, literally, almost, that stars like him are allowed to sexually assult women (2nd video down)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65504435
Is a factor he has lost access to any decent lawyers? From the reporting I have seen the defense in this case looked really poor
Is a factor he has lost access to any decent lawyers
What Rudi or Cohen?
He's never had good taste in legal representatives TBH...
Thats what happens when you don't pay them for their services
Is a factor he has lost access to any decent lawyers
What Rudi or Cohen?
He’s never had good taste in legal representatives TBH…
he’s draining the swamp by successively employing worse and worse lawyers to undertake tasks that ulitimatley result in them being shamed, professionally humiliated, disbarred or in prison.
he’s doing us all a favour- imagine unwitting hiring Rudi, or Sidney Powell just because you’d found their ad in the yellow pages. That would be just awful.
no risk of that now.
Well, the election wagon is now well underway… and he’s not bothering with any mask this time… or if he is it’s a mask made of his own faeces and the blood of his victims…
https://twitter.com/rexhuppke/status/1656485523370721282?s=21
https://twitter.com/mehdirhasan/status/1656498209035014144?s=21
Stating the obvious, but the media should be wise to this by now, and act according… no pretending to be surprised after the event if the USA ends up where Russia is now in terms of the end of truth.
https://twitter.com/theplumlinegs/status/1656652247462289409?s=21
Is there not some sort of offence for being publicly vile about someone a court has just found you guilty of assaulting and defaming? Even if a civil case. Similarly at what point is a law broken if you campaign for election by using lies as part of your pitch? If he can get away with still claiming the last election was rigged and the people protesting at the capital were heroes; could you also you also claim your opponent was a murderer with no evident and still there be no comeback? At what point does lying have a consequence?
At what point does lying have a consequence?
In the US, only when you are under oath in a court, I guess?
Freedom of speech, innit...
IMO its actually much simpler than that. Trump is a psychopath and thus in his mind he cannot be wrong or lose. so what version of reality he says must be correct in his head. I think he really believes the nonsense
could you also you also claim your opponent was a murderer with no evident and still there be no comeback?
In terms of a political campaign there would be no direct comeback (I would say aside from voters being repelled but in this case sadly that doesnt seem to be true).
The accusing of murder isnt that far fetched. Trump accused Ted Cruz father of being with Lee Harvey oswald right before the JFk assassination. No real response and Cruz soon became a bootlicker.
The only real response is for the opponent to sue you for libel/slander. However they would risk the how long does it take to get through the courts and giving it additional publicity.
Is there not some sort of offence for being publicly vile about someone a court has just found you guilty of assaulting and defaming?
Another defamation case?
IMO its actually much simpler than that. Trump is a psychopath and thus in his mind he cannot be wrong or lose. so what version of reality he says must be correct in his head. I think he really believes the nonsense
As a slight extension to that, I don't think truth is something he considers a relevant part of reality. I mean, I don't think he ever asks himself 'is what I said empirically true', and I think he would be genuinely surprised to hear that, for some people, understanding how the world works, and distinguishing truth from fiction, is quite central to their lives.
He just thinks in terms of winners and losers, the powerful and powerless, those with fans and those without, etc. Everything else is a means to those ends.
That's why, in a way, he's not the most dangerous of politicians, as he doesn't actually have an ideology. He would only commit a genocide if he thought it would win him fans, and he'd stop one immediately if he thought he was loosing them.
That’s why, in a way, he’s not the most dangerous of politicians, as he doesn’t actually have an ideology. He would only commit a genocide if he thought it would win him fans, and he’d stop one immediately if he thought he was loosing them.
I'm not feeling reassured by thst point....
I think he really believes the nonsense
I've read a good deal of the books available about him and his presidency, and the most recognisable description for me comes from a NYT journalist; Maggie Haberman who wrote of him:
she was often asked to "decipher" Trump's actions, "but the truth is, ultimately, almost no one really knows him."
"He works things out in real time in front of all of us. Along the way, he reoriented an entire country to react to his moods and emotions," Haberman wrote, per The Atlantic. "Some know him better than others, but he is often simply, purely opaque, permitting people to read meaning and depth into every action, no matter how empty they might be."
Ultimately she though that Trump doesn't really have a psyche and that she felt that he's often unknown even to himself. She thought that's why he can say the things he does, and sound sincere about it, he literally conjures it up in the moment, and its as real as it needs to be in that moment to him, and represent his true feeling and expression at that time, and its why he can say something 180degs to that the very next minute.
CNN is under new ownership and they want to shift the channel to the right. With the debacle at Fox News they see a perfect opportunity to grab some of Fox's audience.
The event was a car crash but I bet CNN are more concerned with the metrics and are busy digging into the data trying to see how many new viewers tuned in to watch. They'll be most interested in retaining those new viewers and building upon them. So expect more of this nonsense, the new viewers will need a bit more red meat before they start to tune in to CNN regularly.
Is there not some sort of offence for being publicly vile about someone a court has just found you guilty of assaulting and defaming?
She might get another crack at him. Hope she does. West Clare Hotelier is vile scum.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/11/trump-cnn-town-hall-e-jean-carroll-lawsuit
The great thing is, as he keep defaming Carrol, there’s probably no need for a trial, as the facts have been established in court already !
That’s why, in a way, he’s not the most dangerous of politicians, as he doesn’t actually have an ideology. He would only commit a genocide if he thought it would win him fans, and he’d stop one immediately if he thought he was loosing them.
I’m not feeling reassured by thst point….
good, that was not my intention
I was slightly surprised by that cnn "town hall", not because he's such an absolute shit, but because he mostly managed to get to the end of sentences and remembered bits of the script- compare that with the deposition video where it reminds me of visiting my grandma once the dementia really set in.
That’s why, in a way, he’s not the most dangerous of politicians, as he doesn’t actually have an ideology.
There's a parade marching through town and if he stands at the front he feels like the parade is for him. His 'base' are referred to as his followers but he's not a 'leader'. He found himself infront of a bunch or 'disenfranchised' voters becuase nobody smart enough to lead would want to go in a direction that they would follow. He's perfect for them becuase he doesnt really have anything he wants to do - he has not political ambition. During his campaign for re-election he was asked what his plans were for a second term and he actually had no answer- he couldn't bring to mind anything he wanted to achieve in the office of president because the answer wasn't presented to him in the question.
Thats why he does that funny 'good and bad on both sides' thing - he doesnt have a position - asked a question he just repeats the premise of the question and. He makes a case for both sides of an argument and feels what the audience responds to and catches that wave.
Kaplan, who kept her cool and didn’t respond to Trump’s repeated personal attacks against her, asked him if he felt that stars could actually grab women “by the pussy.”
“Historically that’s true with stars. If you look over the last million years, that’s largely true, unfortunately—or fortunately,” he said.
'Unfortunately- or fortunately' - he honestly doesn't know whether sex abuse is a good thing or not - he doesnt know if he's proud or ashamed of his actions. It's already 50-50, he's presumably run out of friends to call so he has to ask the audience.
‘Unfortunately- or fortunately’ – he honestly doesn’t know whether sex abuse is a good thing or not – he doesnt know if he’s proud or ashamed of his actions. It’s already 50-50, he’s presumably run out of friends to call so he has to ask the audience
And the number of people I've read defending even these statements is just sickening (as well as the CNN crowd laughing as Trump joked about it the day after)
It's totally wild
And the number of people I’ve read defending even these statements is just sickening
i think these people see it as a loyalty test. Any hesitation in endorsing each weird or sicken pronouncement risks outing you.
Once you’re on the Trump train there’s not really a safe way of getting back off again. Democrats are just the enemy, republican’s who aren’t quite trumpy enough are traitors
I had an illuminating chat with my cousin at a recent funeral. He lives in Seattle and told me that his advice to his kids...don't move away from the coast. Inland America is ****ed up, he thinks there is a very real possibility of Trump getting in again and it scares him.
he thinks there is a very real possibility of Trump getting in again and it scares him.
Apparently the republican primary system is a winner-takes-all. Whoever wins in a given state gets all of the votes for that state.
So if the 30% MAGA faithful vote for Trump, and there is no clear alternative so the remaining vote is split, Trump gets everything for that state.
So it is very likely he will be the Republican candidate, even though he has shown he has no compunction about trying to organize a coup. Loathsome man.
Its a sad reflection on the republican party that they would endorse this clown,purely because he has a large voter base and they're willing to do anything to get back into power. It's also a sad representation of republican party voters who are obviously large enough to enable a win, and a sad reflection of themselves in that it makes them out to be of very low intellect.
No wonder during dictatorships they shoot intellectuals.
The direction of the world is not going well, and not just in the US.
Its a sad reflection on the republican party that they would endorse this clown,purely because he has a large voter base and they’re willing to do anything to get back into power.
That's not quite what's happening though. They know he's an albatross around their necks and he doesn't actually have a big enough base to win a nationwide majority. Problem for Republicans is that his base is a majority of Republicans (so more than 50% of 35% of all voters). In order to run for Congress as a Republican, candidates have to win a primary against other Republicans. That means they need to impress the 20% of voters who are Trump's hard-core base. They know that it makes it impossible to win a nationwide majority because Trump is so repellent to moderate voters, but their personal calculus is that they are better off torpedoing the Republican chance of winning government in order to win their local primary.
I have a feeling that stuff like this might be what ultimately dooms him. He left office, but took classified documents with him so he could stroke his ego. He then lied about having them, and then forced his staff and lawyers to lie. He won't be able to find any decent lawyers to represent him because he keeps getting them disbarred or investigated for obstruction.
https://twitter.com/MuellerSheWrote/status/1658842254113374212
^ I think I saw that guy being interviewed the other week, he really didnt come across like a high flying lawyer in the way he spoke, more like a used car salesman in a Primark suit.
He won’t be able to find any decent lawyers to represent him because he keeps getting them disbarred or investigated for obstruction.
Add to that he will randomly mouth off against their advice and hasnt got a great reputation for paying bills its not overly surprisingly he finds it tricky to find a good lawyer.
Whilst some might be willing to take the risk for a big enough paycheck without that its going to be a hard sell to any aside from true believers.
Add to that he will randomly mouth off against their advice and hasnt got a great reputation for paying bills its not overly surprisingly he finds it tricky to find a good lawyer.
Maybe thats the next ploy. He didn't get a fair trial because his lawyer was poor and didn't represent him properly.
Maybe thats the next ploy. He didn’t get a fair trial because his lawyer was poor and didn’t represent him properly.
Dunno how it works in The US, but I'd think that's basically though titties, should have hired a better lawyer or, for the lols, represented himself.
Lawyers just advise and speak on your behalf, with your consent (and money).
I imagine there are enough Trump supporters that you could represent him once, not get paid, then pimp yourself out to any hard done by Republican in the area and make your cash back. He's just a promotional tool.
I imagine there are enough Trump supporters that you could represent him once, not get paid, then pimp yourself out to any hard done by Republican in the area and make your cash back. He’s just a promotional tool.
I do think theres a few of the lawyers thinking they can get a good gig on Foxnews as a legal correspondant or, like you say, getting work from a rich Republican billionaire. However agrowing number are finding its a fine line between getting recognition and getting fined, sanctioned or disbarred.
Looks like the latest one to leave was working on the secret documents case and suspiciously left just after the town hall shizzle storm where Trump was asked if he showed secret docs to people and his reply was 'Not really'. Tough to argue any logical defence when your boss has basically admitted to it.
Looking more like that other rotten **** from Florida will chuck his hat into the ring. Perversely I’m looking forward to seeing how far each of them can go beyond the bottom of the barrel, and how the other culture war nuts will contort themselves aligning to the outcome.
Looks like the latest one to leave was working on the secret documents case and suspiciously left just after the town hall shizzle storm where Trump was asked if he showed secret docs to people and his reply was ‘Not really’. Tough to argue any logical defence when your boss has basically admitted to it.
https://twitter.com/rgoodlaw/status/1660021082105999365
https://twitter.com/rgoodlaw/status/1660029483905081344
Not even hiding it any more.
The latest list of sanctioned individuals released by the Russians includes a whole bunch of Trump's enemies, for example special counsel Jack Smith (looking into the Mar-a-Lago documents case), Letitia James (looking into attempted election theft), and bizarrely, tv hosts Joe Scarborough, Rachel Maddow and Seth Meyers. Strange times...
Had to go and check the list to make sure it wasn't parody.
https://twitter.com/krassenstein/status/1660607299151429635
The Department of Justice is preparing to ask a Washington, DC grand jury to indict former president Donald Trump for violating the Espionage Act and for obstruction of justice as soon as Thursday, adding further weight to the legal baggage facing Mr Trump as he campaigns for his party’s nomination in next year’s presidential election.
Here's hoping but..nothing about this in US news media.
Why would there be? He is running for President so all the bad stuff won't be getting published - leave that to the opponents to tell the crowds...
When I posted, there wasn't; now, there is.
Sounds like his lawyers kept telling him what he wanted to hear.
https://twitter.com/costareports/status/1666964960516227074
Major news outlets confident enough to say that he's been charged even though the charges are sealed.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/06/08/trump-classified-documents-mar-a-lago/
A seven-count indictment has been filed in federal court naming the former president as a criminal defendant, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe a case that has yet to be unsealed. The charges include willful retention of national defense secrets, obstruction of justice and conspiracy, which carry the potential of years in prison if Trump is found guilty.
Trump, who is the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, will appear in federal court in Miami for an arraignment on Tuesday at 3 p.m.
Boom!
Seems like this is no impediment to him either running for, or winning the presidency so don't know there's much to celebrate.
If he gets in again, I suppose the distraction would prevent him doing too much presidenting, maybe that.
This is one indictment; Jan 6 investigation still continuing and may result in further indictment; Fani Willis in Georgia is expected to announce charging decision in August.
That little lot ooks like a significant potential impediment.
One thing's for sure - the odious orange one will fundraise like mad on the back of all of this; immediately after posting about the charges on truth social he issued a fundraising appeal - no doubt that will elicit donations from the gullible and hard of thinking.
Seems like this is no impediment to him either running for, or winning the presidency so don’t know there’s much to celebrate.
His MAGA base voters won't care, this will make them even more fervent, so it may not hurt his prospects in Republican primaries because those Trumpists dominate the Republican base. However, they are only about 20% of the overall electorate, so he needs to attract more centrist voters to win the general election. Having a steady release of indictments on serious charges like this, along with testimony from his former aides and lawyers will turn off centrist voters and probably motivate the very large number of people who don't like Trump to turn out and vote for Biden. Having Trump tied up in criminal lawsuits is plenty to celebrate. On top of that, he's basically a career criminal and seeing a serious criminal being charged with crimes is something to celebrate anyway.
🥳
The charges levied against him, and presuming he is found guilty, is there anything stoping a republican nominee standing on the pledge to just pardon Trump against any convictions?
I can't help but feel the Orange bawbag won't see an orange jumpsuit and will probably continue grifting
is there anything stoping a republican nominee standing on the pledge to just pardon Trump against any convictions?
No, but it may not impress centrist voters in the general election. What DeSantis etc. will do is tell Trump supporters that they think the charges are bogus, without explicitly promising a pardon. In fact, they're probably out there doing exactly that right now. What those guys want is for Trump to be taken out of the running and for his supporters to vote for them, but without making any promises that will turn centrist voters against them.