483 Comments

My note to her in her Substack which she took the time to write to tonight. Do we feel loved and appreciated by her. You bet!

Anyway, here it is:

E. Jean,

I cannot express how proud I am to know you. Your unwavering strength and determination have left an indelible mark on my heart. As I reflect on your arduous journey, I am reminded of the story of David and Goliath. In my eyes, you are the fierce, battle-born woman who bravely faced your own Goliath and emerged victorious.

When my young nephews ask me about you, I will tell them a tale of courage and resilience. I will share with them the story of a woman who fearlessly stood up against injustice, even when the odds seemed insurmountable. I will tell them about your unwavering determination to seek justice and the impact it has had on countless lives.

You have become a symbol of strength and hope, not just for women, but for all. Your bravery has shown us that we have the power to slay our own giants, to overcome the challenges that life throws our way. You have taught us that no matter how daunting the battle may seem, we must never lose faith in our ability to make a difference.

E. Jean, you are an inspiration to us all. Your story will be passed down through generations, a testament to the power of resilience and the pursuit of justice. You have shown us that one person can make a difference, that one voice can spark change.

Thank you for being the embodiment of courage and for reminding us that we are capable of achieving greatness. I am honored to know you and proud to call you a role model. May your story continue to inspire others to stand tall and fight for what is right.

God bless Robbie and her team who are inspiring examples of the legal system.

God doubly bless Judge Kaplan for his exemplary grace under fire.

Gloria

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How very kind of you to have taken the time to write that. Try as we might, I'm not convinced we will ever truly grasp all the horrors she's experienced since she decided she needed to litigate this matter.

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I know wholeheartedly agree with you.

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Gloria, this is just the response E Jean needs to read and hear. She has been totally vindicated and Trump has received a hefty verdict which he so rightly deserves. His little childish stomp-out-of-the-courtroom does not win him any points. Dang, wish we could’ve seen it! Anyway, lovely note you sent to her.

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Thank you. I greatly admire her.

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I certainly do too!

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Although I'm glad I DIDN'T see the petulant adult(?) child's exit from the courtroom, I do appreciate the note you sent to E. Jean and completely agree with what you wrote to her.

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Yes. My husband raped and almost beat me to death.

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Sorry you faced such horror, and my sorry is SO hollow...I lack a better word. Your letter to E.Jean is beautiful and heart filled. Thank you for sharing. Love always finds a way to make us better humans. Peace.

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There isn't a word that's adequate in the English language to express how sorry we are.

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No but your compassion means the world.

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Thank you, Val.

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In Hawaii a husband who beat his wife to death got off because he'd beaten her before and she didn't die. The coroner said that practically every bone in her body had been broken over the years of marriage. And yet he still got off. This was over 30 years ago. At least now it seems justice can be had for women who are brave enough to fight their abusers. Sharing your story gives them courage too. Mahalo.

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That’s horrific!

It's long overdue for women to support each other in every aspect, with one of the most crucial ways being the election of leaders, both women and men, who show respect and compassion for everyone, regardless of gender - be it women, men, children, or any other gender identity.

By voting together, we will govern unitedly.

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Omg

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I am so sorry. May you be well and whole.

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Yesterday was a joyful day.

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Gloria, I'm so sorry that you had to live through this horrible nightmare. Your letter touched me. Now I can understand how you were able to put so much thought --- and your HEART AND SOUL --- into it.

I'm glad to have "met" someone like you on this site. I'd be lying if I were to say I know what you went through, because every victim has their own story to tell. Having been a volunteer at our local abused women's shelter, I found that while no two stories were alike, in the end, one thing they all had in common was betrayal of trust and seeing their lives, and their children's lives, being turned upside down.

If you ever get a chance to hear "I'm a Survivor" by Reba McIntire, pretend that I dedicated that to YOU.

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Thank you. I revealed this personal aspect because it drove me to write the note to Jean Carole and those who have worked relentlessly on her trials. While it may not erase the terrible events she's endured since that night and the incident in the store, it does bring a sense of peace knowing there are still men and women who possess compassion and the determination to act rightly.

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Men need to hear these stories loud and clear! I think Lorena Bobbitt did all of us a favor when she did what she did to her husband. He too, beat her up and repeatedly raped her until she couldn’t take it anymore. Gloria, you and E Jean, plus all of the other women who have suffered the same fate, have my deepest admiration for enduring the worst, yet seeking peace with us by your side. My very best to you. 💞

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Marlene, I agree with you completely. The very men that these women thought would love and protect them turn out to be their nightmare. I would like to think that these women are able to get proper mental help (and so should the witnesses: their children). Mental abuse is sometimes ignored, but it still does happen.

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OMG! I am crying. Despicable man. Strong, intelligent woman. My heart breaks every time I hear of a man’s horrific treatment of a woman. My heart is with you.

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OMG!!!

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Gloria, Though I can’t know for sure, I sense from your profound expression of gratitude for E.Jean that, at some point, you, too, might have taken a courageous moral stand against an injustice. Either way, your letter to E. Jean is a stunning embodiment of the personal urgency that summons individuals to challenge injustice, likely without their foreknowledge of how their fortitude can serve as an example to the rest of us for what truly is worth seeking, worth having, and worth doing.

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That is beautiful Gloria, just beautiful.

The bravery of our E. Jean is even greater since we are not the recipient of all the hate she received... What an extraordinary woman.

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Thanks. Flo. I would have cratered long ago.

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ohh me too

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E. Jean is the epitome of an example of one with a strong moral core.

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I so agree Valere 🤦‍♀️🎉

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Flo, and that is because you know the difference🩷

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lol, sometimes, Valere, sometimes 😂

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So true!

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Beautifully said. What I find impossible to understand is after following this trial, there continues to be women in this country who support this deplorable person to hold the highest position in the land. What’s wrong with them?

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This is my reply to them:

You have a civilly adjudicated rapist who owes his victim nearly $90 million as your candidate for POTUS. Nice job, Sport.

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Perfect, Gloria - the fact that you went through what you did and came out the "other side" says so very much for your own courage. Without E. Jean's courage & determination, this twit would not have had this kind of consequence! Sort of makes clear exactly which gender really IS the strongest and able to stand up to so much abuse & cruelty - they (we) have had to for far too long.

Maybe now is the time for the Equal Rights Amendment to finally get done!

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the cult follower can twist anything in their mind to fit the overarching narrative, that's why de-tRumpifying is virtually impossible. anyone who knows about deprogramming needs to be working with the DNC communications team.

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Is there such a team? I find that fascinating.

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There is a member of this substack who wrote to me several months ago about her work with deprogramming cult members.

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There's a lot wrong with them. It's been my opinion, especially since 2016, that there's a lot wrong with huge numbers of Americans. And they are not content to keep their cruelty, stupidity and selfishness within their own borders -- their leaders and mouthpieces have been working hard to spread it to other countries, such as Canada, where I spend 80% of my time and see much of the damage they have been doing.

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founding

Well done Gloria. I am sure she will appreciate that kind note.

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Thank you. 🙏

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founding

And thank you also.

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You have the coolest handle on Substack

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founding

I was born with it and the screws are getting loose.

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I wish I could like this even more! Lovely letter and thank you for writing it.

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Thank you. 🙏

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So perfectly said - thank you!

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BRAVO!!!!!

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excellent!!!!

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Brava Gloria, you will heal as you heal others with your shared words. Thank you for your beautiful words as together we speak truth to power. Your light is helping you to recover from these now invisible wounds. I'm so glad you are here to share your own power. We may not all have our own power, but we will. Thank you for supporting E. Jean throughout her darkest hours.

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Thank you!!

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Gloria,

I'm so glad that you shared your note with all of us. E. Jean will long be an inspiration for females of all ages and backgrounds. She bravely endured Trump's outrageous behavior towards her many, many times, and suffered so much humiliation, at the hands of this "person."

Hopefully, the way she believed in herself and the justice system. as well as her refusal to back down will help encourage other females who have gone through this to be able to stand up for themselves and NOT be victimized twice.

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I sincerely hope the Judge does refer Habba to the Bar Association. Her conduct is unbecoming how an officer of the court should behave.

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And just as importantly, if not checked very robustly, it could easily propagate as right-wing conspiratorialist fascists try their darndest to derail the train of justice, by weaponizing jurors and prospective jurors and sowing utter contempt for justice.

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To paraphrase Professor Tim Snyder: if we ignore the Constitution and the rule of law now, they will not protect our rights later

https://twitter.com/MelissaJPeltier/status/1751098237228921244?t=qUSBcYHuoy9o3eQrBTKZ1Q&s=19

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Thank you for the link!

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I am hoping that if anything happens, Trump is back in court facing yet a higher fee. And that his Mar-a-lago is confiscated to cover the costs. Right now, as it is appraised E. Jean Carroll should own some portion of it to all of it. She should go for possession of it, and invite the government back in to search for documents. https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2023/10/09/is-mar-a-lago-worth--1-billion--trump-s-winter-home-valuations-are-at-the-core-of-his-fraud-trial

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And then burn it to the ground.

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I would turn it into a rehabilitation facility for women who had been raped by men who thought their gender or position in society gives them the right to break laws of our land.

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It might make a decent homeless shelter operated by the state of Florida?

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Nah! The stench will live forever!

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Why would any woman want to own the home of the man who violated her? Fine, sell the place to cover some of the costs. But don't wish additional trauma on Carroll by saddling her with Maralago. Please center her courage and needs in how we respond to this, and let the courts deal with the legal stuff.

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Now. Now.

She could sit by the pool and sip mint Julips and after she fumigated and painted the low life’s hide out.

Sell the joint at an auction proceeding!

Unless it goes to a bankruptcy proceeding!

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So that she could open it to the government to hunt down the documents that Trump has hidden there, and any other skeletons in his closet. I think Mar-a-lago is where most of the skeletons are hidden. She has the chance to reveal more about Trump to the Justice Department. That could perhaps insure that in addition to a fine, she gets to see him put in jail!

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That's not her job to do. The DOJ can execute search warrants.

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The government can do that at any time.

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Agree Annie, I posted above before reading your post. This is not E. Jean's job to do. She does not need Mara Lardo - she needs her own money to go forward in light, love, peace and harmony. She is too full of dignity and grace to enter the gates of Mara Lardo.

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A lot of people think Trump is at risk of losing real estate and other tangible assets like his plane, but if he has enough cash to pay damage awards and legal fees, and can get further cash from donors, I sadly think he will hold on to those. By the way, I call his plane the Landsberg Express, and I name it after the Bavarian prison Hitler was jailed after he attempted a coup in the 1920s. The conditions of his imprisonment were very cushy and he used the time to write Mein Kampf and work on how to raise his profile so he and his party could later come to power.

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Are there any restrictions on his being able to collect money from donors for these damage awards? Or can he appeal to his loyal cult followers with emails urging them not to let this "unfair witch hunt" stand? And how long can he spend appealing this decision to higher courts? Is it possible he would die before the appellate courts have the last word?

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He has to put up collateral for the courts to hold while the appeals are going on. I vote for Mar-a-Lago, because he will have to live elsewhere, so I don't know if that will count. I don't care where the money comes from, because let the people who support him spend their last dime on him, and then when they realize that investing in him was like a pyramid scheme, let them deal with that too.

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Putting up collateral doesn't mean losing ownership of the property, does it? And he can use cash instead, or get a loan and put up a bond until appeals are decided. Ultimately, at this time, he has the cash to pay hundreds of millions of dollars.

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That was my first thought: his MAGA maniacs will shell out to get what he needs. SAD.

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He has now earned some $39,000 on a gofundme.

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I can’t wait until they confiscate that plane of his.

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What is DJT's primary residence? Is the primary residence protected from bankrupcy file?

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If he files. But, since he is about to face much a much larger fine in the NY civil trial against his corrupt business practices, I think that he may have to use them for collateral as well as Mar-a-lago. I don't really know his finances, and his accountant is in jail taking the hit for him, so who really does? His children? I think the moment the decision was made assets would be frozen to cover the settlement cost. I think we are learning with Rudy that that needs to happen, and hopefully all of the courts are prepared to do this.

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I thought he has several hundreds of millions in cash, and more in securities (stocks and bonds) he can sell for cash. So he could choose to pay using that route. If he refuses to pay, I can certainly see assets being frozen. And some of his sales of assets might be canceled and reversed by a court if they were a way for him to hide assets or get rid of things for less than their fair value so the people to whom he owes money get shafted. Trump is certainly petty and vindictive enough to do all kinds of unlawful, dirty things to shaft creditors.

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You can't just file for bankruptcy no matter what your assets and liabilities tally up to, can you? Don't you have to show that you are insolvent (debts exceed assets) or that you truly are unable to make payments as they fall due? I studied bankruptcy law in Canada a long time ago and it seems to me those were the two main ways a person can be adjudicated as bankrupt.

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Wowie Linda. I’d like to imagine that.

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founding

Habba is such a tool. She should be disbarred.

I'm just glad the the orange SOB is finally getting his comeuppance.

I hope Leticia James gets a judgement that breaks him financially.

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For someone who will likely be trying cases in NY in the future, her contempt for New York juries will hopefully come back to bite her in her behind. Also when the Trump gravy train comes to a halt, who in their right mind would want to hire her? Or is she simply jockeying for a place as a "legal commentator" on a right-wing media outlet?

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Of course. She is auditioning for anything better than what she currently has. A girl has to look out for herself.

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I’m pretty sure Habba won’t get paid.

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I've read that she has already been paid $1M. It's all coming from the poor gullible cult members sending him money.

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She should be gotten rid of. Also, I expect we will see Trump back in court on this same case. He cannot stop himself. His whole campaign is based on controlling a certain narrative. However, will he have Habba by his side again? She did not win for him, and can anyone at this point? Unless the judge is corrupt, it is less and less likely that Trump will win, especially as he blows through and does not pay his lawyers.

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My guess is that Habba will be slammed under the bus by Trump before the net week ends.

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So TFG will keep Habba around for the Florida trial, since you allow for a corrupt judge.

I’m curious if one of his reasons for appeal is ineffective legal representation. What I’m trying to suggest is that he’ll say because Habba was so bad that he didn’t have fair, qualified lawyers.

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Nope nope nope. Even in criminal trials, where the stakes are higher, this conduct would not save him. He got what he paid for: a bimbo clown who looks and acts like all the other females he chooses to associate with: the way they look, not their competence, is what he chooses.

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I think that's part of it, but another is that he wants them to say irrelevant and inadmissible things that might improperly sway jurors. He is counting on the fact that he's weaponized tens of millions of Americans to disregard facts and law. And indeed he has! I am very worried what that means for juries in his upcoming criminal cases, including, of course, the ones that have not even been launched yet.

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I'm not a lawyer, but I believe the "incompetent legal representation" grounds for appeal only applies in criminal cases, not civil. And it appears that Habba in fact did not preserve any of the potential grounds for appeal, such as objecting to evidence, etc. People often assume (as I think Trump does) that if you lose a case you can appeal, period. But you must have GROUNDS for an appeal, and simply losing is not sufficient grounds. I'm going to bet that Habba, through her incompetence, has thrown away any chance at an appeal.

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I think he can appeal to have the verdict reduced.

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Nope. The amount of $83.3 Million included the amount for damages that is reasonable. An award of $830 Million (which she deserves) would have been overturned. Not a chance for a reduction.

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I think she is talking about the ability to appeal, not whether he would actually win on such appeal. Remember that many of his attempts to appeal are ways to run out the clock, so he figures he wins politically even if he loses legally.

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To that one can respond, you did, and you did not pay him so he quit! You get what you pay for! Habba may get reported for her misconduct to the Bar, so she might not be available for him.

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Joe Tacopina did not quit for lack of payment. He was always paid. Joe knows his way around the world of representing criminals: Trump presented something worse than a convicted rapist (Joe represented him in that case). Trump has even worse plans and Joe Tacopina got the hell away - saying publicly that his 'moral compass guided him.' What does that tell you??

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Spot on, Valere. He knows when to exit a room by his own to feet.

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Habba cannot practice law in Florida. Only NJ, NY, and CN.

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Pity, she’d fit in well with Cannon.

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Wouldn't that be an interesting trial to watch while a competent prosecutor, Jack Smith actually represents the law.

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Definitely

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So far nothing has stuck. He throws everything at the wall hoping one will. I just wonder if that might be something he would try. She clearly is not competent to handle at a minimum federal trials. Who knows, before his appeals are heard she might be disbarred.

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Well…. It’s been said he threw his ketchup and it stuck to a wall…. 😃 though it’s doubtful ketchup would have helped him in his case here. After paying the 83.3 million, maybe, just maybe ketchup is in his future as well as it’ll be the only thing he can afford to buy to eat.

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Agree!

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No grounds for appeal, but he will appeal to the 2nd Appeals court anyway. He has already lost on Westfall and immunity. We do not know if he will continue to pay Habba for punishment: After Joe withdrew the morning of, leaving him alone at the altar, Trump dragged Alina Habba to the table, hoping her pit bull demeanor would sway the jury. She was indeed a pit bull, blaming the victim. She has now cost him $1 Million from a fraudulent lawsuit against Hillary Clinton, a likely more than $400 Million in his NY fraud case, and now she has help him to lose $83.3 Million to E. Jean Carroll. Add to that her legal fees, and he has lost $500,000 from having her as his attorney. And he is paying her for this punishment. Trump has no core, no moral fiber, money matters to him still: so the $64 Thousand Dollar Question is: will he continue to pay have her? What has worked for him in the past has been to surround himself (since Roy Cohn) with a pit bull. And no other attorney will touch him with a barge pole (except the one who was paid $3 Million with PAC money).

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It's not always lawyers who "cost" their clients something. Sometimes no matter which lawyer was used, the person was going to lose a lot! :-)

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Tell me about Roy Cohn. Wasn’t he his father‘s fixer?

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Problem is, to appeal he has to put up $83.3M as a bond. Don't think he can come up with it.

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He will grift his supporters for it like he has all along.

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I have read that he claims to have it. We shall see.

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Habba should lose her license so she cannot practice law. Amen.

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Read Joyce Vance’s latest. It’s brilliant.

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She’s no officer of the Ct.

She’s a Trumph decoration!

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That has been my thought throughout this trial ... Habba had shown contempt and disdain for the justice system from the very start. Yesterday was a continuation of the nonsense. I can't understand that noting was noted regarding Habba's appearance in N.H. on Tuesday night following here claim she was to ill for court that day.

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And once referred they need to do the right thing and jerk her license.

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What was really really terrible in the middle of everything else came at the end, when the judge advised the jurors to "never ever let anyone know you were on this jury." To protect them from the Seething Inadequates. Neil Katyal said in his entire legal career he had never heard a judge give such advice or even heard of one doing so, until tonight. That the threat these worthless scum are.

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Unimaginable in the Before tRump Times. What wonders he has brought to us all. 🤮

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I too agree with your statement. How very sad for Judge Kaplan to feel the need to caution the jury members in this way, but it's the reality of dealing with this bully. I think about Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, Americans doing their jobs as election workers and how they were terrorized. This same thing would happen to the members of the jury.

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I sometimes have a hard time not tearing up when I talk about Ruby and Shaye with people.

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But it is excellent advice. I hope the jurors take it to heart.

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Thank you TCinLA.

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Judge Kaplan said that?! Amazing. Imagine the judicial experience that prompted that admonition. I hope those jurors follow his advice.

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To: Donald J Trump

From: Roberta Kaplan, Esq.

Subject: Payment of damages

Dear Mr Trump,

My client, Ms E Jean Carroll, has instructed me to notify you that she will not accept personal checks, but rather insists upon bank draughts for payments pursuant to her recently awarded damage suit for defamation of character. Please direct your accountants to follow my client's wishes in this regard. And a lump-sum payment is of course preferred, as we aren't prepared to offer monthly terms at this time.

Yours in service,

Roberta

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This is bloody brilliant! LOL LOL

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"we aren't prepared to offer monthly terms..."

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😆😅🤣

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Nah, accept monthly payments, with interest, compounded daily. And fees if payments are late.

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Maybe payment in bearer bonds would be safer!

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🤣🤣🤣🍾🎆

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Tell me, if you are an employer and you found out a job applicant owed millions, would you hire him? Thought so. There’s no way Trump should get anywhere near the Oval Office owing that much money and being that close to the federal treasury.

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Trump would sell our national security secrets in a heartbeat....and feel zero remorse.

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I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t have a stash of papers somewhere… Probably in Ivana‘s tomb

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Thank you. I've been posting about his SA sales for months. It has never been a secret. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have raised high alarms.

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I believe he’s already done that!

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He's already done that...if you think he hasn't...think again. Why do you think he took those top secret documents? He's as low as one can get..seeing him out of jail is still appalling to me.

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He probably has already done that.

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Pretty sure he has already done that!

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Alleged he did it via son in law who provided Saudi dictator MBS (interesting does BS stand for common usage of those initials?) with names from his Saudi tribe who were a challenge to his drive for control!

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We all know that two billion was not paid because Ivanka is cute.

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He already has.

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I'm pretty sure that has already happened.

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He already has.

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Tragically, he already has.

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Truly. The grift goes on. Will MAGA or Musk pay for his mean excesses still? This comeuppance must make the misogynists mad. Thanks to the deep commitment of E. Jean Carroll and her lawyer to bring this (d)evil to heel. Thanks to the jury who recognized the dire truth of the situation.

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It makes them VERY mad. Since 2020, I've kept a link to the website that WORSHIPS Donald Trump, and I check it from time to time to see how they're reacting to things that happen in Trumpworld. Today was ugly, misogynistic (as usual, but FAR worse), and still somewhat unbelievable to me that people like the people who post there are actual Americans. I don't have an account there, I just read as much as I can stand, and that usually lasts about 10 minutes at the most. I DON'T recommend it, and don't even want to share the link. It's also a place the FBI regularly monitors, and where I learned there was to be a "storming of the Capitol," as early as January 4th, so Jan 6th wasn't much of a surprise, although I was still shocked that they were out in the open talking about it, and that they actually did it. Anyway, yeah, they're mad as hell at everyone but Trump, who is, of course, a victim. Ugh!

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Thank you for reading the ravings of a malicious mob.

I am sorry but their ugly reaction is to be expected.

It indicates criminal intent.

The mentality of any rapist or bully can be compared to that of a rather stupid 4 year old. Say no to them or call them out and they will lie, cajole and if that does not work, they do not back down, they will descend into a full out violent temper tantrum.

At some point enforced discipline, rule of law if you like, is the only way to curtail their indulgent destructiveness.

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Thank you always Monnina for posting with experience and awareness. I cannot reinforce more that we not appease the mob and Trump. Your last sentence is most poignant. Thank you again.

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I opened an account there last evening just to see responses to the verdict. Closed it again today.

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I am glad you closed it. 💙 It is an unsafe, unhealthy place. They follow Steve Bannon, with his black-ops War Room. He will be in court in NY in February, and hopefully a guilty verdict and in jail thereafter. Of course, there will be the appeal.

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Thanks for doing what I most certainly cannot.

That people openly say these things, and there are multiples more who think it, is alarming.

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Thank you Steve for alerting us. I guess I'm the only person on the planet who did not know Jan 6 was coming - I was on the second go-round of caring for my soul mate with colorectal cancer (the greatest honor I have been given in this lifetime btw - over a seven year period). When my day wound down at 10:30 pm, and he was settled for the night, I checked my cell phone. I was shocked - as re-runs played. I called my goddaughter and her husband and asked her if they were aware - and they said they had been watching it since early am. I soon became educated to the events - and I've posted here a lot that our real threat involves the long game. With the Christian nationalist evangelicals who put Trump into power (he did not win with his brand). So I am indeed in this for the long haul. We will re-elect Biden, I'm hoping for the bicameral as well. But we will have a lot of work to do together. By the way, I posted earlier today re Joe Tacopina leaving Trump on both Jan 15 (E. Jean) and Jan 16 (hush money). That is telling - he know something that has caused him to run - not walk away. He sent major clues in his interview with Reverend Al Sharpton. Again, I appreciate that you have clued us into the darkness - and I am glad you are not spending much time with them. They are coming from Steve Bannon and his black-ops mind control 💙

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I've been trying to make a list in my head of who is the most dangerous for our country. Trump would only be the "man with the power" to enact. He's far too self-involved and frankly, dumb, to think up the stuff coming down the pike if he's re-elected. That's where minions like Steve Bannon, who is in the top 5 on the most dangerous list comes in -- he would be the strategic commander, while people like Stephen Miller, and Michael Flynn would be running other aspects of the new regime.

I've also seen smatterings over there at THAT website, talking about "2.0," but I'm not sure what that means yet, as in addition to all the crazy, they're paranoid AF about who might be reading their posts, constantly accusing people of being "glowies," which I've gathered from context, means FBI or other law enforcement. It could be a 2nd Trump term, or a 2nd Jan 6th. I mostly ignore them as the job right now is to get Joe Biden re-elected. Even Trump isn't going to try to come back in 2028, so this is the final battle with him. There will be others, but none as worshipped as he is, and I think after this, MAGA morphs into something else, just like the Tea Party morphed into MAGA.

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Exactly. I have other thoughts that I shall post (to you) later today. I’m going into a meeting in a few minutes. you are spot on about the need to re-elect Biden first. There is a long game we need to be worried about. Very worried and I’ll post back to you soon. They are the greatest worry and they are trump’s puppet masters. Not a conspiracy theory at all. It’s right in plain sight.

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wow.

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Horrifying

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I'm truly encouraged to think that there were a preponderance of men on that jury. Bravo, guys.

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How aligned we were to have a jury with all having a moral fiber.

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Agree!

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I always thought Mnuchin was there to liberate Fort Knox.

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I call Mnuchin Mo Green. I think he needs a massage. ("The Godfather")

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Excellent point!

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Yes, the chickens are coming home to roost -- sretching out to the horizon, a stream of birds making their way... May the rule of law hasten Trump’s Descent into Drivel, such that he cannot function and disappears from public view. What a relief that will be.

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I think this is the tipping point. I truly do.

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Maybe I’m too optimistic, but Nikki Haley showing some fight against Trump felt like a shift had started. Anybody notice the announcement that the Republican National Committee is no longer stating Trump is the presumptive nominee? Some Republicans are starting to push back (Romney, Susan Collins) but media isn’t putting it on the front page. Let’s see what the New York tax fraud case does next week.

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Dear Rona,

Your big man gop runner can't handle a 90 minute debate with Nikki?

Might reveal who the real Birdbrain is.

Joe's the Man!

I love DarkBranden

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Michael Steele said that, come the convention, if drumpf looks toxic to the attendees they can choose someone else. The workings of the Party are opaque to me, but not to him. He said that if they rejected the candidate with the most points, they would select their announced running mate. It explains a bit why the feckless Repugs are falling all over themselves to be #2. In every sense.

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Sadly, M. Steele is delusional! Maga rules are the only rules!

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Yep. The media never mentioned trump's mental state until Nikki started talking about it.

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It is pretty pathetic: so many of the MSM act surprised, as if they had not been looking at it for months and years, and watched it progressively get worse in the last year. All the while that people in the back ground (us) have been pointing out the obvious and trying to catch their attention. Haley picked up on several recent grassroots political analysts who pointedly spoke up on national media: her words mirrored theirs.

She added her own choice bit though. Yep, if I were on the RNC, I'd be worried about putting Trump on the same stage for any amount of time with Haley, you betcha. Got to admire that bit.

Nope, not going to vote for Haley. Not my kind of politician. But I can admire her for having the guts to keep at it and keep speaking up.

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You don’t watch enough late night tv: Colbert, et al.

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This is very true!

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I agree.

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Oh how nice (sarcasm for RNC intended). It was Rona McDaniels who allowed him to run in 2024 - by keeping his payments going. She should be in jail.

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But Ronna said it was time to get behind the orange Cheeto after NH?

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I don't think so. Not yet. I think he's teetering on the brink.

I'm thinking it will be when Judge Engoron delivers the deadly blow to his "brand", hopefully next week.

That I hope will destroy him.

It's helpful to remember this thug has used the justice system to abuse suppliers and victims his whole life. I read he had been in Involved in over 4,000 cases in 30 years. It must be shocking to him to really, really lose, and so publicly.

Couldn't happen to a better tax cheat.

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Agree! Could be a Schaden-Wednesday. Have popcorn ready.

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I wholeheartedly agree with you. Those numbers are mind-boggling.

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I hope you're correct. I truly do as well....

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Ms. Horton-Young, I pray you are correct in that assessment!!!

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May the sky become black with chickens coming home to roost.

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Now you have made me think of a scene from Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds.

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I wish the Judge had held both Alina Habba AND Donald Trump in contempt and put them in jail. Trump continues to defame Carroll, and I'm not sure she'll ever get a penny. You or I would be sitting in a jail cell with Trump's behavior, but he continues to get away with bombastic threats. As for those who support him, a businessman who identifies as Christian, said he had to support Trump because abortion is murder. The stupidity runs deep. Reading what those "gods of business" said in Davos (looking at you Jamie Dimon) was bad enough.

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I believe Trump has to post a bond equivalent to the jury award before he can proceed with any appeal. Ms. Carroll will get her pound of flesh, eventually. I think I understood that from comments made today by Andrew Weismann.

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That's true. He already had to put up $5M plus interest to appeal the first Carroll verdict. To appeal this, it's close to $89M, a legal requirement. One former prosecutor said it would likely need to be mostly cash, unlike normal bonds. Because of his other potential liabilities.

I'm am trying to calmly await the Engoron judgement. He'll want to appeal that, and have to sell whatever he has actual equity in to put up that bond.

He is going to be desperate, and even more dangerous. Double doses of Adderall.

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That's good to know. I admire her strength so much.

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The Davos Uber Rich Boys are pathetic human beings. They care about nothing but their own extremely large, undeserved fortunes.

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Yes to this, a thousand times.

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Wouldn’t we all like to know how many of DJT’s ex-girlfriends and wives had abortions?

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No, not really.

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Habba told Trump this trial would add zero to his liability. She was right: they added a zero.

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Lots of zeros. Guess Habba and her “I’d rather be pretty cause I can fake smart” didn’t work out so well as she couldn’t even fake it.

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I can’t wait to see the SNL sketch tomorrow night spoofing Habba’s court tantrums.

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OMG that’s gonna be hilarious!

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The host is Dakota Johnson, which is very meh to me, so hopefully she'll be in the dressing room during the opening.

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Is the AFLAC duck the guest host?

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🤣🤣🤣

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If you’ve never called or written to your members of congress, this is a great time to start this habit--especially in this time of deep unrest. Take Joyce’s suggestions and call or write. A quick Google search will give you all the info you need to get their contact info. You can do this, and it’s fun.

If you’re not sure what to say, let me know who your senators and congresspeople are and I’ll be glad to help you draft something. I’ll be writing to my MAGA senators tomorrow. They keep track of who writes and calls and maybe they’ll start wondering if they want to be the last rats on Trump’s sinking ship.

Yes, keeping our democracy takes effort but having lost my homeland 55 years ago, I can assure you it’s not as much work as starting over in a new country where you know no one. Let’s make sure we don’t all have to move to Canada, or Malaga--even though it would be a lovely place for an exile.

May God help US.

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Happily for me my senators are both staunch Democrats. I write to them occasionally to let them know what I’m thinking, but my main efforts are directed at elections in other states.

Postcards to voters!

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You'd think MAGA folks would demand to watch the trial so they could see how everyone's being so mean and unfair to their fearful leader. Some of them evidently believe the trial will prove he's as wonderful as they say he is.

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That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard in a long time!!! Thanks for the grins!😂

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As someone who used to work very low on the chain in a Congressional office, I'd like to second the suggestion that you write, even to your Neanderthal Representative and/or Senator. Don't waste your time or brain power with "logic" -- they are only going to count tye pieces of mail and which "side" they are on. so write and VOTE!!!!!!!

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Hmmm... what should I write to Ken Buck? He's a puzzle, the guy is pretty awful, has never done a town hall but every once in a while makes some noises like there's still a human in there. And now he has nothing to lose but his post-congressional gravy train..

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Buck does have a better moral compass than others and he is leaving congress after this term, so let’s focus on him wanting to be on the right side of history as he exits. I’ll get back to you...

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That's what I'm thinking. "Here's an opportunity for you to leave a mark"sort of thing.

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Dear Congressman Buck,

On January, 6, 2021, you and hundreds of others became hostages of an angry mob, who believed that the presidential election had been stolen. That day you were forced into gas masks and guns were drawn to protect you. Outside an insurrection was brewing that would put all your lives in danger, especially if you acted against the mob’s wishes, and yet, when the hour came to certify the free and fair election, you boldly upheld your oath to the Constitution and voted to certify. Thank you for that.

Later you released a video announcing you wouldn’t run again because, “too many Republican leaders are lying to America, claiming the election was stolen… These insidious narratives breed widespread cynicism and erode American’s confidence in the rule of law.” No truer words were ever spoken.

As a former prosecutor you understand that nothing compares to being in the courtroom to comprehend the gravity of a case. With our democracy hanging in the balance, this is the most important time to allow cameras in the courtroom for any and all of Trump’s trials. I implore you to petition for Americans to view these historically significant events and the rule of law in action, on CSpan (without any spin) so we can slow down the incessant lies of Trump’s enablers.

Thank you for being on the right side of history. I wish you the peace of mind that comes from having been a resolute ally of our precious democracy at a pivotal moment.

Sincerely,

--------

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Beautifully done. Thanks.

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My “cri du cœur.” Cry of the heart.

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I live in the bright red state of ALABAMA with such "dignitaries" as THOMAS TUBERVILLE (I don't think he could have passed my junior high school 8th grade civics class - THANK YOU Mr. Walker!) and KATIE BRITT as senators and ROBERT ALDERHOLT as representative. (Tuberville reminds me of my high school years where administrators had to stick the coaches somewhere, so they put them in charge of driver's ed and civics. IMO, Tuberville is one of those retired coaches [Auburn] who needed something to do.)

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It’s heartening to know that there were 7 men and 2 women on the jury that voted to make Trump pay $83.3 million for the harm he did to now 80 year old E. Jean Carroll. There were 6 men and 3 women on the previous defamation jury. The disinformation that Trump somehow completely owns the male gender voting demographic is not true. We men have grandmothers, mothers, wives, partners, daughters, sisters, female friends and co-workers that we love and care about. Many men will fight to defeat Trump because of his despicable treatment of women.

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founding

Thank you, Michael.

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Good question: “How do you explain to your kids that you’re going to give your vote in the presidential race to a man who forced his fingers into a woman’s vagina and then lied about it and about her, and exposed her to public ridicule and harm?”

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Apparently there are even MAGA women with daughters who don't care. What was it one of those women actually said? Oh yeah - "he can grab me by the pussy anytime!" Sickening.

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Gross. 🤮

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Deplorable...

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founding

These women are intentionally diluting a physical assault -- rape, as Judge Kaplan said on pg. 27 of his Jan. 9 pre-trial rulings to Trump et al -- by calling it a non-violent sex act. We women can be our own worst enemies.

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Disgusting.

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Ewwwwwwww!!!!!!! Disgusting.

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You might not even feel those tiny fingers. Eww

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I think we will be amazed at how many people don't care or don't believe the court or the jury. They won't tell their kids about it, and if their kids come to them, they will come up with all kinds of denials, equivocations, bothsidesing, misogyny -- you name it.

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They don’t want their kids to know the evil things men sometimes do to women. They want them to keep their innocence.

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founding

Change innocence to ignorance (as in not knowing enough to protect yourself), and you've nailed it!!

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I don't think that's a fair description of the phenomenon at play. 1. There's a way to explain things to a younger child that doesn't go into detail. 2. When I use the word "kids", I am including teens who most definitely can handle it. 3. It's a good idea to encourage young people to avoid supporting or glorifying politicians who constantly engage in hideous, dangerous misconduct and then lie and defame about it.

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Yes, yes and yes!

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I sincerely hope not.

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I've certainly heard it from adults. Most recently someone told me, "They're just trying to nail Trump to the Cross." Umm, yeah.... I don't think Jesus ____________ in a clothing shop, or said the things Trump said afterward.

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The wording of that question stood out to me also. Brilliant! Thank you Joyce

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Bingo. I would really like to know.

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Thank you, Joyce. Thank you to the judge and the jury thank you to the rules of law, the constitution and the integrity of the American system and again to Joyce for stating things, so honestly, eloquently, and without hatred, we applaud you....we thank you every day, every day. Every day.....

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I’m going to make an 83.3 bumper sticker for my car like the ones you see that triathletes sport. IFYKYK!

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I want one!

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My pleasure!

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Me also!

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Me too please!

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I'm sure the folks at Lincoln Project would oblige. DNC likely would find it a step too far. I love it.

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Me too please. I'll pay for one. Can I have the European distribution?

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Oh. I want one! I would put that in my Mustang in a heartbeat.

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What a great idea! Thank you, Ellen. I love that!

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??!

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Where can I get one?

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🤣 I love it!!

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Don't know if you did it yet, but I did put one up on CafePress

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I’m focused on getting out of town on vacation. What and where is CafePress?

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CafePress says it may take up to 48 hours to populate. Ugh.

You might try this: https://www.cafepress.com/designer/custom-sticker-oval-50-pk?productId=1189080495

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I was glued to MSNBC from the time I got home (kitty emergency kept me out from 11am to 3:15pm). I’m so glad Kaplan was keeping a tight rein on the court and I hope future judges take note. I sure hope he refers Habba to the bar and she faces sanctions as she needs them after her politically motivated performance. Joe Tacopina was smart to dump T at the last minute cause he knew exactly what was gonna happen in court. Smart lawyers won’t work for T cause he has no respect for rules and laws. I hope I’m wrong but I posted on facebook that TFG would say something defamatory within 24 hours but hopefully this amount will finally keep his filthy mouth shut. I can’t wait to see if he posts the 83 million plus 9% for interest to appeal but I don’t think he has that kind of cash on hand, plus more sketchy reporting of his business to the special master Judge Engoron appointed. Will he be like Rudy and file bankruptcy or will he keep begging for his cult to pay for his sins? Can’t wait to see the NY payout next week. Hello to the new Carroll-lago, James Tower NY, NY Doral and Bedminster. Have a wonderful weekend and spend some “me time” with the fur and feather babies!

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I believe I read here on Substack that jury/court awards are not discharged in bankruptcy. Most sincerely hope this is true.

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No but they can be altered.

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I am glad to hear of the judge's uncommon rebuke of the jury nullification / contemptuous raising of inadmissible or irrelevant pseudo-arguments that Habba repeatedly engaged in. In essence, it sounds like an explanation of the reasons, values and history behind the ages-old instruction that jurors have to apply the law and abide by the judge's explanations of what the law is. So I hope more and more judges use it, in an age where many people, not truly knowing all the harm they are doing, prefer following a cult leader rather than the kind of rule of law that anyone in a constitutional and democratic state should respect. and be grateful for.

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I think I should be clearer and specify that this is about the respective roles of judges and juries. The judges decide what the law is, and the juries decide if the law was broken. They look into whether the facts that establish liability or guilt took place thanks to the testimony of witnesses and any other admissible evidence. I know many Americans love the civil (non-criminal) jury system, but not all countries have civil juries, and yet, the citizens of those countries might be quite alright with that. In America, the right to a civil jury is actually in the Constitution! I suspect a lot of non-Americans don't realize this.

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founding

And don't you forget Joyce, there are very many out here that consider you a treasure also. Chickens or not. You are a genuine human being that shares, without a thought of self, so much that we need to know and the encouragement to proceed. After what E. Jean went through, she is on another level.

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