I was in the overflow room in court yesterday. At one point a statement of her was read on the screen that, “I wish the orange slob would flush down the toilet.” I think she was being asked to confirm those words.
As I later took the subway back to Grand Central for the Metro North ride back to Connecticut, I looked over on the tracks and spied a rat and immediately thought of TFG. I next saw a cockroach crawling on the edge of the platform as a man walked toward it and I wondered if he was going to step on it. But at the last moment, the roach crawled over the edge down onto the track area and made his escape. It remains to be seen if TFG will also, like the cockroach, too make his escape.
The o’donnell piece was very very enlightening. My opinion of Blanche went way down. How could he open the door like to whether or not they had a sexual encounter and then expect to keep it out. I havent been reading transcripts; guess i should srart.
Indeed you are correct. I like being corrected for this. Especially when turd is better then slob. Thank you. Do you know how hard it is to set on a bench with a iPad open and a separate keyboard on your lap trying to listen to the monitor and write?
According to Stormy’s report of their conversation, trump likened her to ivanka by saying they were both attractive, smart and might be underestimated. It appears he and Necheles (@ his guidance no doubt) underestimated her considerably.
I think the story is already good. It’s what L.A. movie moguls fear, that an actual story will upstage their own scripts. “You can’t make this stuff up!” It would be watched for sure, especially since we can only imagine what is really happening in the court room. Lots of ink has already been spilt writing about Trump’s life in the many books already published. Movies will follow.
Not only that, but the first "serious" treatment of that x-exam will go down in history as "If The Orange Turd's Courtroom Had a Camera, This Is What You'd Have Seen!" Perhaps the Trump attorney will ah, bribe her to stop her from going through that project. The ultimate catch-and-kill cum NDA!
Then at some appropriate time (any!), Stormy can make her unredacted version. I can't get that image out of my head, when she described O.T.'s "member" in her book. To use Senator Marco Rubio's euphemism-for-TV: small hands. This becomes a movie casting problem: what man would want the world to know his "small hands" looked like that cartoon?
Still, overcome that problem, and here's the banner: "You think 'sleeping with the enemy' is sleazy? Try sleeping with an O.T."
I'm not so good at casting, I only watch sci-fi or films in which San Francisco is the star.
I'm open to recommendations!
The only casting improvement I can gin up: insert the P.O.'ed spouse as a Greek Chorus of Herself as a narrator. Not that she's necessary, but the mere thought of P.O.S. in it would draw an even greater viewing audience.
Unless Barron's mom was to claim the right to appear personally, the only actor I know who's played the role is Laura Benanti. She won a Tony for impersonating 'Melania' on Colbert and got some follow-up gigs.
If we can't get Benanti, I would go with a talking dog as narrator. I always loved that Pets.com sock puppet; cast an Orange Tinted puppet as his/her/its cousin.
Full Disclosure.....Stormys book is worth every cent. She is the real deal!!! Was not suprised that she blew the Orange Turd right out of his overflowing, stinking, driipping...grosss Depends.
My bet: Her follow-up volume will be on the 'net within 2 weeks of the trial ending.
I went to a local film festival honoring The Mistress of the Dark, Elvira*. I can envision Stormy's national book tour. I can be there, too! *Cassandra Peterson, a.k.a. Twin Peaks (just a couple of miles from the San Francisco theater!)
The classic movie Citizen Kane directed, produced, and starred in by Orson Welles will one day in the future, have a remake only this time the main pseudo-fictional character will be Donald Trump. The movie scene will open with a very bloated relic of his former self; uneven orange-smeared makeup slobbed across his face in bed. His overgrown blond hair is found similar to the muss of Boris Johnson’s now showing gray roots from lack of up-to-date hair dye. He periodically wakes from a semi-conscious state at his future dilapidated Mar-a-Lago residence (for lack of having sufficient funds to upkeep the property due to previous constant litigation and losses.) He looks around demanding more Kentucky Fried Chicken wings as low paid personal rush in another bucket and his last word is not “Rosebud” as in the movie Citizen Kane but:
“Stormy.” And the ex 45th president of the United States expires. The camera fades to black then opens at Le Club in the early disco 1970s, a members-only Manhattan nightclub in the East 50s, where models, fashionistas and a variety of Eurotrash (including his wife) went to be seen.
“The government has just filed suit against our company,” said Trump, “saying we discriminated against Blacks. What do you think we should do?”
The Roy Cohn obedient ass-kisser to Senator Joe McCarthy hearings accusing entertainment personalities of being communists shoots back, “Tell them to go to hell and fight the thing in court and let them prove you discriminated against them.”
Roy Cohn has become Trump’s go-to lawyer and fixer.
Cohn admonishes the young Trump to 1. Never settle. Never surrender. 2. Counter-attack, counter-sue immediately. 3. No matter what happens, no matter how deep into the shit you get, claim victory and never admit defeat.
These lessons were found to be the essential attributes of his future self.
Trump really got a spanking today during Stormy's cross-ex! She was on her game and much more confident than she was even during direct. She showed that she is smart and witty, and It was truly an embarrassment when the defense tried to slut shame her. They certainly didn't do that with Hope Hicks! I truly look forward to Michael Cohen's testimony, and am hoping that the orange turd is finally held accountable!
Lawyers don't always agree with their client. Not necessarily even close. They're hired to do a job, are well paid and hopefully do it. It's the idea behind a land of laws and not men.
I couldn't doi it but someone must if our democracy is to flourish.
I just do not understand how any woman, specifically Susan Necheles or Alina Habba, can represent trump in court. The man is the antithesis of anything decent, and his mistreatment of women is legendary. Do they see “something “ the rest of the world doesn’t in this poor excuse for a human? Or is it hard cash ( if he’s even paid) and a potential a spot on Fox News? I don’t like being critical of other women, but their defense of him boggles the mind.
Only since the GOP started going hard right from the '70s onward, and even then . . . It's more that the women who oppose women's rights -- anti-choice women, white evangelical Christian women, et al. -- currently have a nice comfy home in the male-money-dominated GOP (which has courted them for decades).
Interestingly enough, the women's suffrage movement finally pushed through the 19th Amendment when the white southern women who had led resistance to the idea told their husbands in the final year of the battle that they needed the votes of women on their side to "maintain order" for white people and offset the votes of all the "wrong" women who would be voting.
That may well have been a factor, but anti-suffrage women were in leadership roles right down to the wire: Tennessee, the 36th and final state needed to ratify. Elaine Weiss's THE WOMAN'S HOUR is very good on this. And for fun, check out this great "Bad Romance" parody from 2012. Meredith Garrison is riveting as the Alice Paul character, and ratification really did hang on Harry Burns's vote. https://youtu.be/IYQhRCs9IHM?si=irXQoT5cAQ5o1VsJ
White supremacy coupled with male supremacy. I've long wished that the polls would break both women and men down into straight / lesbian/gay / neither / both. Before same-sex marriage became a legal thing, you could do your surmising from the "single" category but not any more.
Only one?? White women were among the leaders of the anti-suffrage movement. (Elaine Weiss's THE WOMAN'S HOUR is good on this -- it focuses on the ratification fight in Tennessee.) White women are very visible in the anti-choice movement. They pissed me off big-time when they named one of their organizations after Susan B. Anthony. They aren't so visible among the leaders of the white evangelical movement, but you can bet that they're doing most of the work. P.S. You might be thinking of Phyllis Schlafly, who was very prominent in the fight against the ERA.
Long time ago I heard someone say that we'd know women had achieved equality when there were as many mediocre women in positions of power as mediocre men. I look at Kellyanne Conway, and Elise Stefanik, Kristi Noem, Marsha Blackburn, Sidney "Release the Kraken" Powell, Marjorie Taylor Greene, etc., and wonder if we've arrived. We're still seriously under-represented among the billionaires and mega-multi-millionaires, however.
Alina Habba has said in an interview that she would rather be pretty than smart because she could fake being smart. Susan Necheles has a good reputation as a good attorney, but we know that once trial starts the attorney has to have the judges permission to leave the case. And Trump can get awfully demanding of his his attorneys during court. Defense attorneys want to give their client the best representation. Necheles is doing that. Habba is building her IRA and so far is pretty, I’ll just quote my ‘farrier’ one of the smartest individuals I’ve ever known and he only had to a seventh grade education. Two women riders were being rude to me because they had jumpers, and I had a cutter. He said: “ beauty is skin deep, but ugly girls clear to the bone.” When I saw Alina treating E. Jean so horridly, she was ugly to the bone. And the jury saw it too. in fact that behavior which may have been Trump initiated cost him $83 million. He is going to lose that on appeal. And after I saw, Alina behave so despicably to E. Jean, I thought “sweetie. You’re wasting your mascara.” That’s not an original statement by the way. Watch the dance scene in ‘The Birdcage’ when Albert told the dancer to stop chewing his gum and the dancer said it helped him think. Albert said “Sweetie. You’re wasting your gum.”
Not sure why Susan Necheles took the case. Perhaps she needed the money. But I think she’s probably regretting it. It’s better to pass the mirror test and not have a penny in your pocket. But that’s my opinion. Everyone under the first amendment is allowed to have their own opinion. We’re also allowed to have our own bad taste. And that’s all I’ll say about Alina Haba. Susan seems better, but I think she regrets the decision she made to represent him and I don’t think it had to do with being a Republican. She’s too smart to fall for that MAGA nonsense, especially after E. Jean Carroll and Robbie Kaplan and company annihilated him in court. I’m going with Susan needsed the money and Alina has been building her IRA. She’s been the Trump corporate counsel for quite a while, losing cases for him right and left. This is going to be a huge loss for Susan. But for an attorney to state she doesn’t care if she isn’t smart and would rather be pretty than smart sets Trump up to say he didn’t have proper legal representation. He could say he had no idea she didn’t study her case and would rather put on her make up then study her law books. And her even saying that could cause her to lose her law license and he could sue her for the money he has paid her. It’s really stupid on Alina’s part to say that (the interview is on YouTube by the way,) but I guess we’ve covered that question haven’t we? She is wasting her mascara. She might have a good defense herself because she’s represented him and lost cases over time so she can say “well you knew exactly how not smart I was.” But Susan shot herself in the foot today if she listened to Trump to attack Stormy. Especially the part about “changing story and not remembering.” The women on the jury are going to ask if that was a case of rape trauma, and some men might ask that question too.
Great breakdown!! I too have been wondering, for decades, why women want to desperately be in his orbit. Recent pictures I've seen coming out of Mar a lago, these women, excluding Susan Neckeles, are so pumped up with plastics. So glad they're doing their part in recycling.
Agree -- all the women in the Trump orbit look the same -- like full size Barbies -- same hair, same smoky eyes, same big red lips and extra white teeth -- they look like women 'newcasters' on Fox
Trump hires them based on how much they remind him of his daughter. He's told us that often enough with his off-the-cuff remarks regading Ivanka. Trump made his brand salaciousness, and now he's getting it back in spades (as we all are). He needs all this attention and has figured out (likely unintentionally) that he can feed the beast with not only his actions but his verbiage. He's giving all the rubes, including us, exactly what we want...someone to either depise or admire. Either way, he receives the adulation of the crowd and the attention he so desperately craves.
The thing that's sickening about his likening these women to Ivanka is that he's having sex with them in place of having it with Ivanka. I saw something a long time ago where he was commenting that she was sexy even as an infant. I don't know if he ever acted on the impulse to have sex with Ivanka, but even if he didn't, it's still nauseating.
TFG is bent, no two ways about it. He lives in an alternate universof which he is the center. He's not keen enough to know he's sick because he accepts no advise or criticism that he didn't originate. For me, it was clear when I found out that he worsipped Roy Cohn, as did his father.To have Cohn as is mentor and someone he looked up to after Cohn's role as a lying, cheating, vainglorious, HUAC phony, whose only real achievment was to die in disgrace, disbarred, debilitated; a legend in his own mind.
You have clearly articulated exactly my question. How in Heaven's name can women try to skewer another woman on behalf of arguably the most misogynistic proven liar that are ever likely to meet?
There is always a power dynamic. Those newly granted some kind/ degree of unusual power, (say a woman) must always find people to wield it over. People in classes low on the power scale (for example, women) are likely to be attractive targets even if the newly powerful person ( who will be longing for acceptance by those higher on the scale) is themself in that class. I’ve seen it play out a thousand times in the traditionally masculine field where i worked.
Many women saw themselves as needing to be 1️⃣ of the guys. On one occasion a boss i did particularly good work for complimented me by saying i was one of the guys, meaning he trusted and respected me.
In my peer group(in a highly technical field) there were 5-10% women.
I don't think much of Alina as lawyer or person of character but surprised at Susan, But then why surprised? Truly everything Trump touches dies so why shouldn't THESE lawyers also prostitute themselves and be smeared or belittled in the doing.
Fame, fortune, and more publicity. The old story that any publicity is “good publicity.” Regardless of gender there are too many willing to soil their hands for the opportunity to say, “I defended the president.”
Have you never heard of polls, exit and otherwise? The contrast between white women and Black women is enormous: something like 94% of Black women supported Biden-Harris in 2020.
Exit polls are held at the exits to polling places, right? And which polling places are chosen to send people to interview people as they leave? And in both elections where trump ran, how many people voted by mail? How many people voted in places where there were no interviewers standing outside? Polling has been left behind by technology (cell phones) and major changes in how and where people vote (especially during and after Covid); I think we've seen plenty of proof that political polling doesn't work anymore.
Attorneys are hired to represent an individual. My experience is that if one is in the criminal defense world you are well conditioned to look at the charges and make a decision as to representation regardless of the person or personality. There are a lot of people out there who could never get legal representation if “liking” was a prerequisite.
Necheles and Haba are the prostitutes they tried to vilify Daniel’s for; they’re in it for the money of course, but also for what they believe is fame as if it will help them. Little did they realize that their names will forever have an asterisk next to them indicating their whoring for TFG.
I resent the condemnation of attorneys because someone takes a client some people despise. Trump’s attorneys are professionals whether anyone’s likes it or not. They are not “prostitutes” and they most likely do not “need” the money. All of the posters here being judgmental about Trump’s legal representation should hope they never need someone to represent them in a criminal proceeding. I suppose for most of the people commenting only “nice” people or people they like or people they think are “innocent” get to have legal representation. I despise Donald Trump and I would never vote for him but to denigrate the attorneys he has hired because he is a terrible person is shallow and bigoted. Each of those individuals are experienced and acknowledged as experts in criminal law. Todd Blanche is a former federal prosecutor , Emil Bove was an assistant U. S .attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Next week you all will be cheering on Michael Cohen and calling him a hero for his testimony implicating Trump in the case. Sadly Cohen will be the sleaziest attorney in the courtroom and the one with the worst reputation in the legal community but his years of fealty to Trump will be overlooked because now he is now on the “right” side.
Well stated! It takes a special kind of personality for one to be a successful criminal defense attorney. One has to be absolutely fearless and oblivious to attacks by the prosecution, the public, and oftentimes the judge who may be a former prosecutor. It is literally the hardest job in the world. I lasted 18 months. Found prosecution much easier because you have ALL the legal weapons (staff, govt-paid investigators, and public opinion, most of the time) and don't have to beg the judge for permission to investigate DNA claims, etc. So, Jackie F., unless you have walked in a defense attorney's shoes, you shouldn't be rendering an opinion here. Not that I think Alina Habba is doing a decent job--she is not! And the defense attorneys in this case are unfortunately caught in the crossfire between the court/jury/prosecution and Trump, who micro-manages everything, most of the time not to his advantage. Witness the very unnecessary continuation of cross-ex of Stormy's direct testimony, which made the jury wonder what was up and did not help Trump's case at all (obviously the product of his yelling at the attorney's after the cross-examination that they were not being aggressive enough). I rest my case.
What is most astounding about the indictment charging former president Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of New York Penal Law §175.10?
What is most astounding about The Federal Elections Interference Case? 'In the two months between Election Day in 2020 and Jan. 6, 2021, Trump mounted a wide-ranging campaign to subvert Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential election. Trump and his advisers spread false information about voter fraud, urged Republican state officials to undermine the results in states that Biden won, assembled false slates of electors and pressured Mike Pence, the vice president, to unilaterally toss out the legitimate results. The effort culminated on Jan. 6, when a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol and disrupted the peaceful transfer of power. Federal prosecutors led by special counsel Jack Smith have charged Trump with four federal crimes stemming from his attempts to derail the transfer of power.' (Politico)
And that's not the last of the criminal cases against the former president; there is the Classified Documents Case and The Georgia Election Interference Case.
What is most astounding about all these cases is that the former president still roams free in the land of the free. It has been more than three years since the attack on the nation's Capitol and Donald Trump is the GOP’s presumptive presidential nominee. Isn't that astounding?
Excellent summary Fern!! But OMG - it just infuriates me how his continued bald faced lying to people that “he won the 2020 election by a lot” is repeated by professional journalists who know better to the point that so many people believe it. And when credible people (those who actually have the correct information) explain that he did in fact lose (by a lot!!) people just refuse to believe them. It’s brainwashing on a tremendous scale!!
I saw a clip somewhere about how AI has transcribed the Hitler speeches so that you can hear it in English - and it sounds just like what Trump says today. It’s so incredibly clear that it is happening again!!!
I greatly appreciate Joyce and this forum to help keep me sane while I teeter on the ledge!!!
Plus she shares amazing pictures of her chicks lol. Take care all!!!
Yay, Fern, you have joined the rest of us!!🥰 it is astounding that this two-bit gangster convinced a bunch of people he was their savior. Then he disses them as fast as he can. The burden is on the prosecution to prove there is no probability that Trump is not guilty. He’s GUILTY! Just waiting to see what the jury comes ip with.
Thank you Joyce for another great summary of how the case is going. It has been an exquisite pleasure to see the Donald slowly being taken apart by the prosecution, no matter what the outcome of the trial, the orange emperor will never be the same again. ( at least in this universe) A stint in jail for contempt of court would be the icing on the cake. Maybe we will get lucky and Jack Smith will have a go at him before November.
I think Jack Smith's case will never make it to trial before November. And if, God help us, Trump wins, Jack Smith will be on the receiving end of Trump style retribution. Vote Blue.
I'd like to see serious jail time as a result of conviction, as well as for contempt of court. If tfg (or OT) is totally incommunicado, I'm wondering if some of the idiocy that surrounds him, that he engenders, might subside?
I believe it would subside considerably as nobody it seems , can fill his shoes. The cowards who meekly go along with MAGA world might feel safe to speak up, with their cult figure safely isolated in a prison.
"Nobody…can fill his shoes." That gets my brain going in a million different directions, thinking about what that means. Maybe they're not quite as bad, or just as bad, but not as brazen? The one thing I can say for sure is that I really hope we never can find anybody to fill OT's shoes.
@ Susan S. What stands out for me, is his ability to draw large crowds and in that sense nobody can take his place. If I can believe the reports, he does not get crowds as large or enthusiastic as he once did. He is scheduled for a rally in Cape May, NJ soon. Police expect up to 40,000 people for that one. Let us see.
Thank you, Jack. I have to agree with you that no one else has the same ability to draw large crowds. I'll be interested to know how he does in Cape May. I, too have heard that the crowds are much smaller than he wants us to believe.
I shared this widely when it came out. Some stunning analysis in inspired prose, like this vivid sentence:
"In the Senate, the young hyenas, Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), study Trump’s demagogy and lick their chops, hoping for a turn at democracy’s carcass."
Hi Marlene, we can meet here. I'm sticking with Joyce V.
I agree that Francis Wilkinson's Opinion is a masterful description of corruption, but the body of America was already very corrupt when the snake oil salesman took over. The seeds have always been with us, plus the transfer of wealth; the sea change of technology without regulation, mixed with the Birchers et al; the Great Recession, (subprime mortgage crisis; predatory mortgage lending, unregulated markets, a massive amount of consumer debt, the creation of "toxic" assets, the collapse of home prices) along with the weaknesses of the Democratic Party primed us for the MAGAs and their sleazebag. .
The precursors of corruption--Nixon and Reagan--already smoothed the road with their lawlessness and corruption. Trump merely added the topcoat of tar on the road to a total undermining of democracy.
And Newt and Mitch have a lot of blood on their hands as well. Not to mention Grover Norquist and darn what IS that woman's name? "Right to Lifer". The GOP has been on a tear since FDR, frankly! But the low level of IQs (and complete lack of relevant training/experience) in their current candidates and office holders is stunningly appalling!
I also think it is way past time for requirements for high office, ie Congress, White House. Background checks for candidates with both mental and emotional quotients. Maybe even some minimum relevant experience (CEOs do not make good diplomats and tend to not be community minded). This is a far more complex world than the Founders'. We need more specific and qualified candidates to "lead" us.
I think every candidate for federal office should be able to pass the citizenship test required of all naturalized citizens. I'm not sure I could pass it any longer.
I also think public funding -- no more of this deep pocket purchasing of SCOTUS or a seat in Congress!!! And I do NOT want to hear about the First Amendment! There is NO RIGHT TO REIGN or to steal elections legally or unconstitutionally!
Ah, Ally, we meet again. Shall we arrange a late time, about midnight for me, to exchange
addresses, so we might be in contact from time to time? Let me know yea or nay, and if yea, I will respond with night in near future to execute! Please give me up to a couple of days to respond. Cheers!
Ally, I thought we might try tonight at 6:30 PM your time and 9:30 PM, mine, but you were not on your computer. I will have company for about the next week and half, so I will try again after May 23rd. Have a good weekend. Salud!
Great update. It's going to be fireworks when Michael Cohen testifies. I don't think Trump will be able to control himself in the courtroom or when making public statements.
Agreed, great update. And AGREED, TRUMP WON'T BE ABLE TO CONTAIN HIMSELF WHEN COHEN TESTIFIES. We're going to see Merchan's even-handed and FIRM response to that tantrum!
I'm hoping that Judge Merchan will sentence Trump to jail time for violating the gag order, to be served after the trial ends. Maybe in addition to the sentence? I don't know if that is possible but when (I'm putting my hope for conviction right out there) Trump gets the denouement--conviction and sentencing--maybe, just maybe, we won't hear from the Master of Corruption for a while. A good long while.
Sadly, I think we'd hear just as much from him...and all of it would be about how "unlawful," "shameful," "unfair," etc., any incarceration is, and he'd talk about how persecuted he has been. I think we'll never hear the last from him...ever.
Well, that's all we hear from him currently. It's all variations on a the same tired theme of grievances & victimhood. Even the MAGA crowd* might be getting a bit weary of the self-pity party. *(with the notable exceptions of the candidates for VP and those MAGA cultists who are deepest in thrall to the whiny, bitchy voice of their dear leader.)
If Trump gets a jail sentence that he has to serve, then he won't be communicating much from his cozy gray cinderblock cell. I will admit, however, that it is highly unlikely that Trump will ever be put in a common jail cell. I comfort myself that once Trump is no longer the source of entertainment that he has been, the spotlight of the media will move to some other squalling unfortunate and maybe we will get >some< surcease from his voice and image.
Stormy was one tough witness today. You go, girl! I wonder how don’s attorney will sleep tonight. Her repeated use of saying “orange turd”, IMO won’t go well for her.
I guess don thought if he used code names during the trial in California nobody would realize it was him. It states clearly that he reimbursed Cohen for payment to Daniels.
Defense again asking for a mistrial and then they got a SOLID NO from Judge Merchan. Then they wanted to modify the Gag Order so don could respond to Daniels’
Testimony. Another SOLID NO from Judge Merchan.
I MO, with all the previous testimony and paper trail shown, Cohen will be credible. That’s not to say the Defense won’t try to put holes in his testimony.
I wish the trial was televised live so we could see the expressions of all involved. Thank you,Joyce for thoroughly describing was had happened today and what to expect tomorrow.
What I’m interested to read about and to hear (since we aren’t allowed to watch for ourselves) is the extent to which Michael Cohen reveals additional bad shit on Trump over and above the confirmation of payment to Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet. Weisselberg probably has the most incriminating information about Trump and Weisselberg decided (based upon omertà) to fall on his sword and go to jail rather than reveal the truth. No honor among thieves. On the other hand, Cohen has paid a big price and I expect that he’ll use this opportunity to hit the hydraulic lever at Fishkill and dump a large pile of smelly truth all over his former boss. The prosecution needs to open the door up as far as it can for Cohen tell the truth. If Cohen holds up, Trump is finished with respect to this particular case.
The defense attorney Necheles attempted to treat Stormy as they would a rape victim. They wanted to pierce her testimony to try to convey that she was lying, that she changed her story, they slut shamed her. But to me, caveat I’m not a rape victim counselor, but it seemed that when she testified prior that she couldn’t remember how she got on the bed, it was the trauma thing of a rape victim who has blocked her memory. So my question is this: did he rape her? We already know that he is a convicted rapist, and this memory trauma thing is huge with rape, victims, and victims of any trauma, but especially the rape. And also it doesn’t matter squat what your profession is: no means no, and he was an old man to her she was 27 years old. She asked him about his wife.
Yes. He raped her. The details of her description - just wanting to get it over with after trying hard to escape - are a well known terror reaction. A freezing up of the physical. The equivalent of an animal going limp when it is tortured.
Thank you Moninna. I am hoping at least one of the 12 jurors knows about the terror reaction. He is not on trial for rape. But if I were a juror, having it explained that he raped her, she did not have recall is common and honest testimony, would impact how I viewed TFG’s credibility. Especially after he was convicted of rape in E. Jean’s trial. So tying this testimony of rape with the Access Hollywood tape that he can do anything he wishes to a woman ‘because he is famous’ will destroy him in public opinion. Again, he is not on trial for rape, but this is even more justification for him, not wanting Stormy to tell her story.
We can all hope so. Stormy is a veritable Medusa. Majestic narrative reversing strength in the face of such predictable victim blaming by Trump’s team 🐈⬛
I honestly didn’t see that part coming (slut shaming, challenging the veracity of her story). It struck me when she said she couldn’t remember how she got on the bed and suddenly I thought she ‘blanked it out because it was a trauma.’ This is not someone who went to that room to have an affair with him. But of course, he is the narcissist and the only victim. But it appears her prosecutors prepared her for his defense attorneys doing that. Stormy was well prepared I think. It’s just so bonehead of Susan Necheles to go down this path when her client Is a convicted rapist, and the hollywood tapes are public Ivana’s deposition from their divorce, where she details how he raped her and pulled her hair out after she had recommended a doctor for his hair implant surgery and it turned out to be painful. This conviction will be important to keep him out of office. For him, everything is for sale and we don’t know what he’s done with the missing documents. He recently had a meeting with a group of oil, billionaires at Mira Largo. He promised to undo Biden’s energy policies if he is elected. Trump took us out of the Paris, accords and Biden signed the application For the US to be admitted back on his very first day in office: that was inauguration day. Directly after the inauguration, he signed the papers.
Stormy laid the facts out succinctly. She has never wavered. She blames herself for allowing herself to get into that situation. That is what some rape victims do, typical. Nechels tried to paint her as a whore but that didn’t fly. Stormy stared her down and corrected her when she discombobulated Stormy’s previous statements. In the South, we call that a “whoopin”!
I appreciate the sentiment, and Stormy played it really well, it was her truth, but as a former prosecutor I can tell you that sexual assault charges would NEVER stick in this case. She could have left the scene at any time. She spanked him with a magazine. etc etc.....sorry. It is not at all like the E. Jean Carroll case. Recall they could not get there with the sexual assault charge in that case.
True and well stated. I just don’t think most people understand the difficulties in this case, the Florida case, the J6 and Georgia case. There is nothing “slam dunk” about any of this even though Daniels played it well. Anyone who has had to put a case together (civil or criminal) and face a jury knows that everything doesn’t just “fall together.” I would not want to be an attorney in this case - the pressure from Trump on the defense side and the expectations of the public on the prosecutors - would be too much. My nerves are not that strong. Judge Merchan is doing a good job.
She said he blocked her as she attempted to leave. Plus there was a guard outside the door (who most likely was sworn to “loyalty” as he does with all his employees).
Thank you Laura, and I appreciate your clarification. Any woman who is ever alone with Trump, Is in the wrong place at the wrong time no matter the place or the time. Re E. Jean Carroll, in the end, when the jury found him guilty of sexual assault and awarded her $5 million, she went on a talk show the next day and said he had raped her. Then there was a big kerfuffle, and he filed an appeal to dismiss the case because he said he had been found “innocent of rape.“ And then judge Kaplan said to him in court: “you raped her.” But was having to do not with a sexual assault charge per se, more of the defamation case, yes?
I just googled, and under CA Civ Pro Code Act 340.16 adult victims can file a case within 10 years. So the prosecutors are limited by this 10 year rule. But we do have the court of public opinion with the election coming. I think he’s been damaged by Stormy’s testimony. The jury can’t make a decision on rape, but surely they are influenced by his low moral character. For Trump, everything is for sale and for Trump everyone can be bought. Stormy is showing him she’s not for sale.
Sorry: i’m correcting the response below. It was meant to say 10 years in California, where the rape occurred. So they can’t prosecuted now. I wish California would provide the same window that was provided in New York for rape victims. It was this law with a one year window that allowed E. Jean Carroll to file her lawsuit against Trump.
10 years in New York, according to the code that I found. E. Jean Carroll was able to file in New York because a law went into affect that gave her a one year window. That’s when she contacted Robbie Kaplan and filed her case.
The Former Guy's book, "Think Big" was introduced & authenticated by the Vice President, Tracy Mensies, of the Publisher HARPER COLLINS. The book was co-authored but, Tracy pointed out that Trump's written words were printed in a different ,Font, SARIFF.
It was easy evidentiary wise, to admit his written words into evidence including Trump's actual words, mottos & attack themes as follows:
"Always Get Even" & "I value loyalty above all else." 'Go to the mattresses if anyone is disloyal. Hat tip to The Godfather. "Think BIG -- Make it Happen in Life & Business". By all means possible, micromanage everything, sign your own personal checks, pay your ex-Fixer $450,00.00 to fix things. Falsify business records at will. Commit campaign finance violations, tax fraud & other bad acts while you re "making it all happen".
Bryan, you added the last line yes? ‘ serve your own time at Rikers’ :)
I know he’s not on trial for being a narcissist, but in a sense what he’s done by making his special font because he wants to stand out as the author of these particular statements has sort of nailed him. Anyone else would let the writer construct and give him credit where he needed to. Then he could come back and contest it and say I didn’t really say that.
You are correct, I did add the last line not only because of a possible conviction but, as a comment of the substantial progress toward that result.
FRIDAY NOON UPDATE: The Jury has been released [correction] for the Weekend & will be back in the Jury Box on Monday, May 13.
Cohen is 1 of 2 remaining Witnesses. & will likely testify starting Tuesday next week.
The Judge & the Parties are still in session arguing how to handle CFO, ALAN WEISSELBERG's testimony & the fact he is in jail at Rikers.
We will all have a Transcript of the Sidebar tomorrow but, it sounds like Judge Merchan will order his Trial Deposition taken by Video. Thus, the Judge could make evidentiary decisions on admissibility & edit the tape if necessary.
It came out that WEISSELBEG signed an NDA with tfg that prohibits his cooperation with anyone on lawsuits much less the NY DA. In return ALAN gets substantial yearly payments which are continuing. Something of a retirement plan for ALAN while he sits in situ in Jail.
I know Rikers is the option for New York sentencing, but I think he will most likely be sentenced to a high security place at a military base or CIA headquarters where they can build a house next-door for rotating Secret Service agents. I’m only thinking that because he is an ex-president and he would be near to the Walter Reid hospital for his health. His MAGA would go berserk should he have a health issue such as a stroke, heart, and metabolic syndrome condition from his poor diet. The logistics of getting him to Walter Reed with a set up that’s already designed for presidential security would be better than a New York hospital. Just a thought.
Also, I’m a lay person, I think one of the biggest pieces missing from the chessboard is the fact that there was Russian interference in the 2016 election and Cambridge Analytica CEO testified to that. Trump benefited from the data from the Facebook, Cambridge Analytica collusion. The American people deserve more than a senate report. There has been no accountability. And the minute Trump got into office he was trying to set up a back channel to Russia. The Senate report tells us that counterintelligence found Russia again trying to influence the 2020 vote. We know that Trump still holds the data from both campaigns and is using it through Steve Bannon in his War Room podcast. Paul Manafort with his Russia connections is back as an advisor for Trump. It’s too bad Steve Bannon’s trial is delayed to September. Everything is hinging on ‘if’ but ‘if’ Bannon is found guilty by a jury (same judge, Merchan) in his build the wall fraud trial, and Trump is found guilt by this jury, we are whacking away at and possibly disabling this three headed domestic snake. Election interference by Russia is so huge, and with the senate report that was bipartisan, finding definitively that there was Russian interference involving Paul Manafort in 2016, why not charges? Maybe that is in the works, but he’s back playing a role and Trump’s 2024 campaign And his only skill that I can see that he brings to the table is money laundering, and Russian interference.
Valere you are much more than 'lay person,\'. Your deductive reason skills are where they should be -- 20 to 40 steps ahead. That is a very useful skill Very helpful when a Judge asks you for a 'Profe'r in Chambers. These Umpires do not like surprises.
Thank you. I think it’s important to always lineup the plans A, B, C and D and always keep asking ‘what if’ without tipping our own hand. I love how Jack Smith smokes them out but nobody smokes him out. So long as Trump keeps driving the show he’s losing in court. And those attorneys are allowing him to call the shots, which is only helping us. His driven the Republican bus off the cliff. He’s driving himself off the cliff now. We just have to decide which incarceration will go into. I don’t think Rikers But I get it that you are referring generally to a prison. He won’t have home incarceration. He’s going to very plain and secure facility for the rest of his life. It’s going to take a lot more than Secret Service to handle his situation and that’s why I say it’s Langley, CIA headquarters - close to Walter Reed - a few minutes by helicopter. No-frills. Basic care, No cell phone or computer access.
One thing I discovered on this Substack it takes a whole lot more than logic and high analytical reasoning to understand the legal we are on. I’m hoping that people understand that while we will win Biden reelected in November, with a blue bicameral Congress, we have to stay together with this kind of community for at least four Democrat cycles. We have rights to restore, but just as important: we have only 50 years to do something about the climate, specifically our topsoil renewal. So we can’t act like we’re one trick pony that can only get rid of a despot dictator. That will go a long way. We’re in the Paris accords, but we have to do something like the French agricultural minister suggested at Davos: draw down, forming small farms, running cattle on these farms - Letting them graze on deep rooted grass, to draw down CO2 from the atmosphere. Along with that comes getting rid of factory farms, which are only cruel, and a return to health with whole foods, plant-based homegrown food. So there’s lots of work to do once we get through this horrific presidential election event. It’s going to get better, but we better be prepared for the long-haul. And our climate policies need to reflect that or there won’t be any long-haul for anyone. I love the idea of farming co-ops to grow organic plants and medicinal herbs on 1, 2, 3 and 4 acre parcels. So when I say there is so much to be done, it’s truly in the legal, policy, climate areas. I think that is my forte:))
I think the folks on this Substack would make a formidable team to push these policies through.
"getting rid of factory farms" will create another lobbying group as vicious and well funded as the Kock brother's "getting rid of the oil" one. We still have so much work to do, saving us and our planet.
Valere, I really do appreciate your glass half-full point of view, but I don't think Trump will spend one minute in lock-up, even with a conviction in the current trial.
Valere, with all the interference (cacophony, as it were), it is so easy to miss this important information. Thank you! At least as of today the appellate court has held that Bannon will have to actually serve some time for his refusal to testify before Congress. He is flat dangerous, largely because he has such an intense MAGA following.
I wonder if "Think Big" had anything to do with his having "small hands"… And his brain power being not great. In other words, thinking something will make it happen (aka magical thinking).
No comments about Rick Scott, scumbag senator/Trump mouthpiece. The media keeps replaying his statement. “It’s a crime in this country to go after the court system to go after your political opponents. What’s happening in this courtroom is clearly criminal. It’s been led by political thugs — the lead prosecutor was the number three person at the Biden Justice Department. The Judge’s daughter is a political operative and raises money for Democrats. You’ve got the lead prosecutor’s wife is a significant donor to Democrats, and I think to Biden. So this is just a bunch of Democrats saying that we want to make sure that Donald Trump can’t talk.”
If I were Bragg, I'd ask for an evidentiary hearing to determine whether Trump put him up to it, in violation of the gag order.
Still waiting to see whether Trump's NY contempt is a violation of bail in GA, DC, SDFL.
Rick Scott, aka Skeletor, himself a dirtbag thief guilty of defrauding Medicare for millions, ought to keep his pie hole shut. Scott's given Floridians and Florida a very disreputable image as the Florida voters apparently have no problem electing a criming thief to be governor and then senator. Of course Floridians also elected that MAGA bot DeSantis, as well...must be something in the water or maybe a build up of mercury from toxic fish???
Obviously he is in the running for Trump's VP. Interesting to see the machinations of the various "candidates." I think perhaps that Gov. Noem has split her britches with the "I killed my dog" statement and her insistence that she met with Kim Jong Un when that claim has been totally debunked.
The only reason Scott is being considered for VP is to capture the black vote. But anyone who is knowledgeable of history would realize Trump is a racist. Going back to he & his father being sued for discriminating against colored people from being a remnant. Also violating disrupting a peaceful Black Lives Matter demonstration so he coul hold up a bible in front of a church. Making it much harder for the black people to vote. Just a few examples of many.
Agreed. Stormy was impressive. I hope Michael Cohen has read your commentary and that of your attorney colleagues as MSNBC today. I love the judge. One for the history (and law) books, it seems to me. What on earth can he do about Rick Scott? and the rest of the sycophants? Trump’s personal swamp.
Cripes, Skeletor has been a grifting moron for DECADES. Even Trump, self-absorbed as he is, should have been able to have noticed that for himself! Did Skeletor have to prove his "bona fides"?
He must mean seals that do tricks for their master. Like the seal that spins the ball on his nose. I can’t imagine our reputable Navy SEALS would be his example.
Hello Lynell. Well, I loved the fact that the Prosecutors brought in the Harper Collins VP to meet the NY character evidence exceptions. See, my extended riff below. My keyboard does not have the SARIFF font or I what has used it tp quote tffg's words. I hoping Cohen can parry as good as Stephanie Clifford. Best to keep Cohen to "just the facts". The People's closing argument writes itself.
Bryan, Cohen is a little intimidating so I hope he can tone things down just a bit, for the jury, not for Trump. I really believe this will be the showdown at the OK Corral. What do you think?
Hoping Cohen has a lawyer who’s insisting he’s studying Stormy’s quick but controlled responses to unrelenting attacks yesterday. He has the truth on his side. The key for Cohen is control.
Apparently the insipid bastard aka the orange turd, had a diaper blow out which resulted in Scott showing up, true to form he exuded more diarrhea the moment he opened his yap. Perfect 👍
I thought the gag order included any of the sycophants that made comments about the trial that would intimidate witnesses or accomplish anything else antithetical to the trial. I would like to see Rick Scott held in contempt of court.
So would I. He’s spreading hateful propaganda. It made my stomach turn. Look at his record. As a fabulously wealthy CEO of a major Florida healthcare provider, he defrauded Medicare $ 1.9 Billion; was prosecuted by DOJ, forced to repay 1.7 B in the 1990s. With fiery vengeance, Rick Scott is first in line to kill social security, Medicare and the DOJ.
As an old person, killing any of the programs designed for us would be awful. Ditto for the DOJ. A country can't survive without law and order. This country should not be voting for people who want free rein to screw the rest of us for their own benefit.
Yes. I imagine an overwhelming number of retirees - in the tens of millions - who would lose shelter, either by foreclosure or eviction. What would happen to the value of surrounding property evaluations? 55+ communities would collapse, as would certain rental buildings falling nationwide. Ghettos on the outskirts of metro centers and gated communities.
The one I worry most about is Medicare. Medical care is ridiculously expensive as it is, but with our societal litigiousness, and what would happen if law and order were to disappear, it would be unimaginable. I speak as one who requires a lot of medical care these days.
It will be catastrophic for most Americans. As Hilary Clinton noted, if the Supreme Court can overturn Roe, the conservative justices can just as easily overturn S.S. and Medicare. This has been the conservative goal since Reagan..They mean business.
Prosecution has already established both motive and intent...Cohen will apply the icing to the People's cake, and also totally inflame tRump into untoward behavior in the courtroom. The Orange Turd's lawyers will beat Cohen like a piñata, bring up his lies, etc., but for all that, there's the inescapable connection to "Individual-1", the person the feds didn't indict but who was the beneficiary and co-perp of Cohen's crime. Pure gold for the prosecution.
But Trump can respond to questions about Stormy Daniels’ testimony publicly, without changing the gag order - his attorneys can just put him on the stand….
I think Stormy was amazing. Authentic, articulate and not going to be intimidated. She had Necheles' lunch. Grizzle Grizzle.
I was in the overflow room in court yesterday. At one point a statement of her was read on the screen that, “I wish the orange slob would flush down the toilet.” I think she was being asked to confirm those words.
As I later took the subway back to Grand Central for the Metro North ride back to Connecticut, I looked over on the tracks and spied a rat and immediately thought of TFG. I next saw a cockroach crawling on the edge of the platform as a man walked toward it and I wondered if he was going to step on it. But at the last moment, the roach crawled over the edge down onto the track area and made his escape. It remains to be seen if TFG will also, like the cockroach, too make his escape.
I believe the term was “orange turd”.
It was 🍊💩! Lawrence O’Donnell is worth a look:
https://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word/watch/lawrence-why-trump-s-lawyer-called-him-the-orange-turd-during-stormy-testimony-210625605606
Lawrence O’Donnell is great! Better than many attorneys! Everyone should listen to this commentary. Spot on!
Jason, Thanks for sending this link. It was incredible and I hope everyone watches Lawrence O'Donnell's show from yesterday's court proceedings.
The o’donnell piece was very very enlightening. My opinion of Blanche went way down. How could he open the door like to whether or not they had a sexual encounter and then expect to keep it out. I havent been reading transcripts; guess i should srart.
Yes good
Wow!
Indeed you are correct. I like being corrected for this. Especially when turd is better then slob. Thank you. Do you know how hard it is to set on a bench with a iPad open and a separate keyboard on your lap trying to listen to the monitor and write?
Thank you for your service!
🥰
Indeed! Thank You, Bill!
Ah… Schucks, it was nothing, lol.
Thank you for representing us Bill!
Au schucks… It was nothing, lol. But I’ll take the kudos for sure.
But you sat on a hard bench for us!
Yup! Love it!
Yes the correct term was "ORANGE TURD"!
Nice metaphor!
According to Stormy’s report of their conversation, trump likened her to ivanka by saying they were both attractive, smart and might be underestimated. It appears he and Necheles (@ his guidance no doubt) underestimated her considerably.
I cannot wait for the movie!!!
Haw! Would you have written it better??
I think the story is already good. It’s what L.A. movie moguls fear, that an actual story will upstage their own scripts. “You can’t make this stuff up!” It would be watched for sure, especially since we can only imagine what is really happening in the court room. Lots of ink has already been spilt writing about Trump’s life in the many books already published. Movies will follow.
Not only that, but the first "serious" treatment of that x-exam will go down in history as "If The Orange Turd's Courtroom Had a Camera, This Is What You'd Have Seen!" Perhaps the Trump attorney will ah, bribe her to stop her from going through that project. The ultimate catch-and-kill cum NDA!
Then at some appropriate time (any!), Stormy can make her unredacted version. I can't get that image out of my head, when she described O.T.'s "member" in her book. To use Senator Marco Rubio's euphemism-for-TV: small hands. This becomes a movie casting problem: what man would want the world to know his "small hands" looked like that cartoon?
Still, overcome that problem, and here's the banner: "You think 'sleeping with the enemy' is sleazy? Try sleeping with an O.T."
Or cast it better?
I'm not so good at casting, I only watch sci-fi or films in which San Francisco is the star.
I'm open to recommendations!
The only casting improvement I can gin up: insert the P.O.'ed spouse as a Greek Chorus of Herself as a narrator. Not that she's necessary, but the mere thought of P.O.S. in it would draw an even greater viewing audience.
Unless Barron's mom was to claim the right to appear personally, the only actor I know who's played the role is Laura Benanti. She won a Tony for impersonating 'Melania' on Colbert and got some follow-up gigs.
If we can't get Benanti, I would go with a talking dog as narrator. I always loved that Pets.com sock puppet; cast an Orange Tinted puppet as his/her/its cousin.
The lead could be portrayed by a gorilla flinging poop.
Full Disclosure.....Stormys book is worth every cent. She is the real deal!!! Was not suprised that she blew the Orange Turd right out of his overflowing, stinking, driipping...grosss Depends.
My bet: Her follow-up volume will be on the 'net within 2 weeks of the trial ending.
I went to a local film festival honoring The Mistress of the Dark, Elvira*. I can envision Stormy's national book tour. I can be there, too! *Cassandra Peterson, a.k.a. Twin Peaks (just a couple of miles from the San Francisco theater!)
Right on Norm. Where did Danny Cevallos, the MSNBC analist on Morning Joe come from?
He must be a MAGA plant to say the crap about Stormy today. What is wrong with these Trumpists???
I’m at a stop sign texting WJB could you send back the title and is it on Amazon?
Morning Joe is on YOUTUBE
It would have to be an animated movie. Only a cartoon would do.
Yes! With emphasis on the colors…
If Alec Baldwin isn't in jail, he does a great Orange Turd!
He was the best no one comes close.
I already wrote the basic plot as the last story in Donald’s Vanity Tantrums.
The Citizen Kane Movie of Tomorrow: Citizen Trump
February 17, 2024
The classic movie Citizen Kane directed, produced, and starred in by Orson Welles will one day in the future, have a remake only this time the main pseudo-fictional character will be Donald Trump. The movie scene will open with a very bloated relic of his former self; uneven orange-smeared makeup slobbed across his face in bed. His overgrown blond hair is found similar to the muss of Boris Johnson’s now showing gray roots from lack of up-to-date hair dye. He periodically wakes from a semi-conscious state at his future dilapidated Mar-a-Lago residence (for lack of having sufficient funds to upkeep the property due to previous constant litigation and losses.) He looks around demanding more Kentucky Fried Chicken wings as low paid personal rush in another bucket and his last word is not “Rosebud” as in the movie Citizen Kane but:
“Stormy.” And the ex 45th president of the United States expires. The camera fades to black then opens at Le Club in the early disco 1970s, a members-only Manhattan nightclub in the East 50s, where models, fashionistas and a variety of Eurotrash (including his wife) went to be seen.
“The government has just filed suit against our company,” said Trump, “saying we discriminated against Blacks. What do you think we should do?”
The Roy Cohn obedient ass-kisser to Senator Joe McCarthy hearings accusing entertainment personalities of being communists shoots back, “Tell them to go to hell and fight the thing in court and let them prove you discriminated against them.”
Roy Cohn has become Trump’s go-to lawyer and fixer.
Cohn admonishes the young Trump to 1. Never settle. Never surrender. 2. Counter-attack, counter-sue immediately. 3. No matter what happens, no matter how deep into the shit you get, claim victory and never admit defeat.
These lessons were found to be the essential attributes of his future self.
And so it was.
Necheles' necklace too!
Trump really got a spanking today during Stormy's cross-ex! She was on her game and much more confident than she was even during direct. She showed that she is smart and witty, and It was truly an embarrassment when the defense tried to slut shame her. They certainly didn't do that with Hope Hicks! I truly look forward to Michael Cohen's testimony, and am hoping that the orange turd is finally held accountable!
Lawyers don't always agree with their client. Not necessarily even close. They're hired to do a job, are well paid and hopefully do it. It's the idea behind a land of laws and not men.
I couldn't doi it but someone must if our democracy is to flourish.
I just do not understand how any woman, specifically Susan Necheles or Alina Habba, can represent trump in court. The man is the antithesis of anything decent, and his mistreatment of women is legendary. Do they see “something “ the rest of the world doesn’t in this poor excuse for a human? Or is it hard cash ( if he’s even paid) and a potential a spot on Fox News? I don’t like being critical of other women, but their defense of him boggles the mind.
They're both Republicans, aka Morons. Republican women have always been your enemy.
Only since the GOP started going hard right from the '70s onward, and even then . . . It's more that the women who oppose women's rights -- anti-choice women, white evangelical Christian women, et al. -- currently have a nice comfy home in the male-money-dominated GOP (which has courted them for decades).
Interestingly enough, the women's suffrage movement finally pushed through the 19th Amendment when the white southern women who had led resistance to the idea told their husbands in the final year of the battle that they needed the votes of women on their side to "maintain order" for white people and offset the votes of all the "wrong" women who would be voting.
That may well have been a factor, but anti-suffrage women were in leadership roles right down to the wire: Tennessee, the 36th and final state needed to ratify. Elaine Weiss's THE WOMAN'S HOUR is very good on this. And for fun, check out this great "Bad Romance" parody from 2012. Meredith Garrison is riveting as the Alice Paul character, and ratification really did hang on Harry Burns's vote. https://youtu.be/IYQhRCs9IHM?si=irXQoT5cAQ5o1VsJ
I mention the white supremacy "suffragists" just because we're still dealing with their type today.
White supremacy coupled with male supremacy. I've long wished that the polls would break both women and men down into straight / lesbian/gay / neither / both. Before same-sex marriage became a legal thing, you could do your surmising from the "single" category but not any more.
That's the truth...
Yes, what WAS that woman's name (dead now) who fought so hard against women's rights? She even wrote a book. Clearly I've blocked her from my mind.
Only one?? White women were among the leaders of the anti-suffrage movement. (Elaine Weiss's THE WOMAN'S HOUR is good on this -- it focuses on the ratification fight in Tennessee.) White women are very visible in the anti-choice movement. They pissed me off big-time when they named one of their organizations after Susan B. Anthony. They aren't so visible among the leaders of the white evangelical movement, but you can bet that they're doing most of the work. P.S. You might be thinking of Phyllis Schlafly, who was very prominent in the fight against the ERA.
Yes, Schlafly! What a witch! Left my mouth open every time. Now it's Conway who most disappoints. Thanks.
Long time ago I heard someone say that we'd know women had achieved equality when there were as many mediocre women in positions of power as mediocre men. I look at Kellyanne Conway, and Elise Stefanik, Kristi Noem, Marsha Blackburn, Sidney "Release the Kraken" Powell, Marjorie Taylor Greene, etc., and wonder if we've arrived. We're still seriously under-represented among the billionaires and mega-multi-millionaires, however.
Lol. Lowest common denominator? Ugh.
Anita Bryant?
No, Schafly. But I had forgotten Bryant too. Exhausting females.
Phyllis Schlafly. A horror.
Yes. Thanks. I have blocked her name from my memory! She was a horror to womanhood!
Phyllis Shaffly(sp???)
Shafley
Alina Habba has said in an interview that she would rather be pretty than smart because she could fake being smart. Susan Necheles has a good reputation as a good attorney, but we know that once trial starts the attorney has to have the judges permission to leave the case. And Trump can get awfully demanding of his his attorneys during court. Defense attorneys want to give their client the best representation. Necheles is doing that. Habba is building her IRA and so far is pretty, I’ll just quote my ‘farrier’ one of the smartest individuals I’ve ever known and he only had to a seventh grade education. Two women riders were being rude to me because they had jumpers, and I had a cutter. He said: “ beauty is skin deep, but ugly girls clear to the bone.” When I saw Alina treating E. Jean so horridly, she was ugly to the bone. And the jury saw it too. in fact that behavior which may have been Trump initiated cost him $83 million. He is going to lose that on appeal. And after I saw, Alina behave so despicably to E. Jean, I thought “sweetie. You’re wasting your mascara.” That’s not an original statement by the way. Watch the dance scene in ‘The Birdcage’ when Albert told the dancer to stop chewing his gum and the dancer said it helped him think. Albert said “Sweetie. You’re wasting your gum.”
Not sure why Susan Necheles took the case. Perhaps she needed the money. But I think she’s probably regretting it. It’s better to pass the mirror test and not have a penny in your pocket. But that’s my opinion. Everyone under the first amendment is allowed to have their own opinion. We’re also allowed to have our own bad taste. And that’s all I’ll say about Alina Haba. Susan seems better, but I think she regrets the decision she made to represent him and I don’t think it had to do with being a Republican. She’s too smart to fall for that MAGA nonsense, especially after E. Jean Carroll and Robbie Kaplan and company annihilated him in court. I’m going with Susan needsed the money and Alina has been building her IRA. She’s been the Trump corporate counsel for quite a while, losing cases for him right and left. This is going to be a huge loss for Susan. But for an attorney to state she doesn’t care if she isn’t smart and would rather be pretty than smart sets Trump up to say he didn’t have proper legal representation. He could say he had no idea she didn’t study her case and would rather put on her make up then study her law books. And her even saying that could cause her to lose her law license and he could sue her for the money he has paid her. It’s really stupid on Alina’s part to say that (the interview is on YouTube by the way,) but I guess we’ve covered that question haven’t we? She is wasting her mascara. She might have a good defense herself because she’s represented him and lost cases over time so she can say “well you knew exactly how not smart I was.” But Susan shot herself in the foot today if she listened to Trump to attack Stormy. Especially the part about “changing story and not remembering.” The women on the jury are going to ask if that was a case of rape trauma, and some men might ask that question too.
Great breakdown!! I too have been wondering, for decades, why women want to desperately be in his orbit. Recent pictures I've seen coming out of Mar a lago, these women, excluding Susan Neckeles, are so pumped up with plastics. So glad they're doing their part in recycling.
Agree -- all the women in the Trump orbit look the same -- like full size Barbies -- same hair, same smoky eyes, same big red lips and extra white teeth -- they look like women 'newcasters' on Fox
Trump hires them based on how much they remind him of his daughter. He's told us that often enough with his off-the-cuff remarks regading Ivanka. Trump made his brand salaciousness, and now he's getting it back in spades (as we all are). He needs all this attention and has figured out (likely unintentionally) that he can feed the beast with not only his actions but his verbiage. He's giving all the rubes, including us, exactly what we want...someone to either depise or admire. Either way, he receives the adulation of the crowd and the attention he so desperately craves.
The thing that's sickening about his likening these women to Ivanka is that he's having sex with them in place of having it with Ivanka. I saw something a long time ago where he was commenting that she was sexy even as an infant. I don't know if he ever acted on the impulse to have sex with Ivanka, but even if he didn't, it's still nauseating.
TFG is bent, no two ways about it. He lives in an alternate universof which he is the center. He's not keen enough to know he's sick because he accepts no advise or criticism that he didn't originate. For me, it was clear when I found out that he worsipped Roy Cohn, as did his father.To have Cohn as is mentor and someone he looked up to after Cohn's role as a lying, cheating, vainglorious, HUAC phony, whose only real achievment was to die in disgrace, disbarred, debilitated; a legend in his own mind.
Same balloon boobs too.
Well said.
Have you been in court for this one?
Yesterday was the only time for this case. Last October I sat in at E. Jean.
Yup farriers ARE very clever!! I remember that scene in the Birdcage, too. Too bad tfg doesnt chew gum - could it possibly "help him think"?
Umm, would you really use "think" in the same sentence as tfg? From what I've seen he's mostly reactionary.
Great line from the birdcage and the updated mascara version - HAHA exactly
You have clearly articulated exactly my question. How in Heaven's name can women try to skewer another woman on behalf of arguably the most misogynistic proven liar that are ever likely to meet?
Hubris. And Money.
There is always a power dynamic. Those newly granted some kind/ degree of unusual power, (say a woman) must always find people to wield it over. People in classes low on the power scale (for example, women) are likely to be attractive targets even if the newly powerful person ( who will be longing for acceptance by those higher on the scale) is themself in that class. I’ve seen it play out a thousand times in the traditionally masculine field where i worked.
Many women saw themselves as needing to be 1️⃣ of the guys. On one occasion a boss i did particularly good work for complimented me by saying i was one of the guys, meaning he trusted and respected me.
In my peer group(in a highly technical field) there were 5-10% women.
Prostitution comes in many forms.
It’s all about the$$$$$ if they are lucky enough to actually get paid.and getting names in the news
I don't think much of Alina as lawyer or person of character but surprised at Susan, But then why surprised? Truly everything Trump touches dies so why shouldn't THESE lawyers also prostitute themselves and be smeared or belittled in the doing.
Fame, fortune, and more publicity. The old story that any publicity is “good publicity.” Regardless of gender there are too many willing to soil their hands for the opportunity to say, “I defended the president.”
Lots of luck with that.
That’s why she should know about porn and prostitution. She’s taking money for this.
Exactly, but even worse are the women out there who actually say they will vote for him!!! Yikes!!!
Close to 60 percent of white women voted for Trump. Twice. Nuff said.
How can you tell if a voter is white? Aren't ballots supposed to be anonymous?
Have you never heard of polls, exit and otherwise? The contrast between white women and Black women is enormous: something like 94% of Black women supported Biden-Harris in 2020.
I have never considered polls to be actual factual data. (Have you never lied to a pollster?) But thanks for this info. Appreciated.
Exit polls are held at the exits to polling places, right? And which polling places are chosen to send people to interview people as they leave? And in both elections where trump ran, how many people voted by mail? How many people voted in places where there were no interviewers standing outside? Polling has been left behind by technology (cell phones) and major changes in how and where people vote (especially during and after Covid); I think we've seen plenty of proof that political polling doesn't work anymore.
And you know this HOW?????
😫😭
😢
Attorneys are hired to represent an individual. My experience is that if one is in the criminal defense world you are well conditioned to look at the charges and make a decision as to representation regardless of the person or personality. There are a lot of people out there who could never get legal representation if “liking” was a prerequisite.
Agreed. Very good point. I just find this defendant so repulsive. Guess I wouldn’t make a defense attorney!
Money. They know that if trump won't pay them, his fan base will.
Necheles and Haba are the prostitutes they tried to vilify Daniel’s for; they’re in it for the money of course, but also for what they believe is fame as if it will help them. Little did they realize that their names will forever have an asterisk next to them indicating their whoring for TFG.
I resent the condemnation of attorneys because someone takes a client some people despise. Trump’s attorneys are professionals whether anyone’s likes it or not. They are not “prostitutes” and they most likely do not “need” the money. All of the posters here being judgmental about Trump’s legal representation should hope they never need someone to represent them in a criminal proceeding. I suppose for most of the people commenting only “nice” people or people they like or people they think are “innocent” get to have legal representation. I despise Donald Trump and I would never vote for him but to denigrate the attorneys he has hired because he is a terrible person is shallow and bigoted. Each of those individuals are experienced and acknowledged as experts in criminal law. Todd Blanche is a former federal prosecutor , Emil Bove was an assistant U. S .attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Next week you all will be cheering on Michael Cohen and calling him a hero for his testimony implicating Trump in the case. Sadly Cohen will be the sleaziest attorney in the courtroom and the one with the worst reputation in the legal community but his years of fealty to Trump will be overlooked because now he is now on the “right” side.
For me, one big reason for defense attorneys getting a bad rap is Alan Dershowitz
Well stated! It takes a special kind of personality for one to be a successful criminal defense attorney. One has to be absolutely fearless and oblivious to attacks by the prosecution, the public, and oftentimes the judge who may be a former prosecutor. It is literally the hardest job in the world. I lasted 18 months. Found prosecution much easier because you have ALL the legal weapons (staff, govt-paid investigators, and public opinion, most of the time) and don't have to beg the judge for permission to investigate DNA claims, etc. So, Jackie F., unless you have walked in a defense attorney's shoes, you shouldn't be rendering an opinion here. Not that I think Alina Habba is doing a decent job--she is not! And the defense attorneys in this case are unfortunately caught in the crossfire between the court/jury/prosecution and Trump, who micro-manages everything, most of the time not to his advantage. Witness the very unnecessary continuation of cross-ex of Stormy's direct testimony, which made the jury wonder what was up and did not help Trump's case at all (obviously the product of his yelling at the attorney's after the cross-examination that they were not being aggressive enough). I rest my case.
Thank you Joyce. I don't comment often, but I read every word you post here. It settles my mind somehow.
It does that for me too.
Hi Gus!
What is most astounding about the indictment charging former president Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of New York Penal Law §175.10?
What is most astounding about The Federal Elections Interference Case? 'In the two months between Election Day in 2020 and Jan. 6, 2021, Trump mounted a wide-ranging campaign to subvert Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential election. Trump and his advisers spread false information about voter fraud, urged Republican state officials to undermine the results in states that Biden won, assembled false slates of electors and pressured Mike Pence, the vice president, to unilaterally toss out the legitimate results. The effort culminated on Jan. 6, when a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol and disrupted the peaceful transfer of power. Federal prosecutors led by special counsel Jack Smith have charged Trump with four federal crimes stemming from his attempts to derail the transfer of power.' (Politico)
And that's not the last of the criminal cases against the former president; there is the Classified Documents Case and The Georgia Election Interference Case.
What is most astounding about all these cases is that the former president still roams free in the land of the free. It has been more than three years since the attack on the nation's Capitol and Donald Trump is the GOP’s presumptive presidential nominee. Isn't that astounding?
Excellent summary Fern!! But OMG - it just infuriates me how his continued bald faced lying to people that “he won the 2020 election by a lot” is repeated by professional journalists who know better to the point that so many people believe it. And when credible people (those who actually have the correct information) explain that he did in fact lose (by a lot!!) people just refuse to believe them. It’s brainwashing on a tremendous scale!!
I saw a clip somewhere about how AI has transcribed the Hitler speeches so that you can hear it in English - and it sounds just like what Trump says today. It’s so incredibly clear that it is happening again!!!
I greatly appreciate Joyce and this forum to help keep me sane while I teeter on the ledge!!!
Plus she shares amazing pictures of her chicks lol. Take care all!!!
Yay, Fern, you have joined the rest of us!!🥰 it is astounding that this two-bit gangster convinced a bunch of people he was their savior. Then he disses them as fast as he can. The burden is on the prosecution to prove there is no probability that Trump is not guilty. He’s GUILTY! Just waiting to see what the jury comes ip with.
Astounding and disgusting.
Thanks for this, Fern! Astounding and horrid. But if a woman's testimony is what finally puts him in prison, how sweet it is.
You bring the wit, the strength and the just deserts to those who deserve it, MaryPat.
You also brought the best smile of the day!
So glad I could! Have a delightful tomorrow, Fern!
You bet 'cha! Thanks, MaryPat!
Hopefully this case is just the prelude to all the other 3. Unless he gets elected that is...
Thank you Joyce for another great summary of how the case is going. It has been an exquisite pleasure to see the Donald slowly being taken apart by the prosecution, no matter what the outcome of the trial, the orange emperor will never be the same again. ( at least in this universe) A stint in jail for contempt of court would be the icing on the cake. Maybe we will get lucky and Jack Smith will have a go at him before November.
I think Jack Smith's case will never make it to trial before November. And if, God help us, Trump wins, Jack Smith will be on the receiving end of Trump style retribution. Vote Blue.
If I had to cancel all of my substack paid subscriptions, the one I would fight tooth and nail for would be Joyce White Vance.
Joyce is an astute attorney , she impressed me the first time I heard her commentary on MSNBC.
Agreed
I'd like to see serious jail time as a result of conviction, as well as for contempt of court. If tfg (or OT) is totally incommunicado, I'm wondering if some of the idiocy that surrounds him, that he engenders, might subside?
I believe it would subside considerably as nobody it seems , can fill his shoes. The cowards who meekly go along with MAGA world might feel safe to speak up, with their cult figure safely isolated in a prison.
"Nobody…can fill his shoes." That gets my brain going in a million different directions, thinking about what that means. Maybe they're not quite as bad, or just as bad, but not as brazen? The one thing I can say for sure is that I really hope we never can find anybody to fill OT's shoes.
@ Susan S. What stands out for me, is his ability to draw large crowds and in that sense nobody can take his place. If I can believe the reports, he does not get crowds as large or enthusiastic as he once did. He is scheduled for a rally in Cape May, NJ soon. Police expect up to 40,000 people for that one. Let us see.
Thank you, Jack. I have to agree with you that no one else has the same ability to draw large crowds. I'll be interested to know how he does in Cape May. I, too have heard that the crowds are much smaller than he wants us to believe.
“Opinion: The Supreme Court just showed us that Trump is not incompetent. He's a master of corruption”
Story by Francis Wilkinson @fdwilkinson
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/opinion-the-supreme-court-just-showed-us-that-trump-is-not-incompetent-hes-a-master-of-corruption/ar-AA1nJEXj
Great LA Times article. Thx for sharing it!
I encourage everyone to read it and copy and redistribute it. It might open some eyes that have refused to “see”.
I shared it when it was originally published. Excellent piece.
Agree. I’ve already redistributed it.
Great! think it is compelling. I sent it to the media and some Trump lovers, hoping to change their votes.
One of the best articles, besides Joyce’s, I have read on the sleazy rotted excuse for a man.
Like: “sleazy rotten excuse for a man”
Thank you Marlo. Indeed Josh Howley, licking his chops and running for his life on camera. Thank you so much for sharing the link.
I shared this widely when it came out. Some stunning analysis in inspired prose, like this vivid sentence:
"In the Senate, the young hyenas, Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), study Trump’s demagogy and lick their chops, hoping for a turn at democracy’s carcass."
Yep...vivid--and accurate--word painting, for sure!
One article says it all ! Thanks for sharing.
Loved this column!
Hi Marlene, we can meet here. I'm sticking with Joyce V.
I agree that Francis Wilkinson's Opinion is a masterful description of corruption, but the body of America was already very corrupt when the snake oil salesman took over. The seeds have always been with us, plus the transfer of wealth; the sea change of technology without regulation, mixed with the Birchers et al; the Great Recession, (subprime mortgage crisis; predatory mortgage lending, unregulated markets, a massive amount of consumer debt, the creation of "toxic" assets, the collapse of home prices) along with the weaknesses of the Democratic Party primed us for the MAGAs and their sleazebag. .
The precursors of corruption--Nixon and Reagan--already smoothed the road with their lawlessness and corruption. Trump merely added the topcoat of tar on the road to a total undermining of democracy.
And Newt and Mitch have a lot of blood on their hands as well. Not to mention Grover Norquist and darn what IS that woman's name? "Right to Lifer". The GOP has been on a tear since FDR, frankly! But the low level of IQs (and complete lack of relevant training/experience) in their current candidates and office holders is stunningly appalling!
Emphasis on “the low levels of IQs”. It’s terrifying these are the people making critical decisions for our country’s welfare, present and future.
I think requirements, background checks, etc. should be put in place for positions in office.
I also think it is way past time for requirements for high office, ie Congress, White House. Background checks for candidates with both mental and emotional quotients. Maybe even some minimum relevant experience (CEOs do not make good diplomats and tend to not be community minded). This is a far more complex world than the Founders'. We need more specific and qualified candidates to "lead" us.
I think every candidate for federal office should be able to pass the citizenship test required of all naturalized citizens. I'm not sure I could pass it any longer.
I also think public funding -- no more of this deep pocket purchasing of SCOTUS or a seat in Congress!!! And I do NOT want to hear about the First Amendment! There is NO RIGHT TO REIGN or to steal elections legally or unconstitutionally!
Hi, Fern!! Nice analogy of fpotus sowing the seeds of corruption.
Ah, Ally, we meet again. Shall we arrange a late time, about midnight for me, to exchange
addresses, so we might be in contact from time to time? Let me know yea or nay, and if yea, I will respond with night in near future to execute! Please give me up to a couple of days to respond. Cheers!
Absolutely. Anything close to 6:00 a.m. PDT most days. Not tomorrow, though.
Ally, I thought we might try tonight at 6:30 PM your time and 9:30 PM, mine, but you were not on your computer. I will have company for about the next week and half, so I will try again after May 23rd. Have a good weekend. Salud!
Still so much work to do for democracy. Thanks, Fern.
Thank you for sharing this LATimes story Marlo. Crime and Corruption, Trump is a Master
Thank You, Marlo! Right On! Shared.
Thanks for sharing!!
WOW!! THIS!!!
Jaw-dropping!!! Thank you!
WOW
Wow. Excellent article.
Great update. It's going to be fireworks when Michael Cohen testifies. I don't think Trump will be able to control himself in the courtroom or when making public statements.
Agreed, great update. And AGREED, TRUMP WON'T BE ABLE TO CONTAIN HIMSELF WHEN COHEN TESTIFIES. We're going to see Merchan's even-handed and FIRM response to that tantrum!
I'm hoping that Judge Merchan will sentence Trump to jail time for violating the gag order, to be served after the trial ends. Maybe in addition to the sentence? I don't know if that is possible but when (I'm putting my hope for conviction right out there) Trump gets the denouement--conviction and sentencing--maybe, just maybe, we won't hear from the Master of Corruption for a while. A good long while.
Sadly, I think we'd hear just as much from him...and all of it would be about how "unlawful," "shameful," "unfair," etc., any incarceration is, and he'd talk about how persecuted he has been. I think we'll never hear the last from him...ever.
Well, that's all we hear from him currently. It's all variations on a the same tired theme of grievances & victimhood. Even the MAGA crowd* might be getting a bit weary of the self-pity party. *(with the notable exceptions of the candidates for VP and those MAGA cultists who are deepest in thrall to the whiny, bitchy voice of their dear leader.)
If Trump gets a jail sentence that he has to serve, then he won't be communicating much from his cozy gray cinderblock cell. I will admit, however, that it is highly unlikely that Trump will ever be put in a common jail cell. I comfort myself that once Trump is no longer the source of entertainment that he has been, the spotlight of the media will move to some other squalling unfortunate and maybe we will get >some< surcease from his voice and image.
I am ever hopeful!
Stormy was one tough witness today. You go, girl! I wonder how don’s attorney will sleep tonight. Her repeated use of saying “orange turd”, IMO won’t go well for her.
I guess don thought if he used code names during the trial in California nobody would realize it was him. It states clearly that he reimbursed Cohen for payment to Daniels.
Defense again asking for a mistrial and then they got a SOLID NO from Judge Merchan. Then they wanted to modify the Gag Order so don could respond to Daniels’
Testimony. Another SOLID NO from Judge Merchan.
I MO, with all the previous testimony and paper trail shown, Cohen will be credible. That’s not to say the Defense won’t try to put holes in his testimony.
I wish the trial was televised live so we could see the expressions of all involved. Thank you,Joyce for thoroughly describing was had happened today and what to expect tomorrow.
What I’m interested to read about and to hear (since we aren’t allowed to watch for ourselves) is the extent to which Michael Cohen reveals additional bad shit on Trump over and above the confirmation of payment to Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet. Weisselberg probably has the most incriminating information about Trump and Weisselberg decided (based upon omertà) to fall on his sword and go to jail rather than reveal the truth. No honor among thieves. On the other hand, Cohen has paid a big price and I expect that he’ll use this opportunity to hit the hydraulic lever at Fishkill and dump a large pile of smelly truth all over his former boss. The prosecution needs to open the door up as far as it can for Cohen tell the truth. If Cohen holds up, Trump is finished with respect to this particular case.
I hope you are right, but there is so much crazy on display throughout this trial that I worry about a juror or two who won't buy it.
You’re not carrying that burden alone.
I met Cohen in New York. He is as ignorant in person as is his history.
We can be thankful he is finally being a whistleblower. His testimony will help bring an end to “the orange turd”.
Thanks being our eyes and ears, Bill. It surely cannot be pleasant.
If Trump wants to comment on Daniels’s testimony, he can take the stand, of course.
If only.
LOL Wouldn't that be a sight to watch!
If only we could watch.
The defense attorney Necheles attempted to treat Stormy as they would a rape victim. They wanted to pierce her testimony to try to convey that she was lying, that she changed her story, they slut shamed her. But to me, caveat I’m not a rape victim counselor, but it seemed that when she testified prior that she couldn’t remember how she got on the bed, it was the trauma thing of a rape victim who has blocked her memory. So my question is this: did he rape her? We already know that he is a convicted rapist, and this memory trauma thing is huge with rape, victims, and victims of any trauma, but especially the rape. And also it doesn’t matter squat what your profession is: no means no, and he was an old man to her she was 27 years old. She asked him about his wife.
Yes. He raped her. The details of her description - just wanting to get it over with after trying hard to escape - are a well known terror reaction. A freezing up of the physical. The equivalent of an animal going limp when it is tortured.
Thank you Moninna. I am hoping at least one of the 12 jurors knows about the terror reaction. He is not on trial for rape. But if I were a juror, having it explained that he raped her, she did not have recall is common and honest testimony, would impact how I viewed TFG’s credibility. Especially after he was convicted of rape in E. Jean’s trial. So tying this testimony of rape with the Access Hollywood tape that he can do anything he wishes to a woman ‘because he is famous’ will destroy him in public opinion. Again, he is not on trial for rape, but this is even more justification for him, not wanting Stormy to tell her story.
We can all hope so. Stormy is a veritable Medusa. Majestic narrative reversing strength in the face of such predictable victim blaming by Trump’s team 🐈⬛
I honestly didn’t see that part coming (slut shaming, challenging the veracity of her story). It struck me when she said she couldn’t remember how she got on the bed and suddenly I thought she ‘blanked it out because it was a trauma.’ This is not someone who went to that room to have an affair with him. But of course, he is the narcissist and the only victim. But it appears her prosecutors prepared her for his defense attorneys doing that. Stormy was well prepared I think. It’s just so bonehead of Susan Necheles to go down this path when her client Is a convicted rapist, and the hollywood tapes are public Ivana’s deposition from their divorce, where she details how he raped her and pulled her hair out after she had recommended a doctor for his hair implant surgery and it turned out to be painful. This conviction will be important to keep him out of office. For him, everything is for sale and we don’t know what he’s done with the missing documents. He recently had a meeting with a group of oil, billionaires at Mira Largo. He promised to undo Biden’s energy policies if he is elected. Trump took us out of the Paris, accords and Biden signed the application For the US to be admitted back on his very first day in office: that was inauguration day. Directly after the inauguration, he signed the papers.
Stormy laid the facts out succinctly. She has never wavered. She blames herself for allowing herself to get into that situation. That is what some rape victims do, typical. Nechels tried to paint her as a whore but that didn’t fly. Stormy stared her down and corrected her when she discombobulated Stormy’s previous statements. In the South, we call that a “whoopin”!
I appreciate the sentiment, and Stormy played it really well, it was her truth, but as a former prosecutor I can tell you that sexual assault charges would NEVER stick in this case. She could have left the scene at any time. She spanked him with a magazine. etc etc.....sorry. It is not at all like the E. Jean Carroll case. Recall they could not get there with the sexual assault charge in that case.
True and well stated. I just don’t think most people understand the difficulties in this case, the Florida case, the J6 and Georgia case. There is nothing “slam dunk” about any of this even though Daniels played it well. Anyone who has had to put a case together (civil or criminal) and face a jury knows that everything doesn’t just “fall together.” I would not want to be an attorney in this case - the pressure from Trump on the defense side and the expectations of the public on the prosecutors - would be too much. My nerves are not that strong. Judge Merchan is doing a good job.
She said he blocked her as she attempted to leave. Plus there was a guard outside the door (who most likely was sworn to “loyalty” as he does with all his employees).
Thank you Laura, and I appreciate your clarification. Any woman who is ever alone with Trump, Is in the wrong place at the wrong time no matter the place or the time. Re E. Jean Carroll, in the end, when the jury found him guilty of sexual assault and awarded her $5 million, she went on a talk show the next day and said he had raped her. Then there was a big kerfuffle, and he filed an appeal to dismiss the case because he said he had been found “innocent of rape.“ And then judge Kaplan said to him in court: “you raped her.” But was having to do not with a sexual assault charge per se, more of the defamation case, yes?
And she was “shaking “ afterwards.
Yes. An uncontrollable physical reaction after experiencing acts of violence.
Yes. It was rape. He should be charged with sexual assault...again!
I just googled, and under CA Civ Pro Code Act 340.16 adult victims can file a case within 10 years. So the prosecutors are limited by this 10 year rule. But we do have the court of public opinion with the election coming. I think he’s been damaged by Stormy’s testimony. The jury can’t make a decision on rape, but surely they are influenced by his low moral character. For Trump, everything is for sale and for Trump everyone can be bought. Stormy is showing him she’s not for sale.
I doubt that Stormy would want to go through another trial, but rape has no statute of limitations, is that right?
Sorry: i’m correcting the response below. It was meant to say 10 years in California, where the rape occurred. So they can’t prosecuted now. I wish California would provide the same window that was provided in New York for rape victims. It was this law with a one year window that allowed E. Jean Carroll to file her lawsuit against Trump.
Thanks Valere
10 years in New York, according to the code that I found. E. Jean Carroll was able to file in New York because a law went into affect that gave her a one year window. That’s when she contacted Robbie Kaplan and filed her case.
The Former Guy's book, "Think Big" was introduced & authenticated by the Vice President, Tracy Mensies, of the Publisher HARPER COLLINS. The book was co-authored but, Tracy pointed out that Trump's written words were printed in a different ,Font, SARIFF.
It was easy evidentiary wise, to admit his written words into evidence including Trump's actual words, mottos & attack themes as follows:
"Always Get Even" & "I value loyalty above all else." 'Go to the mattresses if anyone is disloyal. Hat tip to The Godfather. "Think BIG -- Make it Happen in Life & Business". By all means possible, micromanage everything, sign your own personal checks, pay your ex-Fixer $450,00.00 to fix things. Falsify business records at will. Commit campaign finance violations, tax fraud & other bad acts while you re "making it all happen".
Serve your own time at Rikers Island..
Bryan, you added the last line yes? ‘ serve your own time at Rikers’ :)
I know he’s not on trial for being a narcissist, but in a sense what he’s done by making his special font because he wants to stand out as the author of these particular statements has sort of nailed him. Anyone else would let the writer construct and give him credit where he needed to. Then he could come back and contest it and say I didn’t really say that.
You are correct, I did add the last line not only because of a possible conviction but, as a comment of the substantial progress toward that result.
FRIDAY NOON UPDATE: The Jury has been released [correction] for the Weekend & will be back in the Jury Box on Monday, May 13.
Cohen is 1 of 2 remaining Witnesses. & will likely testify starting Tuesday next week.
The Judge & the Parties are still in session arguing how to handle CFO, ALAN WEISSELBERG's testimony & the fact he is in jail at Rikers.
We will all have a Transcript of the Sidebar tomorrow but, it sounds like Judge Merchan will order his Trial Deposition taken by Video. Thus, the Judge could make evidentiary decisions on admissibility & edit the tape if necessary.
It came out that WEISSELBEG signed an NDA with tfg that prohibits his cooperation with anyone on lawsuits much less the NY DA. In return ALAN gets substantial yearly payments which are continuing. Something of a retirement plan for ALAN while he sits in situ in Jail.
Have a restful Weekend Valere & relax everyone.
I know Rikers is the option for New York sentencing, but I think he will most likely be sentenced to a high security place at a military base or CIA headquarters where they can build a house next-door for rotating Secret Service agents. I’m only thinking that because he is an ex-president and he would be near to the Walter Reid hospital for his health. His MAGA would go berserk should he have a health issue such as a stroke, heart, and metabolic syndrome condition from his poor diet. The logistics of getting him to Walter Reed with a set up that’s already designed for presidential security would be better than a New York hospital. Just a thought.
Also, I’m a lay person, I think one of the biggest pieces missing from the chessboard is the fact that there was Russian interference in the 2016 election and Cambridge Analytica CEO testified to that. Trump benefited from the data from the Facebook, Cambridge Analytica collusion. The American people deserve more than a senate report. There has been no accountability. And the minute Trump got into office he was trying to set up a back channel to Russia. The Senate report tells us that counterintelligence found Russia again trying to influence the 2020 vote. We know that Trump still holds the data from both campaigns and is using it through Steve Bannon in his War Room podcast. Paul Manafort with his Russia connections is back as an advisor for Trump. It’s too bad Steve Bannon’s trial is delayed to September. Everything is hinging on ‘if’ but ‘if’ Bannon is found guilty by a jury (same judge, Merchan) in his build the wall fraud trial, and Trump is found guilt by this jury, we are whacking away at and possibly disabling this three headed domestic snake. Election interference by Russia is so huge, and with the senate report that was bipartisan, finding definitively that there was Russian interference involving Paul Manafort in 2016, why not charges? Maybe that is in the works, but he’s back playing a role and Trump’s 2024 campaign And his only skill that I can see that he brings to the table is money laundering, and Russian interference.
Valere you are much more than 'lay person,\'. Your deductive reason skills are where they should be -- 20 to 40 steps ahead. That is a very useful skill Very helpful when a Judge asks you for a 'Profe'r in Chambers. These Umpires do not like surprises.
Thank you. I think it’s important to always lineup the plans A, B, C and D and always keep asking ‘what if’ without tipping our own hand. I love how Jack Smith smokes them out but nobody smokes him out. So long as Trump keeps driving the show he’s losing in court. And those attorneys are allowing him to call the shots, which is only helping us. His driven the Republican bus off the cliff. He’s driving himself off the cliff now. We just have to decide which incarceration will go into. I don’t think Rikers But I get it that you are referring generally to a prison. He won’t have home incarceration. He’s going to very plain and secure facility for the rest of his life. It’s going to take a lot more than Secret Service to handle his situation and that’s why I say it’s Langley, CIA headquarters - close to Walter Reed - a few minutes by helicopter. No-frills. Basic care, No cell phone or computer access.
One thing I discovered on this Substack it takes a whole lot more than logic and high analytical reasoning to understand the legal we are on. I’m hoping that people understand that while we will win Biden reelected in November, with a blue bicameral Congress, we have to stay together with this kind of community for at least four Democrat cycles. We have rights to restore, but just as important: we have only 50 years to do something about the climate, specifically our topsoil renewal. So we can’t act like we’re one trick pony that can only get rid of a despot dictator. That will go a long way. We’re in the Paris accords, but we have to do something like the French agricultural minister suggested at Davos: draw down, forming small farms, running cattle on these farms - Letting them graze on deep rooted grass, to draw down CO2 from the atmosphere. Along with that comes getting rid of factory farms, which are only cruel, and a return to health with whole foods, plant-based homegrown food. So there’s lots of work to do once we get through this horrific presidential election event. It’s going to get better, but we better be prepared for the long-haul. And our climate policies need to reflect that or there won’t be any long-haul for anyone. I love the idea of farming co-ops to grow organic plants and medicinal herbs on 1, 2, 3 and 4 acre parcels. So when I say there is so much to be done, it’s truly in the legal, policy, climate areas. I think that is my forte:))
I think the folks on this Substack would make a formidable team to push these policies through.
"getting rid of factory farms" will create another lobbying group as vicious and well funded as the Kock brother's "getting rid of the oil" one. We still have so much work to do, saving us and our planet.
Valere, I really do appreciate your glass half-full point of view, but I don't think Trump will spend one minute in lock-up, even with a conviction in the current trial.
I agree with Bryan, Valere. Most helpful insights.
Valere, with all the interference (cacophony, as it were), it is so easy to miss this important information. Thank you! At least as of today the appellate court has held that Bannon will have to actually serve some time for his refusal to testify before Congress. He is flat dangerous, largely because he has such an intense MAGA following.
I wonder if "Think Big" had anything to do with his having "small hands"… And his brain power being not great. In other words, thinking something will make it happen (aka magical thinking).
No comments about Rick Scott, scumbag senator/Trump mouthpiece. The media keeps replaying his statement. “It’s a crime in this country to go after the court system to go after your political opponents. What’s happening in this courtroom is clearly criminal. It’s been led by political thugs — the lead prosecutor was the number three person at the Biden Justice Department. The Judge’s daughter is a political operative and raises money for Democrats. You’ve got the lead prosecutor’s wife is a significant donor to Democrats, and I think to Biden. So this is just a bunch of Democrats saying that we want to make sure that Donald Trump can’t talk.”
If I were Bragg, I'd ask for an evidentiary hearing to determine whether Trump put him up to it, in violation of the gag order.
Still waiting to see whether Trump's NY contempt is a violation of bail in GA, DC, SDFL.
Rick Scott, aka Skeletor, himself a dirtbag thief guilty of defrauding Medicare for millions, ought to keep his pie hole shut. Scott's given Floridians and Florida a very disreputable image as the Florida voters apparently have no problem electing a criming thief to be governor and then senator. Of course Floridians also elected that MAGA bot DeSantis, as well...must be something in the water or maybe a build up of mercury from toxic fish???
Brilliant suggestion:) i’m guessing that he is Trump’s puppet because Trump wants to always run the show. So yes, Trump put him up to it.
Can you get that suggestion to Bragg somehow? “We’re in this fight together .”
Obviously he is in the running for Trump's VP. Interesting to see the machinations of the various "candidates." I think perhaps that Gov. Noem has split her britches with the "I killed my dog" statement and her insistence that she met with Kim Jong Un when that claim has been totally debunked.
The only reason Scott is being considered for VP is to capture the black vote. But anyone who is knowledgeable of history would realize Trump is a racist. Going back to he & his father being sued for discriminating against colored people from being a remnant. Also violating disrupting a peaceful Black Lives Matter demonstration so he coul hold up a bible in front of a church. Making it much harder for the black people to vote. Just a few examples of many.
Agreed. Stormy was impressive. I hope Michael Cohen has read your commentary and that of your attorney colleagues as MSNBC today. I love the judge. One for the history (and law) books, it seems to me. What on earth can he do about Rick Scott? and the rest of the sycophants? Trump’s personal swamp.
Apparently, Rick Scott attended the Trial today
Senator Skeletor went to NYC and did an audition for VP to the Moron. To do so, he had to demonstrate he was a worse moron. Which he did.
All the SEALs who are now Republican office holders are proof that when SEALs reach retirement age, they should be "retired." Permanently.
Cripes, Skeletor has been a grifting moron for DECADES. Even Trump, self-absorbed as he is, should have been able to have noticed that for himself! Did Skeletor have to prove his "bona fides"?
He's merely the most conscienceless and shameless one among them.
TC, What are SEALS? Navy SEALS?
Yes. Aka Right Wing Idiots. The SEALs are all Fundamentalist scum who see themselves as Christian Crusaders.
Yes, but what do the letters SEAL, in this context, send for?
Sea and Land. They
Seals undertake the most dangerous missions. They are the top special operations force.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy_SEALs
https://m.imdb.com/title/tt6473344/
He must mean seals that do tricks for their master. Like the seal that spins the ball on his nose. I can’t imagine our reputable Navy SEALS would be his example.
What a dipshit! I heard what he said about the trial and how the prosecutors have nothing. Blah blah blah…gosh I hope he is defeated.
Hey, Bryan. As a retired litigator, I wonder what you think about all the extraneous commentary you are reading.
Hello Lynell. Well, I loved the fact that the Prosecutors brought in the Harper Collins VP to meet the NY character evidence exceptions. See, my extended riff below. My keyboard does not have the SARIFF font or I what has used it tp quote tffg's words. I hoping Cohen can parry as good as Stephanie Clifford. Best to keep Cohen to "just the facts". The People's closing argument writes itself.
Bryan, Cohen is a little intimidating so I hope he can tone things down just a bit, for the jury, not for Trump. I really believe this will be the showdown at the OK Corral. What do you think?
I would not be surprised if Cohen was called in the last hour of witness time late today on Friday.
Cohen could be the Narrator of the entire scheme -- Start to Finish.
Cohen must connect tfg to the overt, intentional acts PLUS each & every corroborating fact already in evidence.
Hoping Cohen has a lawyer who’s insisting he’s studying Stormy’s quick but controlled responses to unrelenting attacks yesterday. He has the truth on his side. The key for Cohen is control.
Morning, Lynell!
Afternoon,Ally! Laying low today.
Understand that!
Apparently the insipid bastard aka the orange turd, had a diaper blow out which resulted in Scott showing up, true to form he exuded more diarrhea the moment he opened his yap. Perfect 👍
🤬
I thought the gag order included any of the sycophants that made comments about the trial that would intimidate witnesses or accomplish anything else antithetical to the trial. I would like to see Rick Scott held in contempt of court.
So would I. He’s spreading hateful propaganda. It made my stomach turn. Look at his record. As a fabulously wealthy CEO of a major Florida healthcare provider, he defrauded Medicare $ 1.9 Billion; was prosecuted by DOJ, forced to repay 1.7 B in the 1990s. With fiery vengeance, Rick Scott is first in line to kill social security, Medicare and the DOJ.
As an old person, killing any of the programs designed for us would be awful. Ditto for the DOJ. A country can't survive without law and order. This country should not be voting for people who want free rein to screw the rest of us for their own benefit.
Yes. I imagine an overwhelming number of retirees - in the tens of millions - who would lose shelter, either by foreclosure or eviction. What would happen to the value of surrounding property evaluations? 55+ communities would collapse, as would certain rental buildings falling nationwide. Ghettos on the outskirts of metro centers and gated communities.
The one I worry most about is Medicare. Medical care is ridiculously expensive as it is, but with our societal litigiousness, and what would happen if law and order were to disappear, it would be unimaginable. I speak as one who requires a lot of medical care these days.
It will be catastrophic for most Americans. As Hilary Clinton noted, if the Supreme Court can overturn Roe, the conservative justices can just as easily overturn S.S. and Medicare. This has been the conservative goal since Reagan..They mean business.
Prosecution has already established both motive and intent...Cohen will apply the icing to the People's cake, and also totally inflame tRump into untoward behavior in the courtroom. The Orange Turd's lawyers will beat Cohen like a piñata, bring up his lies, etc., but for all that, there's the inescapable connection to "Individual-1", the person the feds didn't indict but who was the beneficiary and co-perp of Cohen's crime. Pure gold for the prosecution.
But Trump can respond to questions about Stormy Daniels’ testimony publicly, without changing the gag order - his attorneys can just put him on the stand….
Thank you for the comment re Weinstein. I too wondered if that judgment would affect Trump’s trial. Good news!