It is an absurd argument which the DC Circuit will dismiss in its entirety in short order and the Supremes will not grant certiorari (said as a trial lawyer in this venue with many years of experience).
I googled certiorari, but wanted to be certain: the SCOTUS will not review his motion? And in your view, has Cannon over-stepped in her reaction to the notice from Smith?
Yes in order to accept the case for review by the Supreme Court the court generally grants “certiorari” though I believe there are also other ways in certain circumstances. As to your question, Cannon has acted well beyond any judge I have ever appeared before except one (also a trumper who should have never been appointed to a federal court). I don’t think that Cannon has ruled definitively in the big national security documents case as yet but I’m getting really bad vibes so far. Thanks for asking.
Thank you Ira. Do you have any sense about whether Jack Smith will file a complaint about Cannon with the 11th circuit court over this incompetent response to his Notice? I have not seen her response, but Lance Khrome reported here on this site that Cannon’s response was the notice had 237 words instead of the 200 word limit. So instead of commenting on the substance, she’s nitpicking the number of words. Her response, if, indeed, that is what happened, is so unusual. It’s just out of the realm of a serious legal response. She doesn’t care that she’s being blindsided by the Trump team but she cares that Jack Smith’s team wrote 37 extra words? I’m just wondering if you have a view or do we just wait and see? She can count the number of words in a paragraph, but doesn’t make a substantive response? It’s just hard to see any maturity or ability to handle a difficult legal case. Or is there something more going on that would match your unease? And if you are feeling that, I imagine Jack Smith is as well.
Thanks for the question but I think this is too trivial an issue for him to appeal! Let’s wait and see if she just delays that trial a week or two or kicks it down the road past the election? Jack took a calculated risk in Florida venue as the former guy “took possession” initially of the secret and protected docs in DC? So he could have had venue in the DC Circuit but it was dicey?So he’s stuck w/her!
Sorry: not an argument, and I know what you’re saying about taking possession in DC. But they do have video proof, according to the indictment, of the boxes being taken from the bathroom to the Trump’s living quarters at Mara Largo. Or at least leaving, the bathroom. Then there was an email exchange between Walt and “Ma’am” regarding whether POTUS had decided which of the boxes ‘in the living quarters’ to put on the plane to New Jersey, to which she responded “nothing is going on the plane because it’s full of my luggage.“ Walt then responded to ‘Ma’am’ aka Melania, that he would talk to POTUS about the boxes. Did DOJ assume the boxes went on the airplane up to New Jersey Bedminster.? And then Trump flew back to Mara Largo on an unscheduled trip the day before the FBI came to examine the boxes. So they might have traveled from DC to Florida to New Jersey and back to Mara Largo. Unprotected, unsecured all the way. I even saw moving boxes outside the White House, and how secure were those boxes going to Miami? I wondered why charges were not brought in New Jersey venue regarding classified documents being there, and allegedly being shown to folks who were writing a book. So I’m wondering if Jack Smith put the conversation between Walt and Melania into the indictment to show that don Don had the intent to take the boxes to New Jersey? I would love to see Trump questioned on the witness stand about that. I would love to see walk, questioned about his text message to Melania. I would love Jack Smith to ask Trump what Melania said about taking those boxes along with her luggage. We have a potentially high-level security breach that presented a huge threat to our democracy and it’s wrapped up in a soap opera. It is stunning to read in an indictment that Melania didn’t have room for 15 boxes of documents because of her personal luggage. Who put their foot down on that one? I don’t know where that comes in legally, but it was in the indictment. I’m just wondering why they put that in if it didn’t have something to do with breaking the law? Or showing intent to take the documents to New Jersey because Walt had moved the boxes from the bathroom to the living quarters for ‘POTUS’ to decide which ones to take? I do believe Jack Smith knows what he’s doing.
We are indeed, stuck with Cannon for the moment. Thank you so much for taking time to write back.
Fake prayers. (I only write "Christian" with a lower case "c". They don't deserve to use Christ's name because everything they do is the opposite of what He preached.)
Toddlers and their frontal cortices, continue to develop rather quickly over a period of months as any parent can tell us, into the four year olds who become increasingly aware of others and thus capable of interactive play.
I watch this miracle play out.
Sigh, such are the many reasons I adore three year olds and have so much respect and sympathy for the parents of three year olds.
Sadly and dangerously for all of us, Mr Trump, it seems, skipped a few steps in development.
I frequently inadvertently hit send. I copy what was sent, delete it, and then finish or correct what was sent after pasting it back into the comment bar, and then re-post it.
You’re likely familiar with Kohlberg’s stages. I’m sure you’ve at least touched on these… Kohlberg followed Piaget only more deeply. Kohlberg’s steps are sequential: one follows the other in growth. Stages cannot be skipped; each provides a new and necessary perspective, differentiated, and. more comprehensive than its predecessors, but integrated. And while I’m trying to be as objective as possible in looking at these, I don’t see any growth at all toward steps, three, four, five, six. I would love to have your perspective. But I just see no moral development, and I rarely see him in Step 2.
I see Trump in Stage 1 almost all the time: Stage 1: punishment and obedience orientation. [It’s OK to do it if you don’t get caught.] “ it depends on who he knows on the police force.”
I don’t see Trump going to Stage 2 very often.
Stage 2: instrumental-relativist orientation. [If it feels good do it]. “ if his wife is nice and pretty he should do it.”
He’s trying not to get punished (stage one), and his other modality is “what’s in it for me? stage 2).
Again, as a pediatrician I would love your perspective. I know Kohlberg’s has critics as do all theorists, primarily that is looking at domains and looking up justice to the exclusion of caring. But I don’t think you can reach caring without a sense of being just: ‘what is right what is wrong?’
Also, when, in the context of Piaget, these moral stages are extremely rare to regress in. Once one has reached a high level of moral development. The likelihood of going backwards is very small. So there’s no argument for Trump having been at a high-level and going backwards with stress or some other excuse. I just don’t see him in anything beyond stage two and most of his behaviors in stage one in my opinion.
I’m looking forward to any thoughts or comments you may have.
It's really disturbing to see how hard Drumpf World is banking on Project 2025 (to fill the government top to bottom on federal, state, and local levels with Drumpf loyalists and then end democracy in the US in favour of a Drumpf dynasty for the foreseeable future.)
You'd think openly plotting a coup with a website and everything would garner more attention.
So far, the courts have resisted these kinds of unconstitutional and illegal power grabs. Loose Canon in Florida has been slapped down and it looks like she may be headed to another trip to the legal woodshed. Let’s hope that Trump, MAGA Mike, and their fellow travelers are headed for a major electoral defeat once the voting American population begins to focus on the 2024 election.
Head in the sand. My first reaction is to act like a big bird. I can't find justice in the dictionary any more...has the spelling changed? A more reasoned reaction next. I'll be patient and watch as it happens, knowing None of us have any control of the outcome, but Im loosing interest quickly and may choose to quit reading about it. Why let the circus fleece those in line to buy s ticket? A hike to high ground is better for my health!
Thank you for your detailed update. It is interesting to see how Trump’s lawyers are playing for time in multiple theatres. Grateful to have you there interpreting and articulating the patterns for us. Stay well and commune with those gorgeous chickens when you can.
Joyce again thank you for clear / concise explanation . It seems to me, the fraud case in NYC is the knock out punch for Trump. The fines and potential loss of parts/ all of his company would be devastating. His fraudulent income numbers to get him on the “ Forbes westhly list” stoked his insecure ego. He might / possibly be force to sell parts of his holdings to pay the fines that Leticia James has suggested . Trump’s humiliation would be debilitating for him. Hopeful for some Justice against the “ con man grifter”
The $250 million fine and the loss of billions in business real estate will wipe out the Trump Organization permanently. I think this is one reason that years ago Trump developed relationships with Russian oligarchs. Legitimate banks will never loan him money again; he stands to be persona non grata worldwide. He'll have to live with one of his kids, a penniless old man who blew up his own life. I have rarely seen anyone with so many self-inflicted wounds as Trump. He wanted to remain in office because power and fame feed his ego; the blow it dealt him to lose in 2020 cannot be accepted by him, but denied. And keeping up the denial is destroying him. He can't even remember who he ran against in 2016 or that America fought in 2 world wars. His mind is gone.
If Biden wants to win next year, he needs to stop being so damn prim and proper, and get rid of the menace to democracy with serious effort.
Hi Ronnie, They are mostly supporting the glitter and glamor that they thought he was. When the layers are pealed off in his fraud trial, some 'may' look again - because he is not and was not the 'successful businessman' that he portrayed. I'm not sure many will ever believe he is not a victim. His followers were never voters before he was elected. They have no concept of democracy and do not recognize that Trump wants to destroy our democracy to become a dictator.
I think you are spot on Marycat. He co-opted the Republican party. His cult member followers were bamboozled by his false image of wealth. They all thought: "Oh gee, wow! He's going to ensure our own wealth." When the loans are called, they will recognize that he is a penniless fraud. I've predicted the kids as well will be in one of the Stans. Not sure which one, but with their own oligarch connections. Trump's form of nationalism is all too real: in 2018, when France honored the veterans of WWI, Trump could not find his way to the cemetery in the rain. Of course it rained in November in France. It always does. But he and his team had no contingency plan because he didn't care. He has called veterans 'losers.' When something, such as service in the military by our loved ones, matters, we remember it. None of the Trumps have served in the military. They have just been grifters.
Biden will win next year. We absolutely will ensure that. And whether Trump can appeal, appeal, appeal - he will eventually will be in jail. He wrote a very interesting story (or gave an interview) detailing how he was losing everything to foreclosures years ago - perhaps when he was married to Ivana. He came up with the plan to get all the then-banks together and convinced them that their chances of getting their money back was greater if they allowed him to continue having the properties with the Trump brand. He finagled an income to support his lifestyle. I know I'm distilling this - and perhaps leaving some key piece out of the story of the event - but that's basically how he 'stayed in business.' Then the Apprentice arrived. And his showman notoriety: name and fame. But it never was 'him.' It was a false persona. Now he wonders why Biden didn't bring charges three years ago prior to Biden becoming the president. Our votes - and our fab prosecutors will get rid of the menace to democracy.
It is possible in that venue the resolution of multiple arguments will take more than a year. The Trump team is trying to muddy-up the issues in lots of ways to slow down the appellate process.
I hope that sooner not later we and the justice system will realize that trump is just an ordinary mob boos and seduction plotter and crook. He is nothing special. We and the justice system needs to get this straight. Stop the special treatment. And if the lady in Florida can not be fair and not just a trump shill then move the damn case!! Time is of the essence because if trump gets elected president again all these judges will be gone and a star chamber made up of trump cronies will be hearing cases against his enemies and all of us who speak out. BEWARE. The first thing to do is plan to vote please do not be lazy and think it is ok Not to vote it will be a constitutional disaster if you decide not to vote.
And make sure you can vote,go to the Supervisor of Elections website in your county and state and make sure you're still listed and that all info is updated and correct.
If you haven't registered to vote,get that done today.And tell others who are now old enough to vote to register also.
We need everyone on deck!Make sure you know when and where to vote.The website will help you determine when the primaries are and when to early vote as well as when election day is.Don't miss your chance to make a difference!
I’m literally a law school dropout, but I’m going to take a stab at P01135809’s argument for all pending court cases:
“I’m the ringmaster for my daily Lie-A-Palooza shows airing at random times on the only REAL truthful and bigly forum, “Truth” Social. This isn’t not how our founding fathers wanted the internet to work. Witch Hunt!”
I was watching Loki on the Disney channel where the plot involves multiple timelines and the main character is going back and forth and around and around into different timelines. When I got this email I hit pause to read it because Joyce is always keeping us up to date. Loki is a fun fantasy but unfortunately, Trump is reality. It is going to be a roller coaster but we're all getting good at staying on track.
*Judge* Cannon [sigh]...it seems that she is more than willing to give short shrift to prosecutors' motions, and that the DC trial scheduling isn't even on her radar. Are federal judges permitted to discuss trial timing between themselves when the same defendant would appear before each, and scheduling is a critical matter? Here we have SC Smith's office ping-ponging between DC and Fort Pierce, conveying what are obviously suspect if not duplicitous conduct on the part of tRump's lawyers to delay, delay, and delay again the respective proceedings until after the November '24 elections, and in *Judge* Cannon's case, trying to educate her in tRump's game. I mean, for god's sake, doesn't Cannon get it by now??
I’m hoping this last motion from Jack Smith (“don’t let yourself be manipulated”) is a prelude to a request for recusal. He probably wishes he’d done it already. The clearest cut most damning of all the indictments and it draws a corrupt and incompetent judge. Who really believes THAT was random?
She’s a true believer who would never have her position in the federal judiciary if it were not for the insipid clown, she is just one example of the harm having him as president did to our nation. I keep hoping that one of our judges is going to lock him up and press the mute button until the trials are over. 🙏
And Cannon, later on Friday, in a testy response to SC Smith's filing regarding tRump's games-playing with court dates and a cautionary note to the judge to "not get manipulated", told Smith that his notice "exceeded local rules" for length, limiting them to 200 words or less - Smith's notice: 237 words, and THAT seems to be the extent of *Judge* Cannon's considerations of the notice...this trial is going pear-shaped without some sort of appeal by Smith.
Hi Lance, Oh. My. Gosh. Unbelievable. Can Smith redo his 'notice'? It was a Notice, not a Motion, so she need to take note, and file it. She instead counting the words?? We need to rewrite this to get it down to 199 words. The positive in this negative is that Cannon is showing her true colors. Perhaps this will be the tipping point for Jack Smith to go to the appeals for the 11th Circuit. And if she is reprimanded again, it will be the third time. Could it be 'the third strike, you're out' decision? Then she can find work in her true calling: sorting red and blue pencils and counting words in paragraphs as an underling junior attorney or in a conservative 'Think Tank.' She does not have a high mental ceiling.
Thanks for sharing your breakdown of the latest shenanigans in such a clear and easy-to-understand style. For me, Trump can't end up behind bars fast enough!
1. Considering the historic nature of a former U.S. President facing trial, how might the selection of the jury be influenced by public opinion, and what measures can be taken to ensure a fair and unbiased jury?
2. Given the claims of the gag order being an unprecedented restriction on a political figure, what are the implications for the balance between protecting the integrity of the legal process and safeguarding freedom of speech during a politically charged trial?
3. How might the potential testimony of unindicted co-conspirators, who have previously pleaded guilty in related cases, impact the prosecution's case against Trump and the overall perception of the trial's fairness?
4. What are the broader legal and ethical considerations when a defendant in a high-profile case attempts to delay proceedings, especially in the context of ongoing political campaigns or future elections?
5. How does the current legal standard for imposing gag orders reflect on the judicial system's capacity to adapt to unique cases, particularly when the defendant is a prominent political figure actively campaigning for office?
6. In what ways could the outcome of this trial set a precedent for future cases involving high-profile political figures, and what does this say about the evolving relationship between the justice system and political accountability?
Re Q.2: The gag order does not impact political statements. Trump can tell his lies all day long (as he is currently doing). That's his freedom of speech. He does not have the right to make threats overtly or covertly or by implication. It prevents Trump from making threats against potential witnesses, court employees, prosecutors and by inuendo the jury (the background was his call to executive Mike Milley. If Trump is able (so far he has not shown that he is) to put forth his political message without threats, he is welcome to do so. The gag order means he needs to shut his trap and not make threats before his trial and during his trial. It is the duty of the Court to protect the public and Trump has already shown he can inspire a gang of thugs to do harm. He is a threat to public safety before trial and during trial.
Re Q. 4: Trump is so outside the sphere of ethics, the best the prosecutors in these cases can do is to try to keep ahead of his twists and turns.
Gloria: But it is YOUR brilliance in laying this out in such a clear ‘what if’ process that will make everyone ponder and come up with their own responses over first coffee in the morning. We are all in this together, and our only saving grace is having our brilliant prosecutors. We and they are staying one step ahead of Slick (Trump) and Slickers (his sleaze bag attorneys). 💛
Valere, if you are writing online the ellipse (...) at the bottom right of your message gives you access to an edit function after you have posted it. Thanks for what you write. I learn a lot from you.
Wow! Thank you so much! I keep thinking I should proofread three times before hitting ‘send’ (and usually I do proofread), but sometimes Siri and II miss: ‘execute’ not ‘executive’
I’d also like to know why the ACLU filed an amicus in support of trump’s 1. Amendment rights saying the gag order is too broad and too vague. What the hell?
And why can't his lawyers be held accountable, to screen what Trump plans to post or say and inform/clarify for him that it is not an acceptable statement? Certainly they understand what his gag order does and does not include?
Do you really think he calculates far ahead of time what he's gonna say, far enough to give it to his lawyers to vet? Just listen, if you have the stomach, to what spews out of his mouth!
Kathleen, This is the guy who was two hours from Brazil, G 20 in 2019, intending to meet Putin on the sly for the second time when his advisers were finally able to talk him down from the tree slowly. You are absolutely 100% correct. There’s no doubt in my mind that he posts first and the attorneys read it in real time as we do.
The outcome of this trial plays second fiddle to voting out all Republicans. But second fiddle is no small part. The most obvious precedent the trial outcome will set is whether or not we can make beautiful music any longer in a free and democratic country.
As so often these days, I'm perplexed, gobsmacked, discombobulated and flummoxed when I read what these 'so-called' lawyers do to help tfg to more and more media presence, more delays, more obstacles, when it must be clear to everyone who has followed the 'proceedings' (indictments) that nobody who is innocent (as tfg claims) would ever engage in such a knotty costly defense circus. Who is paying these 'lawyers' (aka shysters)?
All of these lawyers should be losing their licenses! No doctor could getaway with this constant malpractice? Nor financial advisors or bankers. Regulations are regulations?
Of course, lawyers never want to charge their”friends” or firm mates!?!
Didn't Trump, just today, offer a bribe to Judge Cannon in the form of a Supreme Court nomination once he is elected? In what world is that okay? How do they both get by with that grift. I would think that should be insulting to Judge Cannon to have the offer put out into the public in such a brazen way. Shouldn't she really tell him to STOP that, immediately? Am I missing something? He shouldn't be allowed to threaten or coerce through bribery, and yet, here we are.
I didn’t hear about his offer to her, but I have long suspected that she was eager to favor Trump in hopes of getting a SC nomination if he wins the election in 2024. So obvious!
Phew! That’s a lot to digest.
It’s clear that “delay” will continue to be his main tactic. Dude has never been told “no” and it shows. He’s a nightmare toddler.
It is an absurd argument which the DC Circuit will dismiss in its entirety in short order and the Supremes will not grant certiorari (said as a trial lawyer in this venue with many years of experience).
Hi Ira,
I googled certiorari, but wanted to be certain: the SCOTUS will not review his motion? And in your view, has Cannon over-stepped in her reaction to the notice from Smith?
Yes in order to accept the case for review by the Supreme Court the court generally grants “certiorari” though I believe there are also other ways in certain circumstances. As to your question, Cannon has acted well beyond any judge I have ever appeared before except one (also a trumper who should have never been appointed to a federal court). I don’t think that Cannon has ruled definitively in the big national security documents case as yet but I’m getting really bad vibes so far. Thanks for asking.
Thank you Ira. Do you have any sense about whether Jack Smith will file a complaint about Cannon with the 11th circuit court over this incompetent response to his Notice? I have not seen her response, but Lance Khrome reported here on this site that Cannon’s response was the notice had 237 words instead of the 200 word limit. So instead of commenting on the substance, she’s nitpicking the number of words. Her response, if, indeed, that is what happened, is so unusual. It’s just out of the realm of a serious legal response. She doesn’t care that she’s being blindsided by the Trump team but she cares that Jack Smith’s team wrote 37 extra words? I’m just wondering if you have a view or do we just wait and see? She can count the number of words in a paragraph, but doesn’t make a substantive response? It’s just hard to see any maturity or ability to handle a difficult legal case. Or is there something more going on that would match your unease? And if you are feeling that, I imagine Jack Smith is as well.
Thanks for the question but I think this is too trivial an issue for him to appeal! Let’s wait and see if she just delays that trial a week or two or kicks it down the road past the election? Jack took a calculated risk in Florida venue as the former guy “took possession” initially of the secret and protected docs in DC? So he could have had venue in the DC Circuit but it was dicey?So he’s stuck w/her!
Sorry: not an argument, and I know what you’re saying about taking possession in DC. But they do have video proof, according to the indictment, of the boxes being taken from the bathroom to the Trump’s living quarters at Mara Largo. Or at least leaving, the bathroom. Then there was an email exchange between Walt and “Ma’am” regarding whether POTUS had decided which of the boxes ‘in the living quarters’ to put on the plane to New Jersey, to which she responded “nothing is going on the plane because it’s full of my luggage.“ Walt then responded to ‘Ma’am’ aka Melania, that he would talk to POTUS about the boxes. Did DOJ assume the boxes went on the airplane up to New Jersey Bedminster.? And then Trump flew back to Mara Largo on an unscheduled trip the day before the FBI came to examine the boxes. So they might have traveled from DC to Florida to New Jersey and back to Mara Largo. Unprotected, unsecured all the way. I even saw moving boxes outside the White House, and how secure were those boxes going to Miami? I wondered why charges were not brought in New Jersey venue regarding classified documents being there, and allegedly being shown to folks who were writing a book. So I’m wondering if Jack Smith put the conversation between Walt and Melania into the indictment to show that don Don had the intent to take the boxes to New Jersey? I would love to see Trump questioned on the witness stand about that. I would love to see walk, questioned about his text message to Melania. I would love Jack Smith to ask Trump what Melania said about taking those boxes along with her luggage. We have a potentially high-level security breach that presented a huge threat to our democracy and it’s wrapped up in a soap opera. It is stunning to read in an indictment that Melania didn’t have room for 15 boxes of documents because of her personal luggage. Who put their foot down on that one? I don’t know where that comes in legally, but it was in the indictment. I’m just wondering why they put that in if it didn’t have something to do with breaking the law? Or showing intent to take the documents to New Jersey because Walt had moved the boxes from the bathroom to the living quarters for ‘POTUS’ to decide which ones to take? I do believe Jack Smith knows what he’s doing.
We are indeed, stuck with Cannon for the moment. Thank you so much for taking time to write back.
One good thing is the more efforts to delay, the more it is costing him in legal fees. I hope it stings.
His rabid and impoverished supporters are footing what bills he pays.
His buddy Vlad has a lot of expenses at the moment.
The sad rubes that support him are paying for all of this.
You said it before I could!😎
Great legal analysis today. The alliterative Trump family motto of “Deflect, deny and lie” is now closer to “Deflect, deny, delay and pray".
LOL! (Except, who's praying?)
His ChristoFascist followers...
Fake prayers. (I only write "Christian" with a lower case "c". They don't deserve to use Christ's name because everything they do is the opposite of what He preached.)
Toddler indeed.
He exhibits many of the behaviors we expect to see in a three year old: Self-centric POV, tantrums, impatience.
I am a pediatrician.
This would be normal behavior in a toddler.
Sadly it’s a bit extreme for even a toddler.
Further, toddlers
Sorry, inadvertently hit send. Please forgive.
However.
Toddlers and their frontal cortices, continue to develop rather quickly over a period of months as any parent can tell us, into the four year olds who become increasingly aware of others and thus capable of interactive play.
I watch this miracle play out.
Sigh, such are the many reasons I adore three year olds and have so much respect and sympathy for the parents of three year olds.
Sadly and dangerously for all of us, Mr Trump, it seems, skipped a few steps in development.
Powerful view from a Pediatrician. Thank you so much for writing this.
I frequently inadvertently hit send. I copy what was sent, delete it, and then finish or correct what was sent after pasting it back into the comment bar, and then re-post it.
Thank you for your advice, Mike.
Continuity is important in our communications.
Hi a Doc Reads.
You’re likely familiar with Kohlberg’s stages. I’m sure you’ve at least touched on these… Kohlberg followed Piaget only more deeply. Kohlberg’s steps are sequential: one follows the other in growth. Stages cannot be skipped; each provides a new and necessary perspective, differentiated, and. more comprehensive than its predecessors, but integrated. And while I’m trying to be as objective as possible in looking at these, I don’t see any growth at all toward steps, three, four, five, six. I would love to have your perspective. But I just see no moral development, and I rarely see him in Step 2.
I see Trump in Stage 1 almost all the time: Stage 1: punishment and obedience orientation. [It’s OK to do it if you don’t get caught.] “ it depends on who he knows on the police force.”
I don’t see Trump going to Stage 2 very often.
Stage 2: instrumental-relativist orientation. [If it feels good do it]. “ if his wife is nice and pretty he should do it.”
He’s trying not to get punished (stage one), and his other modality is “what’s in it for me? stage 2).
Again, as a pediatrician I would love your perspective. I know Kohlberg’s has critics as do all theorists, primarily that is looking at domains and looking up justice to the exclusion of caring. But I don’t think you can reach caring without a sense of being just: ‘what is right what is wrong?’
Also, when, in the context of Piaget, these moral stages are extremely rare to regress in. Once one has reached a high level of moral development. The likelihood of going backwards is very small. So there’s no argument for Trump having been at a high-level and going backwards with stress or some other excuse. I just don’t see him in anything beyond stage two and most of his behaviors in stage one in my opinion.
I’m looking forward to any thoughts or comments you may have.
It's really disturbing to see how hard Drumpf World is banking on Project 2025 (to fill the government top to bottom on federal, state, and local levels with Drumpf loyalists and then end democracy in the US in favour of a Drumpf dynasty for the foreseeable future.)
You'd think openly plotting a coup with a website and everything would garner more attention.
So far, the courts have resisted these kinds of unconstitutional and illegal power grabs. Loose Canon in Florida has been slapped down and it looks like she may be headed to another trip to the legal woodshed. Let’s hope that Trump, MAGA Mike, and their fellow travelers are headed for a major electoral defeat once the voting American population begins to focus on the 2024 election.
I'm sort of hoping they just spontaneously combust but I suppose the snail of justice may have to do.
It’s truly not an impossible thought at all, in the context of them being narcissistic grifters: the outcome is always implosion. It’s coming.
Head in the sand. My first reaction is to act like a big bird. I can't find justice in the dictionary any more...has the spelling changed? A more reasoned reaction next. I'll be patient and watch as it happens, knowing None of us have any control of the outcome, but Im loosing interest quickly and may choose to quit reading about it. Why let the circus fleece those in line to buy s ticket? A hike to high ground is better for my health!
I hope your trip and stay up there benefits your happiness and health. All good thoughts go with you.
If Dems were doing this it and nuclear wars would be the only thing in the news between now and the election.
The attention is probably there but cautiously hidden.
Thank you for your detailed update. It is interesting to see how Trump’s lawyers are playing for time in multiple theatres. Grateful to have you there interpreting and articulating the patterns for us. Stay well and commune with those gorgeous chickens when you can.
Agree. 😍
Delay, delay, delay: the Trump strategy. The only court I do not trust is Judge Cannon’s!
I would add, the decsions of current Supreme Ct have been "iffy"
I hear you, and agree...although "iffy" is kind of generous lolol.
Always like it when you say, "we're in this together."
Yes, profound gratitude for the solace of “we’re in this together.”
Joyce again thank you for clear / concise explanation . It seems to me, the fraud case in NYC is the knock out punch for Trump. The fines and potential loss of parts/ all of his company would be devastating. His fraudulent income numbers to get him on the “ Forbes westhly list” stoked his insecure ego. He might / possibly be force to sell parts of his holdings to pay the fines that Leticia James has suggested . Trump’s humiliation would be debilitating for him. Hopeful for some Justice against the “ con man grifter”
The $250 million fine and the loss of billions in business real estate will wipe out the Trump Organization permanently. I think this is one reason that years ago Trump developed relationships with Russian oligarchs. Legitimate banks will never loan him money again; he stands to be persona non grata worldwide. He'll have to live with one of his kids, a penniless old man who blew up his own life. I have rarely seen anyone with so many self-inflicted wounds as Trump. He wanted to remain in office because power and fame feed his ego; the blow it dealt him to lose in 2020 cannot be accepted by him, but denied. And keeping up the denial is destroying him. He can't even remember who he ran against in 2016 or that America fought in 2 world wars. His mind is gone.
If Biden wants to win next year, he needs to stop being so damn prim and proper, and get rid of the menace to democracy with serious effort.
i agree with you. that said how can so many support this despicable person?
Hi Ronnie, They are mostly supporting the glitter and glamor that they thought he was. When the layers are pealed off in his fraud trial, some 'may' look again - because he is not and was not the 'successful businessman' that he portrayed. I'm not sure many will ever believe he is not a victim. His followers were never voters before he was elected. They have no concept of democracy and do not recognize that Trump wants to destroy our democracy to become a dictator.
thanks for your thoughts. i am still baffled by the cult like devotion to a man who joy cares for himself PT Barnam “ sucker born every minute”
Your operative word is cult. They have joined his cult because they don’t want to think for themselves.
Remember, it's a minimum of $250 million....yes, I'm enjoying knowing the orange pustule also knows that this is the minimum he will lose....
I think you are spot on Marycat. He co-opted the Republican party. His cult member followers were bamboozled by his false image of wealth. They all thought: "Oh gee, wow! He's going to ensure our own wealth." When the loans are called, they will recognize that he is a penniless fraud. I've predicted the kids as well will be in one of the Stans. Not sure which one, but with their own oligarch connections. Trump's form of nationalism is all too real: in 2018, when France honored the veterans of WWI, Trump could not find his way to the cemetery in the rain. Of course it rained in November in France. It always does. But he and his team had no contingency plan because he didn't care. He has called veterans 'losers.' When something, such as service in the military by our loved ones, matters, we remember it. None of the Trumps have served in the military. They have just been grifters.
Biden will win next year. We absolutely will ensure that. And whether Trump can appeal, appeal, appeal - he will eventually will be in jail. He wrote a very interesting story (or gave an interview) detailing how he was losing everything to foreclosures years ago - perhaps when he was married to Ivana. He came up with the plan to get all the then-banks together and convinced them that their chances of getting their money back was greater if they allowed him to continue having the properties with the Trump brand. He finagled an income to support his lifestyle. I know I'm distilling this - and perhaps leaving some key piece out of the story of the event - but that's basically how he 'stayed in business.' Then the Apprentice arrived. And his showman notoriety: name and fame. But it never was 'him.' It was a false persona. Now he wonders why Biden didn't bring charges three years ago prior to Biden becoming the president. Our votes - and our fab prosecutors will get rid of the menace to democracy.
It is possible in that venue the resolution of multiple arguments will take more than a year. The Trump team is trying to muddy-up the issues in lots of ways to slow down the appellate process.
I'd agree, if it was to be televised. In the absence of that I'm putting my CNN time on Fani Willis.
I hope that sooner not later we and the justice system will realize that trump is just an ordinary mob boos and seduction plotter and crook. He is nothing special. We and the justice system needs to get this straight. Stop the special treatment. And if the lady in Florida can not be fair and not just a trump shill then move the damn case!! Time is of the essence because if trump gets elected president again all these judges will be gone and a star chamber made up of trump cronies will be hearing cases against his enemies and all of us who speak out. BEWARE. The first thing to do is plan to vote please do not be lazy and think it is ok Not to vote it will be a constitutional disaster if you decide not to vote.
And make sure you can vote,go to the Supervisor of Elections website in your county and state and make sure you're still listed and that all info is updated and correct.
If you haven't registered to vote,get that done today.And tell others who are now old enough to vote to register also.
We need everyone on deck!Make sure you know when and where to vote.The website will help you determine when the primaries are and when to early vote as well as when election day is.Don't miss your chance to make a difference!
He isn’t a seduction plotter. He’s a rapist.
I think the poster meant sedition plotter.
I proofed it for them
🗳️🗳️🗳️🗳️🗳️🗳️🗳️🗳️🗳️🗳️🗳️
I’m literally a law school dropout, but I’m going to take a stab at P01135809’s argument for all pending court cases:
“I’m the ringmaster for my daily Lie-A-Palooza shows airing at random times on the only REAL truthful and bigly forum, “Truth” Social. This isn’t not how our founding fathers wanted the internet to work. Witch Hunt!”
Love that you posted his “prisoner” ie mugshot number from his 4th (?) indictment ~ I wrote it down, too….Orange Man Bad
Beautifully said.
I was watching Loki on the Disney channel where the plot involves multiple timelines and the main character is going back and forth and around and around into different timelines. When I got this email I hit pause to read it because Joyce is always keeping us up to date. Loki is a fun fantasy but unfortunately, Trump is reality. It is going to be a roller coaster but we're all getting good at staying on track.
*Judge* Cannon [sigh]...it seems that she is more than willing to give short shrift to prosecutors' motions, and that the DC trial scheduling isn't even on her radar. Are federal judges permitted to discuss trial timing between themselves when the same defendant would appear before each, and scheduling is a critical matter? Here we have SC Smith's office ping-ponging between DC and Fort Pierce, conveying what are obviously suspect if not duplicitous conduct on the part of tRump's lawyers to delay, delay, and delay again the respective proceedings until after the November '24 elections, and in *Judge* Cannon's case, trying to educate her in tRump's game. I mean, for god's sake, doesn't Cannon get it by now??
What can I say? Cannon is a Trumper. She should have recused herself long ago.
I’m hoping this last motion from Jack Smith (“don’t let yourself be manipulated”) is a prelude to a request for recusal. He probably wishes he’d done it already. The clearest cut most damning of all the indictments and it draws a corrupt and incompetent judge. Who really believes THAT was random?
Jack Smith has demonstrated a calcutating approach to this case. I will trust his judgement.
Hi Margaret, Thank you. I agree. The best is yet to come.
Who believes? People who live in a world of make-believe. Not me.
She’s a true believer who would never have her position in the federal judiciary if it were not for the insipid clown, she is just one example of the harm having him as president did to our nation. I keep hoping that one of our judges is going to lock him up and press the mute button until the trials are over. 🙏
And Cannon, later on Friday, in a testy response to SC Smith's filing regarding tRump's games-playing with court dates and a cautionary note to the judge to "not get manipulated", told Smith that his notice "exceeded local rules" for length, limiting them to 200 words or less - Smith's notice: 237 words, and THAT seems to be the extent of *Judge* Cannon's considerations of the notice...this trial is going pear-shaped without some sort of appeal by Smith.
Hi Lance, Oh. My. Gosh. Unbelievable. Can Smith redo his 'notice'? It was a Notice, not a Motion, so she need to take note, and file it. She instead counting the words?? We need to rewrite this to get it down to 199 words. The positive in this negative is that Cannon is showing her true colors. Perhaps this will be the tipping point for Jack Smith to go to the appeals for the 11th Circuit. And if she is reprimanded again, it will be the third time. Could it be 'the third strike, you're out' decision? Then she can find work in her true calling: sorting red and blue pencils and counting words in paragraphs as an underling junior attorney or in a conservative 'Think Tank.' She does not have a high mental ceiling.
Thanks for sharing your breakdown of the latest shenanigans in such a clear and easy-to-understand style. For me, Trump can't end up behind bars fast enough!
Questions
1. Considering the historic nature of a former U.S. President facing trial, how might the selection of the jury be influenced by public opinion, and what measures can be taken to ensure a fair and unbiased jury?
2. Given the claims of the gag order being an unprecedented restriction on a political figure, what are the implications for the balance between protecting the integrity of the legal process and safeguarding freedom of speech during a politically charged trial?
3. How might the potential testimony of unindicted co-conspirators, who have previously pleaded guilty in related cases, impact the prosecution's case against Trump and the overall perception of the trial's fairness?
4. What are the broader legal and ethical considerations when a defendant in a high-profile case attempts to delay proceedings, especially in the context of ongoing political campaigns or future elections?
5. How does the current legal standard for imposing gag orders reflect on the judicial system's capacity to adapt to unique cases, particularly when the defendant is a prominent political figure actively campaigning for office?
6. In what ways could the outcome of this trial set a precedent for future cases involving high-profile political figures, and what does this say about the evolving relationship between the justice system and political accountability?
Hi Gloria~
Re Q.2: The gag order does not impact political statements. Trump can tell his lies all day long (as he is currently doing). That's his freedom of speech. He does not have the right to make threats overtly or covertly or by implication. It prevents Trump from making threats against potential witnesses, court employees, prosecutors and by inuendo the jury (the background was his call to executive Mike Milley. If Trump is able (so far he has not shown that he is) to put forth his political message without threats, he is welcome to do so. The gag order means he needs to shut his trap and not make threats before his trial and during his trial. It is the duty of the Court to protect the public and Trump has already shown he can inspire a gang of thugs to do harm. He is a threat to public safety before trial and during trial.
Re Q. 4: Trump is so outside the sphere of ethics, the best the prosecutors in these cases can do is to try to keep ahead of his twists and turns.
Thank you so much. Your clarification is just fantastic.
Gloria: But it is YOUR brilliance in laying this out in such a clear ‘what if’ process that will make everyone ponder and come up with their own responses over first coffee in the morning. We are all in this together, and our only saving grace is having our brilliant prosecutors. We and they are staying one step ahead of Slick (Trump) and Slickers (his sleaze bag attorneys). 💛
Sorry, correction: ‘Execute Mike Milley’ not ‘executive’😳
Valere, if you are writing online the ellipse (...) at the bottom right of your message gives you access to an edit function after you have posted it. Thanks for what you write. I learn a lot from you.
Wow! Thank you so much! I keep thinking I should proofread three times before hitting ‘send’ (and usually I do proofread), but sometimes Siri and II miss: ‘execute’ not ‘executive’
Thank you!💛
Your very welcome.
I’ve been correcting things all day:))
I am forgetting to proof each time, so some posts have ‘escaped,’but thank you again
I’d also like to know why the ACLU filed an amicus in support of trump’s 1. Amendment rights saying the gag order is too broad and too vague. What the hell?
I have to go to bed, but I'll try and have answers to your questions by end of day tomorrow.
Thank you!
And why can't his lawyers be held accountable, to screen what Trump plans to post or say and inform/clarify for him that it is not an acceptable statement? Certainly they understand what his gag order does and does not include?
Do you really think he calculates far ahead of time what he's gonna say, far enough to give it to his lawyers to vet? Just listen, if you have the stomach, to what spews out of his mouth!
Kathleen, This is the guy who was two hours from Brazil, G 20 in 2019, intending to meet Putin on the sly for the second time when his advisers were finally able to talk him down from the tree slowly. You are absolutely 100% correct. There’s no doubt in my mind that he posts first and the attorneys read it in real time as we do.
Brava Bonnie.
The outcome of this trial plays second fiddle to voting out all Republicans. But second fiddle is no small part. The most obvious precedent the trial outcome will set is whether or not we can make beautiful music any longer in a free and democratic country.
As so often these days, I'm perplexed, gobsmacked, discombobulated and flummoxed when I read what these 'so-called' lawyers do to help tfg to more and more media presence, more delays, more obstacles, when it must be clear to everyone who has followed the 'proceedings' (indictments) that nobody who is innocent (as tfg claims) would ever engage in such a knotty costly defense circus. Who is paying these 'lawyers' (aka shysters)?
Ma and Pa MAGA.
Love the adjectives Marli. As I understand it, the Mango Muffin’s financial contributors are paying every cent.
That’s funny.
All of these lawyers should be losing their licenses! No doctor could getaway with this constant malpractice? Nor financial advisors or bankers. Regulations are regulations?
Of course, lawyers never want to charge their”friends” or firm mates!?!
Why am I left “gagging?”
I have to keep reminding myself that he isn't going to live forever.
He will outlive this country if he succeeds in stealing the presidency again.
He has children.
Didn't Trump, just today, offer a bribe to Judge Cannon in the form of a Supreme Court nomination once he is elected? In what world is that okay? How do they both get by with that grift. I would think that should be insulting to Judge Cannon to have the offer put out into the public in such a brazen way. Shouldn't she really tell him to STOP that, immediately? Am I missing something? He shouldn't be allowed to threaten or coerce through bribery, and yet, here we are.
I didn’t hear about his offer to her, but I have long suspected that she was eager to favor Trump in hopes of getting a SC nomination if he wins the election in 2024. So obvious!
The thought is CHILLING!
Well, honestly, we already have a Handmaid's Tale SC justice in Barrett.....
Wow
Hi Steve, is that an actual offer or is that conjecture by Trump’s co-conspirator think tank buddies?
I would love it if it were actually a cite or quote from an interview. If this actually happened, I believe she can be disbarred.