What does a TRUMP presidency look like?

[jimmy olsen]

Wonder if Trump will get charged in Michigan now?

Michigan AG drops charges against fake GOP elector after he agrees to cooperate

https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/19/politics/michigan-fake-elector-deal

[Barrister]

Team Trump shocked that Sidney Powell flips.

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/team-trump-sidney-powell-flip-rico-fulton-county-1234858576/

Before her plea agreement, some of Trump's legal and political counselors had been working to cast Powell as a "fall guy" in the election-related cases against him and hoped to shovel the criminal exposure and blame for the failed attempt to overturn the election on to her and others, in the hopes of shielding former President Trump. After all, this was the woman who pushed the idea that George Soros — or was it the CIA? or perhaps Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez? — was somehow involved in the rigging of the election against Trump. And she was one of the trio of advisers who pushed the then-president to consider imposing martial law rather than quit the White House.

Really though - should they be that surprised?

[The Minsky Moment]

Chesebro folds as well so no early trial.

Willis took and is still taking lots of flak, but so far her RICO case has been following the formula perfectly.

[Barrister]

Chesebro folds as well so no early trial.

Willis took and is still taking lots of flak, but so far her RICO case has been following the formula perfectly.

Yeah.

While I should say this style of conducting prosecutions is somewhat alien to me (you'd be accused of "buying testimony") it seems to be following the US RICO script perfectly.

[jimmy olsen]

Dominoes. Jenna Ellis pleads guilty in Georgia.
https://twitter.com/kyledcheney/status/1716808449747464406?s=46&t=BHs6Pl38GJXGN2Y4xeriNA

[crazy canuck]

Chesebro folds as well so no early trial.

Willis took and is still taking lots of flak, but so far her RICO case has been following the formula perfectly.

Yep, this is what the law was designed to do. Her innovation is adapting it to the circumstances.

Smart cookie that one.

[Admiral Yi]

Listened to an NPR story about Don jr's appearance in NY court.  Couple things:

Joan, mostly for you.  What relevance does including Don Jr (and Eric or Ivanka) as co-defendents in a civil case have?  Are they then personally liable for the money damages?  Can individual sanctions then be applied, such as being barred from doing business in NY?  FYI at various points Don Jr and Eric were made co-CEOs of The Trump Organization.

They talked about a financial expert who gave testimony that The Trump Organization saved 73 mill in interest on the Doral golf property alone by inflating the value of existing properties.  He/she said that loan should have been charged 8% but instead received 2-4%.

[The Minsky Moment]

Joan, mostly for you.  What relevance does including Don Jr (and Eric or Ivanka) as co-defendents in a civil case have?  Are they then personally liable for the money damages?  Can individual sanctions then be applied, such as being barred from doing business in NY?  FYI at various points Don Jr and Eric were made co-CEOs of The Trump Organization.

The AG complaint seeks to have the kids (and Donald) barred from being an officer, director of a New York corporation (no big deal), or any similar entity licensed to do business in New York (bigger deal).

It also makes them liable for disgorgement, which means they may have to pay to the extent the AG can prove they reaped personal benefit from their participation in the fraud.

The Court has already found Jr. and Eric liable for violations of the Executive Law so they are potentially on the hook.  There has been no finding of liability against Ivanka - yet.*

*I haven't read the decisions on all 33 decided motions yet plus whatever may have been decided on the record, so I may have missed some things.

[The Minsky Moment]

You know a case is going badly when the defending lawyer's strategy pivots from defending the case to trying to draw a contempt charge to use on appeal.  You also have to have zero experience with the NY Appellate Division.

[Razgovory]

A Republican congresswoman also attacked the law clerk, probably at Trump's behest.  It's a weird thing to fixate on.

[The Minsky Moment]

I've been reading Frank Dikotter's books on Maoist China.  Mao's closest allies lived in fear that he would turn against him and always tried to figure out what would please him. That explains why they would repeat nonsense slogans and sayings from Mao, no matter how absurd. 

The difference with Trump is that Mao liked to conceal his true thoughts from time to time or retreat into enigmatic silence, to keep his flunkies on their toes or force them to commit themselves first.  Trump is not that subtle - he constantly blurts out the inanities he expects his cultists to repeat, so even the most stupid (i.e. the majority) can follow along.

[Sheilbh]

Trump unexpectedly launching his 2024 campaign by swimming in the Hudson.

[The Minsky Moment]

Trump unexpectedly launching his 2024 campaign by swimming in the Hudson.

You laugh but is it that hard to imagine an effort to organize armed "Red (State) Guards" on college campuses?

[DGuller]

Trump unexpectedly launching his 2024 campaign by swimming in the Hudson.

I thought you were reporting breaking news, I looked out my window to see if that was true. 

[Barrister]

Reporting from Trump's trial today:

Trump, on NYAG Letitia James:

"She doesn't even know what 40 Wall Street is."

NYAG is visibly cackling at the remark for a bit, then puts her head down to compose herself.

https://twitter.com/KlasfeldReports/status/1721582770298790335

NYAG's office is literally next door to 40 Wall Street.