I will confess that there are at times a level of contempt expressed in my columns. However, today will be the first time that a column becomes a legal matter for contempt. Among the ten postings by former president Donald Trump being raised by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in his contempt sanction is the use of a quotation from one of my columns.
In a hearing on the gag order Tuesday morning, Judge Juan Merchan reserved any final decision.
On April 15, Trump quoted my New York Post column from the day before titled “A serial perjurer will try to prove an old misdemeanor against Trump in an embarrassment for the New York legal system.”
Trump posted the title while attaching a link.
There is an interesting aspect to this controversy that captures the problem with Judge Merchan’s gag order.
In addition to continually appearing on television to oppose Trump’s election and to discuss his testimony in this case, Cohen has also lashed out against critics and coverage, including my own columns. I have been a critic of Cohen since the time when he was still working as counsel for Trump. Cohen has continued to attack some of us with vulgar postings while posting mocking pictures and attacks on Trump, including running commentary on the trial.
In one posting, Cohen posted an insulting attack on myself and others who have raised questions about the Manhattan case while objecting that he is entitled to the protection of the gag order because he is a witness. Only Michael Cohen would portray himself in terms of a witness simply trying to share evidence of a crime.
Cohen has raised money on being the antagonist of Donald Trump. He has cultivated his professional wrestling style as a type of trash-talking, chair-throwing thug to liberal cable programs. Judge Merchan has allowed him to use the gag order to shield him from criticism as he heaps abuse on Trump both as a candidate and a defendant. That includes, like Trump, responding to these very columns, including my own, on the case.
I have previously criticized these gag orders on constitutional grounds.
How about flipping the judicial order for overtly political trials? Make the Supreme Court the court of first jurisdiction. That could save a lot of time, money, and anguish.
Statute of Limitations for Me But Not for Thee
A few months ago, a judge dismissed a suit brought by Trump because the statute of limitations had expired. The Left crowed.
But now that there’s a case *against* Trump, the Left is suddenly quiet about the importance of a statute of limitations.
I wonder why.
No doubt, Cohen’s pronouns are she/her.
Doest matter Cohen has a maddalion – have you ever tried to get a medallion? Js
And it ain’t bagel it’s blegh1 – nosey no bee honey 22 cats
Creepy Stalkers Still A Presence On Blog
Apri 25, 2024 at 5:06 PM
Bug ExBF says:
Which bathhouse you renting a room? can i cum over cuz my bathhouse is dead! bottom, top, pnp? lets party 🎉
…………………………..
This ‘comment’ was posted yesterday under the column, “Court To Decide Trump Contempt”.
Unfortunately this issue has been a reoccurring nuisance on the blog. It is usually found wherever the puppets clump.
O T – how deep is the Democrats’ love of democracy? If in doubt, check out this article regarding the attempts of Democrat-aligned groups to destroy the effort of the No Labels Party to field a candidate: “An Ugly Win”, Real Clear Politics, April 25, 2024 https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2024/04/25/an_ugly_win_150841.html
“Officials at No Labels, a nonpartisan organization with now-abandoned dreams of fielding a 2024 ‘unity ticket’ for the presidency, assert that Democrats and “Never Trump” Republicans embarked on a disinformation campaign to smear the organization’s good name. The anti-No Labels crusade was successful in dissuading any candidates from joining its ticket. But the cost, they say, will be our functioning democracy.
. . . .
NBC News reported on a “secret battle to stop No Labels,” detailing the clash between No Labels and Third Way, a center-left think tank. The article revealed that Third Way led an all-star team – organizations both progressive in nature and of the ‘Republicans-against-Trump’ ilk, Democratic big-hitters like Bill Clinton, left-wing activists, even a No Labels mole who leaked information about donors and potential candidates – all to ensure No Labels could not successfully field a ticket.
. . . .
This end had two distinct means. First, Third Way and its partners hoped to scare off potential candidates. Failing that, they would try to convince the voting public that No Labels was little more than a stalking horse for Trump. Their methods were questionable and far-reaching.
In late 2023, Semafor obtained audio of an 80-minute call organized by Matt Bennett, co-founder of Third Way. Bennett met with officials from Move On, End Citizens United, Lincoln Project, and more organizations committed to guaranteeing a two-way race. The attendees discussed their plans to discourage donors from supporting No Labels and intimidate potential candidates out of running on their ticket.
“We should send the message: If you have one fingernail clipping of a skeleton in your closet, we will find it,” said one attendee of the meeting. “If you think you were vetted when you ran for governor, you’re insane, that was nothing. We are going to come at you with every gun we can possibly find.”
The thuggish tone of this conference call is a central component of No Labels’ complaint addressed to the Department of Justice, which asked the government to investigate the conspiracy on the grounds that it suppresses Americans’ voting rights. The DOJ paid little attention to the letter, but it details many of the other allegations against the anti-No Labels coalition.
Other tactics included attempts to hijack the No Labels website and add white nationalist imagery, plastering the CEO’s face on a billboard truck and driving it outside her home, claiming she stood for “MAGA HATE,” threatening staffers, filing dead-end lawsuits, and trying to instill fear that “if you get involved with” No Labels, as Bennett put it, “you’re really risking your entire reputation and legacy.”
While this was going on, Democrats were prosecuting Trump for “interfering” in democracy by how he characterized payments to a porn actress in his business checking account.
edwardmahl said: “a ‘secret battle to stop No Labels’ ”
That makes Kennedy’s ability to hang in there and wage a competitive campaign – likely gaining ballot access in most, if not all, states, all the more impressive. I wonder what dirty tricks those jerks have in store for him. I’ve seen stuff like McLaughlin’s recent attempted take-down:
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a political ‘Trojan horse’
https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/elections/prominent-pollster-mclaughlin-calls-robert-f-kennedy-jr-trojan-horse
but that is pretty weak sauce compared to what they did to No-Labels. Did they shoot their wad, or do they have some “nuclear option” in reserve?
Complaining that Cohen is insulting while ignoring Trump’s 10x insolence… requires the mind of a nutcase.
Trump has not been especially insulting to Cohen. Even when he “attack’s” Cohen he merely points out the fact that Cohen is a multiple perjurer. Which is absolutely True.
Somebody here used to needle me because I liked Trump and hes a billionaire.
That’s ok, fair dinkum.
If a patriotic billionaire wants to prove his worth to the people, and show that he is what the CCP calls a “patriotic national capitalist,” then he will get the chance.
Donald is on thin ice with me now because I know he was actually pumping that Ukraine weapons get the russkies plan. Which is sickening and it failed. He bragged about sending the goof Zelensky rockets. Obama was right NOT to send Ukraine lethal aid
And furthermore, Donald empowerd Fauci. What a mistake that was! He owes an apology for backing forced vaccination too
But Donald deserves a crack at the election and not to be railroaded with lawfare. That’s not ok
Sal Sar
So you’re saying, had OJ ran for office he could have avoided a trial. Interesting legal theory.
If the case was as thin as this is – absolutely.
This case is going Absymally for Bragg. Pecker has basically turned into a Trump witness.
He made clear he did not want to be there. That he was being forced by the DA.
Then he spent most of today destroying their case.
He testifies that Trump was NOT involved in the Catch and Kill cases involving McDougal – that that was entirely him and Cohen.
That he is a friend of Trumps and they had talked and when they talked Trump did not know what Cohen was doing.
That Trump had no idea that Cohen was paying Daniels or anyone else hush money.
Beyond that, that both He and the NE and the rest of the media do these catch and Kill operations all the time.
That they do them for Republicans that they do them for Democrats. That they do them for celebrities.
And he listed a number of politicians – including Obama’s Cheif of staff that he had run past catch and kill operations for,
And that he has done catch and Kills for Swarzeneger with 30 different women when he was running for Governor.
Separately the NY appeals court tossed the Harvey Weinstein case today – because the judge allowed into evidence allegations of Crimes that were not charged. This trial has already started and has already egregiously violated that constitutional requirement.
If Merchan were honest he would declare a mistrial tomorow and Tell Bragg he must start all over and either go back tot he grand jury to indict for the the allegations he is trying to get in, or retry the case confined to the charges he has made.
Though Bragg has another problem – because he did something very unusual with the indictiment – the Jury did NOT put forward a bill of particulars describing the crime that was being indicted Bragg wrote that himself – the Grand Jury did not, and Trump’s lawyers were not given that until the trial started. That too is improper, The prosecution is required to inform the defendant of the crime he is being charged with and the acts that establish the crime. Not only is that suposed to be given to the defendant before the trial it is required to be part of the indictment. – meaning the grand jury had to vote on it.
And to add icing – Trump made a surprise visit to a NY Construction site where he conducted a mini rally, getting probably 2000 people from just off the street. And announced he beleives New York is in play and he is working to schedule Trump Rallies at Madison Square Garden if this Trial continues.
I do not beleive NY is in play – though I beleive Trump will do better than Zeldin and Zeldin did well.
I do beleive that If Trump campaigns in NYC – that will force Biden to have to campaing in NYC.
And huge Trump Rallies in Madison Square Gardens should really deflate the ego’s of the left.
This will also pose a serious problem for the NYPD.
It is one thing for Trump to show up unannounced at a construction site or a Bodego. But If Trump announces a rally at Madison Square Garden – that will draw out the loonies at these NYC Universities, and the NYPD is going to have fun trying to keep idiotic violent students separated from Trump supporters, and NYC will look really bad if they let things get violent – or if Trump supporters get hurt.
All in all it was a bad day for Brag/Colangleo and left wing nuts.
I keep wondering whether Bragg, Willis, James and the rest can someday be prosecuted for using lawfare to interfere with an election? Maybe. I hope these ham sandwiches get served up the way they are doing Trump and others. Throw in a few lying reporters as well. Not long ago I would have been appalled at this prospect; now I am eager for it.
@Young,
Uhm no.
What could Trump do?
Ethics complaint? The Dims control the NY Bar so nothing there.
Prosecutorial misconduct? Trump wins #47, he would end up looking petty and the state would be the one’s paying out the damages assuming Trump wins there.
They have little downside, although James has more exposure.
I’m trying to remember how they got Nifong…
Engoron and the other judges have more protections so they don’t care either.
That said… election interference.
That would be something different considering that they made trips to WH and w.r.t Bragg, he hires on former Federal prosecutor to get Trump.
I don’t know much about how that would play out. I’d defer to Turley on that.
-G
Saloth Sar here. We got plans. It involves re-educating these people to provide useful services to society instead of lawfare.
It will involve healthy manual labor and them learning to garden for food, and eating the products of their own hands.
The state will kindly provide tools such as shovels and picks for free. and some dry land in need of “works projects”
You get the idea.
Crisis is coming, and the response to the traitorous elites, the lackeys of the billionaires, the capitalists, the so-called donor class, that betrayed and ruined America the past several decades, will be:
fair trials
certain punishment
opportunities for humane reeducation and job retraining
It’s just as well they are bringing in a one party state and shucking off all the old fashioned liberties because where we are heading, that stuff will just protect the bad guys. Fair trials will still be on the menu. Fair trials and thin gruel. And opportunities for reeducation. I hope I sound like a commie. Stalinist style commie stuff, that’s what we need to straighten things out here.
May sound crazy, but when you look at guys like Soros, one of the richest men in history, and all the mischief he and his ilk have done to destroy our great country? If that doesnt make you want to brush off Karl Marx I dont know what will.
I know he seems like a vampire but he won’t last long, God will call him home to his eternal rest soon. After that, we will point to his son who is now shacking up with Huma Abedin, fancy that!
And maybe Larry Fink. There’s another sinister capitalist billionaire who needs “reeducation”
Saloth Sar
“he would end up looking petty”
He needs to get the right people in place and go scorched earth.
The best outcome for all these people is Trump being aquitted.
If he is convicted and the NY appealate courts do not kill this quickly, then yes the Trump DOJ can use exactly the same legal theory to go after these people.
Their immunity does not extend to election interferance. That is LITERALY what the SC argued in the supreme court today.
Retribution must happen. How? Dunno. But it MUST happen.
Why? Because NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.
Isn’t that right all you lawless Democrat Fascists and Commies?
You all need to do jail time, scumbags.
Make no mistake, there is no way of defeating the traitorous elites, the sinister donor class of billionaire globalists, WITHOUT thinking like a commie. I don’t mean some left wing pink Trotskyite, I mean, Lenin, Stalin, and early Mao, essentially.
Understand they are evolving the US to a one party state. They understood the dictum of Lenin: “The best way to control the opposition is to lead it ourselves,” and that is why Soros pays off everyone on the leftist side. They are a fake opposition.
He lets the lesser money men control the losers in the Republican party like that Mormon moron, whatsisname. The Trump hater venture capitalist, gosh I forget his name.
Patriotic Marxist thinking is quite possibly the only thing that can explain apparently crazy plans like why the Soros types have encouraged Biden to open the floodgates of mass migration.
1. It dilutes the white-native legacy majority even further, to a point where their ability to potentially make laws to stop the abuse of our country will be impossible.
2. they like that cheap labor
3. all these micro-groups spawned by newer and fresher waves of migration are so much easier to control than big ethnic blocks
4. they goose demand for goods and services and let the taxpayers shoulder the burden of social services. while fat billionaires like Pritzker and his pals rake in government revenue in the form of rent for migrants
well it goes on and on. if you had some basic labor economics and a little marx in higher level economics, it’s pretty clear
OUR DISASTER IS DUE TO THE BILLIONAIRE POLICIES THAT INTENTIONALLY MADE IT ALL HAPPEN
Saloth Sar
saloth Sar said: “Make no mistake, there is no way of defeating the traitorous elites, the sinister donor class of billionaire globalists, WITHOUT thinking like a commie.”
Even if your premise is correct, your conclusion does not necessarily follow. Unless “commie” was a poor choice of words on your part. A political assassin is not required to subscribe to any particular political point of view, except, perhaps, anarchy.
I’m talking about ALL these commie scum including those involved in disbarring John Eastman. These people are disgustingly evil.
Every single one of these scumbags needs to not only lose their law license and be disbarred, but they MUST do prison time. Show us the man, we’ll find a crime. You’re doing time, bucko.
At the very least do what Dems do, like Rep. Maxine Waters calling for their shock troops and brown shirts to heckle anyone in Trump’s administration when out in public: “If you see anybody from that Cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd and you push back on them, and you tell them they’re not welcome anymore, anywhere.”
It needs to be done. R’s think they should rise above and be polite, decorous, restrained, but this is war. It is only going to get worse and escalate. This is war. Republic ending stuff. The country is at stake.
It calls for hitting these thugs head on, including corrupt judges like Engoron and Merchan — and the rest of these commies, using their own methods. Every single one of them needs to face consequences. Publicly shame them. No justice. No peace. Give them a taste of what they dish out. There is no other way forward. imo.
Do away with DC courts too. Dissolved, done, gone, you’re all fired.
Then get rid of DC, absorbed back into Maryland.
Cut 75% of the deep state bureacracy. Bye bye baddies.
Send the rest to Alaska on long term climate impact research projects.
It’s a start.
“Send the rest to Alaska”
No, to Haiti. Don’t want them to get cold and Haiti is the Progressive end stage. They may enjoy it.
Haiti or Papua New Guinea. Or stay stateside in Alaska. Them’s the choices. Or quit. See ya!
Haiti end stage research
PNG cannibals research
Alaska climate research polar bears
Remaining essential workers get spread throughout flyover country.
Transfer or quit. It’s a start.
The house and senate could pass a law – or better yet, a constitutional amendment, that disolved the DC courts.
Through cases not involving the governemtn itself to the MD and VA Federal courts – these are bad but not nearly as rotten as DC.
And then requiring that anyone accused of a crime on actual federal grounds in DC would be tried in the federal court of the state they came from.
1. What if they’re from DC
2. The constitution requires trials to be in the state and district where the crime was committed.
So this would require an amendment.
Without an amendment, legislation can reduce DC to just the immediate federal precinct, and keep a court to try crimes allegedly committed just in that small area.
“Show us the man, we’ll find a crime.”
+++
That’s why I referred to them as ham sandwiches, as in a grand jury will indict a ham sandwich. The Progressives have moved into revolutionary territory and payback can be by their new rules.
“Lawfare.” The latest FOX idea for its useful idiots.
Turn about is fair play.
Despite the ranting – Trump has already said he will not have time for Revenge.
That said a Republican DOJ should engage in sufficient lawfare to drain the DNC coffers and the personal fortunes of those who engaged in this nonsense.
And frankjly they should do so egregiously enough to get SCOTUS to Bar this kind of nonsense in the future.
Basically, they should follow a version of “The Devils advocate” script from the taylor caldwell book of the 60’s.
They should abuse power such as to get the courts to build the precidents so that left wing nuts will both KNOW how bad an idea their actions were, and to build the precidents to prevent this in the future.
Roberts addressed that in Oral arguments today – though I think many people missed the reference.
He basically took a swipe at the special counsel by noting that SCOTUS knows from past history – that whatever they allow Democrats to do to Trump will become the norm in the future. The remark was in response to the SC’s claim that DOJ could be trusted not to act politically.
OT: Looks like the Dims overplayed their hand in front of SCOTUS. By persecuting Trump for purely political reasons they just prompted the conservatives to see proof positive why a former POTUS needs immunity to protect him from vindicative rivals. I love the Keystone Dims – stumbling and bumbling as never before! Smack Down incoming!!
Yes, smack down incoming!
____________________________
@TM1Politics
JUST IN: Justice Alito just blew up the entire argument by the DOJ.
Alito: “If the president gets advice from the attorney general, that something is lawful, is that an absolute defense?”
Dreeben: “yes”
Alito: “Wouldn’t the President just pick an AG who’ll let him do whatever he wants?” [ie, like Garland]
Dreeben looked stunned
Apparently the AG can provide absolute immunity, but the President who is his boss can’t.
I hope you are right. I see at least some form of limited immunity coming.
Deep state exposed. Nice job Alito. He gets a pass ticket for this one. Nice job. Remember that exchange folks, classic
Sal Sar
Of the justices only Gorsuch and Sotomayor made reference to Trump.
Sotomayor seemed to think they were sitting as a Trial court trying to decide Trump’s guilt or innocence.
Gorsuch offered a Trump hypothetical – that was not hypothetical at all – he basically asked if the SC coulf Prosecute Trump for J6 and the SC was caught flat footed.
That said – there is little doubt SCOTUS is going to deliver a win for Trump. They are going to vacate and remand, requiring the DC courts to reexamine their cases in light of Whatever decision SCOTUS comes to.
At the same time Trump did not argue and SCOTUS is unlikely to decide this correctly.
The correct decison is that you can not prosecute a president for ANY acts committed during his presidency without the house impeaching and the senate removing.
That is the bright line, and that is what stops the political tit for tat. Roberts atleast – made it quite clear the SC’s claim that the DOJ and lower courts could be trusted to act apolitically fell on deaf ears.
I would note though neither part reasied it – SCOTUS appeared dubious of the claim that a president can pardon themselves.
What unfortunately appears likely is that SCOTUS will try to establish a 3 tier test.
Some means by which the courts can establish CLEARLY Article II acts of the president – which will have absolute immunity.
Acts that are official but not Cleart Articale II powers where there is absolute immunity whichy can still be immune – but by a easier to breach standard. And purtely personal acts.
The problems is they are going to leave this up to courts. Impeachment and removal is the standard that ends this idiocy.
No one will have a problem impeaching a president who even asks Seal Team Six to assassinate a political rival.
And if you can not get past the house and senate, you should not be able to get to a jury.
This will be a Trump win no matter what.
It is pretty clear this case is going nowhere until after the election.
The correct decison is that you can not prosecute a president for ANY acts committed during his presidency without the house impeaching and the senate removing.
No, that would be an utterly incorrect decision. The argument that this is in the constitution is so stupid that nobody could honestly believe it. Those making the argument must be doing so in bad faith. So even if it were good policy SCOTUS would have no authority to order it. And in fact it would be very bad policy.
And if you can not get past the house and senate, you should not be able to get to a jury.
That’s ridiculous because the house and senate are political. No Democrat is ever going to vote to impeach a Democrat president, no matter what he’s done. And given that reality, there’s no reason for a Republican to ever vote to impeach a Republican president either. So conviction in the senate will always be impossible unless the president’s own party dumps him, for political reasons that have nothing to do with his alleged crimes.
Has anyone noticed?
Is it time yet?
________________
“But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”
– Declaration of Independence, 1776
Pretty darn close.
I’ve noticed but we’ve feminized society so much it’ll take a lot to revisit Lexington and Concord.
Not just the feminization, but many men no longer have a family to worry about, so why fight? Frankly, I would not fight for a country where the elites think it OK to castrate kids and where a party, such as the Democrats, have turned the place into a banana republic. If Little Rocket Man nuked D.C., I am unsure whether I would be
sad, or celebrate.
I doubt he could hit DC but i bet he could take out DC> Lot of good people there, even now, it would be sad, but our system is rotten at the top. The elites hate us and are destroying our people.
Billionaires, globalists, the donor class, capitalists, call them what you want, it’s a thin group of about 1000 racketeers at the top who been ruining our country for decades. Soon, it will be us, or them.
Right now, they’re grinding us and we better get moving at fixing this before they finally take us out
They’ve put plan in overdrive since the Coof, and Biden taking over
Saloth Sar
LA I meant, they could hit LA
Btw,. A war with China over Taiwan? Count me out. Let them go just like Ukraine.
I refuse to count any group of foreigners as boogeyman.
I wont even count migrants as boogeymen., It’s the donor class that brings them in, anyhow.
They’re at fault, not all the poor people
We gotta fix here, or its all over for us and our kids and grandkids
Sal Sar
It’s time.
___________
Democrats systematically violated election law in 2020 and are now in the process of jailing the Republican lawyers and officials who pursued lawful remedies to their flagrantly unlawful actions. This is how freedom dies. @StephenM
If we lose the Supreme Court to Dems, it’s over for this country. Bye bye Miss American pie.
Of course, I’m referring to the replacement of an abusive government through the constitutional vote and elections.