nitpick: One juror refusing to go along with the majority would result in a hung jury, not a mistrial.
Nitpick of your nitpick: What do you think happens when a jury hangs? The judge declares a mistrial.
Fair enough.
It seems to me that Trump does not want this matter tried in a court of law. That much should be obvious, but what underlies that, I think, is that if this matter must be tried at all, then he wants it tried in the court of public opinion. There, the jurors would be his MAGA supporters, who would exonerate him.
I’ve said it before, but I think Jack Smith is playing it smart by being as quiet as he has been. No press conferences, no statements, no communication except that which is legally required, such as court filings and turning evidence over to the defense. By his silence, he’s made it quite obvious that he is not interested in dealing with the court of public opinion.
And as I’ve also said before, this must infuriate Trump. He’s not being given anything by Smith that he can rebut in the court of public opinion. All he can do is take cheap shots, such as wondering if “Jack Smith” is the special counsel’s real name. His followers eat this stuff up, but it won’t work in a proper courtroom, which is where Jack Smith is determined that the matter be tried.
This is actually the usual way that the DOJ operates. Only their pleadings and indictments speak for them.
The exception is when DOJ officials do press conferences and statements. You need look no further than James Comey to see how damaging they can be (and I say this as someone who can offer a spirited defense of James Comey’s actions, even though I believe they were ultimately wrong).
It’s a good practice for good reasons.
ETA: I also appreciated that in the one instance when he spoke to the press, it was brief, on point and professionally flawless. He’s a good 'un, isn’t he?
Exactly. Both @Spoons, and their quote of @Aspenglow, and @Aspenglow’s rejoinder just above.
Trump hopes to entwine this with his campaign, so he becomes politically immune from actual court appearances and actual court sanction due to either his candidacy or due to his election. Smith hopes to deliver a guilty verdict before it’s too late.
It is not at all clear to me who will succeed. I know who should succeed, but for the best likelihood of justice (and Justice) prevailing, all these cases should have been started 2 years earlier than they were.
This will be a very close shave, with far more current electoral politics intruding on what ought to be a straightforward Federal criminal proceeding.
Yes, definitely a good 'un. I watched his speech live on TV, and I was impressed. Short, sharp, and to the point. Then exit stage left. Boom! Well done, Mr. Smith!
And it’s a sheer pleasure to see how much it scares the shit out of Trump. He can see that Smith isn’t going to be railroaded by his (Trump’s) bullshit.
Someone on the board (forgive me for not remembering who) characterized Smith as a legal assassin. I would qualify that a bit further and characterize him as a stone cold legal assassin. He will not be deterred, and one way or another, he’s going to get his man. Along with quite a few more, I expect.
Smith and his team delight me in every way.
Legal assassin? Or legal sniper? Bad guys have assassins. Good guys have snipers.
Maybe he’s the stone cold legal Terminator. That’s ambiguous as to good or bad, right?
Let’s just say he’s legally single-minded and very, very good at his job!
Jack Smith is out there! He can’t be bargained with. He can’t be reasoned with. He doesn’t feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And he absolutely will not stop.
There we go. 
His list of awards looks to be pretty impressive. I’m no lawyer, though. Trump should be worried.
Love it!!!
Sounds like some of the best schadenfreude is coming shortly, too. Just as Trump begins to grapple with the documents case, even as Fani Willis prepares to indict him in Georgia, looks like Smith will be filing indictments in the election interference/January 6th case. That’s going to be a monster. Tea leaves say it will be filed within 10 business days.
< chortle! >
Sharing.
I forgive you. 
I called him “a cold-blooded legal assassin.”
That was it!! I love that characterization!! And I’m still sorry I couldn’t recall it was you. I won’t forget again!!
No worries…
Trump is trying to make himself the symbol of America. The thugs aren’t coming after him, they are coming after the country he loves so much, and he is the only one who can save it. He is trying hard to deflect the idea that this is about him personally. And it’s working pretty well on Truth Social.
This is what he posted yesterday:
So he’s ready and willing to be persecuted to save the lives of his followers. Sound familiar? It reminds me of when he said God gave him Covid so he could suffer for everyone and prove it was not deadly. That kind of rhetoric is very dangerous. And he’s feeding that to his fans every single day.