The powerful thing about conspiracy charges is that each member of the conspiracy is responsible for every act of a co-conspirator in furtherance of the crime. This applies regardless of knowledge. Trump doesn’t have to know the details (although he almost certainly did)
Yes and that’s why that statement was disappeared very quickly from his Truth Social account. Someone is tasked with watching that very closely now because he can’t be trusted to censor himself. But, also, that was posted before the judge admonished him so it doesn’t count. Except to show what a vile piece of shit he is.
Yeah, “if you go after me, I’m coming after you” is not specific enough. Whoever is in charge of watching his account has a miserable job ahead of them. Can you imagine having to spend all your time watching for him to say something even more stupid than usual? And then dealing with Trump when you alter one of his perfect truths?
It’s odd, isn’t it. I noted also with the documents case that much of the media went after a point that made no difference whatsoever (in below spoiler, in case it could be considered a hijack).
I guess no news is immune to “Look, squirrel!”
Elaboration
After the recording broke where Trump was talking about the classified documents with a couple of sycophants, a lot of the media went on and on about whether it could be proved that he was showing them the classified documents and maybe the sycophants could be pressured to testify.
But it doesn’t matter. The recording proved 1. he had the classified document, 2. knew it hadn’t been declassified, and 3. was telling details from that document to people who did not have clearance. It doesn’t matter if he has the document in his hand at that moment.
Now being reported that Jack Smith is seeking a protective order after Trump’s Truth Social post, “If you come after me, I’ll come after you.”
First step toward Trump finding himself in custody pending trial.
I greatly dislike the idea that a defendant is immune to jail or prison because of being a VIP. But there is a WaPo article out today suggesting that the idea I dislike is reality:
If Trump is convicted, Secret Service protection may be obstacle to imprisonment
As for house arrest, that would do nothing to stop Trump from threatening people before trial. And given his luxurious housing, it would not be a punishment if convicted. The Secret Service should step back in any such situation and let prison guards do their job normally. But I’m afraid they won’t see it that way.
Secret Service protection for former presidents is not written in stone. Congress gives, and Congress can take away.
Nothing decrees that Trump be held in house arrest. This is an expectation being created by the media – both right and left. Jails do know how to hold special defendants. I feel sorry for the Secret Service agents if they draw the short straw, but it can be arranged for them to be in his proximity to carry out their duties.
I don’t think the judge yesterday would have gone to such trouble to advise Trump that he could “be held” pending trial if he violates court orders without fully intending to carry out the remedy if he does so. Frankly, I think it’s overdue and is a band-aid that should be ripped off sooner rather than later.
“FREE REIN,” goddammit!
What did he know, and when did he deny knowing it?
Here’s the PDF of the court document;
Trump thinks he’s a king, above the law, so in this case it is appropriate.
Having read it, the motion regards the “disclosure of discovery,” nothing more.
I understand that.
How else do you imagine they’ll control his big mouth if he can’t stop talking?
Trump is his own worst enemy because he won’t stop talking. I understand the motion regarding the disclosure of discovery, but even if the prosecution’s discovery is irrefutable, Trump won’t be able to resist talking about it. “They claim that they have evidence showing that I did XYZ, and they’ve shown it to me, but it’s fake*; it’s all fake evidence.” Bonus points if he further states that it comes from “the imagination of the deranged Jack Smith,” or “Biden told Jack Smith to fake it.”
I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: Trump wants this matter tried in the court of public opinion, where he can rally his fans to his side, and they will exonerate him. How, nobody knows; but I think that Trump secretly knows that he has only a very small chance of succeeding in a proper court of law. In the court of public opinion, he has a much bigger chance.
(*) I thought about saying “trumped-up evidence,” but I’m sure his ego wouldn’t allow it.
The point being that they can’t share discovery if the first thing he’s going to do is start braying about it on Fake Twitter.
“Not while I’m alive” reply thousands of people.
I think he will dare the courts to try to shut him up so he can constantly scream 1ST AMENDMENT!! ELECTION INTERFERENCE!!! and keep spinning it as political persecution. It’s really all he’s got. For his fans and low information voters who don’t understand what all the cases are about, it could work.
Would they put him in jail if he won’t shut up? I guess we will see. But he would love it if they did that. He would see it as a win. Because he is a lunatic and at this point, still believes he can kick all this down the road to the election.
I don’t care what that delusional blowhard thinks about what is or isn’t a win. I’m tired of Dems shying away from the right thing because they’re worried the GOP is goading them or whatever. Put Trump in jail, get him away from the TV cameras and his Truthing account, that’s a net positive, period.
I was watching CNN and they brought up an interesting question: what if the defense wants to talk about election interference? That could haul in all kinds of mud and minutiae to stretch out the trial, and if the judge doesn’t allow much of it the MAGATS can cry foul. Not that they won’t cry anyway.
The chances of Congress passing a law, seen as reducing Trump’s physical safety, is similar to the hypothesized incredibly unlikely possibility of a hand passing through that stone by quantum tunneling – basically zero.
I suggest that the Secret Service enhance the safety, of protectees under custody, from afar. They may already do this by looking, on the internet, for assassination planning. If so, just keep on doing that, rather than either lobbying against incarceration or becoming amateur corrections officers. But I’m thinking the chances the Secret Service is listening to me are also about the same as dramatic quantum tunneling.
The prosecution would object on the grounds of irrelevance and be sustained.