# Manhattan Prosecutors file criminal charges for Trump re Stormy Daniels case - ongoing discussion here (Guilty on all 34 counts, May 30, 2024) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [March 9, 2023, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-prosecutors-file-criminal-charges-for-trump-re-stormy-daniels-case-ongoing-discussion-here-guilty-on-all-34-counts-may-30-2024/980953 "2023-03-09T22:53:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 115
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-prosecutors-file-criminal-charges-for-trump-re-stormy-daniels-case-ongoing-discussion-here-guilty-on-all-34-counts-may-30-2024/980953/2281 "2024-04-24T00:01:23Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Whereas, if there were any notion of “a jury of one’s peers”, then one would be allowed to select for jurors who were similar in some way to the defendant. I believe that a jury of one’s peers means that noblemen are judged by noblemen and commoners are judged by commoners. Since the U.S. Constitution frowns on titles of nobility, the phrase “jury of one’s peers” no longer means much. I’m Trump’s peer just as much as Barack Obama is. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-prosecutors-file-criminal-charges-for-trump-re-stormy-daniels-case-ongoing-discussion-here-guilty-on-all-34-counts-may-30-2024/980953/2282 "2024-04-24T00:14:20Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Since the U.S. Constitution frowns on titles of nobility, the phrase “jury of one’s peers” no longer means much. As others have said, the phrase appears nowhere in American jurisprudence. “Public trial by an impartial jury” is what the 6th amendment days. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-prosecutors-file-criminal-charges-for-trump-re-stormy-daniels-case-ongoing-discussion-here-guilty-on-all-34-counts-may-30-2024/980953/2283 "2024-04-24T00:19:27Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > Which “business” was it that he was (not) running when he wrote these checks? It seems to me, they weren’t “business” checks at all, because this was a personal matter. Yeah, well, that’s what the _evidence_ may show, but donald might defend himself by arguing that he was being _duped_ by Cohen when he repaid him; ole’ innocent and naive donald _thought_ it was legitimate payments for attorney representation by a guy who had been his lawyer for years. Ole’ donald had _no idea_ that it was a reimbursement for a payoff. Remember, mean Mikey Cohen is a dirty, dirty liar. (Who, the DA is sure to remind us at closing, _documented_ discussions with donald about these repayments, because he **knew** donald would forget to pay him back) ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-prosecutors-file-criminal-charges-for-trump-re-stormy-daniels-case-ongoing-discussion-here-guilty-on-all-34-counts-may-30-2024/980953/2284 "2024-04-24T00:47:35Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > As others have said, the phrase appears nowhere in American jurisprudence. I missed that. I don’t question that it’s basically true, but a check of the [New York State constitution](https://dos.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2024/04/constitution-january-1-2024.pdf) found: > [@](#): > > No member of this state shall be disfranchised, or deprived of any of the rights or privileges secured to any citizen thereof, unless by the law of the land, or the judgment of his or her peers . . . Since his name isn’t Donald von Trump, I think we are safe from this being grounds for appeal. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-prosecutors-file-criminal-charges-for-trump-re-stormy-daniels-case-ongoing-discussion-here-guilty-on-all-34-counts-may-30-2024/980953/2285 "2024-04-24T01:02:26Z")
> ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-prosecutors-file-criminal-charges-for-trump-re-stormy-daniels-case-ongoing-discussion-here-guilty-on-all-34-counts-may-30-2024/980953/2286 "2024-04-24T01:08:39Z")
I, for one, am breathlessly watching. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-prosecutors-file-criminal-charges-for-trump-re-stormy-daniels-case-ongoing-discussion-here-guilty-on-all-34-counts-may-30-2024/980953/2287 "2024-04-24T01:15:31Z")
“Maggot Hagerman”? Stay classy, Donnie. Those schoolyard insults are just what this matter calls for. /s. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-prosecutors-file-criminal-charges-for-trump-re-stormy-daniels-case-ongoing-discussion-here-guilty-on-all-34-counts-may-30-2024/980953/2288 "2024-04-24T01:18:40Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > **Pecker claims mutual benefit:** Pecker testified that publishing negative stories about Trump’s opponents and alerting him about damaging information had [a mutual benefit](https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-hush-money-trial-04-23-24/h_0d57984e4f7c56c96949cc7921785a6a) for the Enquirer and the campaign. Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass, though, pushed back and had Pecker confirm that stopping stories from being printed about Trump [only benefited the campaign](https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-hush-money-trial-04-23-24/h_41b3e8cc31e117fc34d52dee78a79e8d). Just spitballing here, but I suspect that this is the angle that the defense may try to exploit when they get a chance to cross examine Pecker. Apparently, he had “catch and kill” relationships with other celebrities (I heard it ascribed to Bill Cosby, Tiger Woods, and Arnold Schwarzenegger), which they utilized to gain access to those people for stories. > **[Cosby Accuser: National Enquirer Killed My Story, Too](https://www.thedailybeast.com/cosby-accuser-national-enquirer-killed-my-story-too)** > > Before the tabloid caught and killed the story of Donald Trump’s alleged mistress, it did a favor for Bill Cosby—right when women were starting to speak out. > [@](#): > > In 2003, Mr. Pecker’s company, American Media Inc., bought several muscle magazines founded by a mentor of Arnold Schwarzenegger, the bodybuilding legend and movie star. When Mr. Schwarzenegger, who was often featured in those magazines, jumped into the recall election to replace California’s governor, Mr. Pecker ordered his staff to buy up negative stories about him in order to protect his investment, former employees said. > > Staff members called it “the David Pecker Project.” American Media [paid $20,000 to a former mistress of Mr. Schwarzenegger](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-aug-12-me-arnold12-story.html) so that she would not speak about their affair — though news of it had previously been published. The company paid another $1,000 to her friend and $2,000 to a man who had a video of Mr. Schwarzenegger dancing lewdly in Rio de Janeiro 20 years earlier. Mr. Schwarzenegger was elected governor. > > Mr. Pecker’s publications made deals with other celebrities as well, though not always for money. He traded away dirt about the golfer Tiger Woods in exchange for an exclusive interview in Men’s Fitness in 2007, according to people with knowledge of that episode. > **[How Tabloids Used ‘Catch-and-Kill’ to Trade on Secrets of Celebrities](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/22/nyregion/trump-catch-and-kill.html)** > > The term was coined by tabloid editors for buying the rights to stories for the purpose of ensuring the information never becomes public. Donald J. Trump was a beneficiary. So the defense argument might develop that this wasn’t _campaign_ related; it was a celebrity scheme that was used with famous people. (Ergo, not a campaign contribution) Of course, the DA has pre-empted this with testimony from Pecker that this was done for the benefit of the _campaign_. But therein lies the crux of the argument, I think. … I also wonder who will be the DA’s second witness. Karen McDougal is my guess. She confirms the catch and kill scheme, since she was interviewed by the Enquirer, after having been paid, and fully expected her story to be published. She ended up suing to be released from her agreement. > **[Ex-'Playboy' Model Settles Suit With 'National Enquirer' Over Alleged Trump...](https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/04/19/603832331/ex-playboy-model-settles-suit-with-national-enquirer-over-alleged-affair-with-trump)** > > The settlement frees Karen McDougal to speak publicly about the alleged 10-month affair that she says ended in 2007 after the publisher bought her story and then never ran it. _Then_ the DA could pivot to somebody inside the campaign (Hope Hicks, I’d think) to explain how the _campaign_ was worried about these stories. Again, just offering wild speculation. Take it for what it’s worth. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-prosecutors-file-criminal-charges-for-trump-re-stormy-daniels-case-ongoing-discussion-here-guilty-on-all-34-counts-may-30-2024/980953/2289 "2024-04-24T01:28:54Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > I believe that a jury of one’s peers means that noblemen are judged by noblemen and commoners are judged by commoners. Came from the Magna Charta, and of course it only applied to the Peers. The Magna Charta did little for the rights of the common man, how on earth it became lionized as some wellspring of democracy I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-prosecutors-file-criminal-charges-for-trump-re-stormy-daniels-case-ongoing-discussion-here-guilty-on-all-34-counts-may-30-2024/980953/2290 "2024-04-24T01:45:51Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > “Maggot Hagerman”? To state the obvious, this puts her in physical danger. Reading it, I cannot fathom how I ever doubted that Trump is worse than DeSantis. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-prosecutors-file-criminal-charges-for-trump-re-stormy-daniels-case-ongoing-discussion-here-guilty-on-all-34-counts-may-30-2024/980953/2291 "2024-04-24T02:09:03Z")
I think she’s been in danger since Day 1. She’s been reporting on all things Trump for the last few years. Yes, she reports for the NYT, but she’s also been a frequent guest on CNN, always discussing Trump and his legal shenanigans. Oh, and Donnie? Her last name is “Haberman,” with a B. Maybe get your target’s name right, if you expect your followers to dive into the Manhattan phone book looking for “Hagerman, M.” I find it interesting that thousands of Trumpists have not descended upon the courthouse in Manhattan. Trump seems to expect them to, and has Twuthed about how they’re being intercepted and put in holding pens (his words), but what would they do? Protest, I guess, which is perfectly fine, but to what end? They’re not going to break into the courthouse and free him. If I was a Trumpist, I’d ask myself, “What could I accomplish by protesting outside the courthouse, especially after January 6?” ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-prosecutors-file-criminal-charges-for-trump-re-stormy-daniels-case-ongoing-discussion-here-guilty-on-all-34-counts-may-30-2024/980953/2292 "2024-04-24T02:20:04Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Oh, and Donnie? Her last name is “Haberman,” with a B. Pretty sure he was deliberately misspelling her name to imply she’s a “hag.” ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-prosecutors-file-criminal-charges-for-trump-re-stormy-daniels-case-ongoing-discussion-here-guilty-on-all-34-counts-may-30-2024/980953/2293 "2024-04-24T02:27:09Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > If I was a Trumpist, I’d ask myself, “What could I accomplish by protesting outside the courthouse, especially after January 6?” That’s why he threw in the line “THE ONLY THING YOU HAVE TO FEAR IS FEAR ITSELF” in his exhortation to MAGA to protest for him. I’ve got your back MAGA - come on down! (Looks like they don’t believe him.) ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-prosecutors-file-criminal-charges-for-trump-re-stormy-daniels-case-ongoing-discussion-here-guilty-on-all-34-counts-may-30-2024/980953/2294 "2024-04-24T03:06:59Z")
Depending on your comfort level with command line tools, if you’d rather use a IDE (An UI based application for programming). Visual Studio Community Edition is free. Tutorial here: > **[Create a C++ console app project](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/build/vscpp-step-1-create?view=msvc-170)** > > Create a Hello World console app using Microsoft C++ in Visual Studio. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-prosecutors-file-criminal-charges-for-trump-re-stormy-daniels-case-ongoing-discussion-here-guilty-on-all-34-counts-may-30-2024/980953/2295 "2024-04-24T03:13:47Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > Depending on your comfort level with command line tools, if you’d rather use a IDE (An UI based application for programming). Visual Studio Community Edition is free. Tutorial here: Every so often I read a post on the SDMB and think: “That shows how little I know. I can’t even understand what that means, let alone comment on it.” 😮 ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-prosecutors-file-criminal-charges-for-trump-re-stormy-daniels-case-ongoing-discussion-here-guilty-on-all-34-counts-may-30-2024/980953/2296 "2024-04-24T03:33:16Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Every so often I read a post on the SDMB and think: “That shows how little I know. I can’t even understand what that means, let alone comment on it.” 😮 LoL I suspect this may have ended up in the wrong thread 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-prosecutors-file-criminal-charges-for-trump-re-stormy-daniels-case-ongoing-discussion-here-guilty-on-all-34-counts-may-30-2024/980953/2297 "2024-04-24T04:00:22Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Came from the Magna Charta, and of course it only applied to the Peers. The Magna Charta did little for the rights of the common man, how on earth it became lionized as some wellspring of democracy I have no idea. Trickle down political theory. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-prosecutors-file-criminal-charges-for-trump-re-stormy-daniels-case-ongoing-discussion-here-guilty-on-all-34-counts-may-30-2024/980953/2298 "2024-04-24T04:15:30Z")
MAGA Charta: Trump may suffer punishment, with or without ‘the lawful judgment of his peers’… which there aren’t any, as Trump is the Supreme Messiah. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-prosecutors-file-criminal-charges-for-trump-re-stormy-daniels-case-ongoing-discussion-here-guilty-on-all-34-counts-may-30-2024/980953/2299 "2024-04-24T04:20:30Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > > [@rocking\_chair](#): > > > > He also testified that Cohen would request the Enquirer [run negative stories](https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-hush-money-trial-04-23-24/h_c6db98bdc4ef11258bccf2b2b032e67e) about Trump’s political opponents. > > Is this not effectively a campaign contribution, akin to a free political advertisement? Thing is, we have these 501(c)4 organizations, commonly known as PACs, which work on behalf of a candidate and/or party, yet their work is not counted as contributions because they are free agents expressing their views and not taking direction from the official campaign. I could make speeches in TV ads all day long in support of the candidacy of Senator Bedfellow, and as long as I am not in communication with his campaign, my ads will not be counted as contributions. Just me speaking my piece.        Was the conference with Mr. Pecker “coördinating”? I guess it depends on when it took place. If it was before the convention, one might be able to argue that Pecker was acting of his own accord. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-prosecutors-file-criminal-charges-for-trump-re-stormy-daniels-case-ongoing-discussion-here-guilty-on-all-34-counts-may-30-2024/980953/2300 "2024-04-24T04:28:00Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Came from the Magna Charta, and of course it only applied to the Peers. The Magna Charta did little for the rights of the common man, how on earth it became lionized as some wellspring of democracy I have no idea. It was a push in the right direction as it established the monarch’s power was limited and they were not above the law. It sure didn’t do much for the common person at the time though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-prosecutors-file-criminal-charges-for-trump-re-stormy-daniels-case-ongoing-discussion-here-guilty-on-all-34-counts-may-30-2024/980953.md?page=114) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-prosecutors-file-criminal-charges-for-trump-re-stormy-daniels-case-ongoing-discussion-here-guilty-on-all-34-counts-may-30-2024/980953.md?page=116)