# 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:** 276
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2024, 1:00am 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-30-2024/980953/5501 "2024-05-31T01:00:42Z")
A question for our legal experts: I’ve heard conflicting opinions from TV pundits on the likelihood of a prison sentence. Many said that a majority of defendants guilty of these types of crimes see no prison time. No, no, no, countered at least one. At best that’s misleading. His point being that a majority of defendants who _pleaded_ guilty avoided incarceration. IOW, most people cop a plea with the specific objective of avoiding prison time (and most people do cop a plea for these charges). A large percentage (I can’t remember if it was a majority) of those _found_ guilty after a jury trial do go to prison. Very tough to get to the bottom of what ought to be a straightforward statistic. Any thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2024, 1:00am 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-30-2024/980953/5502 "2024-05-31T01:00:57Z")
On msnbc Rachel maddow mentioned that Blanche stated that he worked hand in hand with trump. He and trump decided on the defence. Blanche was on a different network for an interview. Not a big surprize to us. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2024, 1:05am 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-30-2024/980953/5503 "2024-05-31T01:05:07Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Is impressing the person writing your pre-sentencing report consistent with saying you were railroaded? I doubt it. I didn’t say it was smart. I said it was unlikely to make things worse for him. Now, all the other things he has said and continues to say, sure, those demonstrate a pattern of behavior that should be taken into account. But a single immediate reaction? Not smart but not much on its own. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2024, 1:09am 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-30-2024/980953/5504 "2024-05-31T01:09:45Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > I propose a new word: **MAGAmouche** > > Definition: a credulous person; _especially_ one who believes everything he or she hears from Donald Trump I see a little silhouetto of a man Magamouche, magamouche Listen to the tan mango ---
**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:** [May 31, 2024, 1:10am 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-30-2024/980953/5505 "2024-05-31T01:10:27Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > On msnbc Rachel maddow mentioned that Blanche stated that he worked hand in hand with trump. He and trump decided on the defence. There’s the problem: Trump got too involved. > [@](#): > > Blanche was on a different network for an interview. He’s on CNN right now. ---
**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:** [May 31, 2024, 1:12am 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-30-2024/980953/5506 "2024-05-31T01:12:41Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > haven’t seen a headline that big since the start of Gulf War I and the Apollo 11 astronauts landing on the Moon. > **[BREAKING: BIG WORDS MEAN BIG THING HAPPEN](https://www.theonion.com/breaking-big-words-mean-big-thing-happen-1851510778)** > > The Onion brings you all of the latest news, stories, photos, videos and more from America's finest news source. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2024, 1:13am 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-30-2024/980953/5507 "2024-05-31T01:13:31Z")
Per cnn: Michael Cohen, speaking after [Donald Trump’s guilty verdict](https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/30/politics/donald-trump-hush-money-trial-verdict/index.html) Thursday, said he was “relieved” and wasn’t surprised by the verdict. “This has been six years in the making,” he told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow. When Maddow asked if he was surprised by the verdict, Cohen said: “No. I was not.” “At the end of the day, the facts are what prevailed here,” Cohen said. “It’s accountability, it’s exactly what America needs right now.” Cohen praised the judge and prosecutors for their work and said he stayed off social media in respect for the judge and the process. He said he faced difficulty dealing with the anxiety of the trial. “I was nervous because so much was riding on the result of this, and I wanted to ensure that my testimony was perfect. I knew that there could be no deviation from perfection,” he said. Cohen called Todd Blanche, Trump’s attorney, a “SLOAT” – stupidest lawyer of all time. During his closing arguments, Blanche had called Cohen a “GLOAT” – the greatest liar of all time. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2024, 1:17am 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-30-2024/980953/5508 "2024-05-31T01:17:21Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > I see a little silhouetto of a man > Magamouche, magamouche > Listen to the tan mango Change little to fat and I’ll produce the record. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 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-30-2024/980953/5509 "2024-05-31T01:18:17Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > A question for our legal experts: I’ve heard conflicting opinions from TV pundits on the likelihood of a prison sentence. . . . > > Very tough to get to the bottom of what ought to be a straightforward statistic. Any thoughts? I earlier quoted from a Reuters story where they only found one instance of a felony business records conviction, with no other crimes, where the defendant was incarcerated (36 hours a week for one year). But compared to other white collar crime convicts, Trump is at unusually high risk of reoffending. If I was researching his presentencing report, I would ask him what he was doing to make sure he cannot, intentionally or accidentally, violate campaign laws in his current campaign. If he doesn’t have a good answer, I do not see how you can recommend probation. This should not be because of wanting Trump to be punished. It is because of wanting to prevent crime. If Trump actually, and quickly, puts up a wall between his campaign, himself, and his cronies, probation may make sense. But by all indications he feels no remorse, and thus no need to do such. ---
**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:** [May 31, 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-30-2024/980953/5510 "2024-05-31T01:18:43Z")
> [@MikeF](#): > > Bartiromo was going on about how the now- convicted felon was the strongest man she ever met in her entire life … She met him right at diaper change time it would seem. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2024, 1:20am 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-30-2024/980953/5511 "2024-05-31T01:20:50Z")
That puts it out of meter, though. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2024, 1:23am 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-30-2024/980953/5512 "2024-05-31T01:23:37Z")
[![](https://i.redd.it/od1zfg40zm3d1.jpeg) ](https://i.redd.it/od1zfg40zm3d1.jpeg) 🤣 ---
**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:** [May 31, 2024, 1:26am 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-30-2024/980953/5513 "2024-05-31T01:26:46Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > If I was researching his presentencing report, I would ask him what he was doing to make sure he cannot, intentionally or accidentally, violate campaign laws in his current campaign. If he doesn’t have a good answer, I do not see how you can recommend probation. The problem there, of course, is that that is a question Trump won’t answer. Not just that question, though, I can see him answering every question with, “Rigged trial, corrupt and conflicted judge, Biden’s fault, legal scholars said this trial never should have been brought, nobody’s ever seen anything like it,” and similar. Not a good idea, in my view. Better to try to work with the probation officer by answering their questions honestly and candidly. After all, their pre-sentencing report might make things easier on Trump. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2024, 1:26am 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-30-2024/980953/5514 "2024-05-31T01:26:49Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > On msnbc Rachel maddow mentioned that Blanche stated that he worked hand in hand with trump. He and trump decided on the defence. I think this is as close as Blanche is going to come to throwing trump under the bus. Which makes me want to ask: could a more competent defense team that didn’t let trump run the show have gotten trump off? ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2024, 1:29am 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-30-2024/980953/5515 "2024-05-31T01:29:10Z")
There have been plenty of suggestions in this thread that seemed reasonable, at least. The jury might’ve had to deliberate more, minimum. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2024, 1:31am 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-30-2024/980953/5516 "2024-05-31T01:31:41Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > A question for our legal experts: I’ve heard conflicting opinions from TV pundits on the likelihood of a prison sentence. Many said that a majority of defendants guilty of these types of crimes see no prison time. No, no, no, countered at least one. At best that’s misleading. I’m no expert, but I sat through a lot of sentencings. Here’s some information I gleaned over many years: People who enter pleas will receive far more favorable treatment than people who force the courts to try them to a verdict of guilty. The whole reason the plea agreement system works is because there is an advantage to be gained for the defendant if they enter a plea and don’t waste judicial time. It would be very unusual – and I can’t emphasize this enough – for a judge to impose a _lesser_ sentence for a defendant who is _more_ culpable for the crime than a co-defendant. Michael Cohen was a co-defendant under this identical set of facts in a federal case. Cohen had a sentence of 3 years in federal prison imposed for the same criminal behavior as Trump. _And_ he entered a plea and agreed to cooperate with officials by testifying in other cases. He also wasn’t the prime beneficiary of the criminal enterprise. Trump was. Cohen was a first-time offender. He also expressed remorse and regret for his behavior and took responsibility for it. It didn’t help him. I think Judge Merchan will be thinking about all this a great deal in deciding what sentence to impose on Trump. And I think the pundits who are saying there is “no way” Trump will have prison time considered and in some way imposed are likely full of shit. Judge Merchan may stay imposition of the prison sentence contingent on a very strict set of rules for a probationary term, but we all know how that will go for Trump. He’ll end up in the slammer. ---
**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:** [May 31, 2024, 1:32am 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-30-2024/980953/5517 "2024-05-31T01:32:35Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > “Hell” Squirrel Nut Zippers? _Way_ behind on this thread, but I just had to say I love that song. ---
**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:** [May 31, 2024, 1:34am 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-30-2024/980953/5518 "2024-05-31T01:34:37Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Which makes me want to ask: could a more competent defense team that didn’t let trump run the show have gotten trump off? I think that this defense team was suitably competent, but the problem was that Trump couldn’t keep from interfering with what they thought was best. I’m sure that there were many times when Blanche _et al._ thought to themselves, “And just what law school did you go to, Donnie?” In his CNN interview with Kaitlin Collins, Blanche alluded to how the legal team worked with Trump. He didn’t say whether that was good or bad, but it is a logical conclusion that if they recommended something as the best approach, Trump would argue in favour of something else that he liked better. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2024, 1:41am 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-30-2024/980953/5519 "2024-05-31T01:41:57Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > That puts it out of meter, though. Tubby silhouetto, instead of little silhouetto could work. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2024, 1:42am 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-30-2024/980953/5520 "2024-05-31T01:42:11Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Moments after the verdict, the CNN headline was “Trump found guilty on all counts”. The Fox headline? “Trump blasts judge and jury”. Best headline so far is from the Queens Daily Eagle: “Queens Man Convicted”. [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=275) [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=277)