# 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:** 317
**Author:** ![MulderMuffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldermuffin/32/2862_2.png) [@MulderMuffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MulderMuffin)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 3:00pm 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-30-2024/980953/6321 "2024-08-30T15:00:58Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > They know that it’s going to be rejected, not on its merits but because it’s too late in the process to make such a filing. But until that formal rejection notice comes, the statute governing such motions requires Merchan to pause the proceedings. Okay, i can see that. Thank you! It just seems so stupid, I was sure I was missing something important that would make it all make sense. It’s obviously all over except for the appeals process at this point. I agree that sanctions should be in order over such an egregiously frivolous filing. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 3:03pm 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-30-2024/980953/6322 "2024-08-30T15:03:49Z")
> Trump’s lawyers argue that he is entitled That might as well be their entire defense, for everything he’s ever done, ever. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 5:46pm 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-30-2024/980953/6323 "2024-08-30T17:46:30Z")
> [@MulderMuffin](#): > > What am I missing here? The case is over. The jury returned a verdict and it’s all over except for the sentencing and appeals. Right?! Donald Trump is still claiming he won the last election. He would visit his golf clubs after a tournament, play a round, and then claim he won. It Trumpworld, nothing is over until Trump declares victory. ---
**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:** [August 30, 2024, 7:01pm 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-30-2024/980953/6324 "2024-08-30T19:01:08Z")
> [@MulderMuffin](#): > > I agree that sanctions should be in order over such an egregiously frivolous filing. In light of the Supreme Court ruling on immunity for Presidential official acts, there is now considerable uncertainty about the possibility of criminal liability by a president. I don’t know that I would agree this is an egregiously frivolous filing. When the law changes as a result of a Supreme Court ruling, it creates uncertainty for litigants and courts. As always, IANAUSL. ---
**Author:** ![MulderMuffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldermuffin/32/2862_2.png) [@MulderMuffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MulderMuffin)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 7:19pm 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-30-2024/980953/6325 "2024-08-30T19:19:37Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > When the law changes as a result of a Supreme Court ruling, it creates uncertainty for litigants and courts. Which would call for an appeal, since the trial is already over. But I’m not any kind of lawyer, so that’s just my own sense of right and wrong talking. ---
**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:** [August 30, 2024, 9:04pm 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-30-2024/980953/6326 "2024-08-30T21:04:20Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > In light of the Supreme Court ruling on immunity for Presidential official acts, there is now considerable uncertainty about the possibility of criminal liability by a president. Of course, he wasn’t President when he committed the crimes. ---
**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:** [August 30, 2024, 9:16pm 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-30-2024/980953/6327 "2024-08-30T21:16:45Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > In light of the Supreme Court ruling on immunity for Presidential official acts, there is now considerable uncertainty about the possibility of criminal liability by a president. This is certainly true. However in this instance, AIUI based on what I’ve heard discussed by legal experts, there are two things that make it unlikely that Trump will succeed in his efforts: 1. He failed to raise the issue timely when the SCOTUS ruling came down. So basically, too late. 2. Trump made an almost identical motion prior to the SCOTUS ruling. The appeals court slapped it down quick and hard, saying something to the effect that in no sane world could Trump’s actions in this case be construed as official. The latest appeal is going before the same appellate court judge. ---
**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:** [August 30, 2024, 9:23pm 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-30-2024/980953/6328 "2024-08-30T21:23:35Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > …in no sane world… That ship has sailed, sadly. ---
**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:** [August 30, 2024, 9:24pm 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-30-2024/980953/6329 "2024-08-30T21:24:45Z")
Not according to the judge who issued the ruling, thankfully. ---
**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:** [August 30, 2024, 9:33pm 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-30-2024/980953/6330 "2024-08-30T21:33:38Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > he wasn’t President when he committed the crimes. He was convicted of business fraud, for disguising the repayments to Cohen for the payoff. Most of the charges were based on acts that happened not long after Jan 20 2016. Perhaps he can argue that signing the fraudulent checks at the desk that he named the Resolute Desk made it an official act, or something. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 9:52pm 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-30-2024/980953/6331 "2024-08-30T21:52:53Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > He was convicted of business fraud, for disguising the repayments to Cohen for the payoff. Most of the charges were based on acts that happened not long after Jan 20 2016. Perhaps he can argue that signing the fraudulent checks at the desk that he named the Resolute Desk made it an official act, or something. The scheme may have been hatched before Trump’s inauguration, but most (maybe all) of the criminal acts, the repayments to Cohen and concealing them as a retainer, occurred while Trump was president. And some of the testimony in the trial was with other government employees who were serving in official capacities. I could see an argument that such testimony should not have been permitted under the SCOTUS immunity ruling for official acts. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 12:31am 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-30-2024/980953/6332 "2024-08-31T00:31:42Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > The scheme may have been hatched before Trump’s inauguration, but most (maybe all) of the criminal acts, the repayments to Cohen and concealing them as a retainer, occurred while Trump was president. I looked at the timeline of the charges, and the first payment was in January 2017, so it _may_ have been before he was inaugurated, but I’m not certain. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [August 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-30-2024/980953/6333 "2024-08-31T01:20:17Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Trump made an almost identical motion prior to the SCOTUS ruling. The appeals court slapped it down quick and hard, saying something to the effect that in no sane world could Trump’s actions in this case be construed as official. The latest appeal is going before the same appellate court judge. So, same judge, likely same ruling, and I doubt this justice will sit on it for long. ---
**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:** [August 31, 2024, 1:25am 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-30-2024/980953/6334 "2024-08-31T01:25:11Z")
That’s what I think. Trump will of course appeal it to SCOTUS, and while they can be a real wild card (which is no doubt what @ThelmaLou was referring to), I just can’t see why they would take it up again. If they meant to protect Trump from stuff like this, they could have included the carveout in their wacky immunity ruling in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 3:07am 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-30-2024/980953/6335 "2024-08-31T03:07:38Z")
I’m still not convinced that SCOTUS is in the bag for Trump 100%. I think they’re in the bag for the Heritage Society. That overlaps into things that will help Trump but not always. I wish they could just be real judges so we didn’t have to worry about this garbage and he could just serve his sentence like a normal felon. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 3:27am 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-30-2024/980953/6336 "2024-08-31T03:27:10Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Heritage Society Federalist Society, sorry. > **[Group behind Trump SCOTUS picks brought in nearly $50 million in secret money...](https://www.citizensforethics.org/reports-investigations/crew-investigations/group-behind-trump-scotus-picks-brought-in-nearly-50-million-in-secret-money/)** > > A dark money group poured almost $50 million into helping former President Trump swing the Supreme Court sharply to the right. ---
**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:** [August 31, 2024, 3:36am 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-30-2024/980953/6337 "2024-08-31T03:36:47Z")
Oh, this has been the goal for a very long time. Heritage Society, Federalist Society and others. They’ve finally got everything in place with their 3 new Justices, and now they’re going to rock and roll. Citizens United: > **[The ‘Citizens United’ decision and why it matters](https://publicintegrity.org/politics/the-citizens-united-decision-and-why-it-matters/)** > > \>\> Read all the Center for Public Integrity’s investigations on money and democracy. By now most folks know that the U.S. Supreme Court did something that changed how money can be spent in elections and by whom, but what happened and why should... McCutcheon: > **[The 'McCutcheon' decision explained — more money to pour into political process](https://publicintegrity.org/politics/the-mccutcheon-decision-explained-more-money-to-pour-into-political-process/)** > > Just when we learned what “Citizens United” and “super PACs” were all about, the U.S. Supreme Court has again roiled the world of campaign finance, voting 5-4 to allow even more money into a political process that is pretty well saturated with it. So... We the People just let them get away with it. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 3:41am 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-30-2024/980953/6338 "2024-08-31T03:41:15Z")
I just hope that whatever their plans are, they don’t result in declaring that no former POTUS can be incarcerated or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 3:43am 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-30-2024/980953/6339 "2024-08-31T03:43:43Z")
I fully expect a carve out for Trump or any future President that fulfills their specific needs. Specifically, tying back to the limited immunity, they have IMHO declared that only they will be allowed to determine when and where such an immunity will apply. Oh, it won’t be specific to Trump, but it’ll be applied in a targeted, partisan manner. ---
**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:** [August 31, 2024, 3:46am 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-30-2024/980953/6340 "2024-08-31T03:46:00Z")
The Manhattan case isn’t the case to watch. Whatever sentence Justice Merchan imposes, even if jail time is included, it’s going to be nothing much. The cases to watch are the January 6th case before Judge Chutkan and the documents case before that sorry excuse for a judge, Judge Cannon. [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=316) [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=318)