# 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:** 49
**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:** [February 28, 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-30-2024/980953/961 "2024-02-28T01:41:34Z")
I thought this was the weakest criminal case against Trump, and it might be, but I’m thinking he’s in some serious trouble here. Let’s see if this goes as well as his civil cases. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 1:50am 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-30-2024/980953/962 "2024-02-28T01:50:37Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > I thought this was the weakest criminal case against Trump, and it might be, but I’m thinking he’s in some serious trouble here. Legal trouble, yes. eschereal’s “all kinds of fun,” probably not. I consider the allegation one of serious election interference. If I was on the fence with voting for Trump, this would bother me more than the document secrecy charges. However, I think swing/uncertain voters will see it as a Bill-Clinton-type sex and adultery case, and, especially because appeals would be pending after any conviction, ignore it. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 2:10am 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-30-2024/980953/963 "2024-02-28T02:10:02Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > However, I think swing/uncertain voters It’s been said before, but I just don’t get these hypothetical “swing” voters in this particular election. If you are not a MAGA cultist caught up in the insanity, then you have to know that Trump is a sad rambling demented ball of ego wrapped up in a crunchy coating of childish taunts, seasoned with a desire for vengeance. You’d HAVE to know that he has no plan for the country and no ability to get anything done other than line his own pockets. It’s black and white. ---
**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:** [February 28, 2024, 2:26am 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-30-2024/980953/964 "2024-02-28T02:26:34Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > If you are not a MAGA cultist caught up in the insanity, then you have to know that Trump is a sad rambling demented ball of ego wrapped up in a crunchy coating of childish taunts, seasoned with a desire for vengeance. You’d HAVE to know that he has no plan for the country and no ability to get anything done other than line his own pockets. It’s black and white. Sadly, there are many who would happily vote for another Republican if they could but would never vote for a Democrat. The “swing” part of _these_ swing voters is whether they vote for trump or don’t vote at all. Can they talk themselves into supporting the Republican nominee with a lot of baggage, or has he tipped too far (in their estimation) into a flat out criminal who will try to destroy America? I know quite a few of these kinds of “swing” voters. They are over trump, but not over enough to ever stoop to voting for a communist socialist Democrat. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 3:11am 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-30-2024/980953/965 "2024-02-28T03:11:55Z")
> [@MulderMuffin](#): > > communist socialist Democrat. Communist socialist _baby killing_ Democrat. ---
**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:** [February 28, 2024, 9:37am 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-30-2024/980953/966 "2024-02-28T09:37:12Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Communist socialist _baby killing_ Democrat. My favorite is when they combine “socialist” and “fascist” in the same insult, directed at the same group. It’s like they learned certain buzzwords and have no idea what they mean. Wait, it’s not _like_ that, it’s exactly that… ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 1:16pm 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-30-2024/980953/967 "2024-02-28T13:16:18Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > You’d HAVE to know that he has no plan for the country and no ability to get anything done other than line his own pockets. Under him, policy certain folk desired/benefitted from got enacted, certain folk got appointed. I’m convinced there are at least some folk who will place their perceived personal advantage over the good of the nation/many. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 4:13pm 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-30-2024/980953/968 "2024-02-28T16:13:05Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > My favorite is when they combine “socialist” and “fascist” in the same insult, directed at the same group. I’ll bet there’s at least one instance (probably more than one and very likely by Trump) where they call a Democrat both “fascist” _and_ “antifa” in the same utterance. I’ve kept a lookout for this but haven’t seen it. However, Trump posts myriads of Twuths that I never see. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 4:23pm 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-30-2024/980953/969 "2024-02-28T16:23:35Z")
There is also a group that I like to call “radical centrists” who are committed to bothsiderism. The people who think that Biden’s and Trump mishandling of classified documents are equivalent, that Hunter’s laptop cancels out Trump’s lying to banks, and that BLM protests are equivalent of Jan 6th. They are generally woefully uniformed but smugly condescending about independence. Its possible that an actual criminal conviction could push some of these people off the fence. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 12:52am 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-30-2024/980953/970 "2024-02-29T00:52:46Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > “radical centrists” If you’re talking about people in real life, then fair enough. If you’re talking about online, well, that sounds like Russian troll farms more than anything else. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 1:01am 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-30-2024/980953/971 "2024-02-29T01:01:47Z")
And there are also folks who are so politically disengaged that they don’t know about Trump’s many misdeeds. ---
**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:** [February 29, 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-30-2024/980953/972 "2024-02-29T01:20:08Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > If you’re talking about online, well, that sounds like Russian troll farms more than anything else. _On the Internets, no one can tell that you are a LLM._ well, actually we can ---
**Author:** ![kay1864](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kay1864/32/16024_2.png) [@kay1864](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kay1864)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 5:56pm 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-30-2024/980953/973 "2024-03-08T17:56:15Z")
I was trying to figure out, since he paid her $135,000, was he personally out that money, was it his company, etc. Found this > January 2017: Cohen seeks reimbursement from the Trump Organization for $180,035 — $130,000 for the payment to Daniels, plus a wiring fee and an extra $50,000. > Trump Organization executives double the reimbursement to $360,000 and add another $60,000, for a total of $420,000 to be paid in monthly installments for 12 months. > Cohen sends invoices for $35,000 per month and receives $420,000 from the company over the course of the year. 1. LOLing that Cohen billed him for a $35 wiring fee 2. Why did they pay Cohen 420K instead of the 180K he asked for? I mean the extra 50K would be enough to buy his silence, plus he’s the lawyer, so he has to be silent anyway 3. If that’s the Trump Organization money, isn’t that “his” money? ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 6:20pm 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-30-2024/980953/974 "2024-03-08T18:20:54Z")
I’m not sure of the context of this question, but to be clear, Cohen paid Daniels the $135k (technically a shell company Cohen created paid Daniels, but the money originated from Cohen). Then, the Trump Org, I think a Trump Trust, and Trump (personally) reimbursed Cohen. This part is intentionally convoluted but this is generally correct - the hard part for me is to know where it originated/if it’s being funneled etc. So, answers: 1. Ha, good catch. 2. I think Cohen did other things besides paying Daniels $135k and got reimbursed for that as well. 3. So is Trump out that money? Certainly the personal checks. The other entities are certainly closely tied enough where Trump and most people would consider it Trump’s money, even if legal fictions says it’s not. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 7:08pm 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-30-2024/980953/975 "2024-03-08T19:08:05Z")
To add one thing…… Trump reimbursed Cohen by having him send Trump / The Trump Organization fraudulent invoices for legal services that he didn’t provide. This was also tax fraud as legal services are tax deductible and hush money isn’t. According to Cohen, Weisselberg was the person that structured the fraudulent payments. The total of the payments exceeded the value of the loan because they were “grossed-up”, meaning additional money was added to cover Cohen’s tax liability on the loan, not because they were paying Cohen for legitimate work. ---
**Author:** ![kay1864](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kay1864/32/16024_2.png) [@kay1864](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kay1864)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 10:03pm 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-30-2024/980953/976 "2024-03-08T22:03:34Z")
That was a very pricey 1.5 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 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-30-2024/980953/977 "2024-03-11T17:46:05Z")
Trump wants the judge to pause the trial until SCOTUS rules on his immunity case. Delay delay delay! > **[Trump asks judge to delay New York criminal trial until Supreme Court rules...](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-asks-judge-delay-new-york-criminal-trial-supreme-court-rules-pre-rcna142810)** > > The trial, scheduled to start on March 25, would be the former president's first criminal trial this year. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2024, 5:51pm 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-30-2024/980953/978 "2024-03-11T17:51:09Z")
Weren’t these actions prior to his becoming president? ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2024, 5:53pm 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-30-2024/980953/979 "2024-03-11T17:53:26Z")
It sounds like you’re trying to apply logic to this argument. That’s a mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2024, 6:02pm 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-30-2024/980953/980 "2024-03-11T18:02:34Z")
> [@simster](#): > > Weren’t these actions prior to his becoming president? Trump thinks he gets retroactive immunity for any criminal actions he did before becoming president, as well as post hoc immunity for any criminal actions he did after losing the election. In effect, Trump is claiming Sovereign immunity. _rex non potest peccare_ , meaning “the king can do no wrong” [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=48) [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=50)