If I’m a juror, and I know how close Weisselberg and Trump were, I would assume the State didn’t call him because he’s in the bag for Trump, and the defense didn’t’ call him because he couldn’t credibly deny Cohen’s allegations.
Can Weisselberg testify if he wanted to? It’s his decision, or no? I don’t know what this plea deal was or anything about it. Or he’s just not on the witness list at all - he can’t be called to testify (even if he wanted to).
He can’t just show up and demand to testify (yeah, he’s in prison but you know what I mean). He has to be subpoenaed by the Prosecution or Defense.
I mean one of the sides has to call him as witness, he can’t turn up and demand to be heard I assume 
If he was called he would have to come a testify but he could just invoke the fifth (or be completely honest or just come up with bunch of lies, that bit is up to him)
Ok. And then neither side is comfortable with calling him as a witness then. As Procrustus seems to suggest (I’m slow, so if that’s not what you’re suggesting let me know).
Or maybe I’m way ahead of my skies. Has either side indicated they would call him as a witness?
Edit: I’m confused. I will read up on this. I thought there was a plea deal that was preventing him from testifying in some way. So he wasn’t like a normal witness who could be called to come testify and tell the truth, lie, or plead the 5th…I thought there was more to it.
AFAIK no. The prosecution definitely has not. Does the defense need to list all their witnesses? I don’t think then have listed him even as a “maybe” (which is a thing IIRC)
So that was bad reporting IIRC the plea deal said no such thing though it was reported that way. I think Weisselberg’s team made a big deal of the fact he wasn’t agreeing to testify in this trial as part of that deal, so it was reported that not testifying was part of the deal, but it wasn’t. That was just bad reporting
True, but it seems with Trump sycophants, despite all the evidence to the contrary, they think they’ll be the person it works out for. Or, with Weisselberg, jail time is worth the prospective payout.
A deal wouldn’t work like that. A deal would be something like, he needs to be honest and if he testifies about certain crimes that he did as part of that, that he wouldn’t be prosecuted himself.
A video from MeidasTouch speculated that this was trump’s way around the gag order. Have high profile magas attend court and go forth and trash talk everyone he isn’t allowed to.
He will get a $750,000 bonus from Trump if he does not voluntarily testify (but he can still be subpoenaed). However, this won’t be payable until well after the trial is over so I am of the opinion that Trump is going to screw him just to show him who is boss… just as Michael Cohen testified today happened to him in 2016. Did Trump learn his lesson from that one and will he pay Weisselberg what he has promised? If Weisselberg ends up getting screwed will it make any difference to Trump? We shall see.
I hate to agree with a video, but it is hard for me to not think this. Somebody coordinated the GOP lawmaker appearances today. Maybe it was coordinated without any DJT involvement, but I doubt it. Reporters must be working the phones, as I type this, to find out how this was organized.
Trump has shown self-discipline so far in not crossing the line that would lead to jailing for contempt.
Tuberville has already told the press that the whole thing was a disgrace.
Oh absolutely. I wonder if it’s his lawyers just to try and convince Trump he doesn’t need to break the gag order, he has sycophants in the GOP who can do it for him.
Absolutely true, he is a disgrace to the US Senate, the state of Alabama, and the human race. I thought it might be a try out for VP.
I followed along today with the CNN updates.
Although it’s a small thing, I think Cohen’s habit of referring to donald as “Mr. Trump” helps his credibility. That, plus the frequent use of “ma’am” when answering the prosecutor, just shows a certain amount of humility that I suspect weighs in his favor.
I also like the fact that he’s frank about his motivations. Yes, he was out for money and prestige. But, damn, he sure did get screwed over.
I don’t doubt that Cohen is angry at donald, and wants to see him convicted. But with how thorough the DA is able to document his actions (with contemporaneous phone and text records), I also think he’s being honest.
The cross will challenge his truthfulness, but I dint think it will work. When you have facts on your side, you tend to weather cross examination well.
Oh 100%. I’m surprised he didn’t end with “and I’ve haven’t shot any puppies”
Damn, now I want to buy a racehorse and name him Stormy Pecker.
Too bad this isn’t televised or audio isn’t available, I think the impact would be HUUUUGE!.
The cross is going to be intense but if the defense can’t contain itself it could wind up backfiring just as it did for Stormy.
What I’m still waiting for is for the prosecution to spell out what the underlying crime was that bumps this up to a felony. Will we get this in the closing statement? Some of the talking heads I listen to are concerned that the prosecution hasn’t made the case.
dammit, thanks for the earworm
I understand this was the ruling this morning. I’m sure there are lots of good valid reasons for not telling the jury that Weisselberg is being paid a large sum of money by Trump as long as he does not talk. It just seems a bit… odd to me.