Trump Found Guilty on All 34 Counts In Hush-Money Trial

[Vambram]

I am glad to know that Judge Merchan has reaffirmed his conviction on all 34 counts. The rule of law is alive and well in New York City and New York State, where the incoming president is also dealing with two huge financial judgments for business fraud and sexual assault (amounting to about $500 million, with interest accruing every day). Then of course, justice was served in the federal courts when the defrauded students of the now defunct Trump University received a $25 million judgment about 9 years ago.
When everyday citizens see the wealthy and powerful avoid accountability for their crimes and misdeeds it creates anger and mistrust of our judicial system.
We owe New York, my home state, a debt of gratitude for taking these cases seriously, undeterred by the defendant's wealth and power.

This was not the rule of law. What happened here is the result of the weaponization of lawfare in the progressive left wing liberal city of New York City. Thankfully, I lift up Hallelujahs to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that the majority of the states in America and the majority of American voters rejected the lawfare of the progressive liberals in the Democratic Party.
On the other hand, New York is demonstrating that their political positions are out of step with the majority of states in the USA.

 

[Fantine]

I strongly believe that justice was served; the incoming president can, of course, exhaust all his appeals, all the way up to the Supreme Court, and experience shows that he will most likely do so.
The grounds for appeal are paper-thin, although it is possible that he could get the amount of the E. Jean Carroll judgment reduced...but since interest is accruing daily, by the time that could remotely happen, the amount owed would probably be the same.

 

[Vambram]

I strongly believe that justice was served; the incoming president can, of course, exhaust all his appeals, all the way up to the Supreme Court, and experience shows that he will most likely do so.
The grounds for appeal are paper-thin, although it is possible that he could get the amount of the E. Jean Carroll judgment reduced...but since interest is accruing daily, by the time that could remotely happen, the amount owed would probably be the same.

The majority of American voters in the majority of the states in the USA disagree with your post. The progressive left wing liberals should, in my opinion, figure out why they lost the elections in 2024 and then they might be able to change their progressive left wing liberal ideologies, in my opinion.

 

[Fantine]

The majority of American voters in the majority of the states in the USA disagree with your post. The progressive left wing liberals should, in my opinion, figure out why they lost the elections in 2024 and then they might be able to change their progressive left wing liberal ideologies, in my opinion.

49.9% of the vote is not a majority. Less than 150 million voters don't represent anywhere near all Americans. Why didn't they vote? They may have been disgusted by the choices.
In a state that votes 65-70% Republican, voters may believe their vote doesn't matter. Often the Republicans run unopposed, but if they have opponents, they can outspend them 10 to 1.
Then of course there are people who didn't care about the indictments backed up NY tens of thousands of pages of solid evidence.

 

[Vambram]

49.9% of the vote is not a majority. Less than 150 million voters don't represent anywhere near all Americans. Why didn't they vote? They may have been disgusted by the choices.
In a state that votes 65-70% Republican, voters may believe their vote doesn't matter. Often the Republicans run unopposed, but if they have opponents, they can outspend them 10 to 1.
Then of course there are people who didn't care about the indictments backed up NY tens of thousands of pages of solid evidence.

There was no tens of thousands of pages of solid evidence.

 

[Fantine]

Jack Smith released 1900 pages for the immunity ended DC insurrection indictment.
If every other case had the same or more evidence you get tens of thousands. Obviously the tax fraud civil case had pages and pages of financial documents a team of accountants spent months studying.
But let's just say there was ample evidence for independent grand juries in six jurisdictions to indict.

 

[JSRG]

But let's just say there was ample evidence for independent grand juries in six jurisdictions to indict.

Successful Indictment doesn't mean much. The grand juries process is stacked very heavily in favor of the prosecution, hence the saying that you could indict a ham sandwich. Back in the day they may have played an important role, but nowadays are little more than a formality. The United States is one of the very few countries that still bothers with it (I believe the only others are Liberia and Japan).

Nowadays it seems the main thing the grand jury process does is give the prosecution extra publicity.

 

[Fantine]

A grand jury evaluates whether there is sufficient evidence to bring a case to trial.
And given that $100 million worth of legal talent couldn't get an acquittal...and lost two combined half million lawsuits, the evidence must have been impressive.
I commend Bragg and Letitia James, armed with only a staff of underpaid DAs, for having the courage, integrity and perseverance to take up the highest paid lawyers in the country.

 

[Hazelelponi]

This was not the rule of law. What happened here is the result of the weaponization of lawfare in the progressive left wing liberal city of New York City. Thankfully, I lift up Hallelujahs to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that the majority of the states in America and the majority of American voters rejected the lawfare of the progressive liberals in the Democratic Party.
On the other hand, New York is demonstrating that their political positions are out of step with the majority of states in the USA.

Corruption all the way around. Collision with the white house for political power, corrupt attorney generals, corrupt prosecutors and corrupt judges.

And even when we threw in corrupt media and partisan websites we still won the popular vote.

How many votes do you think Trump would have gotten if we had not had so much corruption? Had it legitimately been a free and fair election?

That's when Trump looks a little too popular for his own good... Lol. It's almost a good thing in a way, could you imagine what that would have done to his ego? Lol ... God kept him humble anyway... (As humble as possible anyway).

 

[JSRG]

A grand jury evaluates whether there is sufficient evidence to bring a case to trial.

I'm aware. And the process is so heavily stacked in the prosecution's favor that them deciding yes means very little. It's why almost no countries bother with it; nowadays it's little more than a formality and an opportunity for the prosecution to get publicity points if it's a high profile case. The United States might've dropped the practice along with everyone else if it wasn't required by the Constitution.

And given that $100 million worth of legal talent couldn't get an acquittal...and lost two combined half million lawsuits, the evidence must have been impressive.

Except in this case we had a judge and prosecutor for which there is some credible arguments were biased, plus the defense didn't do a very good job (a large part of this probably is traced back to Trump not wanting them to use legal arguments that would benefit him in the court room but might hurt him politically).

This article from Vox--hardly a conservative source!--does a decent job discussing the various criticisms of the case and concludes that, while it wasn't as much of a travesty of justice as some conservatives make it out to be, there are still some quite legitimate issues to take with it:

The best — and worst — criticisms of Trump’s conviction

Was Trump wrongly convicted? The debate, explained.

www.vox.com

I commend Bragg and Letitia James, armed with only a staff of underpaid DAs, for having the courage, integrity and perseverance to take up the highest paid lawyers in the country.

They actually might have helped Trump get re-elected with how credible a case could be made that they were engaging in lawfare (especially Bragg).

It's especially problematic because some of the other cases against Trump were far more credible. So when voters (at least the ones who don't have their mind made up the instant they find out that the defendant is Trump) see the credible accusations of lawfare in this case discussed above, they associate it with the other cases and take them less seriously. I expect Alvin Bragg made it easier for people to dismiss the more credible cases and see Trump as more of a victim, thereby aiding him in re-election.

 

[Fantine]

I guess when $100 million in legal talent falls short, $100 million of X media bias promotes a narrative some people believe.

 

[wing2000]

“The Defendant has presented no valid argument to convince this Court [that the whole thing should be tossed],” he said. “Binding precedent does not provide that an individual, upon becoming President, can retroactively dismiss or vacate prior criminal acts nor does it grant blanket Presidential-elect immunity. This Court is therefore forbidden from recognizing either form of immunity.”

 

[ozso]

Judge: No penalties for Trump in New York hush money case

New York Judge Juan Mercan decided to proceed with sentencing President-elect Donald Trump's conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records while previewing that he will execute an 'unconditional discharge' and impose no penalties against Trump. CNN's Paula Reid reports.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/03/politics/video/trump-hush-money-sentencing-merchan-reid-digvid-lead

 

[ozso]

Now just waiting for the SCOTUS to dismiss the whole absurd case.

 

[FenderTL5]

Now just waiting for the SCOTUS to dismiss the whole absurd case.

Right on, what's the world coming to when the rich and well connected can't falsify a few business records to conceal sexual exploits?
It's absurd and immoral.

 

[ozso]

Right on, what's the world coming to when the rich and well connected can't falsify a few business records to conceal sexual exploits?
It's absurd and immoral.

What's absurd an immoral is lawfare that fizzles out after it's of no use any longer. The minute Trump was reelected it wasn't worth pursuing. Same goes with Jack Smith and all the rest.

 

[Arcangl86]

Now just waiting for the SCOTUS to dismiss the whole absurd case.

Why would they? It's not a matter of federal law so SCOTUS really has no reason to get involved.

 

[FenderTL5]

The minute Trump was reelected it wasn't worth pursuing..

Again, you are spot-on correct. Once the Supreme Court ruled that presidents are above the law and no longer accountable - the whole sordid thing became moot.

We'll all be better off and more content once we accept that the "Rule of Law (that all people and institutions within a country, state, or community are accountable to the same laws, including lawmakers, government officials, and judges. "no one is above the law" or "all are equal before the law") is not applicable in the United States. Being rich and powerful should exempt one from the laws of the common folk.

 

[ozso]

Again, you are spot-on correct. Once the Supreme Court ruled that presidents are above the law and no longer accountable - the whole sordid thing became moot.

We'll all be better off and more content once we accept that the "Rule of Law (that all people and institutions within a country, state, or community are accountable to the same laws, including lawmakers, government officials, and judges. "no one is above the law" or "all are equal before the law") is not applicable in the United States. Being rich and powerful should exempt one from the laws of the common folk.

Political lawfare has suffered major blows.

 

[ozso]

Why would they? It's not a matter of federal law so SCOTUS really has no reason to get involved.

I can see them getting involved if they decided it was a matter of voter interference lawfare. But the NYSC might dismiss it based on those grounds first.

So far most of the cases against Trump have turned out as I predicted. And it didn't require being a psychic.