Marc Elias has taken the witness stand. https://t.co/CvDgfZAVBr

— Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) May 18, 2022

And to win, you have to do both.

Yesterday, the Govt didn’t do both.

The defense presented well & they had some evidence to work with, so they did good for what the defense can accomplish on a first day of trial- which should be one of the tough trial days for the defense.

— Leslie McAdoo Gordon ⚖️ 👠🇺🇸 (@McAdooGordon) May 18, 2022

This once again reflects how remarkably wrong Judge Cooper was to defer to Elias and flip the burden of proof on privilege as to “unclear” emails. The cases are many in which claims of privilege are rejected when “in house counsel” performs ordinary business tasks. https://t.co/qZ9Msmd8zq

— FoiaFan (@15poundstogo) May 18, 2022

Sussman’s trial is being heard in the same DC federal courthouse where former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn and others faced the very same charge brought by another special counsel. The cases, however, could not be more different... https://t.co/BCSKLsl98T

— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) May 18, 2022

...Durham may be able to jump the legal hurdles, but he will do so without much of his evidence. To paraphrase Charles Dickens in “A Tale of Two Cities,” for a prosecutor D.C. can be the best of venues or it can be the worst of venues.

— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) May 18, 2022

Sucks

Didn't expect anything different.

Thread.

2/ argued that Joffe gained nothing by having Sussmann share Alfa Bank data with FBI, to argue Sussmann wasn't representing him. The jury, of course, doesn't get to hear that Sussmann bragged about being lined up for a job with the Clinton campaign, so they might by argument.

— Margot Cleveland (@ProfMJCleveland) May 18, 2022

Ags4DaWin said:

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Didn't expect anything different.

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I think you meant to say (D)ifferent...

When is the last time Hawg has commented on this thread? I haven't seen her in a while and do hope everything is okay.

She may be sacrificing a chicken to the gods of justice, hoping for a conviction, but I miss her insight and commentary.

RiskManager93 said:

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When is the last time Hawg has commented on this thread? I haven't seen her in a while and do hope everything is okay.

She may be sacrificing a chicken to the gods of justice, hoping for a conviction, but I miss her insight and commentary.

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Watching the Depp trial. Since the Sussmann trial is not televised, just read the summaries of other lawyers at the end of the day.

The judge is pretty pro Sussmann from what I have read.

aggiehawg said:

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RiskManager93 said:

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When is the last time Hawg has commented on this thread? I haven't seen her in a while and do hope everything is okay.

She may be sacrificing a chicken to the gods of justice, hoping for a conviction, but I miss her insight and commentary.

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Watching the Depp trial. Since the Sussmann trial is not televised, just read the summaries of other lawyers at the end of the day.

The judge is pretty pro Sussmann from what I have read.

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Soooo...IYHO...who's the bigger liar/more damnable spouse? Johnny or Amber?

LLooks like Government will call Baker...

They just said they will call James Baker today

— Sarah N. Lynch (@SarahNLynch) May 18, 2022

whatthehey78 said:

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aggiehawg said:

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RiskManager93 said:

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When is the last time Hawg has commented on this thread? I haven't seen her in a while and do hope everything is okay.

She may be sacrificing a chicken to the gods of justice, hoping for a conviction, but I miss her insight and commentary.

---

Watching the Depp trial. Since the Sussmann trial is not televised, just read the summaries of other lawyers at the end of the day.

The judge is pretty pro Sussmann from what I have read.

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Soooo...IYHO...who's the bigger liar/more damnable spouse? Johnny or Amber?

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They are both gigantic POSs. Both are self-absorbed, possessive, jealous with drug and alcohol problems (although Depp's was more massive) and anger management issues. Lots of verbal abuse by both of them. Really horrible things they said to each other. And there is increasing evidence there was some physical abuse, again, on both sides. Lots of places got trashed when they were fighting. Penthouses, Air Stream trailer at Hicksville, house in Australia that required 50-75 thousand to repair.

Baker on the stand now. Prior to this, defense said they might move to seek a mistrial based on comments the govn't made making it sound like Sussmann won't testify. But that won't be dealt with today. Unclear what will happen

— Sarah N. Lynch (@SarahNLynch) May 18, 2022

Baker now testifying. Sayings he knew Michael when they worked at DOJ and they became closer friends after attending the funeral of a mutual friend.

— Sarah N. Lynch (@SarahNLynch) May 18, 2022

The govn't shows a Sept 18 text Baker got from Sussmann setting up the meeting in which Sussmann said he was coming "on my own- not on behalf of a client or company"

— Sarah N. Lynch (@SarahNLynch) May 18, 2022

"I kind of wondered how Michael had gotten my personal cell phone number" Baker said, though he was not freaked out because Michael was a friend.

— Sarah N. Lynch (@SarahNLynch) May 18, 2022

Judge just said he is "not inclined" to grant a mistrial

— Sarah N. Lynch (@SarahNLynch) May 18, 2022

Baker now testifying. Sayings he knew Michael when they worked at DOJ and they became closer friends after attending the funeral of a mutual friend.

— Sarah N. Lynch (@SarahNLynch) May 18, 2022

If a freakin' comment by Elias leads to a mistrial it was done on purpose.

aggiehawg said:

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Baker now testifying. Sayings he knew Michael when they worked at DOJ and they became closer friends after attending the funeral of a mutual friend.

— Sarah N. Lynch (@SarahNLynch) May 18, 2022

If a freakin' comment by Elias leads to a mistrial it was done on purpose.

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I posted above, but Judge is not going to do that.

Also... Hans thinks Durham made a mistake characterizing the FBI as "OUR FBI" in opening arguments. He is thinking it means that no indictments for FBI folks.

Yet "our" FBI is being portrayed as the victim in all of this. That narrative is understandable from the perspective of trying to get Sussmann convicted in a courtroom full of DC Democrats but it comes at great expense. FBI leaders who lied their asses off will get off scot free. https://t.co/XN83KVz4fk

— Hans Mahncke (@HansMahncke) May 18, 2022

aggiehawg said:

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Baker now testifying. Sayings he knew Michael when they worked at DOJ and they became closer friends after attending the funeral of a mutual friend.

— Sarah N. Lynch (@SarahNLynch) May 18, 2022

If a freakin' comment by Elias leads to a mistrial it was done on purpose.

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This is the comment.

Marc Elias said on the stand. "You got to ask Mr Sussmann." Now Defense wants Elias to be disqualified. https://t.co/CXGYPTH7D2

— Durham is Coming (@Durham_isComing) May 18, 2022

This really is like a mob trial. No one wants to admit what they know and be the one to get whacked.

— Mccabe's Porsche on Blocks (@Larry_Beech) May 18, 2022

Sussman trial.

So what’s come through after two days of trial is that the Govt does not have control of its civilian witnesses. The defense does. That is something the govt rarely faces & usually doesn’t handle well.

— Leslie McAdoo Gordon ⚖️ 👠🇺🇸 (@McAdooGordon) May 18, 2022

Thread.

...Moreover, both Hillary Clinton and Jake Sullivan pushed the Alfa bank claims in public despite being utterly without basis. https://t.co/zm4zomUx9a

— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) May 18, 2022

Barkeep, I'll have another: pic.twitter.com/MlMbSU8968

— Margot Cleveland (@ProfMJCleveland) May 18, 2022

Hawg, I'm staying on topic here, but if someone is genuinely good friends with Hunter Thompson, you've got to question their choices for friends.

Now, onto the event of the week. Unfortunately, you've seen my runaway cynicism more than once in the last four years. I kind of have that feeling about this particular judge, so much so, that it wouldn't surprise me if Obama has contacted Cooper several times in the last four weeks. Like all Dem judges, they never see a conflict of interest. I'm convinced Cooper could be Sussman;s step-brother, and no one would say anything.

However, even with the questionable jurors (DC), and a judge who seems to know how to push things in his favor without someone screaming judicial impeachment (hopefully I used that term correctly). I still think there's enough for the jury to convict. Of course, this counts on the prosecution being good, which I've always expected---we;ll see.

Oh, BTW, can all law firms just refuse to release billing records anytime, anywhere. I know Perkins Coie is covered by layers of Dem BS, but they DO have to follow the law occasionally, don't they.

What I'm hoping for is unintended consequences from testimony that allows Durham to continue. Time will tell.

If Sussman is acquitted, Garland will shut this entire thing down.

RiskManager93 said:

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If Sussman is acquitted, Garland will shut this entire thing down.

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Yup! I've considered that.

The fact Garland is only interested in justice for 50% of the country is a screaming shame. Unless some of our Republicans beat the drum, no one will ever know.

Quote:

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Oh, BTW, can all law firms just refuse to release billing records anytime, anywhere. I know Perkins Coie is covered by layers of Dem BS, but they DO have to follow the law occasionally, don't they.

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Billing records are not protected by attorney client privilege. Billing records are the generalized bills sent to clients, as opposed to time sheets which give detail as to what the attorney is doing in specificity.

Even in civil trials, they must be produced in normal request for production (with some redactions, usually.)

fasthorse05 said:

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I kind of have that feeling about this particular judge, so much so, that it wouldn't surprise me if Obama has contacted Cooper several times in the last four weeks.

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If true, I hope they catch them and add the judge to the conspiracy charge.

Whitetail said:

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fasthorse05 said:

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I kind of have that feeling about this particular judge, so much so, that it wouldn't surprise me if Obama has contacted Cooper several times in the last four weeks.

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If true, I hope they catch them and add the judge to the conspiracy charge.

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Problem is...who's going to catch them. Certainly no one currently in the DOJ/FBI.

Not another Flynn lurking. Look what they did to him.

Here's @Techno_Fog great Sussmann update. https://t.co/1J0yBmblWU

— Margot Cleveland (@ProfMJCleveland) May 19, 2022

#SpecialCounselDurham
Judge ruled today that "evidence of Mr Steele’s meetings with Mr Sussmann and with Fusion n July [2016], and his subsequent tasking to conduct research on Alfa Bank [...] can come in.” pic.twitter.com/nz4C1bLozC

— Svetlana Lokhova (@RealSLokhova) May 19, 2022

Here’s a bit more clarity on the Sussmann defense team’s motion to move for a mistrial pic.twitter.com/eHXiIj55Aj

— Sarah N. Lynch (@SarahNLynch) May 19, 2022

The defense's argument that Joffe didn't benefit from Sussmann taking Joffe's intel to Baker just doesn't fly given that Sussmann ADMITS he took Joffe's intel to the DOJ OIG while Joffe was still a CHS. @FDRLST https://t.co/vRhyDIBXxh

— Margot Cleveland (@ProfMJCleveland) May 19, 2022

Live thread for today.

#SussmannTrial Day 4: Proceedings in former #Clinton attorney Michael Sussmann’s trial are set to begin Thursday at 9 a.m. in the E. Barnett Prettyman US District Courthouse in Washington DC where they ended Wednesday with former FBI general counsel James Baker on the stand.

— John Haughey (@JFHaughey58) May 19, 2022

Also on tap to testify Thursday are former FBI officials Bill Priestap and Trisha Anderson, who Baker conferred with after meeting with Sussmann. Priestap was Assistant Director for Counterintelligence and Anderson was deputy general counsel of national security. #SussmannTrial

— John Haughey (@JFHaughey58) May 19, 2022

Also:

Judge ruled against mistrial.

Judge Cooper has denied the motion for mistrial but has agreed to strike Elias' "nonresponsive" testimony. Berkowitz said Sussmann has not decided yet if he will testify in the trial. #SussmannTrial

— John Haughey (@JFHaughey58) May 19, 2022