Stalinist. Pravda will love it.will25u said:BIDEN CAMPAIGN: The Biden-Harris campaign will hold a press conference with special guests outside of the Manhattan criminal courthouse where Donald J. Trump is on trial.
— Election Wizard (@ElectionWiz) May 28, 2024
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Trump's attorney Todd Blanche is delivering closing arguments, starting off by maintaining Trump is innocent and hammering on the testimony of Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen.
Here are the highlights so far:
"President Trump is innocent": Blanche reiterated the argument he made at the start of the trial. "He did not commit any crimes, and the district attorney has not met their burden of proof period. The evidence is all in."
Who didn't testify: During former Cohen's testimony, key people who were mentioned did not testify. Here are the names Blanche mentioned:Michael Cohen: Blanche slammed Cohen's testimony, saying, "They were lies. Pure and simple." Here are some of Blanche's key lines on Cohen:
- Former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg.
- Trump's former bodyguard Keith Schiller.
- National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard.
- In order to convict Trump, Blanche said the jury would have to determine there were false entries in the paperwork and that Trump had intent to defraud. "The records were not false, and there was no intent to defraud," he said.
- He said the invoices were all submitted by Cohen. "You cannot convict President Trump of any crime beyond a reasonable doubt on the words of Michael Cohen," Blanche said.
- He argued Cohen did legal work in 2017 because there was a retainer agreement, pointing to the other retainer agreement Cohen had as a consultant that same year. Blanche also said Cohen lied about there not being a retainer, as there was a verbal agreement.
- "Cohen lied to you," Blanche said, referring to Cohen saying on direct examination that he did minimal work for Trump in 2017, but he also acknowledged multiple assignments he worked on.
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Trump attorney Todd Blanche is now turning to the election conspiracy part of the case, arguing that the government says Trump falsified records in 2017 after he won the election.
"The charges relate to documents in 2017, and the government wants you to believe that President Trump did these things with his records to conceal efforts to promote his successful candidacy in 2016, the year before," Blanche says.
Trump's attorney argues that "every campaign in this country is a conspiracy to promote a candidate, a group of people working together to help somebody win. You have to find that this effort was done by unlawful means."
Blanche highlights the testimony of ex-National Enquirer publisher David Pecker that it was "standard operating procedure" to work with politicians.
Remember: Trump was first indicted in March 2023 by the Manhattan district attorney on state charges related to a hush-money payment to an adult-film star in 2016. Prosecutors allege Trump was a part of an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 election. Further, they allege he was part of an unlawful plan to suppress negative information, including the $130,000 payment. Trump has pleaded not guilty.
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Trump attorney Todd Blanche says it's "preposterous" to think Trump and David Pecker, the former CEO of American Media Inc., believed stories in the National Enquirer could determine the result of the 2016 election.
"The idea, even if there was something wrong with it, the idea that sophisticated people like President Trump and David Pecker believed that positive stories in the National Enquirer could influence the 2016 election is preposterous," he argues.
He notes the circulation of the National Enquirer at the time was 350,000
"Millions and millions of people voted in the 2016 election, so the idea that they really thought that this meeting in 2015 at Trump Tower would ultimately influence the election makes no sense," Blanche says.
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With a PowerPoint screen titled "No Election 'Influence,'" Trump attorney Todd Blanche is now showing the court many of the negative headlines about Trump's 2016 political opponents.
Blanche notes there was no discussion of "catch and kill" at the August 2015 meeting "when this supposed criminal conspiracy was formed."
"It wasn't even discussed at the time the conspiracy was formed. No financial discussion. No discussion about catch and kill. Think about that," Blanche says to the jury.
Technically, Blanche has been preparing this statement for much longer than that but whatever. At least they admit Blanche is doing a good job.Quote:
Todd Blanche is speaking from a lectern angled towards the jury. He's calm and conversational. There are no histrionics and he's methodically taking the jury through his argument with the repeated use of excerpts from the court transcript and exhibits including entries in Trump Organization business ledgers. He's had a week to prepare this, and he is ready."You cannot convict President Trump," Blanche said, before repeating himself for emphasis while impressing on the jury the gravity of the historic deliberation that lies before them. "You cannot convict President Trump of any crime beyond a reasonable doubt based on the words of Michael Cohen."Quote:
Only when he turns to Trump's self-described "thug" Michael Cohen to whom his presentation repeatedly returns does Blanche's tone become caustic.
Blanche is creating multiple angles that might lead a juror to adopt reasonable doubt about the prosecution's case, related to payments made to Cohen, the accounting practices of the Trump Organization, the chaos that surrounded the then new President's move to the White House and the testimony of Cohen himself. That is all he must do: if he creates one such doubt in the mind of one juror that sticks, a guilty verdict may become impossible and the trial ends.
"We have no burden to prove anything," Blanche told the jury. "The burden is always on the government."
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Trump attorney Todd Blanche is now pulling up excerpts from Michael Cohen's testimony
Cohen testified during the prosecutors' first round of questions that he told Trump about the doorman's allegations because he wanted to get credit with Trump. When questioned by the defense team during cross-examination, Cohen said he didn't tell Trump all of the details.
"Again on direct, he says one thing, on cross, he says another. He's not telling the truth. He's lying," Blanche says.
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Donald Trump has turned to face his attorney Todd Blanche who is now talking about the Karen McDougal deal now.
"This is not a catch and kill either," Blanche says. "Ms. McDougal did not want to publish her story, she wanted to jumpstart her career."
Blanche says again, "Tt was not Ms. McDougal's intention to publish her story. The reason why this matters... is that there was never any risk that her allegations would influence the election because she didn't want her story published."
Blanche argues that this matters because the government is alleging a conspiracy to influence the 2016 election, arguing that the second of the three alleged "catch and kill" stories "didn't want to influence the election at all. She didn't want her story published."
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Trump attorney Todd Blanche showed four instances where Michael Cohen admitted he'd report his work on things like the Dino Sajudin story to "get credit" from Trump.
Blanche says this is consistent with Hope Hicks' testimony that Cohen often sought credit.
Blanche says Cohen used the phrase "credit" repeatedly and tells to the jury, "That's the same phrase that Hope Hicks used in describing Mr. Cohen. She described Mr. Cohen as being somebody who always wanted credit."
"Mr. Cohen admitted to you that he was following this trial before he testified. Just think about that for a minute," Blanche continues.
I wouldn't get too excited. Just wait until the State gives closing arguments. You will be receiving breathless reports of how this was the best closing argument ever in the history of closing arguments.SwigAg11 said:
I'm a little shocked even CNN is admitting that.
Exactly. This may be a 34 count indictment but in reality it is only 11 transactions. State droning on about Stormy Daniels, Trump's silk PJs and boxer shorts will just be stupid.HTownAg98 said:
If their closing goes the whole four hours, they're going to put the jury to sleep.
HTownAg98 said:Foreverconservative said:Merchan is going to advise the jury that the prosecutor DOES NOT have to prove every element of the crime beyond and to the exclusion of every reasonable doubt.
— 🇺🇸 The FJC 🇺🇸 (@The_FJC) May 28, 2024
This is, by the way, absolutely unconstitutional in case you were wondering. 🤦♂️
This is a lie. The jury will have to find beyond a reasonable doubt to render a guilty verdict on the counts he's been charged with. The fact that someone is putting this nonsense out there is ridiculous. The issue about the predicate crimes is another matter.
No, Was never introduced into evidence because Merchan would not allow it.SwigAg11 said:
Is the defense allowed to bring up that the reporting deadline was after the election?
aggiehawg said:Nice of him to deign to show up.Quote:
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg also entered the courtroom. He is sitting in the second row on the prosecution side.
aggiehawg said:No, Was never introduced into evidence because Merchan would not allow it.SwigAg11 said:
Is the defense allowed to bring up that the reporting deadline was after the election?
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Trump attorney Todd Blanche argues that Michael Cohen also lied about conversations with Trump related to the Karen McDougal deal.
Blanche highlights ex-National Enquirer publisher David Pecker's testimony that Trump told him, "I don't buy stories" and Cohen saying Trump told him, "no problem I will take care of it."This was the conversation Trump had with Pecker in summer of 2016 over the phone while Pecker was meeting with investors at Chatham.Quote:
"Which one is true?" Blanche asks. "You know that the Trump Organization, President Trump, Michael Cohen never paid Mr. Pecker a penny for the McDougal stories. There's no dispute about it."
Blanche alleges that Cohen made up his testimony about a lunch with Pecker in September 2016 when Cohen said Pecker told him, "I need to get this money back."
Blanche tells the jury, ""That lunch did not happen. Cohen made it up."
Blanche suggests that even if Pecker just forgot about the lunch, he argues there was no other proof that the lunch happened, like a credit card receipt.
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As Trump attorney Todd Blanche delivers the defense team's closing argument, some jurors are intently watching him.
Other jurors are glancing down at the monitors where the testimony and documents are displayed. A few seem to be looking around more.
aggiehawg said:A bit unusual and actually worse for the state to be droning on for four hours.Quote:
Judge Juan Merchan is laying out for the jury how closing arguments will go today.
"Under our law, defense counsel must sum up first, and the prosecutor must follow. The lawyers may not speak to you after that," Merchan tells the jury.
I'm sure there are jury members who want to convict him on any grounds but I'm hoping there is at least one fair-minded juror who will hold out. That's all it takes.Quote:
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As Trump attorney Todd Blanche delivers the defense team's closing argument, some jurors are intently watching him.
Other jurors are glancing down at the monitors where the testimony and documents are displayed. A few seem to be looking around more.
Unfortunately, it happens. What a judge allows or doesn't allow into evidence has a lot of play in directing a jury.Quote:
Is it anywhere typical for the judge to allow that much obfuscation on the law?
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Donald Trump is leaning forward to look closely at the testimony displayed on the monitor in front of him.
His attorney Todd Blanche is discussing a 2016 recording from Michael Cohen.
Any truth to the rumor Team Trump is bringing in BBQ for the juror's lunch?HTownAg98 said:
If their closing goes the whole four hours, they're going to put the jury to sleep.
I don't think Merchan allowed them to do so, saying something like he didn't need to be lectured on election law.Im Gipper said:
Did Team Trump do an offer of proof with Smith? I did not see it, but could have easily missed it. If not, I feel like that was a mistake.
Didn't allow an offer of proof? Really? Do you recall which day? (It would need to be during the defense case).aggiehawg said:I don't think Merchan allowed them to do so, saying something like he didn't need to be lectured on election law.Im Gipper said:
Did Team Trump do an offer of proof with Smith? I did not see it, but could have easily missed it. If not, I feel like that was a mistake.
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Trump attorney Todd Blanche notes that Trump didn't know what Michael Cohen was talking about when he talked about "financing" on the call.
"President Trump clearly has no idea what he's talking about. This conversation, Mr. Cohen and President Trump are literally talking past each other about what's going on," Blanche argues.
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Attorney Todd Blanche zeroes in on the end of the recording when Donald Trump says "check" before the audio cuts off.
Blanche suggests Trump was starting a new sentence. "You have no idea what was said afterward."
"But it's not what he told you," Blanche says. "He told you that he got a phone call. He told you that he knew who the call from. Someone who worked at a bank. He said it was someone named Cathy Babble."
"You don't know about the integrity of this file and this recording," Blanche says of Michael Cohen's 2016 recording.
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Trump attorney Todd Blanche reminds the jury that phone records show Michael Cohen did not pick up the phone call that he says interrupted the recording of his conversation with Trump.
"He lied to you when he said he answered that call," Blanche says.
Blanche is now showing the AT&T phone records and the AT&T witness testimony that the phone call went to voicemail and was not answered.
Im Gipper said:Didn't allow an offer of proof? Really? Do you recall which day? (It would need to be during the defense case).aggiehawg said:I don't think Merchan allowed them to do so, saying something like he didn't need to be lectured on election law.Im Gipper said:
Did Team Trump do an offer of proof with Smith? I did not see it, but could have easily missed it. If not, I feel like that was a mistake.
aggiehawg said:I don't think Merchan allowed them to do so, saying something like he didn't need to be lectured on election law.Im Gipper said:
Did Team Trump do an offer of proof with Smith? I did not see it, but could have easily missed it. If not, I feel like that was a mistake.
That was a long standing argument defense kept making to Merchan from pretrial on. Remember Merchan complaining about defense not accepting his rulings and kept filing notices for motions? But the day the defense was to begin their case, defense informed the judge that they had Brad Smith available at the courthouse. Merchan didn't want to hear from him, just repeated his earlier order restricting his testimony.Quote:
Didn't allow an offer of proof? Really? Do you recall which day? (It would need to be during the defense case).
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There are no immediate plans to increase security around the courthouse amid Trump's historic criminal hush money trial, law enforcement officials have told CNN's John Miller.
However, when the New York Police Department learns that a verdict is in, the department will likely move more personnel into the area.
The NYPD does expect to get some heads up from the court before the verdict is read, though exactly how much is unclear.
In the meantime, NYPD is monitoring social media, looking for any calls for rallies, demonstrations or threats. They can mobilize quickly should the need arise.
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Trump attorney Todd Blanche is now turning to Stormy Daniels, noting it's a "story" that took place in 2006, 18 years ago.
"President Trump and Ms. Daniels have repeatedly denied it took place," Blanche says.
Blanche argues that Michael Cohen "made a decision to pay that $130,000 to Ms. Daniels, he didn't tell President Trump about it because he knew he could get credit for doing something to help President Trump at some later time."
Blanche says "people were not happy with him on the campaign so he made this decision. The only person who suggests otherwise and tells you President Trump knew everything about this is Michael Cohen himself. That's it. There's no other proof of that."
"There's no way that you can find that President Trump knew about this payment at the time it was made without believing the words of Michael Cohen, period. And you cannot you cannot believe his words," Blanche says.
Blanche says Daniels wanted the allegations about Trump pulled down from the website The Dirty in 2011 because then she couldn't sell the story.
What prosecutors say: According to prosecutors, Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 to her attorney in October 2016 through a shell company in exchange for her silence about an affair she allegedly had with Trump in 2006. Trump has publicly denied having any affairs and has denied making the payments.
Prosecutors say Daniels first brought her story to AMI, whose executives brought the story to Cohen on Trump's behalf. According to prosecutors, Trump directed Cohen to delay making the payment as long as possible, telling him if they delayed paying until after the election they could avoid paying it at all.
Oh I am aware. I am asking about a specific thing, not just a motion. Its an offer of proof where the lawyer puts the witness on the stand outside the presence of the jury so there is a record of what he would have said if permitted.Quote:
The defense made many motions about Smith's testimony over several days during the trial.
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Trump attorney Todd Blanche again suggests that because Stormy Daniels' story was already out there in 2011, it was not election interference and it did not cause panic in the Trump campaign.
"The public was aware of them, so again the idea that when Ms. Daniels surfaced in 2016 that it caused some sort of panic amongst everybody is not true, it's just not true," Blanche says.
