“THE RADICAL LEFT DEMOCRATS HAVE CRIMINALIZED THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. THIS IS NOT WHAT AMERICA WAS SUPPOSED TO BE!” – President Trump on Truth Social

@Subsumedpat Thank you

@Subsumedpat Thankyou for your honesty.

@Subsumedpat appreciate the honest response.

@Subsumedpat I heard a reporter say this reminded her of Bill Clinton. I tend to agree. Years of investigations and threats of big charges, and in the end all they could get was a b/l/o/w/j/o/b from an intern. We already knew Clinton fooled around, so for most of us we just shook our heads. Frankly, I expected they would throw more at Trump today. We also need to keep in mind that a grand jury is a group of citizens and not politicians, and they voted to press charges, so maybe they saw evidence that is still sealed.

Like Clinton, we know Trump fooled around, acted like an ass, lied, and operated businesses above the law (not unlike most large businesses). I don't think that his supporters can honestly dispute that. My feeling is he should make a deal - admit guilt in that the payments were hush money (they obviously were) and he knew about them, but the intent was to hide his shameful act from his wife and children (Same defense Bill Clinton used). Then he pays his fine, runs for president, and uses the case to garner sympathy.

Trump is the only president in my life that I can say I truly hated, but this feels like small potatoes - so small it is like instant mashed potato flakes. My main beef is with the election denial bullcrap - and I think there is more than enough evidence to go after him there. I can't stand sore losers.

@trollslayer This is a political prosecution, has nothing to do with liking Trump or not, you are against political prosecutions or not.

@trollslayer So - you can't support the horseshit indictment either.

@Budwick I won't say it is total horseshit, from the facts it does appear there were several misdemeanor crimes committed long enough ago that they are outside the statute of limitations. The DA did exactly what I predicted, he bootstrapped out of statute of limitations misdemeanors to felonies which he won't even name in the indictment much less be able to prove. It reeks of a total political vendetta. I absolutely hate political prosecutions. What will this lead to when everytime one party is upset at someone in the other when in power they get some local prosecutor to arrest the opposition. If the right thing is not swiftly done I might have to hold my nose and vote for Trump, heaven forbid.

@Subsumedpat Have you been able to determine the alleged crime committed?

@Budwick Yes multiple counts of falsification of business records. Listing payoffs to Daniels al legal expenses is a violation of New York's finance laws. But the violations are misdemeanors and are outside the statute of limitations. The only way they can be prosecuted is if they are done in a conspiracy to cover up another crime. Then they can be charged as a felony and have a longer statute of limitations, even as felonies they are out of the statute of limitation but the limitations were paused because of the pandemic and other reasons extended to when they would apply. Problem is that the indictment does not mention the "other crimes" which they were to cover up because you are not required to in order to get an indictment. At trial though they will have to show what those 'other crimes" are. He has alluded in his statements and the statement of facts that the "other crimes" are they consider the payments to Daniels campaign expenses and as such are over the limit but that is a federal violation which the feds had already declined to prosecute because they did not feel they have enough evidence. His other claim is that the payments were breaking the law in order to to influence the election results in New York which is a violation of New York law but these payments were made on the eve of the 2016 election and a little after but not by Trump, Trump did not make re-embursement to his attorney till after he was in the White House which is not in New York. The thinnest of thin.

@Subsumedpat [quote]The thinnest of thin.[/quote]

That would be that inexplicable accusation.

@Budwick No question in my mind that he committed those misdemeanors, the felony accusation served its purpose which was to interfere with the 2024 election by having him in court when he is trying to campaign.