If his genetics are so superior why does he paint himself #orange to go out in public?
@Teri_Kanefield that last one is the toughest, and the key to the “Cohen was rogue” defense.
But if #Individual1 made an unreported contribution to his own campaign laundered through Cohen, is that a FECA violation?
“Mother Teresa could not beat these charges, but we’ll see.”
— #Individual1, with no explanation on why a Catholic nun in Calcutta would have been indicted for paying hush money to prevent a negative story about adultery from affecting her Presidential ambitions and fraudulently concealing it as a retainer for legal services
#Steinglass asks #jurors to remember that “we didn’t choose #MichaelCohen to be our witness. We didn’t pick him up at the witness store.” Then he raises his voice & says that #Trump chose Cohen “for the same qualities that his attorneys now urge you to reject his testimony because of.” Steinglass adds that Trump chose Cohen “because he was willing to lie & cheat on Mr. Trump’s behalf.” #criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics
So watch for closing summaries and jury instructions. Those will decide the outcome. If the jury is instructed felony-or-nothing, that’s a very different deliberation than meeting in the middle. If the defense just attacks Daniels and Cohen and says nothing to rebut the physical evidence, I don’t see that resulting in anything but 37 felony convictions.
14/14
#Individual1
But they could convict on 37 misdemeanors and find no underlying crime that elevates them to felonies. This is an outcome to appease both sides and make no one happy. It removes prison from the penalty and reduces it to money that he’ll raise from his gullible supporters the same day, claiming that conviction on a lesser charge is actually vindication.
To me this is the most depressing outcome, far worse than a well-defended acquittal. It settles nothing.
13/
#Individual1
You can conclude that I think acquittal is unlikely. There are attorneys on the jury. When the prosecution has physical evidence and the defense has none, it’s extremely rare for any jury to fail to convict, and I can’t imagine lawyers going along with it.
The last possibility is some split decision for the jury to demonstrate evenhandedness. The charges allow that to a limited degree. Not “some checks were frauds but others were OK,” there is no basis for that.
12/
#Individual1
Independents and swing voters may have a different view. They’ve signaled more trust in the system than I’m prepared to give them credit for, and a decisive conviction might be what they need to at least sit on their hands if not switch their vote.
The other likelihood is total decompensation. He’s been getting progressively weirder with the stress of the trial, and the stress of sentencing might tip him into something even his zealots just can’t stomach.
11/
#Individual1
There’s no evidence that the public thinks this is bogus. Even his supporters believe he probably committed a crime. They just will vote for him anyway. They’ve already discounted his rape judgment and three fraud judgments (university, foundation, corporation).
How this plays out at the debates, convention, and general election is anybody’s guess. Clearly he won’t be humbled, he’s beyond that. He’ll lean into being a convicted felon as more victimhood.
/10
nanowiz
Chris Espinosa