Author: clearandpresentdanger

 

 

. . . but the dimwit goobers who support Trump just keep sending him money and going to his rallies and making asses of themselves.

Trump has put his attorneys in a bad place every time they face a judge and have to explain claims he keeps making to his rabid followers.

It’s one thing for Trump to hold a rally where he raves for 2 hours but it’s a completely different story when his lawyers present the case to a judge.   The judges are not buying Trump’s MAGA make-believe stories and his legal team has no way of defending him without perjuring themselves.

Frankly, Trump’s lawyers do not have any defenses.  At the end of the day this is always been sort of a publicity stunt, something to fund-raise off of, something he could take to his base and continue the narrative that somehow he has been wrongly investigated, and the deep state is going after him and that he can use this to engender more support for this nonsense tale that he is trying to get away from any accountability for any criminal acts he engaged in.

However — at the end of the day,  all this nonsense in this land of MAGA make-believe hits the judicial system of the United States where it crumbles immediately.  This is what you have seen from Judge [Raymond] Dearie, the special master laying out an aggressive timeline saying “We have heard you make the statements that you declassified them, we heard you make statements that evidence has been planted. Fine, by Friday, give details of exactly what you mean by that, and not only that but by next month, by mid-October, to have a complete review of a privilege log for anything you claim as executive privilege, client-attorney privilege.”  (Remember:  Trump’s attorney requested Judge Dearie for the Special Master position.)

There is no argument Trump can make, and more importantly, if the attorneys representing Trump put their name on the line for something that isn’t supported by the law, that isn’t supported by fact, that will get them into a lot of trouble ethically and with their bar memberships and their licenses to practice law.

I don’t expect to see anything of substance coming from Trump and his attorneys this week.  We will hear more social media bullshit from Trump while his lawyers must decide whether to tell the truth — and put their client in jail — or continue to lie for their client and put their licenses in jeopardy.

According to a report from Reuters, investors who had planned to be a part of the new business entity behind Donald Trump’s Truth Social media platform are bailing and taking their millions in their investment capital elsewhere.

The SPAC that would tie Truth Social to Digital World Acquisition Corp has been buffeted with nothing but bad news for months after an FEC probe of the deal was announced, the Truth Social app was banned from Google Play and the enrollment on the site has stalled out despite Trump being the main attraction since he is banned on Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites.

According to the new report, an FEC filing reveals that an estimated $139 million in proposed financing has been withdrawn

Reporting that “The deal between the special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) and Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG), which owns Truth Social, has been on ice due to civil and criminal probes into the circumstances around the agreement,” the Reuters report added, “Digital World said it had received termination notices from private investment in public equity (PIPE) investors ending nearly $139 million in investments out of the $1 billion commitment it had previously announced.”

One investor reportedly delivered the biggest blow.

“Sources told Reuters Sabby Management, which had committed $100 million to the PIPE, is one of the investors who have terminated,” the report stated before adding that more investors are expected to withdraw in the coming weeks now that a Sept. 20 deadline has passed with little movement.

You can read more here.

COMMENT:  What a surprise, considering how Trump’s other ventures were such a success: Trump Steaks, Trump University, Trump Casino, Trump Airline, Trump water, The USFL, Trump Wine, Trump Magazine.  And now it looks as though the NY AG will shut down the entire Trump real estate scam.

By now Trump and his fourth-rate lawyers are asking themselves why they wanted a special master.

Immediately following the execution of the search warrant at Donald Trump’s resort in Palm Beach, Florida, both the former president and his allies began alleging that the FBI “likely” or “could have” been there to “plant” evidence against him.

“Planting information anyone?” Trump said on his social media site attacking the FBI.

Fox News host Jesse Watters similarly asked the question on his show on Aug. 9.

“What the FBI is probably doing is planting evidence,” he claimed. Two days later, Watters was saying, it wasn’t so much planting evidence as Trump wanted to take home some reminders of his time in the Oval Office.

Even Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) told Fox News that no one is certain that the FBI wouldn’t “put things in the boxes to entrap him.”

By September, Trump was recycling the same tune on his social media.

“They leak, lie, plant fake evidence, allow the spying on my campaign, deceive the FISA Court, RAID and Break-Into my home, lose documents, and then they ask me, as the 45th President of the United States, to trust them,” wrote Trump.

He has also attacked the FBI for what he called a “witch hunt” over “Russia, Russia, Russia.”

When his lawyers made the case in legal filings, however, that tidbit was missing.

The Trump lawyers had a rough day in court this week with the special master, Judge Raymond Dearie, one of two judges that Trump asked to be appointed to the position. For six weeks, Trump has claimed that he declassified the documents that the FBI uncovered at Mar-a-Lago. Even Wednesday night when speaking to Fox News host Sean Hannity, he said that he has the power to declassify things with the power of his own thoughts.

When Dearie asked Trump’s lawyers for proof that Trump declassified the documents, they refused to turn it over, saying that they didn’t want to show their hand for what they believe is a forthcoming criminal indictment of the former president.

On Thursday, Dearie asked for a response to another claim by Trump: whether or not they actually believe that the FBI planted evidence.

“No later than Sept. 30, 2022, Plaintiff shall submit a declaration or affidavit that includes each of the following factual matters: a. A list of any specific items set forth in the Detailed Property Inventory that Plaintiff asserts were not seized from the Premises on Aug. 8, 2022,” the court filing said.

He also asked the lawyers to give him a list of the items on the list in which the “location within the Premises where the item was found is incorrect.”

For example, Trump has focused a lot on the photo of the classified folders laying on the floor of his office, which he said was messy and an unacceptable lie by the FBI. The photos show the items laid out to display the classification abbreviations, and the court documents detail where they were found in Trump’s office. So, Trump will have an opportunity to argue they weren’t found in a desk drawer or a closet, etc.

Another on the list was for Trump to tell the judge any item that was not on the list that they believe was taken from the premises.

COMMENT:  The Special Master — whom Trump’s team insisted on and whom they suggested is a textbook case of unintended consequences.

No one should be surprised at the extensive, deep, day-in-day-out lies and fraud outlined by NY AG James in the suit filed on Sep 21 against the Trump Organization including Trump and three of his mob family children.  After all, for years NYC tabloids and other media outlets have described the Trump mob family and their criminal activity.

For example —

https://propublica.org/article/here-are-the-trump-project-where-ivanka-and-her-dad-misled-buyers

“A pattern of deception ran through the Trumps’ real estate deals since the mid-2000s. Not only were the Trumps more than the mere licensors they claimed to be, extracting millions in fees from nearly every facet of these projects, but they often misled buyers and investors on key information — such as the level of sales and the Trumps’ role and investment in the deals.”

Dominican Republic 2007-2008 – Trump claims $365M in sales to WSJ; audit shows $290M in sales; project never built.

Fort Lauderdale 2006 – Trump claims units “pretty much sold out”; 62% sold; foreclosed, Trump name removed.

Las Vegas 2008 – Ivanka claims 90% sold; actual pre-sales were 79%; built, went bankrupt, Trump name removed.

NY Soho 2008 – Ivanka claims 60% sold; affidavit shows 15% sold; built, went bankrupt, Trump name removed.

Tampa 2007 – Trump claims “sold out” to WSJ; fewer than 70% sold; never built.

Toronto 2009 – Ivanka claims “virtually sold out”; built, went bankrupt, Trump name removed.

In all of these cases, Ivanka was a principal sales agent, often appearing at “grand openings” and the like, urging would-be buyers to buy a unit, even telling them that she had already bought a unit and would be their neighbor.

 

Trump tells Fox that he can declassify classified material by just thinking about it.

While in the White House, he demonstrated how to change the course of a hurricane with a Sharpie.

He also showed us how to watch a solar eclipse without protective glasses.

Meanwhile, his glue-eating followers are riding the short bus and licking the windows.

NY Attorney General files suit against Trump criminal gang

The New York attorney general on Wednesday accused Donald Trump and his family members of lying to lenders and insurers about assets under the real estate holdings of the Trump Organization.

Letitia James said that with the help of his children and others at the Trump organization, the former president gave fraudulent statements of his net worth “to obtain and satisfy loans, get insurance benefits, and pay lower taxes.”

“Claiming money you do not have does not amount to the Art of the Deal, it’s the Art of the Steal,” James said at one point.

Harry Litman, a formr federal attorney, said that Trump has tried to settle with New York, but the attorney general rebuffed him. “She really holds all the cards at this point. Trumps can’t go to trial. They will need to appeal to her sense of tempered justice.”

“We have to assume that the odds of Trump’s going to jail, as satisfying as it would be to many Americans, are far smaller than the odds of a criminal conviction. What that means is this potentially ruinous civil action—coupled with criminal referral to the feds—counts as a killer blow,” he also said.

“The New York AG has a lot of leverage in this lawsuit because Trump (and his son Eric) took the Fifth hundreds of times,” said former U.S. Attorney Renato Mariotti. “That was smart to do, but it means they’re screwed in this civil case. A jury would likely be instructed to presume their answers would have hurt Trump.”

Main Street Law’s Tristan Snell noted, “Just the very fact that Trump *could* be barred from taking on any new loans might have the result of him not being able to get any new loans.”

Already Trump was dealing with banks that were uncomfortable lending to him, forcing him to seek out financial support from Deutsche Bank.

James’ office requested that the former president pay at least $250 million in penalties, and that his family be banned from running businesses in the state.

She also urged that Trump along with his children Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump be barred from purchasing property in the state for five years.

“The NY AG case could trigger a credit crisis for Trump, forcing him to sell properties to get cash, rather than relying on more debt,” said Snell.

“Someone is setting an all-time record for one man’s involvement in civil suits, criminal investigations and other pending legal matters,” added former ethics czar Richard Painter, who served for George W. Bush’s administration.

There were many examples of inflated assets from New York to Florida, but there was a question about other assets that may not have been included.

“But did you include the $450 million of classified information in the basement?” joked former FBI official Pete Strzok, having the last laugh.

Trump wanted a special master to look at the classified documents he stole — it’s not working out well for him

On the morning after the latest major test of Donald Trump’s attempt to slow down the DOJ’s investigation of the classified documents he took with him to his Mar-a-Lago resort, Politico’s political analyst Josh Gerstein claimed the former president’s attorneys seemed to be grasping for a defense under withering grilling under special master Raymond Dearie.

Appearing on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” early Wednesday morning, Gerstein was joined by former U.S. Attorney Chuck Rosenberg, and neither saw much that happened that would make Trump happy.

Speaking with co-host Mika Brzezinski, Gerstein — who was in the courtroom — said it appeared the former president’s legal representatives appeared to be “back on their heels” as they struggled to address Dearie’s questions.

“Josh, break down what happened in court yesterday,” the MSNBC host prompted. “What exactly is their defense to what the judge now is requesting, requiring and asking for? Which is basics?”

“Well, Mika you know, it seemed the judge called this hearing with the intention of kind of putting the Trump legal team on their heels a little bit, and making it clear he was going to drive the timing of this process and they were going to have to come forward, as you discussed with Chuck, with evidence if they’re going to keep pushing this claim about declassification,” he reported.

“It seemed to me sitting there in the courtroom with Judge Dearie, he was very soft-spoken, but he would offer these kind of almost caustic rebuttals sometimes to what the Trump lawyers said,” he added. “It seemed like defense lawyers in a case that hasn’t been filed. right? No criminal charges. At this point, they have two options open to defend Trump. One is sort of an ignorance defense, maybe he didn’t know exactly what documents were down there at Mar-a-Lago and therefore, he couldn’t be responsible for that. And the other is this declassification claim.”

“Which defense they want to use would depend on what charges the government brings, ” he continued. “If it’s a charge about classified information, maybe they would try a declassification defense. But if it’s just going to be a claim that caused lies to be told to the U.S. government or obstruction of justice, they might want to go in a different direction saying he didn’t really know what he had; there’s a lot of news clippings and memorabilia, and maybe something classified in those boxes but he’s a busy guy.”

“They just don’t want to pick now which defense they want to use, and they made that abundantly clear in the courtroom yesterday,” he summed up.

1/ BOOM – Former GOP officials file friend of the court brief with the 11th Circuit saying Judge Cannon got it wrong. The TOC reflects the core arguments, including that an ex-President is entitled to no greater protection under the law than any other citizen.

2/ A friend of the court brief is an ‘amicus’ brief. It’s filed by people who are not a party to the case – not the DOJ, not Trump – who believe they have an interest in the court’s decision. So they ask a court – here the 11th Circuit – to also consider their legal arguments.

3/ The ‘friends of the court’ or ‘Amici’ here are: Ex-federal & state officials Donald Ayer, John Bellinger III, Gregory Brower, John Farmer Jr., Stuart Gerson,Peter Keisler, Alan Charles Raul, Olivia Troye, William F. Weld, and Christine Todd Whitman. Short bios below.

4/ The filing says: ‘Amici all served in Republican administrations and collectively have decades of experience prosecuting cases involving sensitive or classified materials or advising on matters regarding the proper scope of executive power and executive
privilege…

5/ …They have substantial experience with the structure and process of law enforcement investigations, including investigations involving public officials. Given their decades of public service, familiarity with the law enforcement and constitutional matters at issue here…

6/ ….and commitment to the rule of law, Amici maintain an active interest in the proper resolution of the important questions raised by the Government’s motion.’

7/ Below is the ‘proposed’ brief. It is ‘proposed’ because they 11th Circuit must accept the filing. A friend of the court (amicus) brief was also filed w/ Judge Cannon but she rejected it – meaning she did not consider it. Here’s the link…

Proposed Amicus Brief to 11th Circuit Appealing Judge Cannon’s Special Master Order.pdf
USCA11 Case: 22-13005. Date Filed: 09/16/2022. Page: 1 of 32. IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT DONALD J. TRUMP, Plaintiff-Appellee, No. 22-13005 v. UNITED STATES OF AMERI…
https://docdro.id/xaR0rDa

8/ The brief also eviscerates Cannon for ignoring the law about the classified documents and instead injecting the notion that there is a dispute over whether the documents are classified. Excerpts….

9/ And in the footnote that gets cut off in the last screenshot, the amicus brief calls Trump out for not saying in his court filings that he declassified any documents but rather playing games and just suggesting he could have. 

10/ And in a strong closing the brief says a former president should be treated no different than a ‘school teacher, police officer or veteran’ who’d taken classified info to their home and that an ex-president’s reputation is not more important than national security.

• • •

Link to amicus brief

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday night, Sep 17, Trump held another of his raving, slobbering, lying rallies in Ohio.  Reports are that the crowd was very small — around 7,00, the venue was about 1/3 empty.

But the highlight was his 103-minute speech (that’s one hour and 43 minutes or Trump raving).

One observer described the event as “It is almost like Hitler, Jim Jones, and Bozo the Clown had a baby.”