Dr. Flowers @AlliFlowers@talkedabout.social

The jury has entered.

Justice #Merchan greets jurors & immediately begins reading the #JuryInstructions. He tells them the instructions will take ≥1 hr to get through. He explains that any changes in his inflection are not intended to send a message.

Merchan tells jurors that it is not his responsibility to judge the #evidence in the case. “It is yours,” he says. “You are the judges of the facts, & you are responsible for deciding whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty.”

#TrumpTrial

The GOP truly is a death cult. They exist to destroy, not to create. They believe in a god whom they call merciful but whose ultimate promise is suffering and annihilation. They pledge allegiance to a Messiah who preached unconditional love and acceptance, yet see no contradiction between their pledge and their actions. They assign no value to the lives of anyone who cannot enrich them.

From @mathowie

https://xoxo.zone/users/mathowie/statuses/112520728126038491

Because the #UnlawfulMeans could be any or all of the other crimes, each individual false-records charge that #Trump faces contains w/in it multiple possible crimes for jurors to adjudicate, & #law for Justice Merchan to explain.

#criminal #TrumpTrial

In #NewYork, falsifying records is a #misdemeanor, unless the documents were faked to HIDE ANOTHER CRIME. The other crime, prosecutors say (they also presented evidence of other #crimes), was Trump’s 2016 violation of state #ElectionLaw that prohibited #conspiring to aid a #political campaign using “#UnlawfulMeans.”

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial

Gas prices are down $1.40 from their peak after Russia’s war, but they’re still too high.

My Administration is releasing 1 million barrels of gasoline from the Northeast Gasoline Supply Reserve ahead of July 4th, which will lower prices at the pump when folks need it the most.

When things finally get under way, Justice #Merchan will describe the #legal meaning of the word “#intent” & the concept of the presumption of innocence. He will remind the #jurors that they pledged to set any biases aside against #Trump before they were sworn in, & that Trump’s decision not to testify cannot be held against him.

Then, Justice Merchan will explain the 34 charges of falsifying business records. It will be the most important guidance that he gives during this #TrumpTrial.

#law

Louisiana Governor signs law making it a crime to get within 25 feet of a law officer working a crime scene, conducting an investigation or making an arrest. Advocates and defenders of increased police surveillance often chide liberal opponents with the canard, “If you have nothing to hide then you have nothing to fear.” I’d like to hear the Thin Blue Line fanboys explain the need for this law then.
#GOPFail #Louisiana
#USPolitics
https://www.laaclu.org/en/press-releases/aclu-louisiana-denounces-governor-jeff-landrys-signing-bill-restricting-public

Republicans responded to De Niro's press conference by giving him all of their attention instead of Trump. And folks on the left applauded this loudly. We should always be on the offense, and we can never let Trump get airtime without a counter. Onward.

https://www.dworkinsubstack.com/p/de-niro-and-jan-6-heroes-unload-on

Watch now on #CLTV

https://crooksandliars.com/cltv/2024/05/mouth-puke-gutfeld?utm_source=social&utm_medium=twitter&utm_content=89024

#Steinglass discusses Jan 2017, the month #Trump was inaugurated. He describes a meeting between #MichaelCohen & #AllenWeisselberg who Cohen testified had made the arrangements to reimburse Cohen for the #HushMoney. “Right on the bank statement, Weisselberg & Cohen calculated all the money that was owed to Cohen,” Steinglass says.

[this IS literal. The notes are written by hand on the wire transfer statement, #exhibit35]
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference

Here's Trump-o-phile Nikki Haley writing a message to Palestinians on a 155-mm artillery shell Israel will launch into Gaza. This seems...bad.

Closing arguments have concluded in the first criminal trial of a former US president. The jury is expected to begin deliberations tomorrow on the 34 felony counts Donald Trump is facing.

#Blanche addresses the 3 specific #CatchAndKill deals prosecutors allege #Pecker was involved in, all of which they say were designed to protect #Trump. Defense argues all 3 stories are false.

He characterizes the 1st, involving a doorman at a #TrumpOrganization bldg, as “literally a made up story designed to harm President Trump.”

Blanche talks about Playboy model #KarenMcDougal who sold the rights to her story of an affair w/Trump to The #NationalEnquirer's parent co, #AMI.

#law #TrumpTrial