Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Breccia]

Hey remember this?



Well, now take a look at this:



Yes, that's FOX News *ding* *ding* *ding* *ding*

"Whoa whoa whoa! Why are you giving yourself that many CNN points? That's one video."

So as you can see, Trump left court today with a big pile of paper and said

These are all stories over the last few days from legal experts...But all of these are stories from legal experts saying how this is not a case. ‘The case is ridiculous.’ There’s another one, ‘The case is ridiculous, Trump indictment, it’s missing fraud, there is no fraud.'

"Well that's certainly a handful of paper. There must be many stories in there."

No, watch the video. There are headlines in there. Each "story" is a source, a headline, and a picture of Trump. But take a look, do you see anything written under the picture?

"Which picture?"

Any.

"...well the first one. But after that, he keeps everything clumped together, he holds it so you can't see anything under the picture, and more than half the time they're not facing the camera."

Almost as if he's hiding something, huh? Notice anything else?

"Um, they're all paper clipped in the middle of the top side, which is not where you paper clip anything you actually want to read. The pages won't turn and you can't see the top half of the page. So, nobody read those printouts. For all we know, every page after the first is blank."

Correct. If you see the end of Trump's...let's say "statements", he gets near the end and says "I'd like to read that". He hasn't even read the headlines and there's fewer than 20. Anything else you notice?

"All the shown parts are exactly the same format. Headline/logo of source, headline in the same font, picture exactly the same dimensions."

Correct. What would cause that?

"If they all came from the same social media source which force-aligns pictures. Are these all from Truth Social?"

That'd be my guess. If anyone recognizes that template, please let me know what it's from.

And even "from the last few days" he was only able to get that many padded stories. From what you can see, the National Review is the plurality, he shows one FOX News logo and names two more (that's four dings, one for the video and one for each headline in the pile). Also, speaking of "from the last few days" did you catch him mention Rolling Stone?

"Yes, they said they don't like Bragg's chances."

Well, Trump said that, yes. Want to see the article?

"...this is from March 30. This is not 'from the last few days'."

Well yes, and more yes. March 30, 2023. It was published after the grand jury indicted. By the way, how many lawyers were quoted in that article?

"Uh...two. Two whole lawyers. And one of them says:"

Given that Alvin Bragg is a former federal prosecutor in one of the most prestigious, if not the most prestigious, U.S. attorney’s offices in the country, and given what we know — that he had backed off of this prosecution for a couple of years before reapproaching it — that he has to have a fairly high level of confidence that they can make their case if they’re going to return an indictment.

"I don't think Trump read the article."

Trump is still trying to win this case outside of the courtroom, because he can't win inside the courtroom. He's using sleight of hand, stage magic, and as per usual, outright lying.

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I’m sitting here for days now, from morning til night, in that freezing room, freezing, everybody was freezing in there

Man, don't you hate it when the courtroom is so cold, you can't sleep?

[Edge-]

Man, don't you hate it when the courtroom is so cold, you can't sleep?

Y'all, is it stereotypically masculine to complain how cold it is when coats exist? He can put on some long johns or a onesie underneath his suit if he's so chilly.

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https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/19/marke...edium=referral

Trump Media, the parent company of the former president’s Truth Social, alerted Nasdaq Inc. on Thursday of what the company suspects is illegal activity driving down the price of its shares.

In a letter to the exchange, Devin Nunes, the CEO of Trump Media (DJT), laid out what he believes could be deemed “naked” short selling.

Naked short selling involves someone selling shares they don’t own or have not borrowed. They will often then try to buy shares at a reduced price to cover themselves. This practice is generally illegal. Whereas legitimate short sellers, people who seek to benefit from declines in the value of a company’s shares, borrow the shares before selling.

The letter was made public Friday in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Nunes also noted in the letter that shares of the company were on a list the Nasdaq maintains that’s “indicative of unlawful trading activity.”

“This is particularly troubling given that “naked” short selling often entails sophisticated market participants profiting at the expense of retail investors,” he said.

How would Devin Nunes even know this? He's an agriculture major with experience in farming and government, not being a tech executive or stock trader.

Anyways, enjoy the latest copium for, "Our company can't be this worthless, have you ignored our fundamentals!?"

[Rasulis]

Anyways, enjoy the latest copium for, "Our company can't be this worthless, have you ignored our fundamentals!?"

Ultimately, no stock can escape the company's fundamentals. The next quarterly report will burst the current bubble which is already stalling.

[Breccia]

How would Devin Nunes even know this?

I like how his evidence of a crime is "something Trump owned lost value" and literally nothing else.

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Once again, it's time for Guess the Speaker!

We must unite in our effort to establish a society where equality is the everyday experience of every American.

Together, we must nourish and safeguard the seeds of liberty. Because, when successful, America blossoms into a magnificent place where everyone can practice their beliefs, share new ideas, and express individualism — this is when we are our best.

The speaker...is Melania Trump. Said it on FOX News *ding* and everything.

"Isn't Trump's whole thing that he's a racist and a bigot?"

Yes, but he's also losing voters. Melania has likely been recruited to lie about Trump's message to bring people back. Trump does not want equality, he wants to be richer than everyone, that's the opposite of equality. But Melania is a desperate housewife and Trump is hemhorraging suburban female votes.

Bear in mind, we've heard the Party of Trump say "we need to stop dividing the country" before, and it always means "so just do whatever Trump says, or we'll start hurting and killing people again". The Party of Trump does not do compromise, just look at Speaker Greene vs. Speaker Johnson.

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If they take away my presidential immunity, they take away crooked Joe Biden’s presidential immunity.

-- Donald Trump

No 'they' don't, I never had it. That's one of the many reasons I don't commit crimes, in office or otherwise.

-- Biden should totally say this

Trump is not "losing" his immunity. FOX News *ding* completes his ALL-CAPS posting monologue on the topic.

"Without presidential immunity, it would be impossible for a president to properly function, putting the United States of America in great and everlasting danger!" he posted, in all capital letters.

Trump said that without immunity from prosecution, the presidency "will lose its power and prestige, and under some leaders, have no power at all."

"The Presidency will be consumed by the other Branches of Government. That is not what our founders wanted!" he wrote.

In another post, Trump argued that if a president does not have immunity, "the Opposing Party, during his/her term in Office, can extort and blackmail the President by saying that, ‘if you don’t give us everything we want, we will Indict you for things you did while in Office,’ even if everything done was totally Legal and Appropriate."

"That would be the end of the Presidency, and our Country, as we know it, and is just one of the many Traps there would be for a President without Presidential Immunity," Trump posted.

Pointing to his presidential predecessors, and 2020 and 2024 opponent Biden, Trump said: "Obama, Bush, and soon, Crooked Joe Biden, would all be in BIG TROUBLE."

"If a President doesn’t have IMMUNITY, he/she will be nothing more than a ‘Ceremonial’ President, rarely having the courage to do what has to be done for our Country," Trump continued, calling for the protection of presidential immunity. "MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

Trump added that if immunity is not granted to a president, "every president that leaves office will be immediately indicted by the opposing party."

"Without complete immunity, a president of the United States would not be able to properly function," he said again.

"Does he know about checks and balances?"

He knows most of his checks don't balance, so probably.

"Does he know we had this whole thing in 1776-1783 about not having an absolute ruler whose word was unchallengeable law?"

Oddly enough, he seems to insinuate he's a new founding father (yes, that's a Purge reference) but he thinks he's on the side of unchallengeable law, who the Founding Fathers fought against.

"Has he heard about Nixon?"

I doubt it, Nixon resigned rather than face charges, Trump is doing the opposite.

"Is he saying he would be brought up on charges for things that are completely legal?"

He's saying that about his many felonies now, so, yes.

"How do you charge someone without a crime happening?"

He's making shit up. It would be impossible to blackmail Trump about that time he signed the 2018 budget, as a random example. Trump knows full well what he did was a problem and is trying to muddy the waters as SCOTUS finds a loophole for him. Again, I keep saying this, SCOTUS will rule that Trump is somehow not subject to consequences for his crimes, but will find a way to say that that doesn't give blanket/massive immunity for Biden to commit crimes. They're looking for other options to keep Trump from going to jail for leading a violent terrorist insurrection.

"Another late-night tantrum?"

No.

Trump posted about the issue on his Truth Social platform while he sat in a New York City courtroom for day four of his criminal trial stemming from charges brought against him by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

"He's on trial for a felony and he's tweeting in court?"

Well, not tweeting, but yes.

[D Luniz]

So the DJT media group stock has been slowly gaining over the last 48 hours, and their response is "our stock is being manipulated!!"

Seems like they were hoping to get rich shorting it, but the cult (and maybe some people with more market sense) are making it rise, and will ruin their whole plan.

Christ I wish understood the market better to know

[Breccia]

So the DJT media group stock has been slowly gaining over the last 48 hours, and their response is "our stock is being manipulated!!"

It's the other way around, actually. They've given instructions to stockholders on how to keep their stocks from being borrowed to short sell, halting the downwards slide...for a day.

If that sounds like price manipulation, it is. However, telling people not to sell your stock isn't illegal. It's just holding the price a little longer while you wait for your time limit to expire so you can dump your stocks and leave everyone else with nothing.

[Canpinter]

So did anyone have "man sets himself on fire" on their trump case bingo card?

[Breccia]

So did anyone have "man sets himself on fire" on their trump case bingo card?

...no, it can't possibly.

(checks news)

[D Luniz]

So did anyone have "man sets himself on fire" on their trump case bingo card?

He threw a bunch of pamphlets before he lit himself, so at the least we'll get a reason soon enough.

[Edge-]

He threw a bunch of pamphlets before he lit himself, so at the least we'll get a reason soon enough.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/19/n...ire-trump.html

An eyewitness, who declined to be identified, said that the man threw pamphlets into the air before he lit himself on fire. The man, who was wearing jeans and dark gray T-shirt, fell to the ground. He was in an area of the park that was cordoned off for supporters of Mr. Trump.

Some of the pamphlets referenced former President George W. Bush, former Vice President Al Gore and the lawyer David Boies, who represented Mr. Gore in the 2000 presidential election recount.

Everything about this is weird as shit, and I'm ready for it to be really stupid.

Edit: At least this time no law enforcement told him to stop immolating while pointing their guns at him, apparently.

[Breccia]

He threw a bunch of pamphlets before he lit himself, so at the least we'll get a reason soon enough.

Indeed, it's possible he went to where all the cameras were because of the cameras, not Trump.

[Myradin]

Edit: At least this time no law enforcement told him to stop immolating while pointing their guns at him, apparently.

I'm sorry....what?

[The Stormbringer]

I'm sorry....what?

You don't remember the person who burned themselves (I wanna say outside SCOTUS) and the cops pointed their guns at him as he was burning to death (or already dead but still on fire)? That was earlier this year I think.

EDIT: I was very off. It was an embassy.

[Kathranis]

I'm sorry....what?

A few weeks ago a US airforce veteran self-immolated in protest of the Israeli campaign in Gaza outside of the Israeli embassy, and a cop kept his gun trained on him while he died, while another cop tried to extinguish the fire and yelled at him to put away the gun and get a fire extinguisher.

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I'm hearing that this guy was a MAGA nutjob and the pamphlets were about Al Gore and NYU, but having trouble finding recent updates.

[masterhorus8]

I'm hearing that this guy was a MAGA nutjob and the pamphlets were about Al Gore and NYU, but having trouble finding recent updates.

I read that as A.I. Gore... I hate what current trends have done to my brain.

[D Luniz]

A few weeks ago a US airforce veteran self-immolated in protest of the Israeli campaign in Gaza outside of the Israeli embassy, and a cop kept his gun trained on him while he died, while another cop tried to extinguish the fire and yelled at him to put away the gun and get a fire extinguisher.

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I'm hearing that this guy was a MAGA nutjob and the pamphlets were about Al Gore and NYU, but having trouble finding recent updates.

Two week link
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/19/n...smid=url-share

Eh, looks like he was a "both sides" nutjob that got his "news" from Peter Thiel

[Kathranis]

Two week link
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/19/n...smid=url-share

Eh, looks like he was a "both sides" nutjob that got his "news" from Peter Thiel

Yeah, even nuttier than first glance. These types used to have boxes and signs on the corners of busy intersections, now they have substacks and twitter followings.

[DarkTZeratul]

Eh, looks like he was a "both sides" nutjob that got his "news" from Peter Thiel

A bit more than your typical "both sides" nutjob (immolation aside), given that he had a sign that said "Trump is with Biden and they're about to fascist coup us." Definitely much more "anti-everything government" than MAGA.

[Poopymonster]

Ultimately, no stock can escape the company's fundamentals. The next quarterly report will burst the current bubble which is already stalling.

Stalling tactics? From someone Trumpian? *gasp*

[Breccia]

Remember the $175 million reduced bond Trump got?

NYState is challenging it, on the grounds of "this isn't a bond".

State lawyers said in court filings Friday that the former president and his co-defendants — the Trump Organization and its top executives, including his two eldest sons — failed to prove the surety Trump used to obtain the bond actually has the money to back it.

They also say the defendants did not show that “sufficiently secure and ascertainable” collateral backs the bond.

“Based on the foregoing, the People respectfully request that the Court deny Movants’ motion to justify the surety, declare the Bond to be without effect and order that any replacement bond be posted within seven days, along with such other and further relief the Court deems necessary and appropriate,” lawyers with New York Attorney General Letitia James’s (D) office wrote in a 26-page filing.

"Whoa whoa whoa, seven days? What happened to thirty?"

Trump was ordered to put up bond Feb 16th. He found nothing for 30 days, it was reduced, he had ten days. and he found a company that can't make the payment. He's well past the deadline. Even seven days is being generous, it's been closer to sixty.

Trump’s bond was secured by the California-based Knight Specialty Insurance Company.

State lawyers argued Knight is a “small insurer that is not authorized to write business in New York” and, until Trump, had “never before written a surety bond in New York.”

The company has a total policyholder surplus of just $138 million, the filing says. Under New York state law, companies like Knight can’t expose themselves to liabilities — like a bond — or any potential loss greater than 10 percent of their surplus.

“Based on KSIC’s policyholder surplus in its most recent annual financial statement of $138,441,671, the limitation of loss on any one risk that KSIC is permitted to write is $13.8 million,” the lawyers wrote. “The face amount of the bond exceeds this limitation by $161.2 million.”

"Surely they'll make an exception in this case!"

First of all, as listed, they physically can't. Their total money they can pay exceeds even the reduced bond.

Second of all, getting an exception isn't something that they can do. NYState law would have to give an exception. And, in a fair world at least, state laws aren't waived like that. Best case, you get the law changed in time. Moderate case, you break the law and hope a judge says it's fine. Worst case, you try to break the law and get called out for it.

The state also argued that because Trump still has access to the $175 million in cash he placed in an account as collateral, the court should find that he and his codefendants “failed to meet their burden to demonstrate that the Bond is ‘sufficiently collateralized by identifiable assets.'”

Quite frankly, Trump claimed he had $500 million. He should have been forced to use that when he said he couldn't get a bond elsewhere.

So it's another stall job by Trump, and NYState is done with it. The company Trump used both won't and can't handle it. Trump says he has the money almost thrice over, granted he didn't say that under oath, but it should be put to the test. No bond and no money? Time to start seizing things.

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The man who set himself on fire has died of his injuries.

Maxwell Azzarello did not appear to have an agenda that favored one political party or person -- he seemed to believe the entire world was out to get the entire world. His 2700-word pamphlet was basically titled "this is why I killed myself" and mentioned everything from COVID to the Simpsons.

My sympathies to his family, who didn't even know he'd left Florida to go to New York, and the four police officers who were injured trying to extinguish the flames (all injuries were minor).