Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[postman1782]

Trump, in his effort to prove to the judge he needed a full week to get to Florida to attend his mother-in-law's funeral, was in three states in three days. Yesterday he was in NH and said:



This is where I typically say "as a reminder" but let's be honest, nobody here needs one.

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Habba is not having a good day. While cross-examining Carroll, she tried to influence the jury by magically creating evidence out of thin air. Instead, the judge had to yell at her for it.

Habba also claimed, that because Carroll deleted many threatening messages she got from Trump supporters, there should be a mistrial. Worth noting: Carroll stopped deleting them in 2023 due to the lawsuits, which were presented as evidence, correctly. Big surprise, the judge summarily rejected the motion.

Habba also also said she had 30 minutes of cross-examination left that would need to happen tomorrow, coincidentally that's the day Trump has asking for off, so he can complain he can't be here when stuff is happening. At this point, Habba could be telling the truth but has been called out for acting improperly so many times it doesn't matter.

Habba also also also asked Carroll if she thought anyone would believe her. Carroll said she didn't care who believed her or not, the accusations were true. When Habba pressed further, Carroll's lawyers pointed out this was a damages trial only, and the truth of Trump's behavior was already established. That objection was sustained.

And the other guy, Madaio, admit it we all saw this coming, made an official motion for the judge to recuse themself on the grounds of "general hostility". Yes, after Trump attacked him in court. Obviously, that was denied with a single word.

"Did anything useful happen today?"

Yes, Carroll described Trump's behavior immediately after the last lawsuit, and also, Trump stormed out of the room before the jurors did. Carroll was still seated in the witness box.

I'm not going to say "worst day in court ever" but this was pretty abysmal for Team Trump. Every motion failed, and the jury -- whose only remaining goal is to determine how much Trump owes for his behavior -- saw nothing but bad behavior from Trump.

I keep saying "I could do better". More recently, I've been saying "no, really, I could do better". We already know what the deal is, Trump is objectively guilty and trying to make this into a big show, "you can't fire me I quit" style. But someone famous for not paying people and losing lawyers is about to lose more of money and more lawyers. I mean, at this point, why not fire Habba? She's done everything wrong.

What the hell kind of lawyer is Habba? Whatever it is, she must have literally been last in her class at LeHigh University.

[Edge-]

What the hell kind of lawyer is Habba? Whatever it is, she must have literally been last in her class at LeHigh University.

Really, the Trump era has made it clear that professional organizations need to do a much better job of reviewing prospective members.

Because her involvement with all of this apparently started with gross breaches of legal ethics, including communicating with an individual who already has legal representation (you speak with their lawyer, not the individual) and later lying to and poaching them as a client, where they proceeded to get them to sign an awful, IIRC arguably unenforceable NDA and bad deal.

That folks like Habba and the demon semen lady maintain professional licenses is more of a mark upon the respective organizations than anything else.

[Poopymonster]

What the hell kind of lawyer is Habba? Whatever it is, she must have literally been last in her class at LeHigh University.

It would appear she's general counsel for her husbands parking garage, has been lead counsel on a few class action lawsuits, and represented a vitamin supplement entrepreneur suing a Portuguese newspaper because it revealed his close connections to a far-right political party in Portugal. Those are a few things that leapt out at me while I browsed her wiki.

[Breccia]

What the hell kind of lawyer is Habba?

Fair warning I haven't actually watched this MSNBC video, but if you do a Google search for [ what's wrong with habba ] (no quotation marks) the first hit is this MSNBC YouTube titled Lawrence: Alina Habba is the ‘worst Trump lawyer to appear in court so far’ from one day ago, but there's plenty of other options. Some are recent, such as this Newsweek one about her violating a court order in the first 10 seconds of today's trial. Others are older, such as this one about Habba declining for Trump his right to a jury, and claiming it was an accident. Others talk about her calling Letita James a bitch, being part of $1M in sanctions, no longer being the head lawyer in the Carroll case, wow that didn't age well, and of course, a variety of short bios of her short legal work life -- NJ local advertising on TV when she knew Trump would see it, to now.

So, what the hell kind of lawyer is she? Bad.

[Edge-]

It would appear she's general counsel for her husbands parking garage, has been lead counsel on a few class action lawsuits, and represented a vitamin supplement entrepreneur suing a Portuguese newspaper because it revealed his close connections to a far-right political party in Portugal. Those are a few things that leapt out at me while I browsed her wiki.

Oh come on Poopymonster, you miseed arguably the most hilarious moment in her career!

In July 2021, Habba represented Siggy Flicker, a Trump-supporting former member of The Real Housewives of New Jersey who alleged that Facebook had disabled her account for wishing Melania Trump a happy birthday.

I get it, billable hours is billable hours and all that. But this is objectively hilarious.

Habba wrote a letter to Facebook, which Facebook appeared to ignore.

That Facebook probably never even opened the letter it all the funnier.

But hey, Habba (probably) got paid (not much) for writing Facebook some junk mail.

[Breccia]

I get it, billable hours is billable hours and all that.

Well, not necessarily. Sometimes lawyers are forced to take a client, sometimes they seek one out. If you seek out a client, it's on you how the behavior of that client reflects on you. I am a public school teacher, if a student is placed in my classroom by admin, I will not throw them out or quit. If a literal Nazi offers to pay for tutoring, the answer is "nein" for anything less than "buys the school where I work".

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

I imagine this is what Trump's Lawyers feel like when Trump says he wants to give the closing address:

[ringpriest]

I keep saying "I could do better". More recently, I've been saying "no, really, I could do better". We already know what the deal is, Trump is objectively guilty and trying to make this into a big show, "you can't fire me I quit" style. But someone famous for not paying people and losing lawyers is about to lose more of money and more lawyers. I mean, at this point, why not fire Habba? She's done everything wrong.

She hasn't done anything wrong from Trump's point of view. He doesn't care about American law or the American justice system. And why should he? Sure, lawsuits and trials are a nuisance, but he believes he's immune to consequences of any significance. And the trials create a built-in audience for his bullshit and lies.

Habba is not a lawyer in the sense that you, or I, or anyone posting here would ever need or hire a lawyer. She's the legal profession's equivalent of a stripper - she has the requisite qualifications, and her job is to get up in front of everyone and make the man paying her happy by doing some objectively humiliating performances. And that's what she's doing. (That it is disgraceful legal representation and may eventually end up getting her disbarred obviously isn't influencing her choices.)

[Cthulhu 2020]

Habba is the ultimate outcome of a dollar store president: A dollar store lawyer for their trials.

If Habba is the one representing Trump in other trials, he's cooked. If Habba is only on this trial maybe he's just throwing his dollar store lawyer at the one trial he doesn't care about: A defamation case about rape (since he knows that his cult will always love him no matter what and some of them unironically think rape should be legal) where the only punishment for losing is a fine (because he won't pay, he never pays anyone ever).

The only thing important to this man is that his political clout stay in tact, and it's not going anywhere as long as his cult validates him.

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I just keep reading this transcript and holy fuck, Habba's entire cross examination of Carroll is just 100% trying to sus her out on feels or any hypocrisy. I get that undermining someone's trust with the jury is a tactic often used but it's just like "You just said you hate saying Trump's name, if that's true then WHY DID YOU APPEAR ON SO MANY INTERVIEWS?!"

It's petty alt-right bullshit that's literally grade school bully chest puffing. This is what impresses an audience of people who stopped developing at age 15. A bunch of chest puffing and pseudo intellectual "Hah I caught you in a trap!" shit that I'd only expect to see from conservatives on these forums and twitter, not an actual lawyer. If anyone is rotting the soul of America it is these people. Believing a narcissistic bully in depends can do no wrong.

[Breccia]

She hasn't done anything wrong from Trump's point of view.

Only if Trump thinks the stalling job is going well. He can't possibly.

[ringpriest]

Only if Trump thinks the stalling job is going well. He can't possibly.

I really doubt he cares much about the stalling on this one. The only penalty he's facing is money. Which he will appeal (using lawyers he won't pay), and then when appeals are eventually exhausted, he will refuse to pay, and then when ordered to pay he'll appeal that (using lawyers he won't pay), and by the time that is exhausted, he'll be President or dead.

The benefit for him here is the spectacle, and the attention (especially from the vomit-licking American mass media, who adore the ratings he brings) and the resulting fodder for anti-establishment rhetoric. Habba's job - like a stripper - is spectacle, with sidelines in harassing Carroll and angering the judge, both of which please Trump. (If he can get the judge to throw him out of the court and sanction his attorney, he'll be thrilled.)

[Breccia]

Trump had a rough day in court, but he did ask for Wednesday and Thursday off to attend his mother-in-law's funeral Thursday. So, naturally, when he left the courtroom in New York, he...(turns page)...went to New Hampshire and gave a rally.

So, no, he didn't need Wednesday. He lied. Remember how Carroll's lawyers said he had a scheduled event? He still went.

The former president spoke more than two hours later than scheduled in a location that was much smaller than his normal venue — a hotel ballroom that could only accommodate some 300 people. He concluded his long day with a rambling speech that lasted more than an hour.

Three hundred. Not thirty thousand. Not three thousand. Three hundred. That's what it took to prove he lied on the stand -- three hundred people, two hours late.

I can't find any articles saying Trump has returned to Florida yet. He may yet skip the funeral to go to the Carroll trial. Or, do both in one day, which proves that there was never a reason to ask for an extension.

[Edge-]

https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1747811026228183328

Trump brags that he “aced” a dementia test: they always show you the first one like a giraffe, a tiger, a whale. Which one is the whale?

He then goes on to say the test includes some algebra with big numbers and all. Having had family who have had dementia and taken cognitive tests, I don't think Donald Trump has taken these tests. It's so weird that he's just keeps bringing them up.

[Dontrike]

https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1747811026228183328



He then goes on to say the test includes some algebra with big numbers and all. Having had family who have had dementia and taken cognitive tests, I don't think Donald Trump has taken these tests. It's so weird that he's just keeps bringing them up.

It might have come up due to some thinking he has Syphilis thanks to a picture that's been circulating where he's waving and you see "three red sores" on his hand/fingers. Could also be dried ketchup, so here's hoping for the worst.

[draynay]

https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1747811026228183328



He then goes on to say the test includes some algebra with big numbers and all. Having had family who have had dementia and taken cognitive tests, I don't think Donald Trump has taken these tests. It's so weird that he's just keeps bringing them up.

Either its the first test he ever passed, or a crazy person needing to tell everyone how not crazy they are.

Or both.

[DarkAmbient]

Every time I read a story about the trial it's judge threatens this, judge threatens that. Blah fucking blah. Why can Trump just do whatever the fuck he wants, even in a courtroom? When does he ever actually suffer consequences for anything? Christ, I cant wait until the day I never have to hear about this grotesque piece of shit ever again.

[zorkuus]

Every time I read a story about the trial it's judge threatens this, judge threatens that. Blah fucking blah. Why can Trump just do whatever the fuck he wants, even in a courtroom? When does he ever actually suffer consequences for anything? Christ, I cant wait until the day I never have to hear about this grotesque piece of shit ever again.

It is very bizarre. but the title of former president carries respect with it, even if the former president happens to be a deranged lunatic who should be in a mental institution.

And the other thing: fear of his deranged base. I do believe that is a factor for these judges.

[Gorsameth]

Habba is the ultimate outcome of a dollar store president: A dollar store lawyer for their trials.

If Habba is the one representing Trump in other trials, he's cooked. If Habba is only on this trial maybe he's just throwing his dollar store lawyer at the one trial he doesn't care about: A defamation case about rape (since he knows that his cult will always love him no matter what and some of them unironically think rape should be legal) where the only punishment for losing is a fine (because he won't pay, he never pays anyone ever).

The only thing important to this man is that his political clout stay in tact, and it's not going anywhere as long as his cult validates him.

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I just keep reading this transcript and holy fuck, Habba's entire cross examination of Carroll is just 100% trying to sus her out on feels or any hypocrisy. I get that undermining someone's trust with the jury is a tactic often used but it's just like "You just said you hate saying Trump's name, if that's true then WHY DID YOU APPEAR ON SO MANY INTERVIEWS?!"

It's petty alt-right bullshit that's literally grade school bully chest puffing. This is what impresses an audience of people who stopped developing at age 15. A bunch of chest puffing and pseudo intellectual "Hah I caught you in a trap!" shit that I'd only expect to see from conservatives on these forums and twitter, not an actual lawyer. If anyone is rotting the soul of America it is these people. Believing a narcissistic bully in depends can do no wrong.

The moronic part is that undermining Caroll's trust doesn't even do anything, her testimony has already been accepted. Trump has already been found liable. The evidence is not up for discussion. Just how much more Trump has to pay.

[Endus]

Every time I read a story about the trial it's judge threatens this, judge threatens that. Blah fucking blah. Why can Trump just do whatever the fuck he wants, even in a courtroom? When does he ever actually suffer consequences for anything? Christ, I cant wait until the day I never have to hear about this grotesque piece of shit ever again.

I loathe this shit too, and it's a demonstration of corruption, essentially, but the objective is to present absolutely no even possible grounds for appeal of any decision. A judge being unduly punitive could be deemed biased, for instance; if the judge is unusually permissive, you can't make that claim. There's still limits, but Trump's being treated with kid gloves, precisely so these decisions will matter, by virtue of being essentially beyond reasonable appeal.

[The Stormbringer]

The moronic part is that undermining Caroll's trust doesn't even do anything, her testimony has already been accepted. Trump has already been found liable. The evidence is not up for discussion. Just how much more Trump has to pay.

They should add another zero to the end of it every time he keeps claiming in public that, "I don't know her! I never met her! I never touched her!" etc. Maybe he'd shut the fuck up at that point, but I doubt it. He'd likely run it as high as he possibly could and keep appealing, keep trying to weasel his way out, keep trying to retrial, etc.

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I loathe this shit too, and it's a demonstration of corruption, essentially, but the objective is to present absolutely no even possible grounds for appeal of any decision. A judge being unduly punitive could be deemed biased, for instance; if the judge is unusually permissive, you can't make that claim. There's still limits, but Trump's being treated with kid gloves, precisely so these decisions will matter, by virtue of being essentially beyond reasonable appeal.

This is so backwards to me. If a judge is being unusually permissive with someone, that's just as bad (or damn close) as if they're being too punitive. If someone is fucking guilty, and you let them off with a slap on the wrist so they can go on and do more bullshit without learning their lesson, is that really much different from unnecessarily being a dick to someone who is guilty? It's still a miscarriage of justice.