Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Breccia]

Team Trump takes over RNC, immediately fires 60+ people.

The sweeping overhaul was confirmed by multiple people with direct knowledge of the cuts who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the moves publicly.

Trump's lieutenants telegraphed major changes late last week as Republican National Committee members gathered in Houston to approve his hand-picked leadership team, which includes his daughter-in-law Lara Trump as the committee co-chair. Michael Whatley, a former North Carolina GOP chairman, replaced Ronna McDaniel as the chair.

The cuts are designed to eliminate duplication as the Trump campaign and the RNC work to become essentially one organization, said Chris LaCivita, a Trump campaign senior adviser who who took over as the RNC chief of staff after Friday's vote.

"This is Republicans streamlining,” LaCivita said Monday night.

Staffers were notified of the cuts in an email Monday afternoon from the committee's new chief operating officer, Sean Cairncross, who offered people an opportunity to reapply for their jobs.

The email, obtained by The Associated Press, indicated that those who choose not to reapply for their jobs would need to leave by the end of March. Some staffers were told to leave their positions immediately on Monday afternoon, however.

I'm just going to guess that the RNC members who were "streamlined" in an email were all dedicated to the party, and not Trump. Call it a hunch.

[Templar 331]

I don't know why but Trump taking over the RNC gives me more dread than when he became president. At least with the presidency he had eyes on his dealings and rules to abide by, even though he didn't. He also had the establishment holding him (barely) in check. Now that he owns the political party, it feels more like a hostile takeover. I know we all joke about how this will hamper the Republican party as a whole but it gives legitimacy to the worst part of the party with him running it in an official position.

Before he was just a pawn of the real crooks behind the scenes, now he's behind the wheel. And he's the one who determines who the people behind the scenes are and what they will be doing. Before it was political mudslinging, now I fear it won't be mud that's being throw. At best it'll be party funds towards his debts. At worst, another J6.

[Shadowferal]

Certain amount of truth in the image above. Too many donors have no desire at all to pay Trump's legal expenses. I dare say a few would prefer to see him in jail instead. Democrats hold vast fundraising advantage as Republicans face cash problems, disarray in crucial swing states
The DNC starts the election year with nearly three times the cash on hand reported by the RNC

[Redwyrm]

It seems as though Trump Cancer has spread to the lymph nodes (RNC). Patient had a chance when surgical remove of Trump Cancer was possible. Now that it is in the lymph nodes the patient may be terminal.

Thoughts and prayers

[Gorsameth]

Certain amount of truth in the image above. Too many donors have no desire at all to pay Trump's legal expenses. I dare say a few would prefer to see him in jail instead. Democrats hold vast fundraising advantage as Republicans face cash problems, disarray in crucial swing states
The DNC starts the election year with nearly three times the cash on hand reported by the RNC

To bad all that money is going to pay Trumps legal bills and not spend on down ballot elections rofl

[Gigantique]

To bad all that money is going to pay Trumps legal bills and not spend on down ballot elections rofl

Don't need them if they have enough seeds planted to rig the system(s)!

Why wouldn't the reptilian Pizzagate democrats tamper with the local gubernatorial election in Wherethefuck, Neverheardofit? Judges, do your thing!

[gondrin]

So, Alex Jones is upset. That is nothing new.

However, he is upset at Trump and is threatening him on going on a "political warpath" if he continues to push the COVID vaccine in any way. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...3f00c01d&ei=75

Alex Jones continues to disavow Donald Trump's comments taking credit for the acceleration of the COVID-19 vaccine, saying he could go on a political "warpath" in opposition.

Trump, the likely Republican nominee for president, is preparing for his third general election since 2016 and strongly refuted statements President Joe Biden made in his State of the Union address on March 7.

Biden said: "The pandemic no longer controls our lives. The vaccines that saved us from COVID are now being used to help beat cancer, turning setback into comeback."

On Truth Social, Trump claimed the credit for the vaccine being quickly developed and distributed to the public in the throes of the global pandemic, writing: "YOU'RE WELCOME, JOE, NINE MONTH APPROVAL TIME VS. 12 YEARS THAT IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN YOU!"

Jones, the conservative host of Infowars, is a staunch Trump ally who has defended the former president for years. However, Jones—and myriad other conservatives who support Trump—has questioned the safety of the COVID vaccine and the federal government's role in administering it, rejecting some of Trump's views on COVID vaccination.

"If I see any more of this from Trump—any more of this—I'm going to have to go on the warpath, politically," Jones said on Infowars Monday.

The host continued: "I just cannot take this. I cannot put my head down on the pillow at night and say that I'm a true person to everybody when I've already held my nose because the overwhelming good he's doing, and all the persecution, and put up with stuff like this.

"It'd be like if your mother created this great Thanksgiving meal and cooked for two days to get it ready—and it's this beautiful meal on the table. And your mother comes out and pulls her pants down and s**** all over the table."

Newsweek reached out to the Trump campaign and a spokesperson for Jones via email for comment.

It's not the first time Jones has called out Trump's COVID-related statements.

After the former president took to Truth Social to reclaim vaccine credit from Biden, Jones accused Trump of spreading "bulls***" in the form of a vaccine that the Infowars host has falsely labeled "a biological weapon."

Jones also said that some people are so aware of the purported scandal surrounding the vaccine that not even Trump "can sell it."

During Trump's first term and into Biden's time as president, Jones criticized Trump for embracing the vaccine.

"I almost see Trump as destructive because he becomes the opposition to Democrats, but he's got his own issues," Jones told Tim Pool, a pro-Trump commentator, in November 2021.

A month later, Trump pushed back against conservative host Candace Owens when she questioned the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. Trump said at the time that those who got the vaccine were "protected," while others who got very sick and ended up in a hospital were those who remained unvaccinated.

In response, Jones gave an "emergency Christmas Day warning to President Trump," in which he said: "You are either completely ignorant about the so-called vaccine gene therapy you helped ram through with Operation Warp Speed, or you're one of the most evil men who has ever lived to push this toxic poison on the public and to attack your constituents when they simply try to save their lives and the lives of others."

- - - Updated - - -

And now for the funniest joke you'll ever hear.

DJT gave himself a nickname. Honest Don.

It cheapens the word honest so much that now I don't know what to call people who are honest.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...0ad3115f&ei=35

Donald Trump's New Nickname For Himself Has People Howling

Former President Donald Trump referred to himself as “Honest Don” and tickled critics on X, formerly Twitter.

Trump deployed his new moniker in a post on his Truth Social platform in which he challenged President Joe Biden to debate him “ANY TIME, ANY PLACE!” for “the good of our now failing Nation.”

https://twitter.com/MikeSington/stat...423660/photo/1

Critics recalled the more than 30,000 false or misleading claims that Trump made during his presidency.

Trump since his 2020 loss to President Joe Biden has repeatedly falsely claimed the election was stolen from him.

[Surfd]

And now for the funniest joke you'll ever hear.

DJT gave himself a nickname. Honest Don.

It cheapens the word honest so much that now I don't know what to call people who are honest.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...0ad3115f&ei=35

God I wish I had talent for art, cause I can literally see the perfect political cartoon panel response right now:

Scene: Police Line Up of several old school Mafia / Gangster looking types, with Trump on the end.

The characters:
- Fat Tony: A reed thin, seedy looking guy.
- "Slim": A giant, overweight bruiser.
- Long Tom: 5 foot tall guy.
- Honest Don: Trump in a poorly fitting prison jumper.

[Rasulis]

Certain amount of truth in the image above. Too many donors have no desire at all to pay Trump's legal expenses. I dare say a few would prefer to see him in jail instead. Democrats hold vast fundraising advantage as Republicans face cash problems, disarray in crucial swing states
The DNC starts the election year with nearly three times the cash on hand reported by the RNC

Just to be super clear, I am not donating money to either candidate for US President

So stated by the world's second richest man.

[Edge-]

Just to be super clear, I am not donating money to either candidate for US President

So stated by the world's second richest man.

greg is still winning Twitter, and Snowden is still losing it.

Also this sounds like the weirdly specifically worded thing that he'd tweet out so that some journalist finds out he's either donating to PACS or having some third party donate his money to candidates so he can decry how bad journalism is nowadays because he was super clear that HE was not donating money to EITHER CANDIDATE for the US President. Doesn't matter either way, it's his money and he can spend it how he wants.

[Rasulis]

greg is still winning Twitter, and Snowden is still losing it.

Also this sounds like the weirdly specifically worded thing that he'd tweet out so that some journalist finds out he's either donating to PACS or having some third party donate his money to candidates so he can decry how bad journalism is nowadays because he was super clear that HE was not donating money to EITHER CANDIDATE for the US President. Doesn't matter either way, it's his money and he can spend it how he wants.

He was responding to the rumor that he met with Trump at Mar-a-lago to either buy Truth Social or provide cash infusion.

[Bluespiderman57]

Just to be super clear, I am not donating money to either candidate for US President

So stated by the world's second richest man.

The musk doth protest too much, methinks.

[Surfd]

greg is still winning Twitter, and Snowden is still losing it.

Also this sounds like the weirdly specifically worded thing that he'd tweet out so that some journalist finds out he's either donating to PACS or having some third party donate his money to candidates so he can decry how bad journalism is nowadays because he was super clear that HE was not donating money to EITHER CANDIDATE for the US President. Doesn't matter either way, it's his money and he can spend it how he wants.

It's not a donation when you are paying for a service.

[Breccia]

It's not a donation when you are paying for a service.

I hear that goes for $130,000 these days.

Oh, and NYState caught Trump trying to slip assets out of NY by changing some lines on paper.

Days after losing the 11-week fraud trial, Trump's lawyers "announced for the first time that various entity defendants operating in New York are allegedly now located on a golf club in Florida," state officials complained in the new filing.

The attempted "relocation" effort proves that Trump cannot be believed when he promises his assets would never be "secreted" out of New York, lawyers for state Attorney General Letitia James said.

"Defendants attempted that relocation even as they claim to this Court that those assets 'cannot be summarily disposed of or secreted out of the jurisdiction,'" the attorney general's lawyers wrote, quoting Trump's own past assurances in their new filing, which totals 132 pages.

Hold on, [ur=https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24476339-nyag-v-trump-ny-opposition-to-judgment-stay-20240312]let me look through that filing[/url] by NYState.

Moreover, there is significant risk that absent a full bond or deposit, defendants will attempt to evade enforcement of the judgment or to make enforcement more difficult after an appeal. Notwithstanding the independent monitor that they now tout, in November 2023, defendants failed to disclose tax returns for six Trump Organization entities and transferred $40 million in cash (including $29 million to Mr. Trump) without informing the monitor beforehand, in violation of Supreme Court’s orders. (See Ex. F, Nov. 29, 2023 Monitor Letter at 2-3; Post-Trial Decision at 21 86 n.58.) After the court issued its post-trial decision, defendants announced for the first time that various entity defendants operating in New York are allegedly now located on a golf club in Florida. (Ex. V, Letter from Clifford S. Robert to Hon. Arthur F. Engoron at 2 (Feb. 21, 2024).) Defendants attempted that relocation even as they claim to this Court that those assets “cannot be summarily disposed of or secreted out of the jurisdiction.” attempted that relocation even as they claim to this Court that those assets “cannot be summarily disposed of or secreted out of the jurisdiction.” (Mot. at 13-14.) Absent a full bond or deposit, OAG would be highly prejudiced and likely forced to expend substantial public resources to execute the judgment if it is affirmed on appeal.

Oh, look at that, Trump already got caught doing that once.

NYState filed this 132-page beat down in response to Trump saying "I don't want to pay the whole bond even though I lost, if you let me pay 20% I promise to pay the rest later". Yes, while caught trying to move/hide assets. Twice.

By the way, Page 132 is literally a court transcription of Trump saying he had $400 million in cash on the stand. That's just two varieties of NYState throwing Trump's words back at him.

The filing also responds to, apparently, Trump begging for a stay. The NYState response is "...why?"

[Edge-]

Are we still waiting on any meaningful penalties for Trump repeatedly violating rules and laws and court/judicial orders?

[Breccia]

Are we still waiting on any meaningful penalties for Trump repeatedly violating rules and laws and court/judicial orders?

I mean, he's scrambing to find over $500 million while he goes to his first criminal trial, as he clinches the RNC and the nomination so they don't get a backup. That's not ideal for him.

[Kaleredar]

Are we still waiting on any meaningful penalties for Trump repeatedly violating rules and laws and court/judicial orders?

What they need to do is start going after his lawyers who are executing these things on his command.

[Breccia]

Trump announces plans to admit guilt under oath. Basically.

So there's this thing you can plead in court called "advice of counsel" which basically means "my lawyers told me it was okay". If you do this, an official thing you can do in court, you have to turn over all communications with said lawyers and must also waive attorney-client privilege. Also...those lawyers are probably fucked, as they'll have to admit, under oath, they told their client to commit a crime.

Which is why Trump isn't doing that, while doing that.

Trump attorneys said in a New York criminal court filing made public Tuesday that part of his defense will be that he "lacked the requisite intent to commit the conduct charged in the indictment."

“President Trump intends to elicit these facts from witnesses ... whom we expect will testify about President Trump’s awareness of counsel’s involvement in the charged conduct. This is not a formal advice-of-counsel defense,” his lawyers wrote.

"They really wrote 'president' twice in one sentence?"

Yes. They likely write it a dozen times per page, or Trump fires them.

Trump had said he planned to use an "advice of counsel" defense, and Judge Juan Merchan had told his attorneys to notify the DA's office by this week if he intended to take that approach. The DA's office had requested notice because under that line of argument they would be entitled to more information about Trump's communications with his attorneys.

In Tuesday's filing, Trump's lawyers said they would ask Cohen and other people who'd been involved in the Daniels discussions about Trump's "awareness of counsel's involvement." But, they added, they wouldn't use a formal advice of counsel defense, so there's no need for them to make more evidence available to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office.

“While President Trump intends to elicit evidence concerning the presence, involvement and advice of lawyers in relevant events giving rise to the charges in the Indictment, he does not intend to assert a formal advice-of-counsel defense," Trump's attorneys wrote.

This is a blatant attempt to give the jury a reason to spring him. He's going to blame his lawyers, but in a way that doesn't require them to turn over communications, likely because Trump ordered them to make this go away and he knows that.

It's not like Trump can admit that no payment was made, and it's not like he can admit it wasn't breaking the law. Those two are objective matters of record. If Trump opens the door to breaking privilege, he's caught either ordering the payment or destroying records. Both are felonies. So, his only chance is to tell the jury "here is a reason you can say 'not guilty' despite all the clear evidence of guilt".

Or, I'm misreading this. @cubby can do a better job explaining "advise of counsel" as an official defense and why Trump is doing it, but not doing it.

[Gorsameth]

"I remind the members of the jury that conspiring with a lawyer does not absolve one of guilt and that 'the other guy should have told me it wasn't legal' isn't either".

[Breccia]

"I remind the members of the jury that conspiring with a lawyer does not absolve one of guilt and that 'the other guy should have told me it wasn't legal' isn't either".

See, that's what I think the official "advise of counsel" defense is. "My lawyer told me it was okay, and I believed him." Which is why you have to prove that's what your lawyer told you -- it's an affirmative defense. Uh, I think. You have to plead guilty by reason of ignorance, and hide behind "the law was so complicated, an uninformed person like myself didn't know".

First of all, Trump claiming he didn't know the laws about election contribution while in an election should fail, and it should especially fail when he's running for re-election. Of course, slightly less than half the country will still vote for someone who admits, under oath, he was duped into committing a crime.

Second of all, I think it's pretty obvious that Cohen has already given a deposition, will testify, and has told every carbon-based life form on Earth that Trump told him to do it. That's going to be tough to handwave.

And third, like you said, is the possible conspiracy response. In order for this affirmative defense to work, the other lawyers will have to admit, under oath, that yes they told him to break the law, and yes they should go to jail instead of Trump. I...don't think they'll do that. Again, Trump is trying to blame his lawyers without using this very specific defense, but they have to see the bullshit flying towards them. And they have records -- records they'd be stupid to destroy, because that's obstruction, and that's a felony and a disbarring.

So his lawyers (the lawyers he's trying to blame) have three options.
1) Agree they duped Trump, who claims to be the smartest man and know the most about the law, take the blame, and lose their jobs forever plus go to prison.
2) Invoke privilege. This shut's down Trump's kinda sorta not really defense, leaving only that Trump admitted he did it but not being able to have a good reason. He would have to invoke the defense for realsies, and turn over proof in those records -- proof I do not believe he has.
3) Turn on Trump. Plead out. That's your conspiracy.