Trump pleads not guilty

 

If only Andy Warhol was still alive!

Yesterday was an historic day, the first time a former President has been brought up on criminal charges.

These charges brought up against Donald J. Trump regarding whatever hush money payments offered to former adult actress - well I mean she did the skin flix - Stormy Daniels when Trump ran his successful 2016 campaign for President. The controversy was the fact that Alvin Bragg - who is currently the Manhattan District Attorney who presides over a high crime rate in the NYC borough of Manhattan - brought up what is described as federal charges against Trump.

So many on the right will describe this as a politically charged prosecution. So this happened during at least 2015 and 2016. Why didn't the FEC do anything? Certainly why didn't even the NY US Attorney do anything?

Another thing to look at is coverage. My perception is that there were some networks who were playing up yesterday's events. Trump was expected to surrender for his arraignment. Other headlines state that he was arrested. I suppose my comprehension is more or less did he have to be arrested in order to appear in court to hear criminal charges?

Is there a lawyer in the house who can answer this? Wait from FOX 5 NY:

Technically, while Trump went through the booking process ahead of the arraignment, he was considered to be "under arrest" and in custody.

But he wasn't handcuffed and he didn't sit in a jail cell, in part because parts of the courthouse were cleared out for his arraignment — and because Trump is a former president with Secret Service protection.

Trump only faced "getting arrested" – like how it's portrayed in the movies – if he didn’t voluntarily turn himself into the court ahead of his arraignment, which he did.

The logistics and security of Trump’s surrender were worked on for several days, according to sources, and included collaboration from the U.S. Secret Service, New York Police Department, FBI, New York State court officers and the DA's office.

And again Bragg or anyone else who was pursuing any legal action against Pres. Trump are only causing themselves to be open to this:

Trump then flew back to his Florida home, Mar-a-Lago, and appeared in front of several hundred supporters on Tuesday night. He repeated ongoing claims that the investigation was politically motivated, attacking Bragg and the judge in the New York case, the judge's family, and other prosecutors investigating him in other cases.

"The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it," Trump said.

Since I'm an NPC Trump isn't going to listen to me. Trump isn't wrong to go after Bragg and the judge in this - although I don't know exactly what the judge did in this situation. However, stay away from family big man I'm not sure there was any good reason for it.

Here's another thing from CBS News:

"The payment records, kept and maintained by the Trump Organization, were false New York business records. In truth, there was no retainer agreement, and Lawyer A was not being paid for legal services rendered in 2017," the statement of facts said, referring to Cohen. "The Defendant caused his entities' business records to be falsified to disguise his and others' criminal conduct."

Falsifying business records is typically a misdemeanor under New York law, but can be charged as a felony if done with an "intent to defraud [that] includes an intent to commit another crime or to aid or conceal the commission thereof." Prosecutors said Trump's conduct was intended to violate election laws.

Well, now the right wingers who support Trump will begin to ask the question as far as whether or not this could be proven in a court of law? And hopefully honest and fair lawyers are looking at whether or not this case could even go to trail.

The next time the former President will be in court is later this year December 4th. And by that point its time to campaign for the Presidency as he will be. When is the New Hampshire primary and Iowa caucuses?