Law, Power, and Justice

Afternoon News Notes: Trump Trial, Ukraine, Israel

• The White House condemned an attack on aid trucks by Israeli settlers.  They convoy was heading to Gaza.  The settlers threw packages of food into the road and set fire to the vehicles (Guardian 5/13/24).
• The Russians are attacking closer to Kharkiv.  It is thought that they do not have sufficient forces to take Kharkiv, but they are nibbling away.  This is a significant Russian gain.
• The Ukrainians do not have adequate weapons to fight the new Russian incursion.  People are being evacuated.
• 810^th day of this invasion of Ukraine.  The Ukrainians are exhausted.
• Interesting article about Israel: Pinkas, Alon (5/13/24) “This Independence Day, Israel has Split into Two Incompatible Jewish States.” Haaretz.
• Israeli tanks have reached residential portions of Rafah (Guardian)
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Trump Election Interference Trial

• Cohen admits that after the break with Trump, he missed him.
• Cohen idolized Trump, and when he felt betrayed by Trump, he turned on him and there is a lot of hurt and anger there.  Who could feel differently?
• Over on AMVO (Steve Bannon’s channel) they are going on and on about the border, nationalizing the National Guard. 
• A potential appeal could involve using the state law against a federal candidate. 
• We are not sure what the crime there was an attempt to conceal.  We don’t know exactly what that crime is and the prosecution has finished.  What is the trial strategy of not making this specific. 
• Why didn’t the federal government bring charges against Trump?  They charged Cohen and mentioned Individual #1 in the charging document.  (Note: F…ing Merrick Garland)
• Another appeal issue might be the breadth of Stormy Daniels’ testimony. 
• What is the basis for making this a felony?  The prosecution has not made this clear.  It is the prerogative of the DA to not choose a specific underlying crime. 
• Chris Jansing is asking whether this refusal to make explicit the underlying crime feeds into the distrust of the justice system and if the prosecutors don’t owe the public this information.
• There might be multiple underlying crimes.  Three different crimes were brought out at the beginning of the trial.
• Weissmann: (Burglary versus trespass).  It’s normal not to tell the defense anything.  Trump was given more information than most defendants. 
• (Note: MSNBC has brought in Andrew Weissmann and two other people (Catherine Christian) and broken up this disastrous Jansing/Tur/Mitchell trio.)
• Jury Consultant: Leslie Ellis: How are Cohen’s answers playing with the jury.  Asking on direct, takes out some of the sting.  Making distinctions between lie and inaccuracy, bugs jurors.  Does having political allies of Trump showing up matter to the jury.  “It could a little bit.”  It is helpful to see that there are supporters.  They weren’t there during the beginning, might wonder why they have shown up there.  How about the sleeping? Mouth open?  Jurors pay attention to everything.  “They are watching every move everybody makes.”  (Note: the note passed by Habba). 
• (Note: Commentators are saying that this cross is likely to take a long time because Trump wants Cohen to be viciously attacked on everything).
• CNN now continues coverage including two former Trump lawyers.
• Michael van der Veen, Former Trump Attorney.  Better opening question would have been “Do you consider yourself an honest man.”  The prosecution gave all the context, and the defense now doesn’t have to do that.  She helped the defense.
• Van der Veen: Trump would probably like to push, push, push and get as many witnesses as possible.  “I thought for sure he would testify.”
• William J. Brennan, former Trump attorney: The prosecution could rest after Cohen. 
• Tapper: Pomerantz wrote a book saying that Bragg was too chicken to bring this case. 
• (Note: The tee shirts, the Tiktok, all of it is bravado, building his courage to take on Trump, his father who has betrayed him.  I would like to see Jr. or Eric do this.  They don’t have the cojones.”
• The cross is over for the day.
• Trump reads out a list of people he wants targeted.  Now he’s going on about terms he “made up” “Biden immigrant crime.”  Trump is showing a picture of a “criminal.”  “We would have had no inflation with me.”  People cannot “find hope.” 
• MSNBC: During jury selection, the prosecution asked the potential jurors if they understood having a hit man, directing action but not taking part in it.
• (Note: Ihave to say, if you want intelligent  discussion, Nicolle Wallace wins out.)