Law, Power, and Justice

20 May 2024

Trump Trial: MSNBC

• Katy Tur is saying that Cohen always blames somebody else. 
• (Note: Even though Katy Tur was mentioned by Cohen as someone he could rely on if he wanted to place a story positive for Trump, she is still schilling for Trump.)
• (Note: I like Catherline Christine, MSNBC, partly because she doesn’t obsessively smile.)
• Tur is now raising the issue tat you can’t possible have a conversation containing two topics in 90 seconds.  Oh, yes you can. 
• (Note: Somebody relaying the information that Eric Trump recommended Blanche to Trump – a post recommending a post.)
• Wait, what happened to the CNN video or still?
• Prosecution witness called: Daniel Sitco. Additional phone records.
• Discussion about calling Costello

Trump Trial: CNN

• Phone calls between Cohen and Costello.  Commentators are saying that Trump wants Costello to testify.75 calls three months.
• There’s another Trump former staffer on CNN.  Good Lord.  Bryan Lanza, Trump 2016 campaign.  Cohen “trying to make money off this prosecution.”  Lanzs is being asked and is stressing Cohen’s bad motives.  Glad we have some balance on CNN.  Jesus.
• The CNN coverage is outrageous.

Trump Trial: MSNBC

• Tur thinks that people are saying they wouldn’t vote for Trump were he convicted because they don’t understand that he would still be eligible to serve.
• Costello has already been before the grand jury so the prosecutor will be prepared for him.  Costello says Cohen did it himself without approval of Trump.  Costello told a reporter that Cohen told him that Trump didn’t know about the payment to Danield.
• Costello is a mobster character.
• Weissmann (hard evidence, phone calls, checks, create a time line, then talk about the witnesses, highly credible first then others.)
• They have called Costello.

Trump Trial: CNN

• Jurors are being asked to stop outside.
• (Note: Honig was at SDNY).
• The judge is admonishing the defense for not telling them they were going to call Costello.  Essentially he is saying, don’t do this to me again.
• (Note: I think this is Trump’s idea and a mistake.  Costello is a thoroughly distasteful person.)
• Prosecutors want to keep Costello from testifying.
• This will drag out time.  It could have been sorted out earlier.
• Judge likely to say can testify about core issues, but not issues on the periphery.
• Should Michael Cohen cooperate, a conversation about that. 
• Costello calls Cohen just after he’s raided. 
• Also “nothing on President Trump” conversation. 
• Arguing about notification.
• Costello maintains that he advised Cohen to consider flipping on Trump and Cohen said he had nothing on Trump. 

MSNBC

• Schemes to obstruct justice, according to Weissmann, something about Cohen and Costello.
• Judge has gone into chambers. (3:41 PM)