A Circus State of Mind

[H2O Man]

"For the benefit of Mr. Kite
There will be a show tonight on trampoline
The Hendersons will all be there
Late of Pablo Fanque's Fair, what a scene
Over men and horses hoops and garters
Lastly through a hogshead of real fire!
In this way Mr. K. will challenge the world!"
Lennon; Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite! ; 1967.


Michael Cohen tried his hardest to be the pit bull lawyer that the defendant sought. Roy Cohn had been a attorney for mobsters, aggressively lying and threatening anyone who got in the way of his clients. Old Toy was an amoral individual with ethical rabies.

At the time, Michael Cohen was comfortable playing that role. One can debate how good he was at it, but it is clear that he provided linkages between the Trump Organization and organized crime in the New York City area and beyond. In a very real way, this included relationships with individuals that would benefit others we know in crimes never prosecuted back then.

The names that come to mind include Rudy Giuliana, Bernard Kerik, and -- to a lesser extent -- Robert Costello. Along with the defendant, these swine engaged in what they considered "legal crimes" that no one of a certain status was worried about being prosecuted for. They considered these to be no more an issue than breaking the speed limit on an interstate highway -- something that "everyone does."

Hence, the outrage that the defendant is facing legal charges in New York. Their attitude is like that of if they were pulled over for speeding, and the police officer did not apologize for the inconvenience he caused them upon recognizing how important they were. Even pointing out that others were speeding and the officer had not given them tickets doesn't work. Even worse, in their eyes, is that they can't bribe this DA or judge.

So what's a defendant to do? His own legal team refuses to play the role of Old Roy and dive through a hogshead of realfire. So they turn Robert Costello, who had been attempting to serve as Michael Cohen's "handler" after the FBI raid. But Cohen was alert enough to recognize which way the wind was blowing, and sought other legal representation. So we had Costello doing his best Roy Cohn from the witness stand.

Yesterday, some of my friends & associates -- not on this forum -- were concerned that Costello had damaged Cohen to an extent that helped the defendant. "Oh, ye of little faith," I said to them. For I knew that Costello was going to get his ass kicked today.

[Kid Berwyn]

1. That SDNY is how the Russian Mafiya made itself at home in the USA

Rudy Giuliani went after the American mob, meaning those "expendable" guys fingered by the mob, as Semion Mogilevich and the oligarchs moved their monies out of Russia and into Trump's towers.

[H2O Man]

4. Thank you!

I think of Rudy et al as working to advance the russian mob in a manner very similar to (former) FBI agent John Connally, Jr. in Boston, when he coordinated with Whitey Bulger to take out the competition. Though John took the fall, he was far from the only one in law enforcement involved in those activities.

Hey, I just finished interviewing James Kunen, the author of "The Strawberry Statement," for DU. I should have it posted sometime tomorrow. I think that you will enjoy it.

[BoRaGard]

2. Tonight!

[H2O Man]

5. Very good!

I'm thinking the defendant may experience a further melt-down tonight. So we can all dance and sing!

[ms liberty]

3. It has been entertaining! I love the Beatles always, but this period of their work

Is so damn much fun that I really love it best!

[H2O Man]

6. It still holds up strongly!

Best music ever made. I was just doing an interview with an author from that era, and discussing the impact of the Beatles.

Also, on Saturday on a news station, a guest said something I found interesting ....... he said that John's "Revolution 9" is more meaningful today than it was in 1968.

[bigtree]

7. jury was told by Cohen that Costello was enlisted by Guiliani to keep Cohen from flipping

...at the apparent behest of Trump.

No surprise to see him let in by the Trump team. He was at the grand jury hearing; coming in at the last minute to smear Cohen for Trump.

What he accomplished today was to demonstrate to the jury just how his intimidation act worked - not so much in court, as he found out.

I'd bet the jury didn't appreciate being bullied and conned by Costello, at all, and are clear that it was the defendant, himself, who directed him to try and con them. The jury was witness to the entire Trump intimidation operation, complete with a paid goon at the end.


__walking through the clouds, with a circus mind running wild - butterflies and zebras and moonbeams, and fairy tales.

[H2O Man]

8. Right.

And, as a couple former federal arrornies noted last night, most jurors come to really like the judge in the case they are hearing. Yesterday, Costello did his very best to get the judge to make a mistake due to emotion, for grounds for a mistrial or eventual appeal. It didn't work.

[malaise]

9. And he sure did

Destroyed by the prosecution

[H2O Man]

10. One should only

try playing a tough guy in the movies. It can go so wrong on the witness stand.

[Saoirse9]

11. Wish I could have watched it

But it would only have made me angry. He came off as an entitled sniffy little bitch from what I've read.

[H2O Man]

12. If you are awake tonight,

watch Lawrence O'Donnell. It will be great.