Well, well, DU.

[bigtree]

Last edited Thu Mar 30, 2023, 07:15 PM - Edit history (1)

emptywheel @emptywheel
Congratulations to Trump, who joins 1,000 of his groupies in being an accused criminal.

Washington Week | PBS @washingtonweek 9m
JUST IN: Donald Trump's lawyer said he’s been told the former president has been indicted in New York on charges involving payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter.

Donald Trump indicted, lawyer says
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/donald-trump-indicted-lawyer-says

Jesse Rodriguez @JesseRodriguez 51s
Spokesperson for @ManhattanDA: “This evening we contacted Mr. Trump’s attorney to coordinate his surrender to the Manhattan D.A.’s Office for arraignment on a Supreme Court indictment, which remains under seal. Guidance will be provided when the arraignment date is selected.”

[Hekate]

1. So there! WOOT!

[H2O Man]

2. Recommended.

This is a historic day!

[spanone]

17. Another 1st for trmp!!!!!!

It IS historic.

[H2O Man]

19. Yes!!!!!

Twice impeached is part of his legend.

I'm confident another indictment will come relatively soon.

[SonofDonald]

23. Indeed, I wonder what the final count will be

I hope it’s in the dozens 👍😃

[H2O Man]

26. I was talking to my sister about this.

She wondered the same thing. I'm confident that Georgia will indict relatively soon. But I wouldn't be surprised if Jack Smith indicts him by the end of May on one of the two cases the DOJ is investigating.

[calimary]

60. Well, there is that.

You've made history, donald. You've REALLY made history.

"... as you boldly go where no President has gone before!"

[spicysista]

3. Yup!

[Blue Owl]

4. Crackin' open a cold one right now

[Hekate]

5. Nixon should have been indicted. Absolutely should never have been pardoned by Ford. REJOICE!

[bdamomma]

8. Bush Jr

too.

Oh boy, heads must be exploding!!!!!!

[NJCher]

49. Reagan, too

for his illegal Contra war--

among other disgraceful things he did. Michael Beschloss said America is a different place now. Why? Because Dems and Republicans decided they weren't going to prosecute Reagan.

Beschloss also said that had former presidents been prosecuted for their illegal acts, it may have had an influence on trump's behavior.

I have to wonder if he meant trump would never have run in the first place, knowing full well he can't go a day without committing a crime.

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

69. I don't think prosecuting former criminal Presidents

Would have changed one thing about TFG's behavior. His criminal behavior is part of his DNA.

The real benefit of prosecuting a POTUS would have been in making that fat idiot wary of running for the office. He wouldn't want to risk facing similar penalties himself, so he would have stuck to his regular antics of being a penny-ante con man.

But he still would have been a crook, either way. Just one making himself a menace only to his little corner of the world, not the entirety of it.

[Evolve Dammit]

15. That's for sure

[soldierant]

57. Nixon was an obvious crook, who screwed the American people.

But he didn't endanger national securoty in the process.

W did endanger national security ... but he also got the approval of Congress to do so That does not put him in the clear, but it does possibly create a gray area. However, to me, the case against Bush is stronger.

Trump** screwedthat American people, repeatedly endangered national security, helped enable foreign interference with U.S. elections, and did not give a rap what Congress did or thought - except for the individuall Repuresentatives and Senators he corrupted.

Trump wins this hands down as the most egregious criminal.

[calimary]

63. We finally got somebody worse than Nixon.

I wasn’t sure there’d be one. But by Jove there IS!

And this is just the FIRST indictment!

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

70. Nixon most certainly did endanger national security

Finagling with the North Vietnamese to undermine the peace processfor his own selfish purposes was evil. The death toll he caused from that cannot be forgiven.

He was lucky that his evil stunt didn't backfire on him in a way that could have caused a catastrophe not only for the US, but the entire world.

Even if you take out the Paris peace talk fiasco, Watergate was itself a national security threat. He was intent on subverting our elections and using the government to destroy its own citizens, for petty revenge and his own paranoid power delusions.

Just because he was sneaky about his efforts to undermine the country doesn't mean he wasn't as dangerous as TFG has been.

[emulatorloo]

6. Recommended!

[AllaN01Bear]

7. got to calm down. dont want to get too excided because of my afib

[iluvtennis]

10. Please do stay calm AllaN01Bear.

[iluvtennis]

9. Article states tfg is expected to surrender next week - arrest, mugshots, finger printing -YAY!! n/t

[yaesu]

21. And a DNA swab. nt

[iluvtennis]

29. Good. That DNA can be used in E. Jean Carrol's case. n/t

[Hiawatha Pete]

11. K&R

[bahboo]

12. Happy Days....

[UTUSN]

13. wooHOO!!!!!!!!!!

[BlackSkimmer]

14. You were absolutely right about this indictment. I did not think it would happen.

I want to see some federal action, but anything is good for now.

[Evolve Dammit]

16. We will know in about a year if he will be convicted or not.

[Terryshine]

18. His mug shot

Will be all Biden needs to be re-elected in a landslide!

[GuppyGal]

20. I found this place in 2015 and have been waiting and THE DAY HAS ARRIVED

[Pausan]

22. K & R

[Delphinus]

48. Welcome to DU!

[Pausan]

64. Thank You

[BlueCheeseAgain]

24. I hope this case is airtight.

I think a lot of people might be assuming he must be guilty because he's obviously sleazy and dishonest. But I don't know the intricacies of the case and what New York law says.

I hope Trump gets due process, even if that means he gets acquitted.

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

71. IANAL

But NY has an outstanding record in pursuing cases about campaign finance like this. Their laws about what campaigns can be gone after and why are robust, and broad. It's my understanding that they can indeed go after people running for federal office if they committed crimes related to that campaign in NY.

As an example, if a federal candidate used a bank in NY to funnel illegal contributions to his campaign, then the candidate can be tried under NY law for that crime, despite how he isn't running for state office. He's committed a finance crime in that state, and can be charged for it, if caught.

If I have this wrong, I beg of any lawyers out there to correct me, but that's what I read elsewhere.

[Lonestarblue]

25. May it be the first of many!

[SouthernDem4ever]

42. my first thought too

[KY_EnviroGuy]

27. Impeachment, impeachment, indictment....has an nice rhythm to it.

KY......... ......... .......

[Upthevibe]

28. Kick. N/T

[Different Drummer]

30. One of the happiest days of my life!

[Not Heidi]

31. His comment upon being indicted:

"Well, it worked, didn't it?"

[sheshe2]

32. Dancing in the Streets

They're dancing in Chicago (dancing in the street)
Down in New Orleans (dancing in the street)
In New York City (dancing in the street)
All we need is music, sweet music
There'll be music everywhere

[moniss]

34. Greatest opening seconds ever in rock and roll

[sheshe2]

35. Bingo!

[electric_blue68]

51. Oh, yeah, no one had posted it yet; wooooot!

[yellowdogintexas]

38. another version (my favorite Jagger & Bowie)

&list=RDHasaQvHCv4w&start_radio=1

[sheshe2]

41. OMG!

I love this one.

Thank you.

[yellowdogintexas]

67. Isn't it awesome!!! I must have watched it a dozen times

the week the election was called for Joe Biden!!!

[sheshe2]

68. I did too!

[moniss]

33. I am pleased to be wrong

about whether indictments would come from this. I thought Bragg was looking for a way to lay down on this. I guess he still can in a sense with either a weak plea deal or a halfhearted effort at trying the case, a la Rittenhouse, but at least the matter has gotten this far. Now if we can get charges in Georgia along with the EJC defamation trial starting in April we may have a good start into summer of 2023. We'll see what happens with these new witnesses that Smith is calling. I think there are some attorneys who are going to be more emphatic to their clients about making deals to spill what they know than they had been previously. The temperature in the pond of evil has just gone up and we'll see who is smart enough to get out early without being par-boiled.

[LiberalLovinLug]

40. I am the same way

Not that I think its impossible that charges will be laid eventually, but at this point you have to actually DO IT for me to believe.

Even now, I am wondering if the reason they are bringing this less severe of the indictments first, is so they can give him a slap on the wrist for this, and then say there is no need to punish Trump further by carrying on with the other cases. Because Fox News and the Senate and House R's are poking a prodding for a mass revolt if they dare. So ....."national security" and all that.

[moniss]

56. Good point

and a possibility.

[wnylib]

62. Who are the "they" who would decide which charge

should go first? Two separate state investigstions in different regions of the country and a federal investigation involving still another state plus DC - completely different jurisdictions.

There isn't any "they" coordinating the timing of indictments in different jurisdictions. There isn't any conspiracy to protect Trump from consequences, except for the obvious attempts by MAGAs in the House to threaten and intimidate prosecutors.

[Mr. Evil]

36. What a fucking birthday present!

My boss also gave me tomorrow off, bought me a 15-pack of 16 oz. Bud Light and a bag of M&M's! Tomorrow (my actual birthday) will be epic!

[W_HAMILTON]

52. Yes, the best birthday present of all! Happy birthday to you! :)

[Mr. Evil]

58. Woo Hoo!!!

Thanx so much!

[Hotler]

37. When I eat crow I like lots of...

Frank's hot sauce.

[sellitman]

39. Opening day takes on a new meaning.

[SouthernDem4ever]

43. I wish they would have perp walked him immediately before he has time

to get a bunch of idiot magats to make a circus out of this like Alex Jones did but I guess I can't have everything.

[WiVoter]

44. Flight Risk?

[NowISeetheLight]

45. Still Waiting on Garland.....

Happy to see this and hopeful Georgia follows suit. What I really want though is for AG Garland to do something. The orange traitor basically tried to orchestrate a coup. If that isn't high crimes and treason I don't know what is.

trea·son
noun
the crime of betraying one's country, especially by attempting to kill the sovereign or overthrow the government.

[TwilightZone]

54. Sedition, not treason

Treason in the United States is defined in a very narrow way and requires a declared war. We're not in a declared war.

Sedition is more in the ballpark, which is why it's been the basis of some of the insurrectionist trials.

More on why it's not treason:

https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/americans-have-forgotten-what-treason-actually-means-how-it-can-ncna848651

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

72. No, you're waiting on a grand jury to do something

Garland can't indict anyone for a felony. Only a grand jury can do that.

Yeah, it sucks, but it's how the system works.

[Bristlecone]

46. But what will folks in rural diners say?

Whatever it is, I give zero f’s!!!!

The arc of justice indeed!

[W_HAMILTON]

47. Spoiler alert: it won't be his last indictment either, unless he avoids the others by dying off.

[Starfury]

50. an absolutely PERFECT indictment!

First of many, I hope...

[electric_blue68]

53. Oooh, dance, Dance, DANCE!!!!! 💃💃💃💃💃 🤸 Woooo!

[republianmushroom]

55. It is only the start.

[calimary]

59. DAYUM! But we have to see him go all the way to "GUILTY"!

Somehow, I'm gonna hold off dancing in the street until I/WE ALL get THAT.

[FlyingPiggy]

61. It's kind surreal to actually see the words indicted and trump in the same sentence.

Not gonna lie. Part of me thinks: is this a joke? I have been waiting so long, I just gave up. I’ll have a quiet drink this weekend. But not until I see the perp walk will I celebrate a little louder. And when he is sentenced, I am going to throw a proper party.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

65. ! I love it!

Now, when do they arrest Guilliano?

[dai13sy]

66. Best Day

Came home after shopping day with my Husband in a really good mood. I had found a couple of Sirloin steaks and a roast on sale for Cheap money. We turn on the TV and see Trump has been indicted AWESOME!! We begin the party with wine and cheetos and then the steaks. Oh, what a night!!

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

73. I don't know why

But the cheetos appetizer to a steak dinner made me laugh so hard I woke up the cat.