A great deal of things took place. Here are a few of the important things. This is TPM’s Morning Memo. Register for the e-mail variation
All the best With That One!
It had not totally struck me up until opening declarations the other day that Donald Trump was going to stick to his claim that he never ever made love with Stormy Daniels or, by extension, Karen McDougal.
As the Genuine day of trial unfolded the other day, it emerged that Trump wasn’t simply going to argue that this was a bullshit application of business records law which absolutely nothing he did totaled up to criminal conduct. Rather, he was going to continue with the optimum rejection: No sex, no affairs, no hanky-panky duration.
That establishes the difficulty of needing to get rid of the anticipated testament of Daniels about the sex, in addition to all the testament from Michael Cohen, David Pecker and others about how this deal worked, what it was for, who was included, and so on.
If you’re a juror listening to all this, you practically need to think that there was an enormous setup of Trump, a comprehensive conspiracy versus him, in order to rule in his favor. That’s a high bar to clear.
‘What Have We Done?’
A resonant minute in court the other day:
According to the prosecution’s opening declaration:
On election night 2016, as Trump edged better to being stated the victor, Stormy Daniels’ then-attorney Keith Davidson sent this text to National Enquirer editorial director Dylan Howard:
“What have we done?”
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) April 22, 2024
TPM Coverage Alert
Josh Kovensky will be liveblogging the procedures once again today. Fantastic things! Examine it out
Order Of Business Today: Gag Order
Judge Juan Merchan is anticipated to use up Trump’s 10 supposed gag order infractions in a hearing at 9:30 a.m. ETbefore trial resumes later on today. This can enter a great deal of various instructions, so I’m not to make any forecasts. I would keep your expectations really low that Trump is going to be carried off to prison today.
Things to understand:
- Simply Security: Why Trump Will Likely be Held in Contempt and What Then
- Trump is fundraising off of itobviously.
- Trump pursued Michael Cohen once again the other day in the court house
- To what I make sure was the discouragement of district attorneys, star witness Michael Cohen himself pursued Trump on X/Twitter in a juvenile method.
More From Day 1 Of The Trial
- The Atlantic: Trump’s Misogyny Is on Trial in New York
- Philip Bump: Unpacking the supposed criminal activity that made Trump’s supposed criminal offense a felony
- Harry Litman: How Trump’s trial will work out beyond the charges to paint a damning picture of him
How’s The Trial Going For Trump?
The Fox News propaganda device is so dependably pro-Trump that it can in fact function as a good barometer of how things are choosing him. When the Fox News protectors debase themselves with specifically excessive, outrageous, and improbable lines of attack, it’s a respectable indication Trump remains in the shit:
Watters: Trump has actually been on the relocation his entire life. Golf, rallies, motion, action, sunshine, fresh air, flexibility. This isn’t lawfare. This is abuse. They’re making 77 years of age guy being in a space for 8 hours directly, 4 days a week pic.twitter.com/44Msywm7fe
— Acyn (@Acyn) April 23, 2024
The guy going to be president once again discovers it excruciating to being in a space for a grueling 8 hours a day and a massive 4 days a week. Harsh.
‘Plasmic Echo’: Eye-Opening New Deets In Unsealed MAL Docs
On order from U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, numerous pages of investigative records in the Mar-a-Lago case were unsealed the other day (with heavy redactions). Amongst the highlights:
- The FBI code word for the Mar-a-Lago examinations: Plasmic Echo
- A senior Trump assistant who had access to Trump in the White House and post-presidency worked together with private investigators.
- Trump valet and co-defendant Walt Nauta was apparently informed he ‘d get a pardon in 2024. (Editor’s note: If Trump does win, he will not take workplace up until 2025 …)
These were records that Special Counsel Jack Smith had actually battled to keep sealed.
Trump Prosecution Miscellany
- NYT: The Circus Trump Wanted Outside His Trial Hasn’t Arrived
- Aaron Blake: Trump’s transparent effort to play the victim on ‘election disturbance’
- NYT: Could Trump Go to Prison? If He Does, the Secret Service Goes, Too
Price quote Of The Day
January 6th was no less than an intent and an effort to change by force who our nation had actually chosen. The mob existed since it had not attained what it wished to at the tally box.
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg of Washington, D.C., in sentencing a Jan. 6 rioter
Trump Appeal Bond Gets All Sorted Out
New York City Attorney General Letitia James and Trump exercised a contract on the fly the other day to tighten up his appeal bond, and the judge in the event authorized it. That must put this entire matter to rest for the pendency of Trump’s appeal of the massive $454 million judgment versus him in the civil scams case.
2024 Ephemera
- AP: In Tampa, Biden will attack Florida’s six-week abortion restriction
- TPM’s Nicole Lafond: Abortion Group, Dems Warn Swing State Voters That RFK Is Just As Dangerous As Trump On Abortion
Abortion Watch
- WSJ: In oral arguments Wednesday, the Supreme Court will turn to emergency situation abortions as the Dobbs fallout continues.
- Arizona Republic: California expense to use Arizona abortion companies licenses in state
- WSJ: New U.S. Rule Bans Release of Health Records in Investigations of Women Who Get Legal Abortions
‘Where Are They Supposed To Sleep?’
TPM’s Kate Riga: Liberal Justices Come Out Swinging In Uphill Battle Over Criminalizing Homelessness
Israel-Gaza Fallout
NYT: Scenes of Protests Spread at Elite Campuses
Dark Brandon On The Loose
Jordy Meiselas: Just a couple of weeks after you remained in Pueblo, Colorado, Congresswoman Boebert left her district. Is that a coincidence or Dark Brandon at work?
Biden: It’s categorized pic.twitter.com/9E2YcCvGN0
— Acyn (@Acyn) April 23, 2024
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