Update: In their desperate effort to defeat the conviction of the their client of 34 felonies in the hush-money case, Trump's lawyers are now alleging juror misconduct. Justice Merchan has responded to the letter saying the allegation must be investigated, but he cannot rely on hearsay and unsworn allegations in deciding whether the case against Don the Con should be invalidated. Manhattan prosecutors argued that Trump’s lawyers were trying to smear the verdict by airing their claims in a letter to the judge rather than a formal motion to dismiss the case. Prosecutors also questioned the defense’s resistance to having Merchan hold a court hearing where their juror misconduct claims could be examined more thoroughly. The defense strategy is to prevent sentencing before his inauguration as the first convicted felon in history to become president of the United States. The attorneys' heavily redacted letter of December 3rd was released to the public Tuesday.
On another front, the House Ethics Committee voted to release the ethics report on Matt Gaetz after the House concludes its business at the end of the year. Two Repugnants voted on December 5th to release the report
{17.12.2024} Justice Juan Merchan of New York's Supreme Court issued his ruling on Don the Con's immunity claim on Monday. It was not good news for the Boss. Merchan found that the 34 criminal acts for which he was convicted by a jury occurred before he became president, and communications by White House personnel during his presidency about the illegal payments to 'Stormy' Daniels presented in evidence were not consequential, i.e. harmless error. Don Olde reacted on-line with predictable fury calling Merchan's ruling "psychotic".
The case is still alive for now, but the trial judge has yet to rule on the motion for dismissal in "the interests of justice" because Trump won the election. His lawyers did not address the required factors for such a dismissal established under New York law in their motion. Their client hardly has "clean hands" to demand such extraordinary equitable relief; calling the trial judge "psychotic" is not a good thing. Sentencing is also still pending after Merchan postponed it twice in consideration of political events. Merchan's rulings will be appealed through the two levels of state judicial review, and if necessary to the US Supreme Court where a MAGA majority awaits.
Popock agrees!--suspend his sentence, which should include some jail time, pending his return to private life. Meanwhile™the appeals can go forth.
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| credit: M. Ramirez Wackydoodle sez: He does tricks too! |