You Will Anyway: Trump's 3rd arraignment

Thursday, August 3, 2023

Trump's 3rd arraignment

Look at Griffin's post time stamps. Was there really an hour between? What was Smith doing all that time?*

The former president was arrested and arraigned on four felony counts outlined in special counsel Jack Smith’s indictment: conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights.

[...]

Three police officers who defended the US Capitol against violent rioters on January 6th attended Donald Trump’s hearing in the Washington federal courthouse.

Capitol police officer Harry Dunn, Metropolitan police officer Daniel Hodges, and former Sgt Aquilino Gonell of the US Capitol police all responded to the insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6 2021.

[...]

The former president said it was a “sad day for America” and that it was also “very sad” to drive through Washington DC and see “the filth and decay”.

“This is not the place that I left. It’s a very sad thing to see,” Trump said.

Guardian

He can't help himself.

That must absolutely gall him.

He went on to claim that it was “the persecution of the person who is leading by very substantial numbers in the Republican primary and leading Biden by a lot”.

So if you can’t beat him, you persecute him or you prosecute them. We can’t let this happen in America.

Another call to violence?

Trump lawyer John Lauro said the defense team will ask for the exclusion of the Speedy Trial Act in the Trump 2020 election interference case.

Of course.

Judge [Moxila] Upadhyaya ordered Lauro to make a written filing in five days, with a DOJ response within five days after that.

[...]

Upadhyaya has set the first hearing in the case for 10am Eastern time (15:00 BST) on 28 August.

With a name like that, I bet Trump was bad-mouthing her all the way back to Mar-A-Lago. Along with the judge assigned the case - Tanya Chutkan - a black immigrant.

Judge Upadhyaya had offered up three potential dates. Prosecutors had asked for the earliest - 21 August - while the defense requested the latest date – 28 August.

[...]

The judge said [Chutkan] was willing to waive Trump’s appearance at the first hearing if he wants.

My guess is he wants.

Trump was warned that violating the conditions of his release could result in a warrant issued for his arrest, and that he may be held pending trial and receive a longer sentence.

From Hugo Lowell of the Guardian:

Conditions of release for Trump include prohibition from discussing facts of the case with anyone known to be a witness in this case except thru counsel.

Also: Must not violate federal, state or local law; Must appear in court as required and if convicted serve a sentence the court may impose; Must sign an appearance bond (no amount read by the judge).

U.S. Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya reminded Trump during the arraignment proceedings that bribing, influencing or retaliating against witnesses is a crime.

The Hill

What a sad commentary that a judge has to make that statement to a former president. But I'm glad she realized it was necessary.

Oh.

Sad! Maybe he can do Trump's jail time for him, too.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

UPDATE 05:40 pm:

Hilarious.

Also, for god's sake, this asshole is the biggest whiner in the universe. Always whinging about something being UNFAIR. Christ, his entire life has been unfair - in his favor!

UPDATE 06:14 pm:

Something to tell their grandchildren.

*UPDATE 06:37 pm:

After a day of anticipation, the atmosphere darkened the moment Smith strode into the wood-paneled, chandeliered courtroom from a nearby antechamber. Smith was flanked by assistant special counsel Ray Hulser and several FBI case agents as he made his way to the back of the courtroom’s well.

Moments later, there was Trump — the former president of the United States — seated at a table that has in recent months been occupied by some of the very people who stormed the Capitol and are now paying a legal price.

[...]

Trump was sworn in by a courtroom deputy and swore to tell the truth, so help him god. He stated his name and age a bit awkwardly — “Donald J. Trump. John.” “Seven-seven.”

[...]

Trump spoke few words during his 45 minutes in the room, replying to questions with “yes” or “yes, your honor” in ways that were barely audible in the courtroom or on livestreams beamed to other parts of the courthouse.

Politico

UPDATE 08:06 pm:

I don't think we needed to be told, but I appreciate it. The "filth and decay" was obviously what he saw in a mirror.

Also...

That surprises me. I assumed that was fairly standard.

UPDATE 08/04/2023:

The hearing did not last long, although the Judge did take time to tell Trump that among his conditions of release was one requiring him not to commit new crimes. This is a standard thing judge’s say at arraignment. Her warning to Trump that any attempts to influence a juror or witness would be a crime, however, is not part of the standard litany you hear at arraignment.

[...]

And she admonished Trump that if he violated his conditions of release he could be jailed.

Joyce Vance Substack

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"America: just a nation of two hundred million used car salesmen with all the money we need to buy guns and no qualms about killing anybody else in the world who tries to make us uncomfortable." ~ Hunter S. Thompson

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Life, as Explained in "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead"

GUILDENSTERN: What a fine persecution---to be kept intrigued without ever quite being enlightened.

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ROSENCRANTZ : The only thing that makes it bearable is the irrational belief that somebody interesting will come on in a minute.

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GUILDENSTERN: But for God's sake what are we supposed to do?!

PLAYER: Relax. Respond. That's what people do. You can't go through life questioning your situation at every turn.

GUILDENSTERN: But we don't know what's going on, or what to do with ourselves. We don't know how to act.

PLAYER: Act natural. You know why you're here at least.

GUILDENSTERN: We only know what we're told, and that's little enough. And for all we know it isn't even true.

PLAYER: For all anyone knows, nothing is. Everything has to be taken on trust; truth is only that which is taken to be true. It's the currency of living. There may be nothing behind it, but it doesn't make any difference so long as it is honoured. One acts on assumptions.

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GUILDENSTERN : We act on scraps of information... sifting half-remembered directions that we can hardly separate from instinct.

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PLAYER: Life is a gamble, at terrible odds-if it was a bet you wouldn't take it.