President Trump was back in court on Tuesday morning for closing arguments in Alvin Bragg’s ‘hush money’ show trial in New York City.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg indicted Trump in April 2023 on 34 felony counts related to ‘hush payments’ he made to Stormy Daniels.
Trump was accused of paying porn star Stormy Daniels, AKA, Stephanie Clifford, ‘hush payments’ through his then-attorney Michael Cohen in a scheme to silence her and stop the story about their alleged affair from being published in the National Enquirer.
Alvin Bragg didn’t explain what exactly he wanted to convict Trump of in the charging documents. Bragg still has not clearly stated the predicate crimes. But it doesn’t matter. The court is ready to find Trump guilty and send him to prison.
Judge Merchan made it easier for the jury to convict Trump when he sided with Bragg’s prosecutors and ruled the jury does NOT need to unanimously agree on the “predicate” crime Trump committed.
TGP contributor Paul Ingrassia is inside of the Manhattan courthouse live reporting.
BREAKING: I am back at the courthouse covering the Trump Sham Trial today.
Today is the first day of summations. It has been reported that Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, Lara Trump, Tiffany Trump, Michael Boulos, Steve Witkoff, Will Scharf, and Deroy Murdock will join President…
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) May 28, 2024
President Trump’s lawyers eviscerated Trump’s lawyer-turned-rat Michael Cohen during Tuesday’s closing arguments.
Judge Merchan made sure to let the jurors know who is in charge of the sham trial.
Per Paul Ingrassia: Judge Merchan tells the jurors that “nothing the lawyers said is evidence” and “nothing said during the summations is evidence.”
Merchan: You and you alone are the judges of the facts of this case.
Merchan: I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR EXPLAINING THE LAW, NOT THE LAWYERS. YOUR SWORN DUTY AS JURORS IS TO FOLLOW MY INSTRUCTIONS ON THE LAW, AS YOU PROMISED ME THAT YOU WOULD.
BREAKING: Judge Merchan tells the jurors that “nothing the lawyers said is evidence” and “nothing said during the summations is evidence.”
Merchan: You and you alone are the judges of the facts of this case.
Merchan: I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR EXPLAINING THE LAW, NOT THE LAWYERS.…
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) May 28, 2024
Alvin Bragg’s prosecutors fumed after Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche said Trump shouldn’t be sent to prison over a non-crime.
BREAKING: Prosecutor griping over Blanche saying President Trump shouldn’t be sent to prison over the non-crime that is the basis for this cases
Bragg’s prosecutors are visibly fuming over Blanche’s very effective, logical summation. They are currently appealing to Merchan to…
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) May 28, 2024
Judge Merchan became irate that Todd Blanche made a quip about Bragg’s prosecutors wanting to sentence Trump to prison.
Coming from the same guy who has repeatedly threatened to put Trump in jail for gag order violations.
Merchan is IRATE now that Blanche made a quip about the Prosecution wanting to sentence President Trump!
Merchan: Let me hear your comment about prison.
Blanche: (Inaudible)
Merchan: I think that statement was outrageous Mr. Blanche. A comment like that is highly inappropriate… https://t.co/5KEU3Qs7f4
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) May 28, 2024
Trending: Democrat Scandal Unravels in Wisconsin – Involves Rotating Candidates and the Infamous Magic Flash Drives …Update: More Coming!
Judge Merchan screamed at Todd Blanche at the top of his lungs: “YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER THAN TO MAKE A STATEMENT LIKE THAT IN MY COURTROOM!”
BREAKING: Let me get this straight: so it’s fine for Merchan to threaten to toss Trump in jail every single day for violating his ridiculous gag order, but when Blanche makes reference to Trump going to jail, he enters into a nervous meltdown, admonishes Blanche, and screams at…
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) May 28, 2024
