Kangaroo Court

So Trump has been convicted on 34 “felony” charges. Which I expected from the git-go.

Let’s review.

The charges — which began as misdemeanors — are based on payments to his then-lawyer in 2017.

But they were somehow “election interference” in the 2016 election. Time travel?

By the time Bragg go around to charging Trump, the statute of limitations on all alleged crimes had expired.

Judge Merchan helpfully extended the statute of limitations to allow the charges to go forward. How’s that work?

Misdemeanors not being enough, Bragg turned them into felonies by claiming they were in support of another crime.

He never actually said what the crime was. Trump certainly was never charged with such a predicate crime.

Now let’s start jury selection. In New York City.

Merchan allowed jurors who stated they hated Trump. He seated at least one with a social media track record of attacking Trump. That one got removed eventually.

Merchan himself donated to Trump’s opponent. Which allow happens to violate NY judicial rules.

Merchan’s wife was vocally anti-Trump on social media.

Merchan’s daughter is a fundraiser for Dems, and was specifically using the Trump trial to raise money.

Ah, witnesses…

Convicted perjurer Michael Cohen, who got caught lying on the stand in this trial, too.

An ex-porn actress who was allowed to testify to matters unrelated to the charges, including pornograpically graphic descriptions of alleged sex acts.

One defense witness… might as well have not been called once Merchan pre-ruled that he couldn’t give exonerating testimony.

Testimony — from prosecution witnesses — included the fact that Trump didn’t even know about the alleged hush money payment — made by Cohen, not Trump — until well after they happened.

Jury deliberations…

Holy shit.

Merchan gave the jury 55 pages of instructions.

Oh, wait. He read the jury 55 pages on instructions, but would not let them have the written instructions.

Included in the instructions was… how to put this… The jurors could decide on their own what mystery predicative crime — which was never specified or charged — Trump committed, that the book-keeping entries supported. Federal campaign donation violation? State-level election fraud? Something else? Pick one.

But… All the jurors didn’t have to unanimously agree on what the supposed crime was. Just so long as all of them figured Trump had done something. I saw this referred to as “pick your adventure” jury instructions.

But wait There’s more!

The jury didn’t — couldn’t — deliberate these mystery crimes together. Merchan specifically separated the jurors into three groups to separately consider different predicative crimes.

So, as expected, the jury convicted.

Those really following the case should realize that I left a whole lot out; like the gag orders. I just hit some on the highlights. In Georgia, Merchan would have been removed from this case, and suspended from the bench for his bias and unethical actions. And proceedings would have begun to remove him from the bench altogether.

I hope it occurs to those jurors just what an interesting precedent they’ve set… should they ever go to a New York court as defendants themselves.

After the NY civil “loan fraud” case, I advised New Yorkers to get out. After this one, I insist they stay right where they are and take their lumps. The sane part of what’s still left of this country doesn’t want you and your vindictive insanity.