Mike, I’m with Fern. I understand that those 2 attorneys were angry that the new DA wouldn’t proceed with an indictment. I also understand that they’ve been running this investigation for 5 years and had yet to build a case convincing enough to go to trial. This came to a head not because they were ready to indict and the DA refused, but…
Mike, I’m with Fern. I understand that those 2 attorneys were angry that the new DA wouldn’t proceed with an indictment. I also understand that they’ve been running this investigation for 5 years and had yet to build a case convincing enough to go to trial. This came to a head not because they were ready to indict and the DA refused, but because the Grand Jury will soon be shutting down and they were running out of time. They’ve been pitching their case to the Grand Jury for almost a year, and no recommendation to indict has come forward to date. The new DA looked at everything and decided their case is weak.
“They hammered Mr. Pomerantz and Mr. Dunne about whether they could show that Mr. Trump had intended to break the law by inflating the value of his assets in the annual statements, a necessary element to prove the case.” The key phrase is “intended to break the law”. There has to be evidence that when Trump inflated or deflated his property values he knew it was illegal. Evidence like emails from Trump, notes or correspondence from Trump, or recordings of or testimony from people in meetings with Trump. None of that exists. Trump doesn’t use email. Trump won’t allow recordings or notes to be taken in meetings. Weisselberg, who could bury Trump if he agreed to turn states’ evidence, is willing to go to prison rather than testify. There is no hard evidence of Trump’s intent.
Mike, Bragg didn’t kill the case or stop the grand jury. He just said he wasn’t ready to bring an indictment today. The investigation and grand jury continues. By the way, last fall, before Cyrus Vance stepped down, he also said he wasn’t ready to bring an indictment.
Mike, I’m with Fern. I understand that those 2 attorneys were angry that the new DA wouldn’t proceed with an indictment. I also understand that they’ve been running this investigation for 5 years and had yet to build a case convincing enough to go to trial. This came to a head not because they were ready to indict and the DA refused, but because the Grand Jury will soon be shutting down and they were running out of time. They’ve been pitching their case to the Grand Jury for almost a year, and no recommendation to indict has come forward to date. The new DA looked at everything and decided their case is weak.
“They hammered Mr. Pomerantz and Mr. Dunne about whether they could show that Mr. Trump had intended to break the law by inflating the value of his assets in the annual statements, a necessary element to prove the case.” The key phrase is “intended to break the law”. There has to be evidence that when Trump inflated or deflated his property values he knew it was illegal. Evidence like emails from Trump, notes or correspondence from Trump, or recordings of or testimony from people in meetings with Trump. None of that exists. Trump doesn’t use email. Trump won’t allow recordings or notes to be taken in meetings. Weisselberg, who could bury Trump if he agreed to turn states’ evidence, is willing to go to prison rather than testify. There is no hard evidence of Trump’s intent.
JR. I remain convinced that letting the grand jury process play out was better than short circuiting that process.
Nobody knows if the Grand Jury of (12?) people would have pulled out indictments.
But, what if they did?
Mike, Bragg didn’t kill the case or stop the grand jury. He just said he wasn’t ready to bring an indictment today. The investigation and grand jury continues. By the way, last fall, before Cyrus Vance stepped down, he also said he wasn’t ready to bring an indictment.
JR.
The practical outcome of both lawyers leaving the case is to hamstring the process of indictment by the grand jury.
Sure, the people on the grand jury exist. But, nothing is happening.
Ignorance of the law is no excuse, at least not for people who have not been POTUS.