Analysis by WorldTribune Staff, April 22, 2024
Yet another media trial of former President Donald Trump, this one in an actual courtroom with a jury, got underway in New York City today. Will such 20th century style media offensives succeed against a leader ordained by Time Magazine on Dec. 9, 2016 as 'The First True Reality TV President?'
As opening statements were delivered and the first witnesses testified in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's lawfare case against Donald Trump, a new poll showed most Americans believe Trump will not get a fair trial in New York City.
The Rasmussen Reports poll found that 51% do not believe Trump will get a “fair trial” in the Stormy Daniels hush money case. Among those, 31% said that a fair trial is “not at all likely.”
Just 42% see a fair trial as likely, according to Rasmussen.
Trump says he is the target of “witch hunts” by allies of Joe Biden. A majority of likely voters agree.
Rasmussen asked voters if they believed that Trump was being persecuted. By a margin of 54%-40%, most voters agree with Trump that he is the target of a “witch hunt.”
Trump kicked off coverage of his own trial:
Four years ago I was a very successful and popular President of the United States and, in November, went into an Election where I received more votes, by far, than any sitting President in the history of our Country. Unfortunately, the Election was Rigged and Stolen, and our once great Country has quickly become a Nation In Serious Decline. Tomorrow morning I report to a New York Criminal Court for a Trial on, somewhat ironically, ELECTION INTERFERENCE, ruled over by Crooked Joe Biden’s DOJ, before a Corrupt and Highly Conflicted Judge, a failed Soros funded District Attorney who didn’t want to bring this case, which could have been brought eight years ago, but wasn’t, in an almost completely Democrat District. Virtually every Legal Scholar and Expert says that there is NO CASE, NO CRIME, NO NOTHING! IT IS A SHAM THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT, EXCEPT TO TRY AND DAMAGE BIDEN’S POLITICAL OPPONENT, ME. SEE YOU TOMORROW MORNING!
Unlike at Columbia University where the Radical Left Palestinian Protesters sat on the Front Lawn, practically took over the School, and screamed, “Death to the Jews, Death to Israel, Death to America,” and nothing happened to them, Lower Manhattan surrounding the Courthouse, where I am heading now, is completely CLOSED DOWN. SO UNFAIR!!!
Inside the courtroom, according to Human Events editor Jack Posobiec, Prosecutor “Matthew Colangelo accuses Trump of the crime of 'election fraud' for the 2016 election, in his opening argument of the NYC trial. Colangelo hanging a lot on Michael Cohen, who served time in federal prison for lying.”
Coloangelo is a former official at the Department of Justice under Attorney General Merrick Garland.
“This is a direct signal that the case against Trump comes straight from the Biden Admin, in the middle of an election year,” Posobiec wrote on social media.
Trump's lawyers blasted Stormy Daniels, saying she schemed to extort a multi-billionaire who was running for president and blackmailed him into negotiating the settlement so she wouldn't spread false claims about him.”
“The underlying activity here is said to have happened in 2006,” Posobiec wrote. “A full DECADE before the 2016 election — this is why Stormy Daniels and Avenatti waited so long to blackmail Donald Trump. And nearly 2 decades before today's trial.”
The first witness on Monday was former National Enquirer Publisher David Pecker who had previously purchased stories about Trump. According to The New York Times, Pecker, who ran the company that owned The National Enquirer, allegedly had multiple conversations with Trump about payments to Daniels, as well as “catch and kill” stories about Trump.
The fact that Bragg is starting with David Pecker to discuss an affair not directly involved in the alleged crimes is telling. With a dubious criminal theory, defuse facts, and delayed charges, the case will focus on a different alleged affair and hush money payment…
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) April 22, 2024
Trump called on his supporters to “peacefully protest” and show their support of the MAGA movement as he spends another day in a Manhattan courtroom.
In a Truth Social post before he headed to the courthouse Monday, Trump cited pro-Palestinian protestors and questioned why they are “allowed to roam the Cities, scream, shout, sit, block traffic, enter buildings, not get permits, and basically do whatever they want including threatening Supreme Court Justices right in front of their homes. Yet people who truly LOVE our Country and want to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, are not allowed to ‘Peacefully Protest,’ and are rudely and systematically shut down and ushered off to far away ‘holding areas,’ essentially denying their Constitutional Rights.”
Trump added: “America Loving Protestors should be allowed to protest in front of “Courthouses, all over the Country. Free Speech and Assembly has been ‘CHILLED” for USA SUPPORTERS,” he said. “GO OUT AND PEACEFULLY PROTEST. RALLY BEHIND MAGA. SAVE OUR COUNTRY!”
Trump has railed against Bragg, the Democrat who brought the case, and Judge Juan Merchan. He says the case against him is “election interference” and has denied all charges.
“It doesn't matter with this jury, they're there to convict Trump. This is a show trial. Show trials have pre-set outcomes,” Posobiec added. “Someone has to say it: The Democrats are putting Trump on trial for 'election fraud' so they can claim the 2016 election was stolen. … And they have the entire force of the state behind them.”
I’ve had to beat 17 very talented people including the Bush Dynasty, then I had to beat the Clinton Dynasty, and now I have to beat a phony Witch Hunt and all of the dishonest people covered in the IG Report…and never forget the Fake News Media. It never ends!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2018
Source link