LIVE UPDATES FROM INSIDE TRUMP TRIAL: TGP Contributor Paul Ingrassia Reports from Inside New York Show Trial – Closing Arguments Scheduled for Today
President Donald Trump is back in court today on Tuesday for closing arguments in Alvin Bragg’s show trial in New York City.
The prosecution has yet to define the alleged criminal act that President Trump committed. But it doesn’t matter. The court is ready to find Trump guilty and send him to prison.
This is Joe Biden’s America.
The Gateway Pundit contributor Paul Ingrassia is attending the ongoing show trial today in New York City today.
Paul wrote this earlier today:
Alvin Bragg is attempting to charge President Trump with a Class E felony, which is a crime under New York state law. Felonies are typically crimes punishable by more than a year in prison. We know by now that Bragg’s case is riven with errors – and it remains inexplicable why, to the extent President Trump has violated any criminal statute at all, he is still being charged with a felony, rather than a misdemeanor. Of course, the reality is that President Trump committed no crime. But even the statute that Alvin Bragg has cited to base his alleged theory of liability, Penal Law § 175.10, expressly states “a person is guilty of falsifying business … in the second degree, and when his intent to defraud includes an intent to commit another crime or to aid or conceal the commission thereof.” Bragg must not have the attention span (or intelligence) to read the rest of the statute, which blatantly spells out: “Falsifying business records in the second degree is a class A misdemeanor.” A misdemeanor at most, not a felony. So, why the bloody hell are Bragg and Merchan treating this like a criminal felony?
This entire trial is an abuse of the US legal system. For over 240 years the United States had a justice system that was unmatched in history. Not any more. The Democrats have ripped it apart in order to take down Trump and his supporters.
Paul Ingrassia will be live-posting from inside the courtroom today.
Paul Ingrassia: 8:42 AM: 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 Trump today in court. Stay tuned all day long for updates on X and @gatewaypundit!
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
Paul Ingrassia: 8:46 AM: @NatalieJHarp is one of President Trump’s most loyal aides and has been a stalwart defender of the President and his agenda years before she ever officially joined his team.
She is the absolute best of the best — the gold standard for presidential personnel in both competence and loyalty.
. @NatalieJHarp is one of President Trump’s most loyal aides and has been a stalwart defender of the President and his agenda years before she ever officially joined his team.
She is the absolute best of the best — the gold standard for presidential personnel in both competence… https://t.co/1kZf0Uk9BE
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) May 28, 2024
Paul Ingrassia: 9:27 AM:BREAKING: Spotted in the overhead section today is former Biden Press Secretary @jrpsaki. We’ll “circle back” and see what’s going on with her later. Also a number of Trump allies are here: @AndrewHGiuliani, @JudgeJeanine, @AndrewCMcCarthy, @gopAshleyLamb, and @KasondraWatkins(among others) are also covering the trial all day long. Be sure to follow each of their X accounts for the latest updates!
BREAKING: Spotted in the overhead section today is former Biden Press Secretary @jrpsaki. We’ll “circle back” and see what’s going on with her later.
Also a number of Trump allies are here: @AndrewHGiuliani, @JudgeJeanine, @AndrewCMcCarthy, @gopAshleyLamb, and @KasondraWatkins…
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) May 28, 2024
Paul Ingrassia: 9:32 AM: BREAKING: President Trump just now enters the courtroom, alongside attorneys Todd Blanche, Susan Necheles, and Emil Bove. The President is wearing a bright red “victory” tie.
BREAKING: President Trump just now enters the courtroom, alongside attorneys Todd Blanche, Susan Necheles, and Emil Bove. The President is wearing a bright red “victory” tie.
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) May 28, 2024
Paul Ingrassia: 9:33 AM: BREAKING: Todd Blanche says he expects summation to last 2.5 hours. The People estimate “somewhere in the vicinity of 4 and 4.5 hours.” So it appears summations will go on for more than just 1 day. Merchan says it’s up to the jurors to determine whether they want to finish summations today, or go an extra day. Jurors now being brought into the courtroom.
BREAKING: Todd Blanche says he expects summation to last 2.5 hours.
The People estimate “somewhere in the vicinity of 4 and 4.5 hours.” So it appears summations will go on for more than just 1 day.
Merchan says it’s up to the jurors to determine whether they want to finish…
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) May 28, 2024
Paul Ingrassia: 9:37 AM: BREAKING: Merchan cautions those who go before him to not “explain the law” or “go into the law.” He gives this ultimatum before the jurors enter the courtroom. This is consistent with his remarks last week, admonishing particularly the Defense for explaining aspects of the law. Merchan lords over his court like a tinpot despot, and wants a complete monopoly over the law and its construction. This is also consistent with Merchan barring expert testimony from FEC Commissioner, Bradley Smith.
BREAKING: Merchan cautions those who go before him to not “explain the law” or “go into the law.” He gives this ultimatum before the jurors enter the courtroom.
This is consistent with his remarks last week, admonishing particularly the Defense for explaining aspects of the…
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) May 28, 2024
Paul Ingrassia: 9:37 AM: CORRECTION: The President’s tie is more a golden/orange color than red!
CORRECTION: The President’s tie is more a golden/orange color than red! https://t.co/pp4WmtE3nW
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) May 28, 2024
Paul Ingrassia: 9:39 AM: 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. 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
Paul Ingrassia: 9:40 AM: BREAKING: : “Falsifying business records in the second degree is a class A misdemeanor.” A misdemeanor at most, not a felony. So, why the bloody hell are Bragg and Merchan treating this like a criminal felony?Alvin Bragg is attempting to charge President Trump with a Class E felony, which is a crime under New York state law. Felonies are typically crimes punishable by more than a year in prison. We know by now that Bragg’s case is riven with errors – and it remains inexplicable why, to the extent President Trump has violated any criminal statute at all, he is still being charged with a felony, rather than a misdemeanor. Of course, the reality is that President Trump committed no crime. But even the statute that Alvin Bragg has cited to base his alleged theory of liability, Penal Law § 175.10, expresslystates“a person is guilty of falsifying business … in the second degree, and when his intent to defraud includes an intent to commit another crime or to aid or conceal the commission thereof.” Bragg must not have the attention span (or intelligence) to read the rest of the statute,which blatantly spells out
BREAKING: : “Falsifying business records in the second degree is a class A misdemeanor.” A misdemeanor at most, not a felony. So, why the bloody hell are Bragg and Merchan treating this like a criminal felony?Alvin Bragg is attempting to charge President Trump with a Class E…
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) May 28, 2024
Paul Ingrassia: 9:41 AM: BREAKING: Judge reiterates that it’s up to jurors to decide whether to work beyond 4:30 today or wrap it up tomorrow morning. Unlike in previous weeks, court will be in session tomorrow, on a Wednesday, due to being off on the Memorial Day holiday. If jurors decide they want to finish up summations today, they don’t expect court to go much beyond another hour past the 4:30 time.
BREAKING: Judge reiterates that it’s up to jurors to decide whether to work beyond 4:30 today or wrap it up tomorrow morning. Unlike in previous weeks, court will be in session tomorrow, on a Wednesday, due to being off on the Memorial Day holiday.
If jurors decide they want to…
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) May 28, 2024
Paul Ingrassia: 9:44 AM: BREAKING: Blanche begins his summations by thanking the jurors for being attentive and showing up on time every single day for the last five weeks. Explains the uniqueness of the American criminal justice system, how it’s up to a tribunal of twelve jurors to decide the guilt or innocence of President Trump. Blanche: President Trump is innocent. He did not commit any crimes. And the DA has not met his burden of proof, period. All the evidence has come in, and it should leave you wanting and expecting more! You should want and expect more than the testimony of Michael Cohen. You should want more than Deb Tarasoff telling you how she booked certain invoices. You should expect something more than Keith Davidson who sought to extort money from President Trump in the leadup to the 2016 election. The facts lead to a simple conclusion: a not guilty verdict, period.
BREAKING: Blanche begins his summations by thanking the jurors for being attentive and showing up on time every single day for the last five weeks. Explains the uniqueness of the American criminal justice system, how it’s up to a tribunal of twelve jurors to decide the guilt or…
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) May 28, 2024
Paul Ingrassia: 9:44 AM: Blanche: This is a paper case. It is not about an encounter with Stormy Daniels eighteen years ago that President Trump unequivocally denied occurred. It’s not even about an NDA that was signed nearly eight years ago. The reason you are all here is whether and to what extent President Trump, while living in the White House, had anything to do with the payments of Michael Cohen. … The bookings were accurate, and there was absolutely no intent to defraud. Beyond that, no conspiracy to influence the 2016 election by President Trump, Michael Cohen, the folks at AMI, all of which I will unpack this morning.
Blanche: This is a paper case. It is not about an encounter with Stormy Daniels eighteen years ago that President Trump unequivocally denied occurred.
It’s not even about an NDA that was signed nearly eight years ago.
The reason you are all here is whether and to what extent…
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) May 28, 2024
Paul Ingrassia: 9:48 AM: Blanche: The bottom line is the charges in this case have to do with invoices, vouchers, and cheques. All of the invoices have been submitted by Michael Cohen. You cannot convict President Trump of any crime beyond a reasonable doubt on the words of Michael Cohen. There were clear conversations that he claimed he had with Keith Schiller, Dylan Howard, Allen Weisselberg. None of them were witnesses at this trial. Instead, Cohen was the witness, and his words matter. Cohen took an oath, swore to tell the truth, and told you a number of things on that witness stand that were lies – pure and simple.
Blanche: The bottom line is the charges in this case have to do with invoices, vouchers, and cheques.
All of the invoices have been submitted by Michael Cohen. You cannot convict President Trump of any crime beyond a reasonable doubt on the words of Michael Cohen.
There were…
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) May 28, 2024
Paul Ingrassia: 9:49 AM: BREAKING: Blanche explaining to jurors that they have to explain 1) documents contained false entries, and 2) Trump acted with the intent to defraud. Blanche says records were not false, and there was no intent to defraud.
BREAKING: Blanche explaining to jurors that they have to explain 1) documents contained false entries, and 2) Trump acted with the intent to defraud.
Blanche says records were not false, and there was no intent to defraud.
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) May 28, 2024
Paul Ingrassia: 9:55 AM: Blanche: Miss Tarasoff didn’t speak to President Trump about the invoices. Cohen was rendering services to President Trump as his personal attorney in 2017. No question about it. As a matter of fact, on direct examination, he said one of the reasons why he needed to serve as Trump’s personal attorney was due to outstanding matters he was dealing with. Which was true. The government wants you to believe there was some conspiracy between Cohen, Weisselberg, and Trump. That Cohen was working for free, even though there are invoices from May of 2017 between Weisselberg and Cohen, visuals of which are now being presented in Blanche’s summation.
Blanche: Miss Tarasoff didn’t speak to President Trump about the invoices.
Cohen was rendering services to President Trump as his personal attorney in 2017. No question about it. As a matter of fact, on direct examination, he said one of the reasons why he needed to serve as…
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) May 28, 2024
Paul Ingrassia: 9:58 AM: BRIEF RECAP: Part of the reason we still do not know so much of anything about this case is because the presiding judge, Juan Manuel Merchan, has not allowed any discussion whatsoever of Bragg’s criminal theory of liability through expert witnesses. We have so far heard ad nauseam from Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen, who were the prosecution’s one-two punch used to assassinate President Trump’s character in the courtroom and deny him the presumption of innocence, about how bad a man Donald Trump supposedly is. But hardly anything from the Defense! Why? Because Merchan would not allow it! Instead, the Defense has only been allowed to bring in one witness, Robert Costello, a battle tested defense attorney of the SDNY and former legal adviser of Michael Cohen. For his part, Cohen’s testimony arguably did more to discredit the People’s theory of the case than Donald Trump’s – after all, he admitted to lying on the stand under Congressional oath years ago, stealing tens of thousands of dollars from the Trump Organization, committing perjury, and profiting off the trial, among a litany of other damning revelations. Costello drove the nail in the coffin, corroborating Cohen’s own testimony that his former client is a liar, fraudster, and perjurer – who acted totally independently and without President Trump’s knowledge.
BRIEF RECAP: Part of the reason we still do not know so much of anything about this case is because the presiding judge, Juan Manuel Merchan, has not allowed any discussion whatsoever of Bragg’s criminal theory of liability through expert witnesses. We have so far heard ad…
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) May 28, 2024
Paul Ingrassia: 10:00 AM: Blanche: As you know, the fact that there was a verbal retainer agreement between Michael Cohen and President Trump is consistent with another lawyer you heard from… Bragg Prosecutor: OBJECTION! Merchan: Overruled. Blanche: That lawyer was Mr. Keith Davidson.
Blanche: As you know, the fact that there was a verbal retainer agreement between Michael Cohen and President Trump is consistent with another lawyer you heard from…
Bragg Prosecutor: OBJECTION!
Merchan: Overruled.
Blanche: That lawyer was Mr. Keith Davidson.
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) May 28, 2024
Paul Ingrassia: 10:03 AM: Blanche: Mr. Cohen was President Trump’s personal lawyer, period. Nobody disputes that Mr. Cohen was Trump’s personal lawyer in 2017. So what makes more sense: that Trump was paying his personal attorney $35k pursuant to an agreement he made with his attorney just before he took office OR the version Cohen told you. Which is that, “no, I was not paid! I was gonna work for free! And I figured I would work for free. The $35k wasn’t a retainer fee, but an overpayment for the $135k based on the NDA. For the first time in Trump’s life, he decided to pay me triple. And I’d just make money as as a consultant. That’s what really happened!” There is a reason why in life usually the simplest answer is the right one, and that’s certainly the case here. The story that Mr. Cohen told on the witness stand is simply not true.
Blanche: Mr. Cohen was President Trump’s personal lawyer, period. Nobody disputes that Mr. Cohen was Trump’s personal lawyer in 2017. So what makes more sense: that Trump was paying his personal attorney $35k pursuant to an agreement he made with his attorney just before he took…
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) May 28, 2024
Paul Ingrassia: 10:08 AM: Blanche: There is no better way to categorize an invoice from a client to a lawyer as a legal expense. That is exactly what it is. The government is trying to call this a crime, which is absolutely ridiculous. The government claims this was some elaborate way to coverup a $135k payment. That is not what the evidence shows.
Blanche: There is no better way to categorize an invoice from a client to a lawyer as a legal expense. That is exactly what it is. The government is trying to call this a crime, which is absolutely ridiculous.
The government claims this was some elaborate way to coverup a…
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) May 28, 2024
Paul Ingrassia: 10:12 AM: Blanche: If there was some sort of conspiratorial agreement between Trump, Cohen, and Weisselberg: this email does not exist. Why did they ask approval via email from Don and Eric, Trump’s two sons, for the invoices? I don’t have an answer why the People believe a conspiracy exists. But guess who else you did not hear from: Don & Eric. Is there some allegation that they were part of this scheme? They have not been called to testify. The government makes the decisions who to call: they did not call Don & Eric.
Blanche: If there was some sort of conspiratorial agreement between Trump, Cohen, and Weisselberg: this email does not exist.
Why did they ask approval via email from Don and Eric, Trump’s two sons, for the invoices?
I don’t have an answer why the People believe a conspiracy…
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) May 28, 2024
The post LIVE UPDATES FROM INSIDE TRUMP TRIAL: TGP Contributor Paul Ingrassia Reports from Inside New York Show Trial – Closing Arguments Scheduled for Today appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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