Today is the ninth anniversary of his son Beau Biden's death from brain cancer, & the president spent the somber occasion in church this morning with his family in Wilmington.
Eric Trump is seated behind his father in the audience.
Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, is now in the courtroom, seated in the audience behind the prosecutors who tried this case for his office.
Trump is still, eyes closed or close to it, sitting as he often has during this trial.
Part of the courtroom video feed in the overflow room briefly cut out, with a big “NO SIGNAL” appearing on the screen, proving that not even the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president is immune to technical difficulties.
Trump Media & Technology shares fell after verdict was reached
Shares in Trump Media & Technology, the social media company partly owned by former President Donald Trump, fell 1.2% after the jury said it had reached a verdict on Thursday in his hush money trial.
The judge excused the parties, but not before asking about #Trump’s #bail status. He then releases him on his own recognizance.
Trump leaves the courtroom, & spews a bunch of nonsense to the media.
Trump spoke for less than three minutes in total. He did not answer a shouted question by a reporter who asked why Americans should vote for a #convicted#felon.
#Trump stands up as the jurors exit, w/a frown on his face. He does not look at the jury as they leave, his eyes downcast.
Todd Blanche, Trump's lawyer, is arguing, w/ the jurors gone, that the verdict is impromper and should be tossed because it relied on Michael Cohen’s testimony.
Justice #Merchan tells the jurors they can discuss the case if they’d like, but do not have to. The choice is theirs, but they are no longer barred from discussing the case. He asks to meet w/them to discuss their work, though not the facts of the case.
The judge thanks the jury. He tells them he admires & appreciates their hard work, & praises them for their engagement & their investment. “You gave this matter the attention that it deserved and I thank you for that.”
My favorite bit → At the presentence interview, a #psychologist or #SocialWorker working for the #probation dept may also talk to #Trump, during which time the defendant can “try to make a good impression & explain why he or she deserves a lighter punishment,” acc/to the New York State Unified Court System.
Before that is heard, Trump will be dealing w/ the #criminal#justice system.
Trump’s #sentencing is July 11. He could be sentenced prison or probation.
A pre-sentencing report makes recommendations based on the defendant’s criminal record — Trump had none before this case — as well as his personal history & the crime itself.
President #Biden’s spox said #Trump’s conviction shows “no one is above the #law.” “There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box. Convicted felon or not, Trump will be the Republican nominee for president.
Fucking hell; he will make millions on this #verdict from the chumps, the white supremacists, the angry, criminal, violent & privileged.
The #Trump campaign’s fundraising site, hosted by Republican fundraising platform Winred, is now back online & soliciting donations after crashing just minutes after today’s verdict. It bears Trump’s mugshot over the text “Never Surrender” & solicits donations ranging from $20.24 all the way to $3,300.
Just minutes after the verdict was announced, the Trump campaign sent out a fund-raising email in which #Trump said, in all capital letters, “I am a political prisoner!”
Holy hell, #TuckerCarlson just said that #Trump would still win the election “if he’s not killed first,” & said that “anyone who defends this verdict is a danger to you & your family.”
#FoxNews pundits denounced the #verdict. “It’s inconceivable in New York that anyone else other than Donald Trump would be indicted in this way,” said Andy McCarthy, a *legal analyst*. Jeanine Pirro called the case “riddled with errors” & declared, “We have gone over a cliff in America.”
The pre-sentencing report can also include submissions from the defense, & may describe whether “the defendant is in a counseling program or has a steady job”
#Trump allies are demanding #retribution, & calling on #Republican prosecutors to go after #Democrats. One of Trump’s close allies, the influential #RightWing#ChristianNationalist#CharlieKirk, wondered on X how many Republican AGs & DAs “have stones.” “We aren’t a serious political movement until we are ready to fight fire with fire,” Kirk wrote. “Indict the left, or lose America.”
#GOP elected ofcls are at it too. Rep Mike Collins of Georgia: “Time for Red State AGs & DAs to get busy.”
#Trump has posted a photo on his social media w/o comment — the photo of the #UpsideDown American #flag that was hung outside the home of #SCOTUS justice Samuel #Alito after the Capitol riot in 2021. The upside down flag was a symbol of distress but is now a #RightWing symbol of #Jan6, Stop the Steal & support for Trump. It was posted by several other #Republicans as well.
Asked by NYT’s legal reporter Jonah Bromwich how he feels having had so much criticism of many of his decisions related to the Trump investigation, & eventually in bringing the #Trump#criminal case, Alvin Bragg said:
“I did my job. Our job is to follow the facts without fear or favor, & that’s what we did here. I did my job, we did our jobs.” He says “there are many voices out there, but the only voice that matters is the voice of the jury, & the jury has spoken.”
The drawing on the cover of next week's issue of The New Yorker, titled "A Man of #Conviction" & created by the artist John Cuneo, shows Trump’s tiny hands being handcuffed, arms outstretched over his swollen figure, his trademark red tie draped over his belly.
#Trump released a new propaganda video describing this as “the final battle.” The spot, posted on his social media after today’s #verdict, shows him walking down a hallway, while promising in a voiceover to “expel the war mongers from our government,” [huh?] “throw off the sick political class that hates our country” [wha?] & “rout the fake news media” [Fox?] He concludes: “We will liberate America from these villains once & for all,” [um yer the convicted #criminal]. Then his donation link.