“He admits he doesn’t know the law and at the same time insists he’s innocent.”
― Franz Kafka, ‘The Trial‘
As a general rule, when Blaska commits a crime, he likes to know its name. From what we can gather, neither Trump nor his Manhattan trial jury were ever very certain, except that the likely Republican nominee is guilty of it.
Macht nichts. One can almost hear the champagne corks popping at The New York Times this Sunday. Missing only a self-congratulatory guest column from prosecutor Alvin Bragg: “How I Bagged the Bastard.” The Times helpfully provides cover for this exercise in juris im-prudence:
[Judge] Merchan explained to jurors that falsifying business records — the charges faced by Mr. Trump — is a crime only if done to conceal or aid another crime. That crime, according to prosecutors, was a state election law known as Section 17-152, which prohibits helping or preventing the election of a candidate “by unlawful means” … although they do not have to prove that those crimes were committed.
Got it? (!!!) That state election law known to one and all as “Section 17-152.” (OH! THAT SECTION! Good ol’ 17-152!)) But it does not actually have to be proven that a crime was committed? Huh? Dare we ask: What unlawful means were alleged? A payment to the Corleone family to knee cap his opponent? Walking around money that Papa Joe paid to get John-boy through the 1960 West Virginia primary? Gold bullion for Senator Menendez for services rendered? Non-disclosure agreements, however distasteful, are not illegal. The NY Times attempts this explanation:
The verdict establishes that Mr. Trump committed crimes in hiding pertinent information about himself from the American people for the purpose of influencing the 2016 presidential election. — “Trump’s crime against the American public”
Or that Sleepy Joe is senescent
If hiding info to influence an election is a crime, why wasn’t Thomas Eagleton shackled and finger printed? Were his shock treatments not pertinent? If the clock never strikes midnight on the statute of limitations, arrest Bill and Hillary for covering up their Whitewater real estate swindle! For not divulging Troopergate! Trump, at least, paid for his nookie. (And keeps paying, apparently.) Didn’t need to order state troopers to drag timorous receptionists into his hotel room.
In Blaska’s experience with campaign finance reports they are notoriously opaque. Something like: $12,000 to Miss Communications LLC. In the wake of Kafka v Trump, we may now see entries like:
• $2,500 to Spade and Archer detective agency to dig up dirt on my opponent.
• $60 for of five 12-packs of barley pop for the boys in the back room.
• $1,128 for push-pull robo calls asking if voters knew my opponent was a pedophile would they vote for him.
• $130,000 to buy the silence of porn star (and film director) Stormy Daniels for one session of extra-marital whoopee.
→ “Democrats celebrate Trump being convicted of whatever it was he did.” — Babylon Bee
Blaska’s Bottom Line: The Lovely Lisa asks why the Head Groundskeeper defends Trump in this instance when he intends to vote “Present” on November 5 due to January 6. Maybe because there remains in his gene pool a few latent cells of objective journalism or an unrequited sense of fair play. It’s like John Garfield in the Postman Always Rings Twice. Trump is guilty of something, but not this. Bad cases make bad law.
15 responses to “Franz Kafka v Donald Trump”
Here we go with the all or none thinking again. You’d rather not vote for Trump and risk another Biden term? Your logic escapes me, Squire.
You’d rather nominate Trump and risk losing to Biden? Again?
Well Trump is the presumptive candidate, if you don’t vote for him you’re essentially voting for Biden. I’ve been negative on Trump simply because I thought he was unelectable– seems most people get caught up in his personality compared to his policies. My opinion has changed a bit as I’ve talked to a number of people now who are Trump supporters given the lawfare and other misdeeds against him.
Maybe Biden should start screaming about a crooked judge, rigged trial, rotten lawyers, etc. That would get him more support from the right? If Hunter gets convicted there will be a “bloodbath.” That would get his numbers up.
Not liking a law is different than saying someone is not guilty. There are a bunch of laws I think are stupid and/or unclear. Is that my get out of jail free card, or just Trump’s?
“What unlawful means were alleged?”
The first thing that jumps to my mind is the stuff Cohen was sent to prison for.
But I’m not a lawyer. And if all of this is so obvious to all these armchair lawyers, I don’t know why you all didn’t offer your legal services to Trump. Surely something this simple and clear could have swayed at least 1 juror. Were his lawyers really that bad at their jobs? If so, he should look in the mirror to cast blame, not all this zero-personal-responsibility-scapegoating. Or perhaps it isn’t quite as simple and clear as the propaganda machine is trying to tell us…
“arrest Bill and Hillary for covering up their Whitewater real estate swindle!”
PLEASE DO!!! Take a minute to critically think about this. It was either a deep state conspiracy to block them from prosecution, or the people who were in the position to bring charges didn’t think they’d succeed and didn’t want to look foolish. My money is on the latter. It’s easy to talk and make political hay, but difficult to make a case in a court of law.
But sure, go ahead and follow the MAGA guidance and try to pull every D politician into court. If they’re guilty, go ahead and put all of them in jail. It’s not like this is a new idea – at least since the 90s this has been a goal, what’s the holdup? The Cons always have much more luck on AM radio than they do in court. The Con’s con doesn’t often hold up to scrutiny.
If all you Cons think the legal system is so corrupt, what do you want to do about it? For as mad as everyone is acting, there is remarkably little effort I see from Cons towards making systemic changes. Everything is focused on one man, but not the rest of us. Because I do agree the legal system is corrupt, and it’s possible that under a reasonable system Trump would not have been found guilty of this charge (but he’d probably already be in jail over other things, because in reality the systemic corruption typically lets the rich slide). But if this is the system I have to live under, then it’s the system all of us should have to live under, even Trump. Maybe after enough politicians get the short end of the stick they can get around to fixing the legal system for the rest of us. I won’t hold my breath.
Pls. keep responses brief.
Rollie’s/Prog’s M.O.: when you got nothing, “speed and spread”, throw in some circular logic and add a few big words.
Kooter, where’s the circular logic? Or is that just a phrase you think sounded cool? Which word was too “big”?
Hilarious. After two days of consideration, no substantive retort beyond a distaste for reading anything “long”. Nothing about why my claims and criticism are incorrect. Welcome to the future of America! I refuse to follow our culture down the toilet of low-attention-span-low-vocabulary reading and writing.
Feel free to ban me from your comment section, it’s your site. I’m the only one that drives much of any semblance of debate here, and thus clicks for you. You should be thanking me for my willingness to visit and comment. Obviously almost all Madison liberals don’t care to even bother to engage you and your readers in debate.
“I refuse to follow our culture down the toilet of low-attention-span-low-vocabulary reading and writing.”
Rollie…buddy…your despicable coterie has not only led a precipitously plummeting downward slide, but enabled it with greased skids, on an angle beyond that of repose, at warp speed, and with a gale-force tailwind.
“I’m the only one that drives much of any semblance of debate here, and thus clicks for you.“
This, kiddies, is what Everyone’s Special INDOCTRICATION hath spawned.
“You should be thanking me for my willingness to visit and comment.”
Heh! Being SPECIAL**, with the approval of your own conscience, isn’t enough?
“Obviously almost all Madison liberals don’t care to even bother to engage you and your readers in debate.”
The opinions of the many? Socrates cautioned against that, am I right?
Anywho…and nothing about RAYcism most foul? Sheesh; you lost your fast ball…?
**Please note the Celebration of Mediocrity the article discusses.
The Gotch
Who mentioned a ban? Or even a gag?
DB is extremely tolerant of different points of view.
Is Trump guilty? Is Rittenhouse not guilty? Maybe. I don’t know much about either trial, certainly wasn’t on the juries.
I would like to reveal that I am a serial speeder on Whitney Way and have not once been pulled over.
I am born to be wild and above the law.
The Gotch
Brief, concise, and to the point. Thanks!
Gotch, same advice I give to Rollie.
Rollie, my statements are based on your past performances. Editing takes critical thought and self-reflection. Clearly you’re lacking both with your “I’m the only one who drives..” comment. Your tendency towards circular logic is legion. Pretty sure you think you’re the smartest person in the room but you might want to rethink that.