Manhattan DA Alivn Bragg, 49, hit 76-year-old President Donald Trump with 34 Class E felonies for falsifying business records connected with his 2016 $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels AKA Stephanie Clifford for an alleged affair in 2006. Bragg claims in his 34 charges of falsifying records that Trump concealed his illegal payment to Stormy by recording it as a business expense. Bragg’s indictments goes back to the 2016 presidential election, alleging Trump’s attempt to buy silence from Stormy Daniels helped him win 2016 election. Bragg has no clue of all the factors that went into Trump’s 2016 victory over 74-year-old former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Voters in 2016 wanted an outsider, not an old-school politician like Hillary. Bragg’s indictment suggests that Trump deceived the public by buying Stormy’s silence before the Nov. 2, 2016 election.
Bragg’s showed his true colors as a Democrat political hack, deciding to upgrade Trump’s misdemeanors to Class E felonies, carrying potential jail time. Trump’s defense team led by Todd Blanche, Joe Tacopina and Susan Niecheles should have an easy time dismantling Bragg’s case or reducing the charges to misdemeanors. When it comes to the 24 boilerplate charges, it looks like Bragg engaged in malicious prosecution, if, for no other reason, than charges should all be reduced to misdemeanors, not felonies. Judge Juan Mercha, who presided over Trump’s former CFO Allen Weisselberg’s tax evasion case, knows a lot about the Trump organization. What Merchan also knows is that Bragg’s charges against Trump are typically misdemeanors. Eventually Merchan will have to rule on whether it’s Constitutional for Bragg to upgrade ordinary misdemeanors into Clsss E felonies.
Media reports of Trump’s arraignment focused on his look of resignation, no longer showing the kind of bravado normally seen by Trump. But to the Trump-hating media, they only care about hazing Trump, not getting the facts right. Trump pled not guilty to all 34 charges, knowing his defense team should be able to dismantle the prosecution’s case. Liberal media made a big deal out of it was the first time in U.S. history as former president was criminally indicted. While that’s true, it’s also true that Bragg’s overreached with his his 34 Class E felonies. Bragg and the grand jury relied heavily on the testimony and evidence given by disgraced, disbarred convicted felon former Trump attorney Michael Cohen who served three years in prison. Judge Merchan know that Cohen spends his time appearing on anti-Trump media outlets, condemning his former boss on national TV.
Bragg and the U.S. press has spent months leading up to today’s charges trying-and-convicting Trump in the court of public opinion. Whatever Trump says tonight at his Mar-a-Lago estate, the anti-Trump media has said it for year. Bragg won’t explain why he upgraded Trump’s charges from misdemeanors to felonies, other that saying it’s because of Trump’s attempts to conceal and underlying crime. Bragg’s underlying crime refers to Trump paying $130,000 to Stormy Daniels to stop her from going public. At the time Cohen paid off Stormy Daniels, it was public knowledge that Trump’s campaign paid her extortions demands. Instead of charging Stormy Daniels with extortion, Bragg’s office charges Trump with violation New York election laws. Bragg must prove that Trump paid of Stormy with the intent of protecting his 2016 campaign, not sparing himself or his wife Melania public embarrassment.
Bragg is treated as a hero to liberal circles, all looking to see Trump prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Not one liberal host or analyst said a word about Bragg upgrading Trump’s charges to felonies. To the liberal press, Trump deserves everything he gets, including more harsh treatment because it’s Donald Trump, not someone with a presumption of innocence. Prosecuting Trump for Class E felonies shows that Bragg would do anything to charge Trump with more serious crimes. Relying on Cohen’s testimony and evidence is going to make Bragg’s case against Trump for difficult. How do you explain to the jury Michael Cohen’s past relationship to Trump, without making him look fraudulent? Cohen has openly admitted his vendetta with Trump, especially after his 2018 conviction for income tax evasion, bank and wire fraud and selling illegal tax medallions.
Presenting his case against Trump today, Bragg exposed the weakness of his case, relying heavily on a deeply flawed witness in Michael Cohen. Parading Cohen on anti-Trump radio and TV networks shows that Bragg has no control over the case presented in Judge Merchan. How can Bragg rely on a witness he’s already paraded on national TV, giving away his case before trial? Democrats look 100% behind Bragg’s prosecution of Trump, while most Republicans oppose the show trial. Public should ask themselves why the media is so invested in seeing Trump prosecuted. What happened to journalist neutrality in public news events. Judge Merchan should take into account all the grandstanding by the New York’s DA office. If you listen to the media, Trump has no right to defend himself against the years of political bias and fake news stories all compromising Trump’s Constitutional rights.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
