Jonathan Turley, a law professor at GWU University, says that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg had hit a few snags in his case against Donald Trump. But now, Judge Merchan could have made a crucial error, which could lead to a reversal of the Trump verdict on appeal, by allowing prosecutors certain arguments.
Turley said that the New York judge Juan Merchan erred by allowing Bragg’s prosecutorial team to state unequivocally, under the leadership of former Biden administration official Michael Colangelo that Trump had violated federal election laws.
Turley told Fox News: “I’ve got to say, I believe this judge has already made a reversible mistake. He could amend it, or he could change it in the instructions. But that jury has been repeatedly told that federal election crimes are here. This strongly suggests that payment to Stormy was against federal election laws. It’s not true.”
More information is available in The Daily Caller.
In a decision made by the New York Court of Appeals on Thursday, the court ruled that the judge who presided over the rape case of disgraced Hollywood Producer Harvey Weinstein committed “egregious mistakes” and required a new hearing.
Turley previewed the testimony of former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen earlier in his appearance. Cohen is expected to be an important prosecution witness.
Turley added, “Michael Cohen will tell that jury: ‘Please send me the client to prison for following my legal advice’.” Turley continued, “All the stuff they’re talking about, Michael Cohen set up, he structured this and told his clients that ‘we can do this. It’s an odd moment.”
Gregg Jarrett, Fox News’ legal analyst, cited Weinstein’s conviction as precedent for Trump’s potential conviction.
Nothing in the courtroom was about the actual charges last week. Jarrett told Steve Doocy, “None of the witnesses testified about any crime that’s recognized by law,” Jarrett said. Steve, instead, it was this bizarre kabuki theatre or theater of absurdity. David Pecker who was the editor of the National Enquirer spent most of the week on the witness stand and confirmed what we already knew. “The tabloid was sleazy and promoted and killed stories.”
Steve replied, “But that’s no crime.” It is not illegal to pay people for their silence. Influencing elections is also not a crime. Jarrett added, “That’s what campaigns do.” “Yet Alvin Bragg and his legal minions keep referring to ‘conspiracy,’ and a ‘fraud.,’ but Trump has not been charged. This hair-brain prosecution was exactly what Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch warned against during the immunity hearing.
Jarrett said, “It is the same bad acts that led to the reversal in Harvey Weinstein’s sexual crime cases. Yet this judge allows such evidence.” The most absurd part of the prosecution is Bragg’s claim that Trump falsified business records to influence an electoral outcome.
“But, look at the indictment. All the alleged bookkeeping crimes occurred in 2017, after 2016’s election.” It’s an interesting trick to illegally influence an election after the fact.
