Trump and others charged with conspiring to overturn 2020 election in Georgia

[N.E. Brigand]

Donald Trump was banned from Twitter early in 2021. After Elon Musk purchased the social network, now renamed X, he lifted Trump's ban, but the disgraced former president hadn't post there for more than 18 months until tonight, when he xweeted a photoshopped version of his mugshot that he's now using to sell merchandise with the tagline "never surrender," even though the photo was taken by police after he surrendered to them.

[N.E. Brigand]

How reliable is the-express.com, which claims that Donald Trump "seemingly transferred Mar A Lago estate to his son before his arrest"?

[RoseMorninStar]

Because that's the kind of thing that 'Back the Badge' law & order people do.

My father once signed over the house/business, etc.. to us (teenagers) when he thought he was facing a law suit. We had no idea what we were signing.

[Dave_LF]

Donald Trump was banned from Twitter early in 2021. After Elon Musk purchased the social network, now renamed X, he lifted Trump's ban, but the disgraced former president hadn't post there for more than 18 months until tonight, when he xweeted a photoshopped version of his mugshot that he's now using to sell merchandise with the tagline "never surrender," even though the photo was taken by police after he surrendered to them.

"Election Interference, Never Surrender" is actually an ok caption for his mugshot?

[Voronwë the Faithful]

It certainly technically violates the terms of his release but in practice it is not enough to address.

[Dave_LF]

That too, but I meant that was a reasonable caption for his opponents to put with the mugshot. More projection/accusation=confession stuff.

[N.E. Brigand]

How reliable is the-express.com, which claims that Donald Trump "seemingly transferred Mar A Lago estate to his son before his arrest"?

Not so reliable.

[Sunsilver]

Trump apparently was allowed to self-report his weight and height when being booked. He's supposedly 6' 2" tall and 215 lbs.

How typical that he can't even tell the truth about that...

I much prefer this mugshot:

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Here is a good summary of the hearing yesterday on Mark Meadows' bid to remove his part of the case to federal court, in which he surprisingly testified himself.

Mark Meadows takes stand in bid to derail Georgia criminal charges

[Dave_LF]

What would any of the defendants hypothetically have to gain by moving to DC? Can't the "I'm immune because I was acting within the scope of my federal duties" argument be made in state court?

Also, what happens if they do move to federal court and the GA Congressional Republicans subsequently succeed in getting Willis fired?

[RoseMorninStar]

What would any of the defendants hypothetically have to gain by moving to DC?

From what I've heard, if it gets moved it (likely) won't be televised and Meadows (et al) probably realize just how damaging a televised trial would be.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

What would any of the defendants hypothetically have to gain by moving to DC? Can't the "I'm immune because I was acting within the scope of my federal duties" argument be made in state court?

The case would not be moved to D.C. It would be moved to federal court in the Northern District of Georgia. Among other things, that would likely give them a more conservative jury pool. And the "I'm immune because I was acting within the scope of my federal duties" defense is a federal question, not a state law question.

Also, what happens if they do move to federal court and the GA Congressional Republicans subsequently succeed in getting Willis fired?

The legislature is not going to succeed in getting Willis fired, and even if they did, it would not impact the case. A new liberal D.A. would take over the job, and of course the D.A. herself is not the one actually prosecuting the case, it is the folks in her office. Removal to federal court would not have any impact on who prosecutes the case.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Judge Jones has requested additional briefing on the following issue:

Count 1 of the Indictment (pertaining to Georgia's
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
(RICO), O.C.G.A. § 16-14-4(c)) contains a number of
overt acts attributed to Mr. Meadows. Would a finding
that at least one (but not all) of the overt acts charged
occurred under the color of Meadows' s office, be
sufficient for federal removal of a criminal prosecution
under 28 U.S.C. § 1442(a)(l)?

The Parties shall file supplemental briefing by 5:00 p.m., Thursday,
August 31, 2023.

That suggests to me that Judge Jones believes that some of the acts that Meadows is accused of was not under the color of Meadow's office, which certainly defeat immunity. I'll be curious to see the briefings because I have no idea of the answer to the question with regard to removal.

[N.E. Brigand]

Here is a good summary of the hearing yesterday on Mark Meadows' bid to remove his part of the case to federal court, in which he surprisingly testified himself.

Mark Meadows takes stand in bid to derail Georgia criminal charges

The Washington Post report on yesterday's hearing likewise found that Raffensberger's testimony somewhwat undercut the prosecution's argument.

[N.E. Brigand]

Fox News ran a primetime story showing a mural based on Donald Trump's mugshot with this caption: "Mugshot is Ammo for Trump Campaign" and pointed to it as further evidence of their theme that "inner city" residents who have had run-ins with the law will sympathize with Trump's plight and see him as someone who understands the "forgotten man."

Fox didn't show viewers the full mural, which includes the caption "M.A.G.A. My Ass Got Arrested."

[Voronwë the Faithful]

As Joyce Alene notes,

This is Willis' polite way of advising a new-ish judge who may not have seen this issue before that he has a little more work to do here. It's deft & precise, showing respect for the judge while getting the needed clarification.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Now both Chesebro and Powell have filed formal motions to sever. Powell's is particularly amusing.



Chesebro also files a motion to reveal the names of the unindicted co-conspirators.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Trump has also filed a motion to sever his case from Cheseboro and Powell's cases.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

This is how it should be done.

[N.E. Brigand]

Judge Jones has requested additional briefing on the following issue:

Count 1 of the Indictment (pertaining to Georgia's
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
(RICO), O.C.G.A. § 16-14-4(c)) contains a number of
overt acts attributed to Mr. Meadows. Would a finding
that at least one (but not all) of the overt acts charged
occurred under the color of Meadows' s office, be
sufficient for federal removal of a criminal prosecution
under 28 U.S.C. § 1442(a)(l)?

The Parties shall file supplemental briefing by 5:00 p.m., Thursday,
August 31, 2023.

That suggests to me that Judge Jones believes that some of the acts that Meadows is accused of was not under the color of Meadow's office, which certainly defeat immunity. I'll be curious to see the briefings because I have no idea of the answer to the question with regard to removal.

Here is Fani Willis's briefing on this question.