102 Comments

So basically you’re describing a women who does her job unaffected by the yowling of triggered men.

Sounds legit.

Expand full comment

As I remarked the other day, Lauro's theatrics and Foghorn Leghorn bombast may have put him on a short leash, as the other member of the team, Todd Blanche, clearly didn't share the production values of his colleague's performance, and any more rank putdowns of Lauro by Judge Shutkan could result in a shakeup of the defense.

Expand full comment

Yes!!!!!!!

Expand full comment

The. Honorable Tanya Chutkan is also a marked contrast to the (dis)honorable Aileen Cannon. The latter had better take note right quick, before Smith goes over her head again.

Expand full comment

Speaking of whom, Cannon's mishandling of the docs case has been under the radar due to the massive DC indictment coverage, but it appears that SC Smith is setting her up for a massive fall, as this excellent writeup by Liz Dye on the Aaron Rupar "Public Notice" Substack account reveals. No paywall, just search and click, a must-read.

Expand full comment

I was just about to cite the same analysis. Here's the link: https://www.publicnotice.co/p/judge-aileen-cannon-trump-florida-documents-case?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Expand full comment

Thank you for posting the link, as I badly fumbled the copy-and-paste process!

Expand full comment
Aug 30, 2023·edited Aug 30, 2023

I read it before I posted this. Yes. It is an interesting piece.

Expand full comment

You bet! Cannon is digging herself a big hole and Mr. Smith will likely push her in.

Expand full comment

Lordy, I surely hope she trips and falls into SC Smith's trap...ASAP. The entire Federal Courts system should be ashamed of her underhanded moves and unprofessional, biased conduct. She is shaming the very Bench to which she was appointed.

Expand full comment

Push? I'd say he has a boot prepared for use.

Expand full comment

TRUE! 😂😂😂

Expand full comment

I respect these black women so much! I especially admire Judge Chutkan for calling the former guy, “Mr. Trump”. He takes a great deal of narcissistic pride in being called President or Mr. President. I smile every time I read that she addresses him like that. He is not special. His malignant narcissism makes him a very dangerous person alone, but if you give one power they will use that power for evil. He has proven it. His followers are suffering from cognitive dissonance and you can’t easily repair that. I always ponder the hold he has on some, millions actually, then I wonder why? How did some of us not fall for it but so many did? I don’t understand how our brains work I guess. I’m thinking out loud again. Thank you Jay!

Expand full comment

There is no predicting who will or won't fall for a charismatic cult leader. And once in, it is that very cognitive dissonance that makes it unlikely (not impossible, but unlikely) that they will get out short of catastrophic dissolution of the cult. No one wants to admit they were so gullible as to be taken in by the con.

Expand full comment

This is very true. Upon listening to a renowned psychologist, it’s been his experience that it does some irreversible damage.

Expand full comment

If you had told me ten years ago that a former President of the United States would find himself defending his actions in a court of law, I'd've said, "Good luck with that. He'll have the most powerful legal representation in America."

If his current batch of lawyers are any indication of what his trials are gonna look like, we're in for quite a circus. I'll start popping corn now.

Expand full comment

That's because Trump drives off competent counsel because he believes that lawyers exist only to serve his fantasies and clean up his messes. He doesn't listen and even tries to embroil them in illegal activity because he thinks that he knows more than them.

Expand full comment

In fact, Trump believes everyone exists to meet his needs, including serving his fantasies and cleaning up his messes. When someone doesn't meet his needs, he discards that person. Even wives, other family members, friends, etc.

Expand full comment

That, and he doesn’t pay them!

Expand full comment

There are no reputable lawyers who want to represent him because they know he doesn't have a case. I'm sure they don't want to ruin their reputation trying a frivolous case.

Expand full comment

He already has the elephant and the clowns...ready to go!

Expand full comment

Well done! Your closing remarks about karma and irony were particularly satisfying..

Expand full comment

Thank you for this succinct, coherent, and detailed documentation of the considerations related to the trial date for Trump in this matter.

Expand full comment

trumps m/o for all of his life has been flap and denial and a shell game. NO ONE has ever called him on it. The fact that these amazing women are doing so probably has him throwing ketchup on ALL the walls of Mar-a-Largo....which I guess his son, who now owns it, will have to clean up. Ooops.

Expand full comment

I read elsewhere that Zillow retracted that listing moving to DJ Jr?

Expand full comment

From what I’ve seen, it still shows as sold, but instead of Don Jr., a corporation is shown. also, instead of the warranted $25,000,000 price tag it was sold for over $400+ million. A move by Trump to , once again, falsely inflate his assets or transfer (hide) wealth. Becoming a US President, wasn’t a smart idea for someone who’s entire enterprise is reliant on criminal or borderline criminal financial grift.

Expand full comment

Chutkan did a good job. It might have been even more effective if she would have asked Lauro if he would like to cool down in the correctional facility overnight.

Expand full comment
author

thankfully it had not reached that level of acrimony!

Expand full comment

Judge Shutkan has had some quotable lines during all the pre-trial hearings, such as: "Presidents are not kings, and tRump is not president"..."He is a criminal defendant. He is going to have restrictions like every other criminal defendant,”. If the tRump legal team hasn't learnt by now that Judge Shutkan simply isn't and won't TAKE THEIR SHIT, it will inevitably harm the interests of their wretched client, end of.

Expand full comment

There is no such thing as a criminal defendant. This is not England. We have presumption of innocence's. Trump is also under no obligation to prove his innocence's. The plaintiff has to prove guilt beyond a shadow of a doubt. This is not a civil suit. This judge is in over her head and doesn't realize it. It will tarnish her career no matter how it goes.

Expand full comment
Comment deleted
Expand full comment

Semantics. It is the same thing. Not very different at all.

Per the dictionary: The “shadow of a doubt” is sometimes used interchangeably with reasonable doubt, but this extends beyond the latter to the extent many believe is an impossible standard. Reasonable doubt is therefore used.

Expand full comment
Comment deleted
Expand full comment

I'll capitulate to you on the distinction. It alters my point none in the least.

Expand full comment

Jay, I just need to tell you thank you for all your hard work in bringing this information into one, easy-to-read place, especially for those of us who find ourselves, beyond our own will, moving into senior living. :) I'm 62, and I won't bore you wit everything, but know that you and I went through losing our moms at about the same time, so I really appreciated you then, as well. Thank you, and I'm happy to spend the few dollars a month to be kept up on the details by you! <3

Expand full comment
author

Thank you for your support!

Expand full comment

I know it's petty and childish, but I kind of want Trump to do something dumb that violates the terms of his bail. And have him put in the slammer for the long-overdue cooldown.

Expand full comment
author

Much as we would love to see him in jail for his provocations, it would only feed his narrative that he is being politically persecuted and silenced. I like Judge Chutkan’s approach: threaten to shorten the time to trial because of jury pool tainting.

Expand full comment

He does something dumb on a daily basis with his tweets but he gets away with it much more than anyone else. His misbehavior has become normalized.

Expand full comment

When he tweets, what is he getting away with??

Expand full comment

He instigates harassment and worse . Have you been at sea?

Expand full comment

Twitter is for dummies. It is a cesspool of lunacy dominated by paid influencers (Bots.) During Trump's first campaign he used it to point out the lies that the media were telling about him. They didn't like him pointing out their lies and so they called it harassment. I don't blame him for that. They were and still are awful.

Expand full comment

Karma is a wonderful thing!

Expand full comment
Aug 30, 2023Liked by Jay Kuo

Thanks for providing understanding of all this legal stuff once again. Karma is actually reaping what you sow, so hopefully the harvest for Trump will bury him

Expand full comment

Giving new meaning to the notion of March Madness.

The defense should take to heart the admonitions within Kenny Roger's The Gambler, and become more artful on holding and folding, perhaps even consider running full tilt away from the quagmire....

Expand full comment
author

My own prediction is that appeals and motions will wind up pushing this trial until summer. She has left plenty of wiggle room before the election precisely for this.

Expand full comment

No doubt we will behold some creative legal choreography...

Expand full comment
Aug 30, 2023Liked by Jay Kuo

*chef's kiss*

Expand full comment

Too soon to suggest Judge Chutkan should be on a Supreme Court shortlist? So well prepared!!

Expand full comment
author

Probably too soon, and that would indeed seem political!

Expand full comment

So just like previous appointments? Hard to not be. But I agree too soon.

Expand full comment