Dem
51
GOP
49
As we noted last week, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg sent Donald Trump an engraved invitation to join him and 20 or so of his empaneled friends to chat about Trump's allegedly illegal hush payments to former lover Stormy Daniels. We also observed that Trump was certain to decline Bragg's generous offer.
Yesterday, a lawyer for the former president confirmed that Trump would not show up. "He won't be participating in that proceeding—a proceeding that we and most election law experts believe is with absolutely no legal merit," said attorney Joseph Tacopina. Obviously, Tacopina has a responsibility to defend his client as vigorously as possible. However, we're not sure it's helpful when he spouts utter nonsense. The election law experts we read, like Rick Hasen, say this case has teeth. And if a grand jury and a DA concur, well, that seems like pretty good evidence to us that there's merit to the government's argument.
According to people far more expert than we, the offer to the defendant to testify usually comes at the very end of the process. And now the defendant has declined the offer, which means there's no need to wait for him anymore. So, maybe there will be an indictment within a week or two? Seems possible. (Z)