I’ve tried to take some time to process Trump’s DC court hearing yesterday. It would seem what we heard about federal judge Tanya Chutkan was accurate. She’s experienced (including years as a defense lawyer), thoroughly prepared (so she can move things along in her courtroom) and no-nonsense. And fair. Let’s go back to that no-nonsense part however. Something nagged at me last night, and again this morning and it finally hit me. A buried memory that suddenly rose back up. (It would take too long to get into but the relevant part is the dread I and others felt outside the chow hall just after dark when our Senior Drill Instructor, with a face that looked like the mask of death itself said “I gave you rope…”)
Is there anyone who doesn’t believe Trump is going to keep shooting off his big fat mouth between now and the 28th? He of course will, even if he somehow manages to behave this weekend or even a bit into next week. No judge, especially a woman judge and “not only no but HELL NO” black woman judge is going to go telling HIM what he can and can’t do! However, while they got quite a bit of what they wanted judge Chutkan said a few thing that made their blood run cold. But one thing in particular stands out. And if he were anything but who and what he is it would would have made Trump’s blood run cold too.
Judge Chutkan made it clear that antics on Trump’s part would make her move up his trial date! To, as she put it protect the integrity of the process and the safety of witnesses. Now, practically speaking she can’t really move faster than the timetable Jack Smith has laid out and will be arguing for on the 28th. When Trump himself will be there in court. What she CAN do however is agree to it, and look down at Trump and let him know exactly why he is by god going to be having a speedy trial. Maybe even note that the whole purpose isn’t just to provide the defense with that right, but the people too – in the public’s interest!
Here’s another thing to consider. Judge Chutkan has handled her share of J6 cases and when sentencing day rolled around handed down more severe sentences that her fellow DC District Judges. In some cases MORE than what even prosecutors had asked for and she made it clear from the bench why. To my knowledge not a one has been reduced upon appeal which means her written explanation for those sentences has been on rock solid legal footing. She will protect the rights of any defendant but once they become a convict well, they get treated like a convict!
So think about all that along with the fact that judge Chutkan sees the news and knows everything about Trump you and I do. More than any of us wish we’d been forced to learn. She knows damn well what he’s like, and his long history of manipulating the system including and especially dragging things out. She also knows he’s incapable of shutting the hell up. That he loves to even taunt the system to prove to his fans how much he can get away with.
Think about all that and ask yourself this: Has judge Chutkan just set Trump up? Given him plenty of rope, rope that he will use to hang himself?
There’s still over two weeks between now and the 28th when everyone including Trump is due back in judge Chutkan’s courtroom. I think it’s possible, even likely she believes what I (and you too) believe and that despite the clear marker about mouthing off ensuring a speedy trial (bluntly put – she created a RECORD the appellate court will be able to refer to) Trump will just have to try and show her HE is the boss in all this. The good judge will be able to look Trump and his lawyers right in the eye and say “I warned you and you didn’t take me seriously. The prosecution’s proposed motion schedule is approved, jury selection will take place in December and the trial will start right after the first of the year. And if you keep pushing it MISTER Trump, or for that matter you too Mr. Lauro if we have a jury picked we’ll having opening arguments at least, and maybe even some witnesses before Christmas!”
She might even, just to get it on the record toss in a dig at Lauro and Trump’s other lawyers (when they whine about time to go through discovery) that instead of spending time prepping for and doing TV (and print) interviews actually doing the work, including sorting through discovery might be/have been a better use of their time.
The point however is that Trump was almost certainly going to face a good, experienced judge in DC who’s dealt with plenty of defendants that were defendants because of Donald Trump. They’ve been threatened plenty of times already. None of them are going to be bullied by Donald Trump and his MAGAs. And certainly not judge Chutkan who as I’ve noted has proven to be the strictest of them all once sentencing time comes.
She’s known to run a tight courtroom and move things along. She will damn sure protect Trump’s rights, but she will also respect those of we the people of these United States. We the people are also entitled to justice in the form of a fair but speedy trial. Judge Chutkan does have to take measures to ensure if Trump is convicted it will hold up on appeal and one can be damned sure he and his lawyers will whine that he should have gotten at least a couple of years to prepare.
So from where I sit, Judge Chutkan has set a trap. One that she knows Trump will walk right in to. She’s given him plenty of rope, knowing he’ll wind up self-fashioning it into his own noose!
“Think about all that and ask yourself this: Has judge Chutkan just set Trump up? Given him plenty of rope, rope that he will use to hang himself?” Denis, as soon as I had read her remarks from the bench I thought she was being lenient….and then my grin started. Did she give the “stable genius” an IQ test? Namely, does he have enough smarts to STFU? I guess we’ll find out soon on that score. Also, who’s going to frisk him to make sure he doesn’t take “recording devices” into the evidence room, or anything out of the room?
To answer that last question, the U.S. Marshalls and Secret Service can work out who does searches but I’m sure if it’s Trump’s Secret Service detail they’ll get a rather pointed reminder that they are sworn federal agents and how deep their own pile of sh*t will be if they don’t do their jobs because they are loyal to Trump instead of the Constitution they swore to protect. A not so subtle reminder of how easy it is to conceal video & audio outside the room where discovery materials are going to be viewed should help do the trick.
Between writing and tending to a personal issue that’s turned today into a headache I haven’t seen much news since late morning but so far this weekend Trump is behaving when it comes to DC. I simply don’t believe that’s going to last. Trump is going to HAVE to scratch that itch that’s already driving him crazy. He won’t last a week, or probably even a few days before he starts in on DC and his trial there. How he can be so compulsive as to proverbially feed his “junk” into a meet grinder and crank the damn thing himself is a mystery but it WILL happen!
Her great contribution to the world in this case, so far, is having him addressed, not as President Trump, but as Criminal Defendant Trump.
Let’s shorten that to a snappy acronym, CDT.
I certainly would hope that anything available to him is photocopies, and not the original documents needed for the trisl.
Remember that Murf did a piece, saying that the one piece of legal advice tRump actually heeded was from Roy Cohn. He trained him to spout off and stop just short of getting in trouble.
However, that involved civil court cases and this case is criminal. The rules are quite different and consequences to go with. We shall see what happens, but I agree that he has no self control.
“…Trump is behaving when it comes to DC. I simply don’t believe that’s going to last.”
He’s turned his “wrath” on Fani Willis and her case. But as I noted in that thread, many of the same “folks” are involved, so his spouting off on them tends to try to damage the same witnesses, or witlesses, too.
Many of the issues in Georgia are similar to the DC case.
And many of the items you cite, denis, were already included in SC Smith’s excellent presentations last week.
Baby huey is not only a narcissist, but one who was part of a mob connected family, inherited 300 million bucks, managed to steal the most powerful job in the world, and HAS WALKED his entire 77 years on God knows how many crimes. A true malignant narcissist CANNOT endure wounds to his ego, which is why he has no respect for anybody or anything. So far the system HAS ENABLED HIM, as it does the rich and well connected. That being said, he has finally meet two true believers in Jack and this judge. To add to his trouble, this time he hasn’t just grifted people out of money…he’s violated laws that have resulted in execution,(Rosenbergs), and serious prison time for others that have done far less. No way he walks free, and he’s either figured it out or been told. He will decompensate as he starts reaping the consequences. Count on it.
Nope, she was following the law. She said to him what she would have said to any other criminal defendent (per all legal experts I’ve listened to.) Now….having said that…..will he screw this up. We shall see. If this was ever perceived as a set up – it’d be deep trouble legally. They are walking a fine line. Keeping it all under the legal authority – and nothing else.