Merchan will dismiss the arguments out of hand; the First Department won't issue a decision before the election. If Trump goes to jail, he can file a habeas petition in SDNY which might get more immediate traction (it shouldn't, but apparently Trump gets to skip the line in Federal Court).
Also... it is a state crime, not federal
@WordsmithFL wonβt work. Those crimes were committed before 1/20/17 and they are state crimes. I hope it gives the judge a huge laugh.
@Redskye572 The checks were written in the White House. That's their argument. They'll claim it was an official act.
@WordsmithFL yes but the main part of the crimes was before and also he threatened the judge (and his family) long after he left the WH. They might have written a check in that building but it was still an illegal bribe. It was no official act.
@Redskye572 I agree. I'm pointing out that is the argument being made by his attorneys -- who will appeal it all the way to #SCOTUS, if they can.
@WordsmithFL he has to be sentenced before he can appeal. 34 counts has to mean something.
@Redskye572 Part of the letter, apparently, is asking the judge to postpone sentencing. We'll have to see what the letter says when it's released tomorrow.
I'm not saying it's going to work, but it's guaranteed they'll appeal ad nauseam.
@WordsmithFL They can try but it happened before he was president.
@WordsmithFL The final payment happened while treason was in the White House.
@WordsmithFL those happened before he was president so, no.
@TrueBloodNet As #MSNBC just pointed out, #Trump signed the checks while he was in the White House.
@WordsmithFL shrugs. He did enough before he won. Idk if it will need retried though
@WordsmithFL it doesn't matter. I should have said. His writing personal checks are not official acts
@WordsmithFL π€’