Originally published at: The Art Of The Sentencing - TPM – Talking Points Memo
Hello, it’s the weekend. This is The Weekender 
If Trump’s sentencing hearing happens on its new date of November 26, we’ll know a few things. One, we’ll know how Merchan ruled on Trump’s motion to dismiss. The Supreme Court, Trump’s attorneys have argued, held in the Trump immunity decision that official presidential acts can’t…
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Sceond!
Not sure if I’m more surprised that the place is nearly empty, or that comments are open at 7:45 CDT.
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“So football…that’s not just a thing Travis did last fall for a couple of months—that’s something that’s going to happen again and again?” said a wincing, shuddering Swift
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“It Is What It Is’: Trump-Vance Campaign Shrugs Off Tucker Carlson’s Anti-Semitism
Former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson has been under scrutiny this week over an interview he did with holocaust denier Darryl Cooper. During the interview in question, Cooper suggested that Nazi Germany’s mass murder of Jewish people was an accident and that the millions who were systematically murdered just “ended up dead” at concentration camps because of poor planning.”
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6 million dead in gas chambers and ovens built for death is due to “poor planning”!??
I would not accuse the folks in Germany of planning that poorly. 6 million people do not “just “ended up dead”” without a reason that Churchill had nothing to do with.
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I don’t understand the thinking of those who suggest Merchan will decide to dismiss the case because of the scotus immunity debacle. What about paying hush money to a porn star and trying to cover it up is an official presidential act? How could Merchan decide to dismiss a case after a jury found the defendant guilty on 34 felony counts? Does the prospect of dismissal only come into play if tsf is actually reinstalled in the WH?
I think Merchan will indeed sentence tsf and likely to a least some period of incarceration when Kamala wins the election. Even if tsf squeaks out another electoral college ‘victory’ I think Merchan should sentence him. Put the ball back in scotus’ court so that any shameful decision to wipe the 34 felonies is squarely on the fascist six.
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As someone who’s not a football fan, I empathize with her horror of discovery.
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Trump rants, resurfaces sexual assault allegations for 49 unfocused minutes
WaPo actually tells the story. What is happening in this world.
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Wapo doesn’t like me or my phone because I use an ad blocking browser in a futile attempt to read articles without full page overlays demanding I buy a house or a bra. Or perfume I don’t need. Then they demand I shut off my ad blocker which in this case means … no browser with which to read the goddamned news article.
(((Grumble)))
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My thinking aligns with Popehat’s (Ken White). Judge Merchan is on a fool’s errand.
… them is a sucker’s game.
If it were some Democrat - Biden - there would be calls for blood from the Trumpers. And as for an appeals court reversal? We don’t know that. All we can say about the future is that it hasn’t happened yet. Merchan should’ve taken his best shot, sentenced Trump, let the shit hit the fan, and let the process take its course. Or maybe we’re just not that shining city on a hill after all, but just another backsliding democracy.
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Dogs and cats living together – MASS HYSTERIA!
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It looks like no judge will ever hold TSF to account for even a parking ticket. As he said he could shoot someone on 5th ave and not lose a voter. I would add… or a trial.
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I think WaPo finally saw the light when I canceled my subscription.
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I think I agree with you, if you mean that all the judges who are trying to play by the SCOTUS’ outrageous immunity BS should NOT try…and let the onus fall on SCOTUS to rule again and deal with the mess they’ve made.
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What about one of those overstocks of SUV’s with prices that Tucson seniors are surprised at?
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If the legal basis of evidence has been irredeemably compromised - dismissal could happen.
However the presentation TPM usual mode of either-or seems probably far off-base.
Merchan has shown himself a very careful judge with a strong eye to making sure the record is solid and armored up against appeal. It seems quite likely he takes his time to come address issues in an extensive way.
Patient long-game rather than rushing to sugar-rush is far better.
Merchan is on a legal errand not a political one - the problem is the howling and gnashing of the teeth is based on interpreting Merchan from a partisan and political perspective.
He’s shown great attention to the process record being very well armored up against easy over-turning on appeal and his current action aligns perfectly with that.
While the trial was in process people here were engaging in Internet Speed Drama Comment about him and yet the end-result came in.
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{Sarcasm}
No, no, clearly it was Churchill’s fault. If he hadn’t crossed the floor in 1904 he would have been leader of the Conservatives in 1939 instead of Neville Chamberlin and the Munich agreement would never have been signed. It was all part of his plan to let Hitler rise to power. Obviously Hitler was Churchill’s useful idiot in this whole affair.
{/Sarcasm}
*Sorry Darr I think you could spot the sarcasm, but as we near the elections we’ll be attracting people who aren’t accustomed to that lowest form of mockery.
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[mod edit]
The judgement came in already - and desptie the wailing and hand-wringing during the trial by certain Lefties - Merchan’s “indulgences” in fact were protection against appeal.
Taking time and care to make sure whatever goes forward is difficult to reasonably overturn is a good game - not satisfying to Internet Commentariat addicated to sugar-rush results, but a good game.
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