'Squealing like a pig': Paul Begala flattens conservatives whining that Trump indictment is 'political'

[RileyHawk]

Yes he does lie a lot. But if not under oath it’s not a crime. And why Cohen who one of 8 things he pleaded was lying doesn’t make him the greatest witness. Or should say one a good defense team will attack credibility wise. Again one of major hurdles they face.

LOL - many criminal cases have testimony from other convicted criminals. Look at all the mob trials. The jury will determine credibility based on their testimony and other evidence fitting together.

 

[mnole03]

Sure, Biden may only have a few years left in his life after he leaves the white house, but if I were him, I wouldn't be planning any business dealings that affect, or travel passing through, places like, say, Oklahoma, Mississippi, or Idaho. believe it or not, they have ambitious local prosecutors too. I'm quite dismissive of feamongering around "civil unrest," but I have to say, long term, I woke up a little less so today.

This is a ridiculous argument. New York City isn’t some random municipality. It’s where Trump lived and based his business. It’s the jurisdiction he chose.

 

[Aardvark86]

This is a ridiculous argument. New York City isn’t some random municipality. It’s where Trump lived and based his business. It’s the jurisdiction he chose.

It’s not an argument. It’s merely a prediction.

 

[tarheelbybirth]

Yes he does lie a lot. But if not under oath it’s not a crime. And why Cohen who one of 8 things he pleaded was lying doesn’t make him the greatest witness. Or should say one a good defense team will attack credibility wise. Again one of major hurdles they face.

I never said it was a crime...I was responding to the quote from the lawyer who called his lies "cryptic". And if Cohen can have his testimony impeached for lying, Trump better not take the stand.

 

[Tom Paris]

Seriously. Both sides do it. I’m sure you think GOP attacking Hunter biden is political. Which to certain degrees is. It works both ways. Guy literally campaigned on going after him after how many before him wouldn’t touch the case.

Both sides!!!

 

[lucas80]

I'm all for whatever it takes to derail his '24 bid, but it's going to take a LOT more than a Democrat strategist to convince me this isn't political.

Don't be so gullible.

So, the grand jury was in on it?

 

[lucas80]

While I have substantial disagreement with the candidates who pay his bills, and have no love loss for schills of either party, I have to say, Begala is actually a pretty good egg. Son went to school with his kid. He regularly supported school activities, as well as school masses, etc. and not in a way that said "look at me" (like Erik Prince kinda did when my son went to school with his kid).

On this one...let's not ignore the political reality of this particular episode. It is what it is. And sure, the same can be said for Clinton's impeachment, and for Trump's impeachment, and on and on. But with that said, I'll just lay out my general thinking here, and I probably won't respond or jump into the basic thread on this which i'm sure by now is a cesspool. Regardless of how big a scumbag a guy may be, you probably don't indict a former president, particularly one who may be a future candidate, for a state/local crime under a general statute, that is bootstrapping a bit of a weaker federal claim, in a highly partisan jurisdiction, unless said president is livestreaming himself ****ing a sheep or goat. The simple reality is that this will be incredibly divisive - maybe even dangerously so - for short term reasons which are unlikely to significantly advance public policies. And if you think countries in Europe aren't actually wondering whether we're really South Sudan in disguise, well...think again. Beyond that, for as bad as impeachments have been, this opens up a real pandora's box with respect to the weaponization of local criminal law in politics that, in a world of significant whataboutism, is not going to lead anywhere good. Sure, Biden may only have a few years left in his life after he leaves the white house, but if I were him, I wouldn't be planning any business dealings that affect, or travel passing through, places like, say, Oklahoma, Mississippi, or Idaho. believe it or not, they have ambitious local prosecutors too. I'm quite dismissive of feamongering around "civil unrest," but I have to say, long term, I woke up a little less so today.

Got it. Don’t prosecute criminals. That’s all you had to say. Trump is a private citizen, not a president. If Biden turns into a mob boss, then prosecute him, too.

 

[Joes Place]

Give me a break. Drop the sanctimonious BS that only one side is virtuous.

I never said the Dems were "virtuous".

They simply hold their own accountable, and to the Rule of Law. That is explicitly NOT what the GOP does.

 

[Joes Place]

Difference between a pass and actually using time and resources on a case worth while.

Cohen was charged and imprisoned based on these same actions.

Is he "prosecutable", but Trump is not?

Explain.

 

[Joes Place]

I'm all for whatever it takes to derail his '24 bid, but it's going to take a LOT more than a Democrat strategist to convince me this isn't political.

So, the entire grand jury was "liberal Dems out to get Trump"

Do I have your take here correct?

 

[Joes Place]

Yes and dealing with campaign finance. Again look at cohen’s only 1 of those in same spectrum. My point is he didn’t go to jail for just one thing. Multitude.

....and the reporting on Trump's case is there are 34 counts.

"Multitude", in case you don't understand that part.

 

[Joes Place]

She starts by acknowledging that she doesn’t know what evidence the AG has.

If it’s flimsy, Bragg’s an idiot.

The fact that Republicans are fighting this without knowing the evidence tells you everything you need to know about them. What if Cohen recorded their conversations about this?

Pecker has receipts, too....

 

[THE_DEVIL]

DA Bragg whose track record is very weak on prosectibg felonies

link?

 

[franklinman]

This is a ridiculous argument. New York City isn’t some random municipality. It’s where Trump lived and based his business. It’s the jurisdiction he chose.

They didn't call him Corrupt Filthy Don for nothing, he earned it.

 

[Titanhawk2]

""No!" Begala shot back. "If they were every one of those Republican politicians needs to be asked this what did you say when Michael Cohen was prosecuted for the same crime?"

Cohen plead guilty to tax evasion, lying to a financial institution and making illegal political contributions. I don't believe any of those are what Trump is being charged with

 

[mnole03]

""No!" Begala shot back. "If they were every one of those Republican politicians needs to be asked this what did you say when Michael Cohen was prosecuted for the same crime?"

Cohen plead guilty to tax evasion, lying to a financial institution and making illegal political contributions. I don't believe any of those are what Trump is being charged with

The money to Stormy Horseface was an illegal political contribution.

 

[Joes Place]

link?

DA Bragg's track record is very weak on prosectibg felonies

 

[Joes Place]

""No!" Begala shot back. "If they were every one of those Republican politicians needs to be asked this what did you say when Michael Cohen was prosecuted for the same crime?"

Cohen plead guilty to tax evasion, lying to a financial institution and making illegal political contributions. I don't believe any of those are what Trump is being charged with

The actions are tied together with what Trump will be charged with.

 

[tumorboy]

I'm all for whatever it takes to derail his '24 bid, but it's going to take a LOT more than a Democrat strategist to convince me this isn't political.

Don't be so gullible.

It can be political and also be illegal. It's not binary. The DA isn't charging him without crimes present. So it isn't 💯 political.

 

[timinatoria]

I still love that movie.

 

[BGHAWK]

trumpies feel comfortable that all Bragg has is Cohen's testimony. Big shock coming.

 

[ft254]

Difference between a pass and actually using time and resources on a case worth while. legal scholars on both sides of the aisle saying it’s a weak case with lot of obstacles. Hence politically motivated. So yeah they can waste their time on a case where they face an uphill climb with odds against them . (Which if you read legal aspects of it they do) Meanwhile they continue to go soft on violent criminals in the district.

No one has seen the indictment for christs sake. Speculation is 30 counts. So, legal eagle, provide us with details of the "worthwhilelessness" of this process. And right-wing nuts, the overall crime rate has not radically changed in NYC. Try as Stupid TV attempts to portray otherwise by running subway station video loops to trick their idiot viewers into thinking they are actually seeing real-time action. As well as the other lies they have been duping their viewers for decades.

 

[tarheelbybirth]

""No!" Begala shot back. "If they were every one of those Republican politicians needs to be asked this what did you say when Michael Cohen was prosecuted for the same crime?"

Cohen plead guilty to tax evasion, lying to a financial institution and making illegal political contributions. I don't believe any of those are what Trump is being charged with

He lied to a financial institution to obtain the hush money. That money was reimbursed by Trump. There is a direct line there. The illegal campaign contribution was to who? Trump is simply on the other side of the crimes for which Cohen was convicted. Are you now going to claim that Trump can use Cohen to obtain a loan illegally to carry out a crime and be guilty of nothing?

 

[FAUlty Gator]

I'm reading this and scratching my head. No, this isn't the most egregious thing Trump is accused of...but his co-conspirator did time for his involvement. How is Trump above the law here? And then she says things like this:

Trump claims he has “never met” people whom he clearly has, which can be a cryptic statement.

There's nothing remotely "cryptic" about that. If he says he never met someone and there is clear evidence he DID, then he's lying. He lies...a lot.

You weren’t there. You don’t know.

 

[tarheelbybirth]

You weren’t there. You don’t know.

Where is the statement of fact, dumbass? Are you going to claim Trump doesn't lie a lot? You REALLY have no idea what you're talking about. You should stop. You're desperately flailing and you look like an idiot.

 

[iahawkeyes17]

No one has seen the indictment for christs sake. Speculation is 30 counts. So, legal eagle, provide us with details of the "worthwhilelessness" of this process. And right-wing nuts, the overall crime rate has not radically changed in NYC. Try as Stupid TV attempts to portray otherwise by running subway station video loops to trick their idiot viewers into thinking they are actually seeing real-time action. As well as the other lies they have been duping their viewers for decades.

Ok crime hasn’t gone up, lol. Here it is from both sides of the aisle.

Major Crimes Rose 22 Percent in New York City, Even as Shootings Fell

Homicides fell last year to their lowest level since 2019, before the pandemic, but other categories of crime, including robbery and burglary, drove the overall increase compared with 2021.

www.nytimes.com

NYC saw record levels of felony crimes last year, most in over 15 years

Mayor Adams, a former cop who ran a public safety platform, repeatedly dismissed concerns of crime as a “perception” created by the city’s media.

nypost.com

And argument wasn’t on crime which has gone up it’s about DA being soft on it.

Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg has downgraded over half of felony cases

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has downgraded more than half of his felony cases to misdemeanors since taking office on January 1 as crime continues to escalate in the Big Apple.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[IowaPackFan]

Is it political? Is it not political? Does any of us really know?

 

[Firekirknow]

Trump could shoot someone in the middle of 5th Ave. republicans would say prosecution was politically motivated

 

[noleclone2]

The rabid defense of a guy who ****ed a porn star while his wife was home pregnant with his son and then later had her paid off to stay quiet to run for President and then as president paid the guy who paid her off back illegally is amazing from the moral authority of the right.

The bulk of the new GOP is the biggest bunch of hypocrites anywhere at anytime. A bunch of people who think they are great Christians, true Patriots, and morally superior people and yet follow not at all the teachings of Christ, are treasonous to federal government and live largely amoral lives.

 

[ironside1]

Seriously. Both sides do it. I’m sure you think GOP attacking Hunter biden is political. Which to certain degrees is. It works both ways. Guy literally campaigned on going after him after how many before him wouldn’t touch the case.

How many?

 

[ironside1]

It’s not an argument. It’s merely a prediction.

Please let us know when you were right. This is a ridiculous thought.

 

[mnole03]

The rabid defense of a guy who ****ed a porn star while his wife was home pregnant with his son and then later had her paid off to stay quiet to run for President and then as president paid the guy who paid her off back illegally is amazing from the moral authority of the right.

The bulk of the new GOP is the biggest bunch of hypocrites anywhere at anytime. A bunch of people who think they are great Christians, true Patriots, and morally superior people and yet follow not at all the teachings of Christ, are treasonous to federal government and live largely amoral lives.

And he still denies sleeping with her.

 

[tarheelbybirth]

The money to Stormy Horseface was an illegal political contribution.

And then the person who made the payment - using illegally obtained funds - was "paid off" to cover it up.