Stormy Days

In all the kerfuffle and hullabaloo over 'Stormy Gate' in the USA, many of Donald Trumps supporters have completely lost the point of (all) the charges Trump faces.

New York Post Headline 2018 Trumps Love Child

Its not that a doorman, who alleged that Trump has a "love child" was paid $30,000 by the National Enquirer (a US tabloid whose then publisher David Pecker, was/is a long-time ally of Mr Trump), for an exclusive, and then didn't print the story, so squashing it.

It's not that in 2007, he allegedly had a one night stand (not exactly an 'Affair' really) with 'Stormy Daniels' an adult film entertainer, when he was married at the time, nor is it that he allegedly had a similar 'affair' with former Playboy model Karen McDougal, also when he was married (Trump denies both 'affairs' ... and I should imagine both women intensely regret it).

Nous Avons des Regrets (Ms Daniels Myspace.com)

Neither Ms McDougal nor Ms Daniels had requested any payment from Trump. In 2016 Ms McDougal sold her exclusive story to the National Enquirer (apparently unaware that the publisher was a Trump ally), for $150,000 ... the publisher then apparently squashed the story as it was never printed. Ms McDougal has since said that she was effectively tricked into silence about the sexual relationship by the Trump ally.

Similarly in 2016, Ms Daniels merely tried to sell her story to another publisher, in a manner that is not unknown in history (The Duke of Wellington was once faced with a similar situation with a well-known courtesan, who was publishing her memoirs in which he was named. His response, when approached about a payment to remove his name, was "Publish and be dammed").

It's not even because he allegedly instructed his lawyer to pay off Ms Daniels (real name Stephanie Clifford) with a cheque for $130,000 (£105,000) ... in what is sometimes referred to as hush money. Because none of these actions are actually criminal offences, although they do indicate a lot about the character of Mr Trump.

No, the 'criminal charges' are because he allegedly passed off the payment made to Ms Daniels by Mr Cohen, his lawyer, by saying that the repayment of that $130,000 that he then made to Mr Cohen, was actually for legal fees, and these repayments were then charged to his Presidential campaign fund as legitimate fees. So he faces charges for spending this money to help a presidential campaign, and then by not disclosing it correctly, he has violated federal campaign finance law. 

Michael Cohen has since said that he made the payment to Ms Daniels at Mr Trump's direction, and that he was repaid the money he had given to Ms Daniels, in a series of payments from both the Trump trust, and Trumps personal accounts ... these Mr Cohen confirmed were indeed listed as 'legal fees'. In all he faces 34 felony charges of falsifying business records in the first degree.

It should be noted that its likely that other US presidents and Presidential candidates have used non-disclosure agreements, when paying people to stop personal embarrassing information leaking ... but its how they accounted for any payments made, that differentiate them from Trump i.e. they didn't attempt to hide the money used as legitimate presidential campaign costs.

Of course, many of the serious nut cases who follow every word of Trump, don't understand any of this legal stuff ... so they are now bombarding Ms Daniels and her family with death threats. Apparently free of any fear of legal action by the police or FBI. This situation is not helped by sections of the media (including our woke BBC), continually describing her as 'porn star Stormy Daniels,' despite her not using that demeaning and derogatory term to describe herself (how differently would she be treated if she was a man describing himself as a woman ... no 'he's' in the reports, but plenty of 'she's' ... what hypocrites they all are) .... the continual use of the term 'porn star' before her name, almost makes it look like her testimony and word are not as valid as someone who is not described as a 'porn star'.

Ms Daniels has further claimed that Trump is actively stoking up the threats to her and her family, in his often reckless and sometimes derogatory social media posts (he has referred to her as 'horseface') ... “it’s especially scary because Trump himself is inciting violence and encouraging it". No one has been arrested for the threats to her safety, including Mr Trump.

The irony is, of course, that Trump is likely to face only a fine for these white collar accounting offences, and will likely benefit in the short term in his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, as his hardcore support rally round him ... convinced by him that its a witch-hunt. While Ms Daniels may well face a security threat for years to come, merely for having written about a brief sexual encounter with the morally bankrupt Trump. However she is made of tough stuff, and when asked if she was afraid of being in the same courtroom as Trump when testifying against him, Daniels quipped to The Times: "I've seen him naked. There's no way he could be scarier with his clothes on."

But who says that real justice will be served? In another sad irony, Ms Daniels has also just been told by a federal appeals court to pay Trump’s lawyers over a further $121,000 in legal fees (on top of the more than $500,000 in court-ordered payments to Trump attorneys, that she’s already been ordered to pay), stemming from her ill advised and failed defamation suit against the former president.

Stormy days lie ahead for Ms Daniels .....

Minor Update 25/03/2024:

Today, a New York appeals court judge has granted Trump's request to stay the $464m judgement in his civil fraud case. The deadline was today. That means he now has 10 days to pay a reduced bond of $175m. 

In a series of Truth Social posts this morning. Trump said that there "should be no FINE. I did nothing wrong. Why should I be forced to sell my 'babies, because a corrupt New York judge and AG [Attorney General] set a fake and ridiculous number?"

Judge Arthur Engoron had previously ordered Trump to pay $354m in fines, for falsely inflating the value of his assets. The total figure soared because of interest he must also pay on the fine. Whether the Judge will appreciate being publicly labelled 'a corrupt New York judge' we will no doubt find out.

Trump is also at a hearing today for his criminal case over the way he handled the so-called hush money paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels .... whether this hearing sets a trial date depends on whether the judge accepts any of Trumps lawyers submissions to delay a date being set. However as Trump has publicly attacked the judge's daughter, calling her a "Rabid Trump Hater" the tone has been set for a fiery courtroom battle ..... the irony being that Trump was a card carrying New York Democrat for several decades, before he hijacked the Republican Party for his own advantage a decade ago..

But the trial date is now set for the 15th of April 2024 ... a month after it was originally slated to start. It's doubtful that even the embarrassment of being the 1st ex-President to ever face a public Criminal Court case, will quell his supporters, but it may decide waverers to vote against him.

There are some who question the strength of the prosecution's case as it involves some novel approaches but if convicted it would mark a new electoral low because it would be the first time a felon has run for president as a major-party nominee.

Personally, I think its acutely embarrassing to see the lack of dignitas that Mr Trump exhibits as an ex and potential future President of the USA ... can you imagine either of the Bush's, Eisenhower, Reagan, Lincoln, etc, or even Nixon acting like he does? Remember, he still has three more possible court cases to face, and those would likely be heard (as he is trying to get them all delayed or dismissed) whilst he was the sitting President should he win in November.

Finally the BBC have apparently thought better about describing Ms Daniels 'a porn star' and now use the term 'adult film actress' ....