Trump arraigned to loud protests

Donald J. Trump did appear in the New York State Supreme Court in and for the County of Manhattan yesterday. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg presented thirty-four charges of falsification of business records. To all these charges, Trump pleaded not guilty. This day saw loud protests outside the courthouse, but no attempt to storm it – although several people might have tried to provoke others into bad behavior. But if Trump does not “cross the Rubicon,” others might, in this sense: neither the Democratic Party nor anyone who still supports it, can expect anyone who isn’t a Democrat to accord them any civility. That’s because they themselves have abandoned civility.

Donald Trump appears in court

A motorcade carrying Trump and his advisers arrived at the Manhattan Criminal Courts building at 1:30 p.m. EDT. Earlier this morning Trump expressed doubt he would receive a fair trial in Manhattan.

Very unfair venue, with some areas that voted 1% Republican. This case should be moved to nearby Staten Island – would be a very fair and secure location for the trial. Additionally, the highly partisan judge & his family are well known Trump haters. He was an unfair disaster on a previous Trump related case, wouldn’t recuse, gave horrible jury instructions, & impossible to deal with during the witch hunt trial. His daughter worked for “Kamala” & now the Biden-Harris campaign. Kangaroo court!!!

Earlier he accused Bragg of revealing the substance of the indictment ahead of the arraignment session:

D.A. Bragg just illegally leaked the 33 points of Indictment. There are no changes or surprises from those he leaked days ago directly out of the Grand Jury. No Crime by Trump. What a MESS. Bragg should resign, NOW!

Trump was correct to this degree: the 34 counts of business fraud surprised no one. These charges arise out of an alleged affair with an off-color actress, and an alleged payment to her in the alleged amount of $130,000, a payment Michael Cohen made, for which Trump allegedly reimbursed him.

He entered a plea of Not Guilty. Apparently the New York Police Department refrained from creating the spectacle of a former President in handcuffs and “mug shots.”

Protests, and a sickout

Instead of a “mug shot,” we have this still photograph of Trump and his legal team at a defense table.

We do not have video, because Judge Juan Merchan would not allow live cameras.

A show of support for Trump, and protests against the spectacle of his arraignment, built up for at least eighteen hours before his 2:00 p.m. appearance. Laura Loomer, the night before, interviewed the mother of a former NYPD officer who left the Force on the strength of Bragg’s softness on violent crime. This officer’s colleagues allegedly told him that “blue ‘flu” would break out yesterday.

“Blue ‘flu” refers to officers calling in sick to avoid performing a given mission. In this case, very few officers would have wanted the notoriety of slapping handcuffs on Donald Trump. That could be part of the reason no such spectacle took place. More likely, the District Attorney did not carry any political vindictiveness that far.

Discretion is the better part of valor. Old proverb

Whether “blue ‘flu” did break out, is impossible to determine. But for that matter, the Biden White House had no comment!

Elon Musk put out two tweets indicating tremendous displeasure at the spectacle that did obtain.

And in reply to Senator Charles M. Schumer, D-N.Y., who decried “outside influence” and “intimidation,” Elon said:

That “nepotism” barb is likely a direct reference to the suppression of the Hunter Biden Laptop Story.

This user’s parallel might or might not be authentic:

The D.A. tries to scrub the About page

A curious change took place to the Manhattan D.A.’s About page. Apparently Bragg, or some member of staff, tried to sanitice it.

Whereupon another user proceeded to archive as many of the pages as he could, and upload some content to the Wayback Machine. Herewith his thread:

In response, Jack Posobiec mocked Bragg for a clumsy attempt at sanitization:

In an email that “Poso” obtained, New York City Council President Adrienne Adams addressed security for City Hall:

Crowds started to gather early yesterday morning.

Someone, carrying a cameraman’s boom pole, got into an altercation with a bystander.

No one seems to know who started the fight, or to whom, if anyone, the apparent aggressor is accredited. Also, someone prepared a massive banner – white text on a blue background, reading, “TRUMP LIES ALL THE TIME.” Someone else started to gather it up, and that provoked another fight.

The Timcast channel had more details on the Trump arraignment:

This bullhorn-carrying protester summed up the feelings of the roughlyh 500 people who thronged the street:

Also, someone unfurled this flag in front of the courthouse; no one can be sure what it means:

If this report is accurate, Alvin Bragg is trying to put Trump away for 136 years:

Apparently the NYPD declining to take a mug shot, didn’t stop Trump from mocking one up:

Will Donald Trump win in the end?

Already many people think so. Eli Lake, writing in The Free Press, called the indictment “a dangerous stunt.”

Trump justifies his own flouting of rules because he says the system is rigged against him. Why is Alvin Bragg trying to prove his point?

Joe Hoft, at The Gateway Pundit, has this piece catching Biden blurting out the true purpose of the indictment.

We just have to demonstrate that he will not take power. By, ah, if we, if he does run. Making sure he, ah, under the legitimate efforts of our Constitution does not become the next President again.

This tweet occasioned a dispute within the Community Notes community. At first they suggested it was an AI deepfake. Then they had to admit it was a real moment, though from five months ago.

Niall Stanage, writing in The Hill, tried to suggest these events looked bad for Trump. But even he had to admit that this arraignment changes nothing. He did not exactly quote Shakespeare,

It is a tale / Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing. MacBeth V.v.29-31

But his conclusion is the same as if he had. Even so, it is still incorrect. Trump is excelling in many polls Stanage does not quote, to say nothing of the money he has raised.

That money came from small donations – meaning lots of donors, and votes.