Podcast Summary
Manhattan DA's delay in charging Trump could be strategic: Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's decision to delay charging Trump for financial fraudulent valuations could provide valuable insights, put pressure on Trump, and secure stronger evidence against him.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's decision not to file charges against Donald Trump for financial fraudulent valuations just yet may be a brilliant move. During his 7-hour deposition with New York Attorney General Letitia James, Trump reportedly discussed a range of topics. This prolonged testimony provides valuable insights for Bragg, allowing him to gather more information and build a stronger case against Trump. Bragg inherited three Trump Organization matters when he took office, one of which resulted in a felony conviction against the Trump Organization and Allen Weisselberg. The other two investigations, including the civil case led by James, had not yet matured into cases. Bragg's decision to wait before bringing the case to a grand jury could be a strategic move, giving him more time to prepare and potentially securing stronger evidence against Trump. This approach also puts pressure on Trump and his legal team, who may become more forthcoming with information or make mistakes that could benefit the investigation. The longer Trump's deposition transcript remains under wraps, the more valuable it becomes for Bragg's team. Overall, Bragg's patience and strategic approach could prove to be a winning move in the high-stakes game of investigating Trump's financial dealings.
Manhattan DA considering criminal charges against Trump in two cases: The Manhattan DA's office is examining two cases against Donald Trump: one involving manipulated asset valuations and another regarding payment to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election.
The Manhattan District Attorney's office under Alvin Bragg is currently considering criminal charges against Donald Trump based on two distinct cases. The first case revolves around Trump's business dealings and the valuation of his assets. Trump had previously manipulated the value of his assets for financial gain, such as securing loans or reducing tax liabilities. Two assistant DAs believed this case was ready for presentation to the grand jury. However, the Southern District and the DOJ had requested that the Stormy Daniels case be put on hold, allowing this case to mature and be handed over to Bragg's office. The second case involves Trump's payment to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election and potential election interference. This case had not been indicted by Cy Vance but was passed on to Bragg as it had reached maturity.
DA Bragg's strategic wait for evidence in Trump case: Bragg's decision to wait for more evidence before charging Trump proved beneficial, allowing civil case progression and Trump's testimony
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's decision to wait for more evidence before bringing charges against former President Donald Trump in a criminal case related to Stormy Daniels hush money payments proved to be a strategic move. Bragg, who had only been in office for a short time when the case was being prepared, wanted to ensure he had sufficient evidence before making a high-profile indictment. Two senior prosecutors on the case, Carrie Dunn and Mark Pomerantz, resigned due to frustration with the delay, and Pomerantz later wrote a book criticizing Bragg's handling of the case. Trump, who had previously invoked the Fifth Amendment during a deposition in the civil case, answered questions for over seven hours in the criminal case, providing answers that could now be used against him. By waiting, Bragg allowed the civil case to progress, ultimately leading to Trump's responses, which could prove crucial in any potential criminal trial. Despite criticism and controversy, Bragg maintained his stance, emphasizing that he was simply "pressing pause" on the criminal case and not abandoning it altogether.
DA Alvin Bragg strategically waited for criminal charges against Trump in Stormy Daniels case: Bragg waited for Stormy Daniels case to mature in civil court to gather more evidence and strengthen criminal case, avoiding potential derailment by Trump's lawyers
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg strategically waited before bringing criminal charges against Donald Trump in the Stormy Daniels case. By allowing the case to mature and proceed in civil court, Bragg was able to gather more evidence, including Trump's own words, and potentially strengthen his criminal case. Additionally, Bragg could not be stopped by Trump's attempts to derail the trial, which was set to take place in October 2023. If Bragg had brought criminal charges earlier based on the same underlying facts, Trump's lawyers could have filed a motion to stay the case pending the criminal proceedings. However, since there was no active criminal case, such a motion would not be granted. Bragg's approach allowed him to focus on the broader financial fraud case against the Trump Organization, which resulted in 17 felony convictions, and avoid being derailed by the Stormy Daniels case.
Invoking 5th Amendment in civil cases can lead to adverse inference: Invoking 5th Amendment in civil cases may be detrimental as it could lead to an adverse inference and potential loss of evidence, unlike criminal cases where it protects against self-incrimination
In a civil case, invoking the 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination can lead to an adverse inference, meaning the jury can infer that the person or entity refusing to answer questions is hiding something relevant to the case. This is unlike criminal cases where the 5th Amendment cannot be used to prevent civil discovery. In the case of Donald Trump, he testified in a civil case to avoid this adverse inference and potentially save his business from being shut down. If his lawyers had followed their initial plan, they could have derailed the New York Attorney General's case and prevented the acquisition of critical evidence. Therefore, it's essential to consider the long-term consequences of legal strategies and understand the unique rules of civil and criminal cases.
Discussing the Manhattan DA's office and its continued excellence: The Manhattan DA's office is renowned for its excellence and is expected to continue thriving under DA Bragg. Effective prosecution plays a crucial role in the legal system.
Learning from this conversation between Ben Mycellus and Karen Freeman Ignifolo on their podcast LegalAF, is their shared pride in the Manhattan DA's office and its continued excellence under DA Bragg. The Manhattan DA's office is known as one of the best state and local prosecutors offices in the country, and the hosts are confident that it will continue to thrive. They encourage listeners to subscribe to their podcast and YouTube channel, and aim to reach 1.5 million subscribers by summer. Overall, the conversation highlights the importance and impact of effective prosecution in the legal system.
