After recent developments in the Southern District of New York (SDNY) case involving longtime Trump attorney Michael Cohen, the mainstream media is rife with stories about how the fallout from the Cohen case could expose Trump to criminal liability and possible impeachment proceedings
Almost all the reporting from the mainstream media seems to indicate that by directing Michael Cohen to pay hush money to adult film star Stephanie Clifford(aka Stormy Daniels) and Playboy model Karen McDougal, Trump’s only criminal liability is felony campaign law violation. This idea that Trump is only looking at campaign law violations in regards to Michael Cohen has become so prevalent that the usual Trump defenders have already crafted a defense for him–the “intent” defense.Â
Trump’s defenders are already out there making the argument, a very credible one, that in order to convict on a campaign law violation, the prosecution will have to prove intent–in this case, that Trump ordered Cohen to make the hush payments for campaign purposes. Trump’s lawyers will obviously counter that he ordered the payments to shield his family, especially his wife Melania from embarrassment–a very good defense, albeit untrue.Â
Remember in criminal cases in order to obtain a conviction, the prosecution has to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. Here any reasonable person would agree that Trump’s lawyers can create enough reasonable doubt as to his intent in ordering the hush payments, to beat the case. This is precisely why Trump loyalists are already downplaying his potential campaign law violations. Â
What is shockingly left out of the mainstream media coverage however, that should greatly worry Trump loyalists is the fact that in regards to Michael Cohen, campaign law violations are Trump’s least problems. Trump’s real criminal liability in regards to Michael Cohen come in the form of bank fraud, money laundering and wire fraud–all very serious felonies which if New York prosecutors can present evidence of, will almost certainly lead to his impeachment and removal from office. You don’t have to take Yours Truly’s word for it, just listen to what former FBI Assistant Director for Counter Intelligence Frank Figluzzi said on MSNBC’s Deadline White House show. The full Deadline White House segment is available here but the relevant clip is below.
Figliuzzi told Deadline White House host Nicolle Wallace; “…He[Trump] was directing this activity allegedly and the activity is far more Nicolle than simply trying to keep women quiet that you had an affair with. We are talking about directing things like bank fraud, money laundering, wire fraud……” Folks, if the Southern District of New York prosecutors can present evidence that Trump either did or directed Cohen to commit bank fraud, money laundering or wire fraud, serious felonies often associated with organized crime, you can rest assured that GOP Senators Collins, Rubio, Sasse, Murkowski and others will join the Democrats in removing him from office. Given the fact that Cohen has been cooperating, there’s a very good chance that SDNY prosecutors already have evidence of bank fraud, money laundering and wire fraud.Â
Bottom line folks, contrary to the characterizations you are hearing from the mainstream media, this Michael Cohen story is deadly serious and is about much more than campaign finance violations. Trump faces a very real possibility of impeachment and removal from office because of potential bank fraud, wire fraud and money laundering cases that can be made against him as a result of Michael Cohen’s cooperation with SDNY.
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