@Wipqozn maybe i'm being cynical but that sounds like he's talking down to the jury

but he's right, hush money isn't illegal. it is illegal though to use campaign money for hush money like that and attempt to cover it up

it's like going "Spoiler Alert: owning a gun isn't illegal" and the defendant is on trial for gunning someone down with a gun

> "Michael Cohen paying Stormy Daniels — or Stephanie Clifford — in return for her agreeing not to publicly spread false claims, false claims against President Trump, is not illegal," Blanche said.

and if they were fake, why reward them?

like big brain moment here, what would stop them making up another claim and getting more money since they know they can get paid that way

like the fact Trump (and his lawyers) will continue to claim they paid hush money for claims that are false is idiotic....and yet people believe that

No ruling yet, but by all accounts the contempt hearing on Trump's posts that (the prosecution claims) violate his order did not go well for Trump's side

sample: Toward the end of the proceeding Trump's attorney Blanch says "we are trying to comply with this gag order, Trump is being very careful." Merchan (the judge) cuts in and says "You're losing all credibility with the court, I'll tell you right now."

(for live-tweets of the proceeding, follow @TylerMcBrien and/or @KlasfeldReports on the site formerly known as twitter)

Waiting on the judge to return to resume testimony for today

The vast ravines swallowing whole neighbourhoods around the world bbc.com/news/resources/idt-61d57e25-d458-4785-8a37-3ef119a504c7

testimony is done for the day. At one point, David Pecker testified that he told one of his reporters that "the arrangement needed to stay a secret because it was being carried out to help Trump's campaign"

"The arrangement", of course, being the National Inquirer would publish good stuff about Trump, bad stuff about his opponents, and would look out for (and bury) negative stories about Trump

we're still not quite up to the Stormy Daniels stuff, we're still on details of "the arrangement" including the two other stores bought and buried before the election

So all in all, pretty good evidence of "the conspiracy" part of the story, which is the piece that escalates this from a paperwork misdemeanor into an actual felony. (obviously, we haven't seen a cross-examination, nor have we seen a presentation by the defense)

Court adjourned till Thursday (this judge takes Wednesdays off)

@BradC Tabloids really need to die

FTC Announces Rule Banning Noncompetes

> existing noncompetes for the vast majority of workers will no longer be enforceable after the rule’s effective date. Existing noncompetes for senior executives - who represent less than 0.75% of workers - can remain in force under the FTC’s final rule, but employers are banned from entering into or attempting to enforce any new noncompetes, even if they involve senior executives.

@Unionhawk This is great news