Judge pressing jurors to see if they are impartial

[Dill]

(04-16-2024, 06:49 PM)Nately120 Wrote: I have to ask, if this whole affair was such a nothingburger, why did Trump go through the trouble of paying $130k in hush money, and doing it in a manner that is so not on the level that it got his accomplice got what, 3 years for it?  Aren't there legal ways to pay hush money?  And isn't it interesting that of all the 'out in the open" affairs and dishonor of his marriages that Trump pulled over the decades this was the one he apparently wasn't openly proud of?  Ah well, we shall see what shakes out.

It's not the hush money that is illegal; it is the election fraud.

I think back in 2016, Trump's power simply wasn't consolidated to the degree it is now.
Many GOP politicians would have openly criticized him and withdrawn support.
Hard to believe in 2024, with his party in lock step behind him. No more "mavericks."

He'd have lost SOME voters back then, if he'd shot someone on 5th Avenue.  
So paying the hush money made sense, and probably worked.
Also, he still had to go home to Melania, who's likely not happy to
be so publicly shamed.

A few months into his win though, all such danger was past. He was able to stop investigation
into the hush money and undo convictions of cronies like Flynn. Four years later he was
able convince millions the election had been stolen and attempt a coup
--the attempt to circumvent democracy increasing his popularity.

Now, out of office, his party control makes him the most powerful player in the House.
Despite his very open and brazen use of the DOJ to punish enemies and quash investigations,
--before even the attempted coup--all the Buzz now is how Biden weaponized the DOJ.
And we'll have the proof soon. Very soon.