Trump is being sentenced as I write this. Following along CNN's play by play live blog. I am adding additions from the audio release of the sentencing.
CNN says that Trump's lawyers think that it's a victory after Trump has faced four criminal cases and is still on his way to the presidency. They forget. The Georgia RICO case is not over and there are multiple civil cases against Trump by Capitol policemen who were injured on Jan. 6th. No, he hasn't gotten away with murder.
CNN makes the point that Trump's lawyers think this penalty is less than for a speeding ticket.
Five prosecutors are in the courtroom.
Trump attorney Emil Bove is alone at the defense table.
Emil Bove all alone. Trump and Blanche on the monitor.
Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg enters and sits behind the prosecutors.
Of course he would dishonor the flag with his presence.
Donald Trump shows up on the screen in his usual attire, but with a red striped tie. As I expected, Todd Blanche is there with him, but there is no audio yet.
Trump and Blanche are smiling until Judge Juan Merchan and his court clerks enter. Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass goes first.
Steinglass: His conduct in this case has been characterized as premeditated and continuous deception.
Steinglass says the jury was selected after questioning on both sides and their verdict needs to be respected.
Steinglass then reads Trump the riot act about his conduct outside the trial with his lies and attacks and trying to undermine justice system and convincing others to do the same.
Then Steinglass uses Trump's own words of corrupt, sham, witchhunt and rigged as examples.
Trump has been unrelenting in his attacks on this court, staff, their families, witnesses, grand jury, trial jury, prosecutors and their families. He been held in contempt by other jurors and 10 times in this court.
Trump has threatened retribution against all involved in the case.
Todd Blanche starts with disagreeing with everything Steinglass said and that it should never have been brought in the first place.
He's then again uses Trump's line that because he was elected that the case should never him from brought and that all the people of the United States think the same thing. Well, he's wrong on that one, too.
Then Blanche says the case was only brought after Trump announced his candidacy for president, and that previous prosecutors has passed on filing charges. So, he's saying the whole thing is politically motivated.
Then he uses Trump's line that many, many, many legal experts agree that the case should never have been brought.
A probation report is handed to Emil Bove, and Blanche confirms that he received a copy this morning.
The report caught me by surprise because probation isn't part of the sentence, but they had to do it anyway, like Trump's mugshot in the Georgia case. Procedure.
Judge: Why don't you take some time to look at it.
There are now 4 boxes on the screen for the judge, Trump and Blanche, Bove, and the prosecutors table.
After prosecutor Steinglass reads the report, he says he has nothing to add.
Judge: Let's impose sentence, please.
Prosecutor Steinglass reaffirms the request for an unconditional discharge.
Steinglass: The jury's verdict in this case was unanimous and decisive and it must be respected.
Steinglass then lists all the things that Trump has done post verdict to undermine the jury's decision.
Steinglass says that Trump has shown no remorse for his criminal acts.
Steinglass: He has been unrelenting in his unsubstantiated attacks. This defendant has caused enduring damage to public perception of the criminal justice system.
Steinglass says that the probation officer said that Trump believed he was above the law.
Blanche says that they plan to appeal the verdict.
Blanche: A majority of the American people believe that this case should never have been brought.
Blanche says it's a sad day for Trump, his family and the country.
Trump then starts talking. I didn't think he would say anything until the very end, but he's ready to put his foot in it.
Trump: This has been a very terrible experience. I think it's been a setback for New York and the New York court system. This is a case that Alvin Bragg did not want to bring. It's been a political witchhunt, it was done to damage my reputation.
Then he begins his rant about how the bookkeeping was done and that the notations for legal fees was what the bookkeeper did and that he had nothing to do with it.
He repeats Blanche's assertion that all legal experts and pundits say the case should nevervhave been brought. Well, they're not the prosecutors or the judge. Then he starts naming the "experts."
Then he talks about having won the election by millions and millions of votes, like that has anything at all to do with this case.
Then he talks about evidence that wasn't allowed to be brought in that didn't have anything to do with the case. And also his expert witness, who wasn't an expert.
Trump: I'm totally innocent. I did nothing wrong.
Like the probation officer and Steinglass said, no remorse, no acceptance of the jury verdict.
Trump then refers to his ex-lawyer Michael Cohen.
Trump: He was allowed to talk like he was George Washington, but he's not George Washington.
He complains at length about the gag order that had to be put in place in order to protect people from his supporters wrath. He says that he thinks the gag order is still in place, and the judge never corrects him now or later.
He reruns the line about he's totally innocent he did nothing wrong and that the bookkeeper was the one who put the entries in about it being legal expenses. And he had nothing to do with it. Right. Sure Donald. The bookkeeper didn't write the checks.
Then he goes and starts talking about the fires in California. With all the things that are going on around the world, I get indicted. Whine.
The Department of Justice is to blame for this whole thing. Except they don't have a single thing to do with it. It's the Manhattan district attorney that has prosecuted you.
He says that he shouldn't be here because he won in a landslide in the election. He just can't get it through his head that has nothing to do with crimes that he's committed. Innocence isn't generated by the voters. It's generated by a jury.
And of course he has to call the whole case against him and other cases as being lawfare.
Trump: I've been treated unfairly.
Trump has finished talking.
Judge: Thank you, Mr. Trump.
I like it that Judge Merchan has called him Mr. Trump, not president Trump or president elect Trump or even ex-president Trump.
Judge: Never before has this court been presented with such a unique and remarkable set of circumstances.
Once the courtroom doors were closed, this case was no different than the 32 other criminal trials taking place in this building.
Judge Merchan says that the powers of the president are not able to erase a jury verdict.
Judge: It's the legal protections afforded to the office of President of the United States that are extraordinary, not the occupant of that office. Ordinary citizens do not receive those protections, it is the Office of the President that bestows those to the office holder. It is the citizenry of this nation that recently decided that you should once again receive the benefits of those protections.
He then talks about the rule of law and how he is allowed to do the unconditional discharge on the first degree felony of falsified business records.
He finishes giving Trump the sentence and ends with, "Sir, I wish you Godspeed as you assume your second term in office."
Blanch and Trump. who is Trump pointing his finger at?
Any other convicted felon not serving jail time would be getting probation. They would have to check with the probation officer on a regular basis.
It didn't take long for Trump to rant on Truth Social, once more.
He starts off saying that radical Democrats have lost another witch hunt. Not so, Mr. Trump. The price you are paying is far too little for what you should be getting, but it is something.
Of course, he had to blame Biden and Harris. Just the day before, he was sitting right next to them. But Jimmy Carter's funeral means nothing to him, or any sense of decorum.
Then he claims that the unconditional discharge proves there was no case. Then why did a jury convict you and you just got sentenced? Notice he never uses the word "sentence" in his rant.
And then he goes and violates the gag order, which I assume is still in place. Insulting the judge and then calling Michael Cohen a serial perjurer. He's allowed to insult the judge. I have no idea why the judge didn't make that part of the gag order. And of course because he's already called it a witch hunt, he has to call it a hoax. Once again his MANDATE excuses all his crimes he has committed and will commit in the future. He thinks he has a blanket pardon to shoot somebody on 5th Avenue.
The only thing he's right about is this was the most consequential election in history. Where is H.G. Wells when you need him for his time machine to go back and fix this?
Judge Merchan could easily cite him for contempt of court. He's still got 10 days to do that when Trump shoots off his mouth, like he has already.
All credit to CNN for their live blog.
Here's the audio of the hearing.
