In what can only be described as a courtroom drama worthy of prime-time television, the case against former President Trump orchestrated by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg hit an early snag. People, grab your popcorn because this is the kind of twist that even M. Night Shyamalan couldn’t see coming.
The bone of contention was none other than the infamous Hollywood Access tape, where Trump engaged in what he famously dismissed as “locker room talk.” Alvin Bragg, in his pursuit to paint Trump with the broadest brush of villainy possible, wanted to showcase this clip as Exhibit A of Trump’s derogatory views toward women. The goal? To strengthen his case for business fraud over a hush money payment sent to an adult film star. But here’s where it gets juicy: District Judge Juan Merchan wasn’t having any of it.
Judge Merchan, in a move that must have had Bragg’s team spitting out their morning coffee, ruled that the tape was too prejudicial to be shown to the jury. In essence, he said, “Sure, you can talk about it, but showing it? That’s a no-go.” It’s like telling a kid they can have candy, but only if they don’t actually enjoy eating it. The judge acknowledged the salacious nature of the evidence but drew the line at playing the tape, highlighting the potential prejudice of seeing Trump in action versus merely hearing about it.
Another piece of evidence that got the axe was a video from E. Jean Carroll’s defamation case against Trump, where she claimed he sexually assaulted her decades ago. This one-two punch of evidence denial surely has Bragg’s team scrambling for a Plan B.
Meanwhile, Trump, ever the showman, isn’t just sitting around twiddling his thumbs. He’s turned his court appearance into a rallying cry, painting himself as a martyr fighting for the freedom of the American people against a Democratic machine hell-bent on silencing his supporters. His message is clear: “They’re not coming after me, they’re coming after you.”
And let’s not overlook the fundraising prowess of Team Trump. A recent Mar-a-Lago shindig raked in a cool $50 million for his defense fund, doubling what a Biden fundraiser with Obama and Clinton managed to pull in. If politics is a game, then Trump is playing 4D chess while everyone else is stuck on checkers.
So, what’s the takeaway from this latest courtroom saga? It seems that in the battle between Trump and Bragg, it’s not just about legal strategies or evidence. It’s a full-blown media spectacle, with both sides playing to the court of public opinion. In the world of politics and law, the only predictable thing is unpredictability.