Consider The Source

These are the times when my first thought is about the people who continue to support this fool, and how they have to suspend decency, morality, truth, integrity and rationality to somehow justify it. It’s a religion, with Trump as a deity whose infallibility can’t be questioned. pic.twitter.com/1dFR6u2769

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) June 27, 2023

I think John Barron "leaked" it.*

Probably a good time to remind people that as SDNY was about to obtain access to the recording Michael Cohen made of Trump ordering a hush payment (which will be used in NYS trial), Trump released it preemptively.

— emptywheel (@emptywheel) June 27, 2023

One more point: Trump INDEPENDENTLY has this recording -- it was recorded by his employee for his benefit, and after she was asked about it, lawyers reviewed it.

But Trump will be prohibited from leaking stuff he ONLY obtained thru discovery.

— emptywheel (@emptywheel) June 27, 2023

I have to add here that “religion” is a maligned and misapplied excuse for explaining the behavior of people whose lived experiences we can’t be bothered to try to understand.

It’s true I think that fulfilling his rock star dreams with endless rallies created ad hoc communities in a way few politicians have ever achieved. And unlike, say, a huge Obama rally, the message is always you are very special victims to reinforce that bond. https://t.co/n8u5wwoM2Q

— Schooley (@Rschooley) June 27, 2023

I’m not trying to excuse them, but the problem here doesn’t originate in some reductive definition of “religion.” I mention this also because there’s another issue about Trump’s pre-trial behavior we need to pay attention to:

All I can say is, every criminal defendant in America would have their pretrial release revoked immediately if they told people to harass the friends and family members of the person prosecuting them. Every one. But this is Donald Trump, so he gets special treatment yet again.

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) June 27, 2023

Trump is already screaming “ELECTION INTERFERENCE!”. He’d just turn up the volume on his First Amendment rights, and have pundits and Washington reporters wondering aloud if he was right. After all, he’s a rich white man with a megaphone 📣. Is that really a special privilege for a criminal defendant?

It is a two-tiered justice system. And we like it like that.

*Exhibit “A”. The thing speaks for itself.

Deranged Florida man seems a bit worried tonight.

He’s toast, and he knows it. pic.twitter.com/CTQEkVzxKT

— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) June 27, 2023