‘TARGETED’ REMINDER + BREAKER — Bette’s Happy Hour Will Be Celebrating Trump’s Latest Target Letter with Special Guest Martin Sheil
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Our weekly wellness checkins for global newsies is today at noon California time. As is often the case, they turn into celebrations with our pro-democracy community when news good breaks. In addition, we are often joined by special guests. Such is the case today — ex-fed Martin Sheil will be joining us to offer his thoughts on Trump receiving a second target letter regarding his criminal attempts to overthrow our country. In addition, his family pup — Quincy — may make an appearance so do join us.
In anticipation of our celebration, Marty — a retired IRS criminal investigator — shares his initial thoughts with the group:
A Target letter sent to Trump would simply inform him that the Federal Government in the form of DOJ possess enough evidence to indict him and provides him the opportunity to come into either the DOJ to proffer or come into the GJ to answer questions and attempt to clear things up. The target letter will also advise Mr. Trump of his 5th and 6th Amendment rights with regard to self incrimination and his right to Counsel.
Technically, the US Attorney's Manual defines "target" as a putative defendent against whom there is substantial evidence.
The letter sent to Trump would also delineate the prospective charges that Trump will be looking at when the Indictment lands.
The Trumpster has not revealed the specific statutes contained in his target letter but it is reasonable to assume that he is looking at charges to Obstruct Congress from Certifying the Presidential Election results for one charge and likely a second charge would include Conspiracy to Defraud the Federal Government when "the Donald" attempted to steal the election with fraudulent elector slates.
There are a host of other potential charges that the Special Counsel could include but I think the Obstruction and Conspiracy to Defraud will be the major ones.
Still to be determined - who else will be included in the pending Indictment?
Will Jack Smith throw the kitchen sink into this Indictment and include all the attorneys and other rapscallions plotting at the Willard Hotel including folks like Roger Stone, Mike Flynn or will he hold off for now and keep his options open for further superseding indictments down the road.
I would go with Plan B given the ticking clock of the Presidential campaign and the demands of the Speedy Trial Act, which requires trial commencing within 70 days of Indictment.
That deadline usually gets moved due to the filing of a multitude of pre-trial motions, which begs the question of whether there will be any co-conspirators included in the Trump indictment.
You can bet that if attorneys like Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, Clark et al are included in the Trump Indictment that they will be filing a blizzard of pre-trial motions which will clearly delay the trial.
So stay tuned.
The Indictment could come at any time.
Since Trump indicated that Smith had given Trump 4 days from the receipt of the Target letter to come to the GJ it is likely that the Indictment will not be handed down before this coming Thursday.
The Indictment is likely already written up. It remains to be voted on by the members of the GJ and then signed off by Smith and a judge or magistrate before it is formalized.
Yes, that can take another week but Smith is going to act as expeditiously as possible for obvious reasons.
FYI - I would look in the near future for a superseding Indictment on the documents/espionage case to incorporate additional targets/charges specifically Dissemination of Defense Department docs at Trump's Bedminster Club in New Jersey.
Finally, Fani Willis the Fulton County DA has advised law enforcement in Fulton County to be prepared for security issues the first two weeks of August, which strongly suggests another Trump Indictment at that time.
Guess what t-shirt I’m wearing today?
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