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Devout Christian Mike Johnson shows up to hush money trial to defend a guy accused of cheating on his wife with a porn star (www.vanityfair.com)

submitted 6 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/politics@lemmy.world

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House Speaker Mike Johnson describes himself as a Christian before anything else. He has said his “faith informs everything I do.” He has told people curious about his views to “pick up a Bible.” His wife reportedly runs a counseling service whose operating agreement, which he himself notarized, states, “We believe and the Bible teaches that any form of sexual immorality, such as adultery…is sinful and offensive to God.” He has said he and his son use a software program called Covenant Eyes to ensure neither is looking at porn.

Given all this, you may think that Johnson would not be comfortable showing up to a criminal trial to defend a guy who allegedly had an affair with an adult film star (according to the adult film star anyway, though Trump denies it), paid her to stay quiet about the alleged affair, and then was accused of covering up said payment. But you would think wrong!

On Tuesday, Johnson attended Donald Trump’s hush money trial in Manhattan, where—prior to the proceedings getting underway—the congressional leader nodded approvingly at Trump from behind a metal barrier, like a groupie at his favorite band’s concert.

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[-] perviouslyiner@lemmy.world 17 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Defense tried to say that it never happened, which opened the door to Stormy telling the jury about what was effectively a rape by the defendant. They probably didn't want to be arguing these facts, but that's where they ended up!

[-] KevonLooney@lemm.ee 11 points 6 months ago

They were put in a box by Trump's refusal to admit any guilt, even for things that are not crimes.

Any normal defense attorney would admit the fact that their client cheated on their wife and tried to cover it up. Those are not illegal, and are pretty defamatory, so you can have the judge exclude any testimony about the act.

Then it's just a boring documents case. The jury doesn't pay as much attention when the evidence is less interesting, so the prosecution's case seems weaker.

[+] Cincinnatus@lemmy.world -24 points 6 months ago

Stormy came out a few years ago though and admitted they never had sex. She also said that she wasn't a victim and wasn't a part of the "me too" crowd. If you're watching the MSM though, you probably don't know about that

[-] cammoblammo@lemmy.world 9 points 6 months ago

Damn, she must have crumbled when Trump’s lawyers brought that up when cross-examining her. As far as the jury is concerned, that would be game over for the prosecution.

Trump’s lawyers did bring that up, didn’t they?

[-] Cincinnatus@lemmy.world -3 points 6 months ago

Here's an article on it where Bill Mahr talks about it. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/bill-maher-dredges-up-2018-stormy-daniels-interview-that-totally-undermines-her-trump-trial-testimony/ar-BB1mgfe9

[-] cammoblammo@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago

What happened when Trump’s lawyers brought that up in cross examination?

[+] Cincinnatus@lemmy.world -7 points 6 months ago

I'm not in the court room, just look it up. It's on video and I have seen that

[-] ghterve@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago

Ah but how convenient it is that anything we look up that doesn't fit your narrative can simply be dismissed as being the MSM which obviously has an anti Trump agenda and therefore is a lie. That's pretty convenient, yes? It is almost like that's exactly why Trump made up this whole MSM is liars who are out to get him thing. He has even tried to turn "doesn't like Trump" into an insult that he then uses against anyone not supporting his lies to try to discredit them so that his own lies seem more believable.

I hope you can eventually see out of his cloud of lies, deception, and manipulation. It may be painful briefly, but you'll eventually start seeing all the ways you have been manipulated. It will eventually feel good like a nice warm blanket to finally be free of it.

[-] Cincinnatus@lemmy.world -3 points 6 months ago

I can say the same about your side when it comes to Fox news, Newsmax, etc.

[-] Cincinnatus@lemmy.world -4 points 6 months ago

Btw, Trump didn't just make it up about the MSM lying. It's pretty obvious to anyone willing to venture outside the MSM bubble. Things like the Russia hoax, the burying of the Hunter laptop story, waiting until campaign season to bring every case they've got and then saying it's not political, or spending 3 years telling everyone the border is secure and closed, refusing to say certain words or phrases such as illegal alien, and anytime someone calls them out on something they just tell everyone you're a racist MAGA supporter, etc. are all examples of the fake news that Trump talks about.

[-] ghterve@lemmy.world 6 points 6 months ago

Or that didn't happen and you think it did because you listen to and believe lying liars who lie.

[-] Cincinnatus@lemmy.world -5 points 6 months ago

Okay bud, whatever you say...

[-] zeppo@lemmy.world 5 points 6 months ago

That’s not at all what the Maher article says. She said she wasn’t coerced, not that they didn’t have sex. It’s also not the point of the trial.

[-] Cincinnatus@lemmy.world -1 points 6 months ago

I never said that it was Mahr she said she didn't have sex to. Word for word, this is the letter she signed in 2018.

To Whom It May Concern:

Over the past few weeks I have been asked countless times to comment on reports of an alleged sexual relationship I had with Donald Trump many, many, many years ago.

The fact of the matter is that each party to this alleged affair denied its existence in 2006, 20011, 2016, 2017 and now again in 2018. I am not denying this affair because I was paid “hush money” as has been reported in overseas owned tabloids. I am denying this affair because it never happened. 

I will have no further comment on this matter. Please feel free to check me out on Instagram at @thestormydaniels.

Thank you,

Stormy Daniels

[-] zeppo@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago

What is the source of this?

[-] ghterve@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

She did sign that letter. But she had previously said they did have the affair (and described it in detail). And shortly after she signed that letter, she admitted to Anderson Cooper the letter was a lie. She explained that she lied because... Get this... She was concerned about legal complications because she had accepted the hush money to not reveal the affair.

She also admitted that statement was a lie during her recent testimony while under oath. Signing that statement was not likely a crime. But if she had lied under oath this month, that would be a crime.

So, she was clearly lying at some point. Why do you choose to believe the much less plausible option that she was truthful the one time in 2018 but she was lying all the other times? There's no logical explanation for that, yet the opposite (lied in the 2018 statement you posted) has much more logical support. The only reason I can see to believe her only that one time when she had reason to lie is because it lets you believe Trump's lies that you really wish were true.

[-] Cincinnatus@lemmy.world -4 points 6 months ago

Well why do believe that Cohen is honest now, but lied every other time in the past? Stormy came out the third time and said they slept together again to try and get some money, even telling her attorney to hurry it up before the election or she'll lose her leverage to get paid. The point is that her and Cohen both just aren't credible witnesses at all. They're both making a living on Trump being guilty so they've got everything to gain from saying whatever they need to say to keep the money flowing

this post was submitted on 14 May 2024

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