Aug.16

electoral-vote.com

Dem 51

   

GOP 49

Takeaways from Georgia

The Georgia indictment was the top item on every news site in the country. Even Fox put it on top:

Fox might be right about Georgia being a game changer since it puts together all of Trump's crimes into a nice package, with tons of evidence, and includes many co-conspirators who could turn on him (see below).

Naturally, with such a big story out there, there were plenty of "takeaway" pieces, although not from Fox. Here is a small sample:

• Trump had lots of help.
• The indictment covers actions taken by the "crime enterprise" outside of Georgia.
• The indictment cites the death threats made to election worker Ruby Freeman.
• Trump's tweets are in there.
• The election numbers Trump and his allies cited were all bulls**t.
• Eastman admitted his plan violated the law.
• Lying was a big part of the conspiracy, but not all of it.
• Some of the crimes were committed well into Joe Biden's presidency.

• "Probable cause" is not the same as "proof beyond a reasonable doubt."
• Willis knows her way around RICO cases.
• Willis said she wants a trial within 6 months and jail time was certain after a conviction.
• Besides Trump, 18 other people were indicted.
• Capone: Some call it racketeering. I call it a business.
• How the fake electors plot fits in
• The clock has started for the defendants to turn themselves in.
• Some charges relate to the effort to intimidate Ruby Freeman and her daughter.
• Trump has tried to humiliate Black women for years. Then one indicted him.
• Trump is a mob boss.

Plus 25 more items, each with a detailed discussion.

• Mark Meadows was indicted.
• Mike Pence got mentioned.
• On top of the 19 defendants, there are another 30 co-conspirators.
• Willis really doesn't like people who lie.
• Willis wants to try all 19 defendants at the same time.

• Trump was charged under Georgia's RICO Act.
• Rudy Giuliani and Mark Meadows were also charged.
• The charges fall into several baskets.
• Trump has 10 days to turn himself in.
• Trump blasted the indictment.

• Trump is now facing 91 charges from four indictments in all.
• Willis uses racketeering charges to outline a "criminal enterprise"
• Meadows and Giuliani hit with charges
• Overlap between Willis' and Smith's cases make timing of rival trials a key question.
• Indictment highlights under-the-radar breach of Georgia voting systems

• This is the big one.
• It is a wider approach than the others.
• Willis is expecting a "First Amendment" defense.
• The accidental posting of the indictment too early led to some drama.
• Trump's legal bills are colossal and mounting.

• Willis is not pulling any punches on the co-defendants.
• The Georgia case is more sweeping than the federal one.
• There is a lot of emphasis on Rudy Giuliani's lies and how they ruined the life of Ruby Freeman.
• Trump's efforts to overturn the election continued for months after Jan. 20.
• The indictment includes many of Trump's actions not listed in the federal indictment.

We actively searched for "takeaway" pieces on right-wing media sites but couldn't find any. Most had a short piece just giving the basic facts. Among the items that stand out to us are these:

• Mark Meadows was indicted. He appears to be cooperating with the feds. Will he now cooperate with Willis?
  
  
• Rudy Giuliani now has an official target on his back. If he flips, Trump is dead meat since Giuliani knows everything.
  
  
• Willis is aiming for prison, not probation. This greatly reduces the chance of a plea deal. And besides, Trump is never going to agree to admitting guilt and serving any time in prison.
  
  
• Finally, the timing of the four cases is important. The judges in each case will presumably contact the other ones to avoid overlap. But if there is a trial every 6 weeks, it could occupy the entire primary season and beyond.

And that's today's episode of a reality show that is leaps and bounds better than The Apprentice ever was. (V)