https://www.newsweek.com/trump-gaetz-hush-money-bragg-pomerantz-1896707 A video floating around the internet shows Mark Pomerantz, NY Trump investigator, and prosecutor under Bragg, pleading the fifth "under the advice of counsel," asserting his "privilege against self-incrimination." Definitely not a good look. It says a lot when he specifically says he's asserting privilege "against self-incrimination" when asked basic questions like, did you knowingly break any laws when investigating Trump. If he's not on the witness list, it might be time for the defense to ask to have him added. I'm sure Merchan will deny it because he's a partisan hack whose immediate family is profiting off this prosecution, but it's just another grounds for appeal.
Sounds more like somebody not being very cooperative by using it as an excuse to not answer any significant questions at all, i.e. he viewed the inquiry as bullshit and so did as little as he could get away with legally in cooperating. Though perhaps this pseudo-gotcha moment is the consolation prize for the hacks in congress.
Mark Pomerantz is the NY Prosecutor who quit in a hissy fit when Bragg was elected to office, because Bragg decided not to indict Trump over Stormy payments. Then he wrote his book "People v Donald Trump", raking Trump over the coals and Bragg for not prosecuting. AND THEN Matthew Colangelo, # 3 in Bidens DOJ, quit that high ranking DOJ position to take Mark Pomerantz' vacated position as assistant to a city attorney. Making opening statements in Braggs court case against Trump. The stink of political prosecution.
People have a right to plead the 5th without being sure they are actually guilty of anything. Some lawyers say you should just always plead the 5th when being questioned by authorities to avoid saying anything that can be misconstrued. Not taking the 5th is seen as taking a legal risk whenever being questioned by authorities, one you take to help with inquiries you agree with, but not those you don't. Or in the case of dealing with police, to avoid hassle if you're reasonably sure they are not trying to get you.
I didn't say that. There are some limits to pleading the 5th, I suppose, but pleading the 5th does not imply guilt, as you guys seem to want to say. If an authority is asking you about your actions in an investigation, it's almost always acceptable to plead the 5th. There is always some chance, in such a case, they could twist your words or find something you did wrong. So it's safer to plead the 5th. Why take a risk for a bullshit inquiry?
You inferred exactly that... "Sounds more like somebody not being very cooperative by using it as an excuse to not answer any significant questions at all, i.e. he viewed the inquiry as bullshit and so did as little as he could get away with legally in cooperating."
Disagree. Using an excuse to not cooperate is not misleading. Pleading the 5th does not imply guilt. Though I guess calling it an excuse is taking it too far. An authority figure asks you about your actions, you plead the 5th. It's the safest bet every time.
Gotta love how Trump supporters go from claiming that pleading the 5th is incriminating to claiming it isn't and now back to claiming it is. What opinion will y'all have tomorrow? Shall I invest in a weathervane, since it all depends on where the wind is blowing?
It seems we learned why he may have been pleading the fifth. The Trump defense requested a subpoena regarding his allegedly corrupt investigation tactics into Trump seeking to get him on the record answering whether he used a personal phone and email to hide what he was doing. The hack of a judge obviously denied it, but this is probably why Congress was looking into it as well. It seems to be the worst kept secret at the moment. He was asked these questions (who his personal email provider is with, who his current cell phone provider is with, etc). Most people would say something like, Google and AT&T. But he said he needed to protect himself from self incrimination.
"People" yes. Criminal prosecutors being questioned about their prosecution have the right but its not acceptable for government officials.
