Donald Trump’s big mistake

| 12:01 pm EDT May 22, 2024
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The prosecution has rested. The defense has rested. The first, but not the last, criminal trial of Donald Trump is on the brink of a historic conclusion. Yes, it’s nearing its conclusion and everyone is talking about the Trump defense or lack thereof.

“Made a huge mistake.” Virtually every significant political and legal mind says the Trump legal team blew it by calling Robert Costello to the stand. “Insult to the jury.” Many legal scholars are perplexed by the defense strategy. If their aim was to present themselves as bumbling fools, they could not have executed a more perfect plan.

“Prosecution wiped the floor” with them. Also being feverishly talked about is the picture introduced into evidence that appears to back up Michael Cohen’s claim that he spoke to Trump on the date he said he did.

“In my 30,35 years of practicing law as a prosecutor and a defense attorney, I’ve never ever seen that, he insulted the Judge.” That’s from former federal prosecutor Gene Rossi appearing on a CNN panel.

Many criminal cases are won by the strength and competence of the lawyers who handle them. From the beginning, it was evident that the Trump defense would not suddenly pull a rabbit out of a hat. Indeed, their approach has stunk to high heaven from the beginning, and with their last witness, THAT was the picture the defense left imprinted in the jury’s heads.

If the defense counsel had conducted a worldwide scavenger hunt to find the most repelling witness for Donald Trump, they could not have found anyone better. Sitting sullenly and defiantly in his chair, muttering, glaring at his honor, and talking above people, Robert Costello looked like, acted like, and sounded like a seedy, sordid contempt of court citation waiting to happen. If that is the best the defense had, it’s just sad.