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INDICTMENT WATCH, Part 1

Your burning questions, answered.

Thanks to all of you who submitted questions in the chat thread yesterday! As they were coming in, I realized that a lot of them were a little complicated to answer in a post and so I decided that there was no one better to bring in and talk through them than my co-host of our aptly-named It’s Complicated podcast and former federal prosecutor, Renato Mariotti.

Didn’t know I had a podcast? You can check it out anywhere you get your podcasts including, Apple and Spotify, or check out the video version on YouTube.

(Also, quick note: The article I referenced about Trump wanting to appear in person in New York against the advice of his lawyers — surprise! — is this Guardian piece by Hugo Lowell.)

I called this “Part 1” because there will undoubtedly be more discussions like this in the weeks and months to come!

The Freedom Academy with Asha Rangappa is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

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Discussion about this video

Thanks for a very helpful video. I’ve been trying to understand how fudging an entry in the books of a closely held company could result in any criminal charges at all, much less a felony indictment. This helped a lot.

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Asha, 2 points:

1) I got a late start today on the my "honey do" list because I listened to this fascinating discussion between you and Renato. It help clarify, in my mind, some of the complexities regarding these cases.

2) If you look at the 30:19 minute mark on your video, a body is being dragged out of the room in the background. Plus, it slowly opened the door!!

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omg!!! 🤣 that’s my son

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It wasn't a tv hit, but still made RoomRater!! 🤣😂😆

https://twitter.com/ratemyskyperoom/status/1637935511762530305

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Haha! I miss that phase of parenting (but also not)!

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Another nice juxtaposition: Russian FBI announces it's going to investigate the judge and prosecutor who labeled Putin a war criminal; McCarthy announces House will investigate Bragg (Manhattan DA).

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Thanks for this video. Regarding the 2011 message to Daniels (stay quiet), I’m not sure that’s a solid defense. He was teasing about a run in 2012 during his CPAC appearance in 2011. https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2011/02/cpac-2011-donald-trump-will-run-for-president-in-june-maybe-just-pay-attention-to-him.html

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Thanks Asha. SO HELPFUL TO TALK ALL THIS STUFF OUT!! 🙏🙏. Bigtime helpful. I didn’t know about your podcast series with Renato. I will sign up. I remember how helpful Renato was just like you were during the height of all trump’s criminal actions.

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Asha, thank you to both you and Renato for answering the questions in this format it is excellent!

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As to evidence of intent to defraud regarding the bookkeeping entry: I wonder if they have testimony on this from Allen Weisselberg?

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Wine at nine is fine! Great stuff.

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Wine would have been fine. We could see the dark outside the window, and besides, as Jimmy Buffet would say, "It's five o'clock somewhere." :-)

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Thanks for clarifying the complexities. Loved the active cat, prone body, & moving phantom door, too.

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Thanks for the helpful discussion. The reality check was a little distressing but the person army crawling in the background was hilarious.

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Thanks for this especially on a Sunday evening! I already listen to the podcast too - I had listened to Renato's first podcast, On Topic, so was excited when two commentators I respect joined together.

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Loved using your podcast partner to answer our questions rather than having to write pages and pages of responses! P.S. You might suggest to your son that he doesn’t have to “drag” himself out of the room if he leaves when your guest is speaking. LOL

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Asha, thanks to you and Renato for taking the time to deep dive the subject. I enjoy y’all’s YouTube format podcast.

Reference drinking wine: throw back to my previous life in New Orleans. My favorite idiom there was “if you think 10:00AM is too early to drink wine, we can’t be friends.”

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I can’t tell you how many choose your own adventures I’ve tried—I could never forget Hur

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Today’s New York Times has a detailed story about the legal issues faced by the Manhattan DA: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/21/nyregion/trump-indictment-legal-theory.html?smid=url-share

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I'm very curious, if Trump is eventual indicted, tried and found guilty, will the secret service have to spend time in jail with him?

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I bet not all Trump’s Secret Service belong to the MAGA cult and despise him, so some would be happy if he went into jail and they got off that detail. But sadly, in the USA presidents and ex-presidents are above the law unlike in many other countries where Trump would have been harshly punished, perhaps even executed after Jan 6!

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The segments you and Mr Mariotti do on news are great…but it is much appreciated to get these additional details. And my thx to the legal community in general for helping us be better informed in this crazy time in our history…..

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Are wine and fries subscribers in line for more one of a kind chart swag?! 😬

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Today is anybody else incessantly checking Twitter for a Trump indictment (with champagne on ice)?

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Thanks for the vid. Many questions answered.

Would you please breakdown which (successful) prosecutions/indictments would lead to Trump being barred from holding office?

Thank you!

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“DeSantis would be under pressure to have his Attorney General...uh, the Attorney General...” no, think you had it right the first time...

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What evidence do we have that the indictment tomorrow will be JUST the Stormy Daniels case? It seems DA Bragg knows that's a weak one, and that he's not going to take a step this momentous with a weak case. It's my personal belief that Stormy Daniels is just a stalking horse and there's something much, much bigger looming. Am I up in the night?

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Regarding bond or gag order: I maintain he *is* a danger to the community. He successfully incited a riot on Jan 6 and issued inciting tweets this weekend. There is every reason to believe he will continue to incite his private army if he is able to do so.

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So. Many. Questions. !!!

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I love Asha in the morning !

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I honestly hope this goes without any act of violence from his supporters.

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