I’ve observed the Trump jury. Here’s what could be happening in deliberations

[Daily Kos Morning Roundup]( [Abbreviated Pundit Roundup]( is a long-running series published every morning that collects essential political discussion and analysis around the internet. - [I’ve observed the Trump jury. Here’s what could be happening in deliberations]( In my over 30 years of legal experience, and from sitting in this courtroom during weeks of testimony, I have never seen a more well-educated, attentive and determined jury than this one. I am confident they will lead each other on a meticulous exploration of the evidence and consider carefully how to apply the law to it. We got proof of that at 2:56 p.m. when the jury sent a four-part note to the judge requesting information about a series of communications involving former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, including his direct communications with Trump, about aspects of the alleged “catch and kill” conspiracy (to pay for and suppress negative stories about Trump) to benefit his campaign. While reading jury notes as if they were tea leaves can be treacherous, the note feels to me like an ominous sign for the former president. [...] ...rather than disregarding the testimony of former Trump attorney Michael Cohen...they are focusing on an independent witness who corroborates him. That is a point the jury seemed to highlight by asking as well for the testimony of both Pecker and Cohen about a key meeting, as if they are seeking the corroboration that the prosecution emphasized. And the actual content of the incidents covered in the note to Merchan — the August 2015 Trump Tower meeting at which the election conspiracy was allegedly formed; the hush money paid to former Playboy model Karen McDougal (who also alleged she had an affair with Trump) to allegedly implement the conspiracy; and Pecker ultimately backing away from seeking reimbursement for the McDougal payment — all tend to incriminate Trump, as prior trial diaries have detailed. - [Daily Kos has missed its fundraising goals two months in a row. Please start a monthly recurring donation to help us stay strong]( - [Speaker Mike Johnson promises a Republican mega-bill that would define Donald Trump’s second term]( Many presidents wish they had a second chance at a first-term agenda with the benefit of experience, but Trump might actually get one. Johnson said he would apply lessons learned since then on Trump’s behalf to legislation that could pass through reconciliation, the budget process that allows the Senate to bypass a filibuster and enact certain types of legislation through a party-line vote. “We don’t want to make the mistake that we made in the past,” Johnson said. “Back in the 2017 timeframe and in previous years, we Republicans kind of took a single-subject approach to reconciliation. We did one round of health care reform, one round of tax reform. But we’re looking at for [fiscal year 2025], we want to have a much larger scope, multiple issues to address in addition to the expiration of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.” Johnson has been talking with GOP members about taking a “whole of government” approach to their first big bill since their retreat in March, with up to nine committee chairs involved in preparing “transformational” wish lists early on and coordinating their efforts across the conference. He promised that “there’ll be a lot of development of those policies in the coming weeks.” - [Mexico’s next president will be a woman. But violence has overshadowed the glass ceiling being shattered.]( The former Mexico City mayor is the frontrunner in a landmark election this weekend where Mexico is all but certain to emerge with its first female president – a remarkable achievement in a country known for its patriarchal culture and high rates of gender-based violence, where around 10 women are murdered every day. Sheinbaum is riding on a wave of popularity with the support of her long-time ally, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and their leftist Morena party. Trailing her in the polls is former senator Xochitl Gálvez, from the conservative PAN party, who is representing a coalition of opposition parties. [...] But what should have been celebrated as a ground-breaking election has become overshadowed by the bloodiest election campaign in Mexico’s history, and ongoing high levels of violence across the country. - [The media and sullen nonvoters should listen to Ken Burns]( The choice this election, he explained, boils down to this: “There is only the perpetuation, however flawed and feeble you might perceive it, of our fragile 249-year-old experiment, or the entropy that will engulf and destroy us if we take the other route.” If we choose former president Donald Trump, then we will see what happens when “the checks of conscience are thrown aside and a deformed picture of the soul is revealed.” There is no third choice. [...] The media should collectively recognize that the pretense that “an unequal equation is equal” amounts to an in-kind gift to authoritarians who crave the appearance of normalcy and respectability. Sharp contrasts and moral judgment are kryptonite to MAGA forces, who would love nothing better than months more of fantasy politics (“What if Biden backed out?”) and poll obsession (that only now begin to reflect the views of likely voters). The media would do well to focus on the authoritarian threat. A candidate such as Trump, who lies about his crowd size, the results of past elections and the sentiments of certain voters, intends to convey inevitability, strength and the futility of resistance. Trump assiduously follows the totalitarian playbook to demoralize opponents and condition the public to believe only he can possibly win. (He also sets the stage for election denial: How could I lose with such big crowds?). The false premise that President Biden is destined to lose (because Trump says so? because of premature, irrelevant polling?) is not news; it’s Trumpian propaganda. The press can avoid Trump’s manipulation by explaining the playbook and refusing to present his braggadocio as fact. - [Staffers bear the brunt of threats aimed at district offices]( While members of Congress have faced an elevated threat landscape in recent years, their staff at congressional district offices across the country can bear the brunt of the vitriol and face potential danger. Those offices are known for handling issues that fall well outside partisan politics, such as dealing with passport problems or helping with federal benefits. Staff and lawmakers say occurrences at district offices, which can range in intensity from verbal abuse to phone threats to in-person confrontations, are making the job that much more difficult. [...] Citing elevated threats to members and staff in recent years, Congress’ law enforcement agencies have moved to tighten security at offices located off the Hill. Capitol Police have opened field offices to address member safety, and the House and Senate sergeants-at-arms have focused their efforts on providing security briefings and site visits to district offices. - [Abortion is the top issue in the country. Let everyone know where you stand with our 'Abortion is Healthcare' t-shirt!]( - [Why Arizona organizers aren’t shying away from saying ‘abortion’]( Abortion rights groups have been undefeated on similar ballot measures since June 2022, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and sent the issue to the states. Voters in up to 11 more states could weigh in directly on abortion this fall. Most proposed measures, including Arizona’s, guarantee a right to abortion to the point of fetal viability, which is determined by physicians but is usually around 22 to 25 weeks of pregnancy. But only one of those ballot measure campaigns, Arizonans for Abortion Access, is using the word “abortion” in its name. [...] Chris Love, a spokesperson for Arizona for Abortion Access, said the group’s decision to use “abortion” in its name was a deliberate choice. “We’re intentionally using ‘abortion’ as a word because that was the thing that we’re doing,” she said. “We don’t want to play ‘hide the ball’ with voters. We don’t want to insult voters’ intelligence by using poll-tested terms that don’t really mean anything. We want to say the thing.” Want to write your own stories? [Log in]( or [sign up]( to post articles and comments on Daily Kos, the nation's largest progressive community. Follow Daily Kos on [Facebook](, [Threads](, and [Instagram](. Thanks for all you do, The Daily Kos team We're not asking for much Over the past 12 months, the average donation to Daily Kos has been just $9.44. These donations may seem small, but they're a big deal to us. In fact, they are our largest source of income. We literally couldn't do the work we do without them. 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