#bragg

[floweroftheday]

A Drone Fly in a Dahlia by Ruby 2417 Via Flickr: Fort Bragg, Ca. Oct. 2024.

[calebjorgens2024]

Star Wars: Agent 02.

this is yet another idea that had come into mind. This time it is of Tech redeeming his CX-2 persona by choosing to secretly remain in the Empire as a hidden double agent for the growing rebellion, by using what remains of his Imperial Conditioning and utilizing his exceptional mind, Tech would rise through the ranks of the Empire with a ruthless streak and even stand side by side with Thrawn!

in this AU, regardless of his service to the dark side and to the Sith Order, Darth Vader, once known as Anakin Skywalker will still care for all clone troopers no matter if they still work in the empire or are rebels…

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Trump’s criminal trial begins in Manhattan

The criminal trial of Donald Trump for election interference began on Monday. Despite nearly non-stop media coverage, the proceeding was similar to the first day of most criminal trials in America—a fact that should give us all comfort. The first-day proceedings were consistently ordinary, sometimes boring, but glorious in their relentless insistence that all persons are equal before the law.

Rather than overinterpreting small actions or obsessing over whether a Trump-friendly juror can lie their way onto the jury, it is helpful to recall how we got here and what the case is about.

Rachel Maddow presented a superb summary of the sorry path to Trump's prosecution in state court for a federal conspiracy that sent Michael Cohen to prison for a year—but allowed the person who directed the conspiracy—Donald Trump—to escape prosecution. See The Rachel Maddow Show 4/15/24.

Although you already know the story, Maddow’s explainer is an absolutely essential refresher for the state prosecution. The short version is this: When Trump's DOJ investigated and prosecuted Michael Cohen for his role in the hush money payoff, then Attorney General Bill Barr ordered the Southern District of New York to cease its investigation of Michael Cohen’s co-conspirator--Donald Trump.

The failure of the DOJ to pursue Trump in 2018 was political corruption at its height. The fact that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg picked up the prosecution three years later is a credit to Bragg—not a ground for criticism.

The fact that Bill Barr was able to quash the federal investigation into Trump also explains the central legal theory of the state prosecution. Trump is charged with a state crime of falsifying documents in furtherance of a second crime—election interference, which is a federal crime.

Many observers were initially skeptical of Bragg’s legal theory, but some have come to believe that Bragg has a strong case. See Mark Joseph Stern in Slate, I Was a Skeptic of the Stormy Daniels Prosecution. I Was Wrong.

Stern writes,

Last year, I was uncertain whether this scheme, while sordid, rose to the level of a felony offense. I am now convinced that, if proved that [Trump] took these actions, it surely does. The falsification of business records is, by itself, a misdemeanor under New York law, but it’s a felony when it’s done with the “intent to commit another crime or to aid or conceal the commission thereof.” In his indictment, Bragg claims that Trump lied about the payments with the intent to violate election law, which is what elevates the crime to a felony. Bragg has argued, convincingly, that the former president intended to violate at least two election laws—one state, one federal. First, Bragg asserted that Trump and Cohen ran afoul of the Federal Election Campaign Act by making unlawful campaign contributions (in the form of a payoff) at the direction of a candidate (that is, Trump). . .   Second, Bragg argued that Trump ran afoul of a New York election law that forbids any conspiracy “to promote or prevent the election of any person to a public office by unlawful means.”

Read Stern’s article for additional explanation of the legal theory of the case. I find Stern’s analysis convincing.

Of course, the fact that Trump should be found guilty under a proper application of the law to the facts does not guarantee that a jury will return a guilty verdict. In every trial, it is always possible that a juror will not participate in good faith. Given the high-profile stakes and intense scrutiny involved in this case, I think the odds that a “stealth bad faith juror” will lie their way onto the jury are low.

But I am speculating in the same way as all other legal commentators. We must simply await the jury’s verdict and trust in a system that works most of the time. Trying to predict the future is a fool’s game. And remember, the prosecution of Trump is not a substitute for beating Trump at the ballot box.

[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]

[gaiakoraidon]

I was thinking about the smug boyo Bragg/Flute from Stitch!, so I decided to do a collage of the dude. I may enjoy the anime in general as well as the experiments Witch, Darks(my nickname for Dark End), and Cyber, but Bragg happens to be another favorite of mine from the anime. I enjoy how the villain experiments are written whether they be main or side, and Bragg is the perfect definition of a wolf in sheep's clothing. He uses his cuteness and musical abilities to receive popularity to gain power, something added by Hamsterviel when he modified the experiment's physical appearance. In fact, at max power, he could even rival Stitch when it comes to strength. Even though the modified version of the experiment is more well known, the anime shows us an official design of what Bragg/Flute formerly looked like, and it's quite an interesting design.

[wrestlingisbest]

[taimonromance]

just a meme

One of the characters from the Stitch! anime, and the other from the Russian TV series Fantasy Patrol

[vilmublue]

Experiment 145

Bragg (also known as Flute)

Primary function: To annoy people by telling tall tales/to gain power from attention and admiration

Originally a big monstrous experiment who simply told tall tales, he was later transmuted and given a different appearance and function to gain literal strength from popularity to even rival Stitch's incredible strength (though this power is dependant on the said popularity.)

Now small, cutesy and an excellent manipulator and a liar, he acted in a way that made people like him: helped and complimented others and behaved well-mannered to make himself look good, blamed others more likely to be seen as the culprit when about to be found out for wrongdoing, exaggerated his misfortunes and came-up with tragic stories to make himself appear more sympathetic, and charmed people with musical talent he possessed thanks to having some of Experiment 021 Twang's DNA (notably by playing flute, hence the new name he was given.)

One true place: Unknown

[rhdcarts]

Fuck the head bitches at Warner this is a Matt Bragg appreciation account always and forever