RADIOApril 05, 2023

Donald Trump's lawyer explains charges: ‘There IS NO CRIME!’

What EXACTLY are the charges being brought against Donald Trump in New York? Well, they’re hard to explain because for the most part…THEY MAKE NO SENSE! In this clip, Glenn is joined by Joe Tacopina, an attorney for the former president who will represent him in this case. Tacopina answers all of Glenn’s questions, and he explains why there IS NO CRIME to discuss. Plus, he explains why he took the case to begin with and why it shows that ‘rule of law is in danger in this country.’

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

GLENN: He's just to save time, one of the most respected high stakes trial attorneys in America.

Joe Tacopina, and he joins us now. Joe, thank you so much for coming on.

JOE: Thanks, Glenn. I'll also tell you right off the bat, I don't think I can be able to help you. I heard you say, maybe I can help you figure out -- I can't help you at all. I really -- I can't figure it out for the life of me.

GLENN: Okay. So is this a -- when he was charged with, what? Thirty-four, 35 felonies, it's the same charge -- I said to the audience this morning, it's like if I said about my producer, that in an attempt to cover up a crime, Stu committed a crime. And saying that 35 times, and never defining what the crime was.

JOE: Boy, that's a pretty great assessment of this charge against him, I will tell you that..

Never say what the crime is. There's a legal requirement to do that.

They charged him -- this is a misdemeanor.

Falsifying business records. Which, Glenn, he didn't get close to that happening.

There's no falsified business records. If you want to go down that road, it's a misdemeanor.

The statute of limitations is long gone on that.

It would then have to cobble that together with another crime, which would also be another misdemeanor, to make it a felony.

So, in other words, to aid and abet or conceal another crime. And of course, who knows what the other crime was. Maybe it's drunk driving or something. Who knows.

But it's most likely violation of federal election laws. Because this was a federal campaign. And if you know anything about federal election laws, and apparently, he doesn't. It's very clear, that this is not something that falls under a violation of the Federal Election Commissions laws.

It's just not. And that's why they never berate charges against them.

That's why -- this is a personal expenditure. A personal civil suit that was settled. Like when Bill Clinton paid Paula Jones, $800,000 for alleged sexual assault. Not like a consensual relationship.

That was the same thing. Never was he charged with a crime.

Hillary Clinton apparently, you know, spent $100,000+ on the Steele dossier, right?

For her campaign. She used campaign money for that. Then used campaign money for that.

And you know what they classified that as? This is going to be ironic as everything. Legal expenses. Which obviously, you want.

So what does the FEC do?

She doesn't get indicted like Donald Trump does. She paid a fine of $100,000. You know, her campaign. So it's really -- the double standards are so -- so incredibly obvious to anyone, with a brain. And the fact that we hear -- is only because this man is running for president again. This happens to be a leading Republican contender. And the fact that Donald J. Trump --

GLENN: Okay. So let me just tick off a couple of quick questions. And see if you can help me answer.

With campaign finance. Is it the FEC turned -- passed this down. Said there was nothing there.

So is it possible that they're checking the Constitution. And Bragg is like, wait a minute. We're the ones that actually run the elections.

The state owns it. So he's coming up with some state campaign violation.

JOE: Yeah. It's not a state campaign. But even if he did identify it -- say we were talking about it.

And here's the bottom line: Regardless of whatever the -- the -- you know, twisted legal theory is: There is no crime.

GLENN: Okay.

JOE: Donald Trump actually did everything right here.

Here's someone who tried to extort money from him, okay?

For a consensual relationship, she claims. Although, later she said, she never had an affair with him, and Donald Trump adequately denies it.

But then said, I -- I need that money, or I go to the press. Okay. Extortion 101.

Then -- then he pays that money with personal funds, to resolve it. And, by the way, he only did that after his lawyer, the convicted fraudster and liar Michael Cohen resolved this without President Trump's (inaudible). He took down a loan. A home equity loan to finance this -- this civil settlement. And then -- and then later, billed Donald Trump for it.

He is the one who signed the settlement agreement. Donald Trump didn't even sign this agreement with Stormy Daniels.

And then later today -- and that's just to appease and get closer to Donald Trump.

He wanted to be in the White House in the worst way.

GLENN: Okay. So let me go to the crime then, that they say, the other thing they're throwing around is that this is a tax crime.

JOE: Tax crime.

GLENN: You haven't heard that one yet?

JOE: I've heard it. But let me hear what they --

GLENN: From what I understand, they're saying that Donald Trump I think overpaid his taxes, because he paid attorney's fees to Cohen, and that included the whatever it was. 130,000. Or whatever that payoff was.

STU: Paid him -- in a retainer, instead of paying him a reimbursement for the --

GLENN: Right. So he actually paid payroll taxes. Or paid the -- you know, paid the taxes that you would pay, you know, if you're paying an employee.

JOE: So, Glenn, I know how smart you are. And I'm a big fan of yours. Do you understand how much you stuttered during that --

GLENN: No. No. There's no way to make sense of it. I'm just trying to understand what they're saying.

JOE: Right. Exactly.

I know. I know. It's so hard to even articulate it. It's like, what?

Here's. Let me just say this. He never made a tax filing with those documents that they claimed were false because he never took a tax deduction. So, again, we live -- seriously, when you talk about selective prosecution. He -- he actually overpaid taxes for someone else. Therefore, it's a tax crime.

GLENN: No.

JOE: A lot of this people in the country are charged with crimes for overpaying their taxes. I mean, that's another legal theory.

That's very novel. I mean, it just gets better and better and better. It's really -- you know, it's a joke.

GLENN: Okay. So this would be a joke, if I thought we could get fair trials.

But I'm not sure you can get a fair trial in New York.

He has been -- Donald Trump is the worst -- he went from the king of New York, to the worst -- you know, worst than Hitler and Mengele combined, to New Yorkers. In New York City.

Plus, you have a judge, that should have recused himself. I mean, the actual information on the judge and his daughter, is staggering.

Can he be -- can you get a change of venue, or at least a new judge?

JOE: Look, here is the thing. We are going to be making ferocious motions in this case. They're going to cover every angle, to get this ridiculous case to be thrown out of court. It doesn't belong in court.

We are going to obviously consider whatever legal motions, including a recusal, change of venue, if they're appropriate.

GLENN: Is it appropriate, don't you think the recusal of the judge? I mean, that's a conflict of interest like crazy.

JOE: You would think. And these facts came out, you know, yesterday. Apparently, his daughter works for the vice president.

GLENN: Oh. And -- yeah.

JOE: Again, again, we have to be very methodical in our attacks here. We don't want to do anything with a knee-jerk reaction. We don't want to make emotional decisions. And we'll do all the research and everything we need to do. We have obviously several months to make these -- these motions.

And we're going to take our time and do them right. Because you have one bite at this apple.

And there is no scenario, where we're going to miss anything.

And any angle that we can take that -- that legitimizes our legal attacks on this case, have known to be successful. I don't just this case is ever going to see a jury, Glenn. I really don't.

They shouldn't see a jury -- but that would -- you know, but we would need to have intellectually honest judges to make sure that that happens. And hopeful, that we'll have one here.

GLENN: I talked to Andy McCarthy here, former prosecutor.

And he said, I always know it's a weak case. When you start to repeat the same charges.

And you just keep stacking him on.

He said, that's the first thing you're state in law school. Don't do that.

That's crazy. Have you ever seen the same charge, 34, 35 times?

Is this unprecedented or not?

JOE: No. It's not really unprecedented.

But I agree with Andy. It's a sign of weakness.

There have been several indictments, that they stack up charges. It's one act.

It's one scenario.

It's one factual scenario, that they're alleging as a crime, that's not a crime.

Understand, if Donald Trump, if this were truly a campaign expenditure, okay?

Donald Trump would have the right to pay with campaign funds. Because it would be a campaign expenditure, right?

It's not.

He wouldn't be able to pay with campaign funds.

But if you, Glenn, for a second understand, the amount of people that will be paying from Donald Trump's scalp, had he paid this personal settlement with campaign funds -- I mean, they would be losing their mind. They would be saying, that's a fraud. It's not a campaign. It's personal. So he was damned if he did, damned if he didn't.

GLENN: Yes. Correct.

They pushed the next -- I guess the next trial date is -- is January 24th, right smack in the middle of the Iowa Caucus. Is that unprecedented to wait that long?

GLENN: That was a coincidence. I'm sure. Sure of it. Sure of it.

Well, no. It's not.

It actually should be longer.

When they have a case of this complexity, and, you know, this -- it's a case of pressure in many ways.

You know, what I will say is this: We have a situation, where we have to do motion.

We're not packing courts of the federal court. This should not be a trial in January. We want the trial to be pushed off further. Because we have to make sure we're touching every base here. And fighting on every legal point, that we could bring forth to challenge the suspicious indictment.

So there's no Russia to get the trial here. Again, I'm hopeful, we don't even get to that point. I really am.

A trial doesn't really happen within a couple of months.

This is a case where we don't even go back to court, until the next status conference. And this isn't a motion until December.

GLENN: I have to ask you this question: Because I've had a very good legal firm for quite some time. And they were the best on freedom of speech issues.

And they've dropped me. Because, you know, they have Google and everybody else.

And while they didn't say that, they just said, you know, we've got some other clients. And we just have to really -- I've been with them for 15 years. I know exactly what was going on.

You -- in reading, you know, your history, you're an amazing attorney. But this is -- let me ask this question: Humanitarian of the year, Reverend Al Sharpton's national action network. Man of the year award from New York State commission for social justice.

You are positioned in a place, where a New York attorney probably should be. You're taking on the enemy, Donald Trump, as your client. Are you not concerned?

I mean, thank you for being John Adams.

But are you not concerned about flushing your career down the toilet, in New York?

JOE: No. No, no, no.

Now, listen, I follow my own Constitution.

My knees don't buckle, Glenn. I do what I think is right.

When I took this case, it's because I realized how outrageous it was. And the rule of law is a danger in this country.

And for me, if I didn't have the courage to take this case, then I'm good for nothing.

If you can't be willing to fight something like this. And for that exact reason, I'm not one of those billing corporate law firms, where I know a lot of firms were in Texas. Because they were worried about the pull with other clients.

What I did was, look, I represented a lot of people who are politically opposite to Donald Trump. Right?

That being said, I spoke to some of them. I let them know. This is -- you know, it's something I believe in. And, look, I'm a litigator. And that's what I do. I litigate. I'm not a campaign lawyer. I'm not out there doing things that would be against what I would do as a civil litigator. I do the same thing.

I litigate. I don't get involved in collateral issues. I fight the case. And make sure that justice prevails.

GLENN: Sure. I mean, we used to agree on the Bill of Rights. And I don't just we do anymore.

JOE: No, no, no. And it's amazing that the justice system is being weaponized the way it is. We have crossed a Rubicon, that is going to be forever, forever damaging to this country.

And that's what scares the hell out of me.

Now -- Donald Trump, today or tomorrow, if some Democrat in Texas who -- Republican prosecutor says, you know what, I used to live in New York. I'm going to use the power of my office, to prosecutorial discretion -- which is powerful.

I'll leave it to him.

GLENN: Joe, there's no -- I mean, there have been crimes committed, by Hunter Biden in three different states, that are -- that are red states.

Why wouldn't the district attorney take those on?

JOE: Exactly. And that's -- and that's the point.

It's a political play here. And that's what really, really troubles me.

It's -- it's -- you know, I watched him try yesterday, that this was just something he would do against, any -- any person.

GLENN: Yes.

JOE: You charge people with falsifying business records. Which is a misdemeanor.

You know, 70 years later, which the statute of limitations would be gone on.

And tying it to a federal election campaign violation when you're a state prosecutor.

Federal authorities that said, there's no violation for him.

Yeah, well, timing has to do that absolutely.

I mean, I hear this disingenuous things. Is that false business charges all the time? Yeah, false business racketeering charges based on what?

I mean, it's so disingenuous, it's not even funny.

GLENN: Joe, I hope you're right, that this will never see a courtroom or a jury. We wish you the best. Pass on our best to Donald Trump.

Thank you, Joe Tacopina. He's the attorney for Donald Trump. And a good, a really good attorney.

I feel good having this guy represent Donald Trump.

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Meet the pro-Intifada candidate NYC Democrats just elected

New York City Democrats just elected 33-year-old Zohran Mamdani, a "socialist Muslim", as the Party's candidate for mayor. But Glenn Beck argues that his radical beliefs are actually communist and Islamist.

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

VOICE: Z10852. Something weird is going on. The World Trade Center is on fire.

VOICE: Seriously the top of the building. We're trying to get information.

VOICE: Top level of one of the --

VOICE: To unfold from New York City.

VOICE: A plane crashed just --

VOICE: My sister is in that believe. I hope she's okay. I have to come to New York.

VOICE: It's pandemonium.

VOICE: It's raining papers.

VOICE: Wait a minute! Stop just a second. Why are we -- why are we -- I've got breaking news. Breaking news, yesterday. New York City just elected as their mayoral candidate for the left. And the Democrats, a -- a Muslim radical, who is also a communist!

So, you know, it only took you 25 years. It only took you 25 years, New York, to go completely insane.

Somebody who is -- well, I mean, if I might quote Michael malice today. I am old enough to remember when New Yorkers endured 9/11 instead of voting for it.

But you've got a -- you've got a communist jihadist apologist now.

Who was -- you know, well, CAIR put $100,000 behind his bid for New York City mayor.

So you have somebody who is endorsed by CAIR. That's really good.

He also was somebody who said, you know, he was -- he was for the shooting of the United Health Care CEO.

Said he was looking forward to driving down magnum Joan avenue. I don't know. Sounds like supporting people in the streets. Maybe it's just me.

Then he also said that he was going to globalize the intifada, which I think that's -- maybe -- maybe that's just me.

I mean, what do I know?

Tim Miller who is a podcaster. Asked him a few weeks ago. Asked him about his pro Palestinian slogan. Globalized the intifada. And he said, for me, ultimately, what I hear in so many, is a desperate desire for equality and equal rights, in standing up for Palistinian human rights. Oh, is that what you hear, Mr. CAIR?

Really? Huh, that's interesting.

Right. So globalize the intifada.

I mean, I mean, sure, that's -- I mean well, let me go on.

Because I don't want to take him out of context.

He then delved into the semantics of the intifada, citing the United States Holocaust memorial museum's use of a word for a translation for uprising, in an Arabic version of an article, a museum published about the Warsaw ghetto.

Oh!

So this is just a comparison, about the -- the armed rebellion against the Nazis!

I don't know if that makes me feel better!

I mean, if we're globalizing that.

We're the Nazis in this scenario.

Because I don't think it's the Palestinians.

I certainly don't think it's anybody who is like, hey.

Global jihad. I don't think it's those guys.

Or the Nazis. Who are the Nazis in that?

And it seems, if that's what you mean, then it's not just a harmless kind of slogan about human rights. It is a call for violence on the streets.

Because I don't know if you know, that's what happened when the Jews had their uprising against the Nazis.

I'm just saying!

But, hey, hey, free Palestine.

Oh, that's not what that means, gang. That is not what that means, but don't worry about it. He's just going to be possibly the new mayor.

And that's great. By the way, the Columbia faculty members signed a letter defending Hamas.

They were also among the donors to his mayoral campaign.

So, you know, you don't have anything to worry about.

And his father, who used to work at Columbia. Do you know, Stu?

Is his Dad -- is he still a professor at Columbia University?

He said that -- this violent terror thing of Islam, is not a part of Islam. Now, I've read the Koran, and much of the hadith.

And I'm pretty sure the violence is a part of that. But no.

No. This is something entirely new.

And his father while at Columbia university, wanted everybody to know, that this is actually -- this is something that came out of America!

America is really responsible for this.

And, you know, it really started with the Reagan administration, you know, when he started -- when he started with his very religious terms, to finish the war against the evil empire.

So, you know, that's where -- that's where 9/11 came from.

Is what -- don't worry about it! Don't worry about it!

Because who am I? I'm clearly just -- am I an anti-Semite today, or am I an Islamophobic? I can't remember which one.

Oh, it's probably both. Anyway, Islamophobia. Let me just explain Islamophobia. I haven't even gotten to the Communist part of it. Which is really, really -- New York, you're in one for hell of a ride. Buckle up.

It will be a fun rollercoaster for you. My gosh, I've never been happier that I've been away are if New York.

Anyway, I just want I to know, there is Islam. And then there is Islamists. Now, an Islamist is somebody who really wants Sharia law.

That's political Islam!

That's not a faith. That's political Islam.

Now, let me make really -- something really clear. Criticizing Islamism, is not Islamophobia. Pointing out the dangers of, oh. I don't know.

Political Islam. The ideology that seeks to use the tools of democracy, ultimately to destroy democracy, is not an attack on Muslims.

No. Uh-uh.

You know why?

Because Muslims are often the first people in line.

The first victims of the ideology.

So let's draw a bright, bright line between Islam as a faith, millions of people can practice that faithfully and peacefully.

It's mostly peaceful, okay?

Then there's the Islamism.

Islamism is something entirely -- that's a political project.

A theocratic political -- oh. Left loves theocracies. They love it.

Of course, you never see a problem with it.

See it when an Islamist is touting it. Anyway, it's not about prayer. It's not about fasting. It's not about spiritual life.

It's all about power. It's about merging of mosque and state. It's about implementing Sharia, not as a personal code of conduct. But as a governing legal system.

And it's -- it's supremacy.

Absolutely. Faith.

Religion.

It's -- there's one thing that's supreme.

It's misogynistic.

Deeply intolerant of all kinds of things.

Descent. Secularism. Other faiths. Even competing interpretations from inside the faith itself.

It will behead them too.

So let's -- let's be honest here for a second.

You know, CAIR should be labeled an international terror organization.

In my opinion. In my opinion.

Oh, does that make me -- that makes me an Islamophobe. I'm sure. I'm sure they will start a campaign against me on being an Islamophobe.

Stand in line, guys. You've been doing it since 2001, okay?

I don't really care. And I don't think the American people. I think that record, all the grooves are worn-out on that one, okay?

This is not a religion we're talking about. When we're talking about Sharia law. And we're talking about globalize the intifada. What does that mean, actually, to globalize it?

Does that mean we now want to do what is happening to Israel? All over the world?

Has the Palestinian plight become our plight you now, as Americans?

That there has to be an intifada here!

Because it's the kind of the same. You know. It's kind of the same over, you know, with what the Palestinians are going through.

Well, it's very much like what the Jews went through with the Nazis.

That's a weird one. That one makes my head hurt. It's very much the same as that. And very much the same as the fight against Donald Trump.

Oh, this is going to be fun. It's fun!

Really fun. You know, the irony here is, the ones that will scream Islamophobia the most, are the ones in the progressive left, the champions of feminism, LGBTQ rights. And secularism.

They're going to -- no. You want -- they're going to stand with the people, who want to kill them first.

See, this is how smart they are!

This is why it's going to work out well, in New York City.

Let me just say. If you have an ounce of common sense, you run a business, you have an ounce of wealth. And I don't mean wealth like, you know, hey, Lovey.

Let's get on the boat for a three-hour tour with a suitcase full of cash. I mean you saved anything, anything, get the hell out of New York City.

I mean, this is about survival. This is about free speech. This is about women's rights.
Religious pluralism. Secular legal systems. Liberal democracy.

But it's also about failed principles of Communism. Okay?

First, you have to call out political Islam for what it is. Okay?

And we have to do it with the clarity that we call out white nationalism.

Got to do it with that. Got to -- you know, the Klan. Really bad people.

Really bad people.

Anybody who is shouting for globalized intifada?

Pretty bad. Pretty bad people.

Okay?

Now, let's get to communism.

Because that's another cool, cool angle of the new Democratic candidate for -- for mayor of New York City.

That I just -- I think is cuddly and cute. Sure, it led to 100 million deaths. But this time, New York is going to be radically different. Oh, did I use the word radical?

I didn't mean to use that. What's radical about this guy?

Nothing. He's just like you!

Well, not exactly.

But let's talk about communism, next!

Now, the new mayoral candidate that's running there in New York City. That so many young people rushed to defend and vote for. He's promising free buses.

That's going to work out.

Where are you going to get the money for free buses.

It's free!

City-run grocery stores.

Oh, rent freezes. And finally somebody has done it. A 30-dollar minimum wage.

So under the banner of equity. And, you know, we will tax the wealthy. And the corporations. You know, we're going to squeeze another $10 billion out of them.

Really?

Because they're going to call a U-Haul.

You know, they will call something like U-Haul. There will be a lot of -- there will be a lot of movers that are like, how do I get the truck back from Texas or Florida back up to New York? Nobody is moving up there.

But he's going to do it.

Now, his vision isn't really new. You know, just -- just tax people, so we could have city-run grocery stores. You know, I remember -- I'm old enough to remember those city-run grocery stores in Moscow.

They were great.

The shelves were empty.

But that's just Moscow.

It worked out completely different in Venezuela.

Where, oh, no.

It didn't. That's right. The grocery store.

They were eating the zoo animals.

But it will be different in New York.

Because they have rent controls too.

And that will just choke the housing supply, but don't worry. As a young family.

You know, you voted for it.

You know better.

It will work this time.

So, you know, I like building ideas, I just don't like usually building on the graves of 100 million people.

But, you know, why not? Why not?

You know, use this dogma.

And this time, it will be different. It's not like it was in China. Where the great leap forward, was a gross -- a gross parody of progress. Venezuela, which was oil rich. One of the richest nations in the hemisphere now sees 90 percent of its population in poverty!

Yeah. Darn it. You know what they did?

They decided to take state control of things.

You know, like grocery stores. And it worked out well. How is that free busing working out in Venezuela?

I just want to -- I just want to know.

Anyway, then you've got the globalize the intifada. Which is going to drop a little violence in, and anti-Semitism in with your communism.

Which is weird!

Because violence and anti-Semitism, always happen. When it -- when it comes to -- when it comes to communism.

This is weird!

I've got to play something for you. Because this has talked about on me earlier this morning.

Oh, wow.

Wait a minute. This is -- this is the whole coalition coming together here.

So this is going to be good. New York, this is going to be great.

It's going to be great for you.

No. He's going to uplift you. Then the social fabric of New York City is just going to be -- just one.

It's going to be fantastic. Don't worry about your 120 billion dollars in debt. Or your 10 billion-dollar deficit that you have right now.

You are going to charge the rich more taxes, and they will stay right there.

They will be like, you know what, that 46 percent in taxes that I'm paying, this is just not enough. It's just not enough.

I need to pay 60 or 70 percent to be able to pay my fair share. So that's good. That's good. That's good.

You know, they're not risking 100 million people. It's just 8 million people.

This time, it's just 8 million people.

But, hey. For those of you in upstate New York. That aren't going to be part of this experiment.

Don't worry, you get to pay for it. Because they'll kick it up to the state. The state will have to subsidize everything. And don't you love it?

Really, don't you want to subsidize the really crazy ideas of New York City?

I mean, why don't you have a -- why don't you have a democratic socialist. A/k/a communist mayor.

Why haven't you done that? Are you not progressive enough? Are you not looking into the future?

Are you stuck in the past?

I don't know. I don't know. The graveyard is pretty big. I have a hard time getting past that one. You know, yeah, so I'm stuck in the past. Because I can't seem to pass that graveyard, and get to be down the path with you. But it's going to be a paradise.

Forget arithmetic. You know, or human nature. This time, it's going to work. It's going to work. So all right!

Wish I lived in this morning.

No wait. Nope. I don't. Nope, I don't.

And Ted Cruz, stop it. Stop writing, hey, come to Texas. No. No. Don't come to Texas. Don't come to Florida. Go to California. It's beautiful this time of year. Go there. Go there.