The indictment itself identifies that date that the action underlying each and every count occurred. the latest are in 2017, i.e., over 5 years ago. I thought they might try to say that Trump’s tax returns were filed later, thus extending the SoL. But no counts relate to tax filings — just invoices from and and payments to Cohen.
Maybe I’m wrong, but I believe that the “extension because couldn’t serve a missing defendant” concept requires that an indictment exist that the DA was unable to serve, despite best efforts.
The killer fact here is that NO INDICTMENT EXISTED until a few days ago. Once an indictment was created, it took just a few days for Trump to turn himself in. If someone thinks a case for extending the statute of limitations can be made out of this, please explain how.
Exactly who was defrauded by characterizing payments to Trump’s attorney as legal expenses is not identified. Looks to me like the easiest case for dismissal ever. The judge should sanction Bragg and order him to pay all Trump’s costs.
It definitely seems like their is a problem with the statute of limitations.
The only thing that concerns me is that the judge wants this to go to trial. We saw with Gen. Flynn that a case that had no merits still went through the courts, even after Trump pardoned him!
I just wonder how many layers of courts will this have to go through before it reaches a judge with enough common sense to put this thing to rest.