The Trump hush-money prosecution is a pivotal moment for the U.S. justice system and the rule of law. Former President Donald Trump finds himself at the center of a legal battle that raises questions of transparency, accountability, and the integrity of our democratic processes. As the case unfolds, it is essential to strike a delicate balance between the public’s demand for more detail and the need to protect the integrity of our legal process.

At the heart of this prosecution are allegations of fraud and financial impropriety. Mr. Trump is accused of falsifying business records and submitting false information in connection with tax returns, with the intent to defraud both the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance and the IRS. Additionally, there are allegations that he conspired to promote his election to public office through unlawful means, including making illegal campaign contributions. These charges, if proven true, strike at the core of our electoral system and the integrity of our financial institutions.

The public demand for more detail in the prosecution is rooted in the pursuit of transparency and accountability, and we cannot ignore some of the political impetus for this pursuit. The public indeed has a legitimate interest in understanding the charges brought against a former president, particularly when they relate to potential violations of election laws and financial misconduct. Transparency in this case goes beyond satisfying curiosity; it is about upholding the principles of justice and ensuring that the legal process is open and accessible to all.

However, it is crucial to recognize that the legal process must proceed with caution to protect the integrity of the investigation and the rights of the accused, no matter who the accused might be. The prosecution has already provided a 34-count indictment and a 13-page statement of facts outlining the charges against Trump. The promise of countless more pages of additional details on a rolling basis demonstrates a commitment to sharing relevant information with the defense.

To prevent the potential weaponization of sensitive materials, a protective order has been signed by the judge presiding over the case. This order stipulates that Mr. Trump may view the discovery material only in the presence of his lawyers and prohibits him from posting the materials online or publicly distributing them. This measure strikes a balance between ensuring the accused’s access to relevant information and preventing the misuse of materials that could impact the integrity of the legal process.

One of the critical aspects of this case is its broader implications for our democracy. It serves as a benchmark for future accountability and the enforcement of campaign finance laws. The outcome will shape public perceptions of the justice system’s ability to address potential misconduct by public figures and ensure the integrity of our democratic processes. It is not just about Trump; it is about reinforcing the principle that no one, regardless of their position, is immune from legal consequences. However, these principles must be upheld universally, objectively regarding anyone, on any side of a political divide.  As there is a portion of the public wanting more information that could suggest Trump may have violated laws and trusts, there is an almost equal segment of the public who want to believe that the pursuit of justice seems to only surge when it’s politically expedient.

While it is premature to speculate on the outcome of the case, it is essential to recognize the potential ramifications of various scenarios. If Trump is found guilty, it would demonstrate that even those who hold the highest positions of power can be held accountable for their actions. It would send a powerful message that the rule of law applies to all, reinforcing the foundations of our democracy. Conversely, if he is acquitted, it would underscore the principle of the presumption of innocence and remind us of the importance of a fair and impartial trial.

Regardless of the outcome, this case highlights the importance of transparency, accountability, and the independence of our justice system – from public and partisan interests. It serves as a reminder that no individual, no matter their status or position, is above the law. Upholding the integrity of our legal processes and holding individuals accountable for their actions is crucial for maintaining public trust and the functioning of a just society.

As the case progresses, it is incumbent upon us to respect the legal process, promote transparency, and uphold the values that underpin our democracy. We must hope that the prosecution will present a compelling case supported by credible evidence, and the defense will vigorously present their arguments. Ultimately, the outcome will shape our collective understanding of the rule of law and its application to those in positions of power.

The Trump hush money prosecution is not just a legal battle; it is a test of our commitment to the principles of law and our Constitution that do strengthen our democracy. It must be a reminder that no one is above the law and that the pursuit of justice should be carried out without fear or favor.

However, it is important to remember that this case is not the only challenge facing our justice system. There are countless other cases involving high-profile individuals and powerful entities that require equal attention and scrutiny. While the Trump prosecution has captured significant public interest, we must ensure that our legal resources are distributed fairly and that every case is treated with equal importance.

Furthermore, we must be cautious not to allow the pursuit of justice to be overshadowed by political motivations or personal biases. The legal process should be guided by facts, evidence, and the rule of law, rather than driven by political agendas or vendettas. It is crucial that the prosecution of Mr. Trump, like any other case, is conducted with impartiality and integrity, ensuring that justice is served and public confidence in our legal system is maintained.

As this case unfolds, it is also important to remember that it is just one piece of a much larger puzzle. There are numerous other investigations and legal proceedings taking place at the federal and state levels that could have far-reaching implications. The outcome of these cases will shape our understanding of accountability, transparency, and the limits of executive power.

Ultimately, the Trump hush-money prosecution serves as a critical moment for our democracy. It challenges us to examine the integrity of our institutions and the fairness of our legal processes.

As concerned citizens, we should closely follow the developments in this case and others like it. We should demand transparency, accountability, and a fair and impartial legal system. Our democracy thrives when the principles of justice are upheld, and individuals are held accountable for their actions.

In the end, this Trump prosecution is not just about one individual; it is about the strength and resilience of our unique democracy. It is an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the rule of law and the principles that make our society just and fair. Let us navigate this process with wisdom, respect for the legal process, and an unwavering dedication to the values that define us as a nation. Only by doing so can we ensure that justice is served and that our democracy remains strong and vibrant for generations to come.

Duncan Levin is a celebrity defense attorney who has represented high-profile clients, including Harvey Weinstein, Anna Delvey, and Clare Bronfman.

Unless You Account for Not Paying Good Old Boy Cronies Fast Enough

Dear Friends, I’m motivated to share with you, folks, when I run across something that is black and white, showing financial abuse. Financial crimes that I’ve written about by Delaware’s Chancery Court benefitting the seedy law firm Skadden Arps are typically quite complicated. In this case, it’s plain for all to see. Former President and one of my idols, Donald J. Trump, is worth $3 billion. Trump, as a billionaire, got a $10,000 a day fine in Federal Court. Yet, Delaware’s Chancery Court issues $30,000 per day fines for TransPerfect CEO Philip Shawe, just to get questionable legal bills paid to cronies. Here’s a federal judge giving a $3 billion net worth person a $10K a day fine, while a hard-working company that built itself up from a dorm room that sold for one-fourth that amount at auction has been fined 3-times that amount – a $30K a day fine, whenever they can. What are these fines for? Not paying their Good Old Boy cronies fast enough for false, fraudulent bills, as I clearly see it, folks! See the Reuters story below for the net worth of our esteemed former Executive-in-Chief Donlald J. Trump. Please share your feedback, folks. It is always welcome and appreciated. Forever Delaware, Judson Bennett–Coastal Network

Trump held in contempt, fined $10K a day until he complies with probe By Luc Cohen and Karen Freifeld

April 25 (Reuters) – A New York judge on Monday held former President Donald Trump in contempt of court for not producing documents subpoenaed in the state attorney general’s civil probe of his business practices, and ordered Trump to be fined $10,000 per day until he complies. Trump lost a bid to quash a subpoena from state Attorney General Letitia James, and then failed to produce all the documents by a court-ordered March 3 deadline, later extended to March 31 at his lawyers’ request. Justice Arthur Engoron ruled that a contempt finding was appropriate because of what the judge called “repeated failures” to hand over materials and because it was not clear Trump had conducted a complete search for responsive documents. “Mr. Trump … I know you take your business seriously, and I take mine seriously. I hereby hold you in civil contempt,” the judge said, although Trump himself was not in the courtroom. Trump intends to appeal the contempt ruling, said his attorney Alina Habba. “We respectfully disagree with the court’s decision,” Habba said in a statement. Should Trump fail to pay the fine, he could be jailed, according to Sarah Krissoff, a New York lawyer not involved in the case, though she said such a scenario was unlikely and the judge could opt for other remedies such as increasing the amount of the fine. James is investigating whether the Trump Organization, the former president’s New York City-based family company, misstated the values of its real estate properties to obtain favorable loans and tax deductions. She has said the more than three-year-old probe found “significant evidence” that the company included misleading asset valuations in its financial statements for more than a decade. “Today’s ruling makes clear: No one is above the law,” James said in a statement on Monday. Trump, a Republican, denies wrongdoing and has called the investigation politically motivated. James is a Democrat. The attorney general has questioned how the Trump Organization valued the Trump brand, as well as properties including golf clubs in New York and Scotland and Trump’s own penthouse apartment in Midtown Manhattan’s Trump Tower. Also on Monday, Engoron granted a motion by James’ office to compel real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield to comply with certain subpoenas. Cushman conducted appraisals for several Trump Organization properties. Trump and two of his adult children, Ivanka and Donald Jr., also were subpoenaed and ordered to provide testimony to the attorney general. An appeal is pending for the testimony. Andrew Amer, special litigation counsel with the attorney general’s office, said during the hearing that the $10,000-a-day fine was meant to coerce Trump into complying with the subpoena, not punish him. Habba told the judge that Trump did indeed comply with the subpoena, but that he did not have any documents responsive to James’ request. Engoron said she would have to submit a detailed affidavit about her search of Trump’s records in order to be in compliance with the subpoena. Such an affidavit would need to show that Trump’s team had conducted a diligent search for documents, said Halim Dhanidina, a former California judge now practicing as a lawyer. “The court’s not going to just take someone’s word for it,” Dhanidina said. The Trump Organization’s property valuations are also the subject of a criminal probe in Manhattan, which last year led to the indictment of the company’s chief financial officer. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said this month that probe is ongoing despite the departure of its two top lawyers. Reporting by Luc Cohen and Karen Freifeld; editing by Jonathan Oatis, Noeleen Walder and Howard GollerOPINION Dear Friends, I watched every minute of the ridiculous, illegal, and unconstitutional, recent, impeachment attempt of President Donald J. Trump. As predicted, it failed as it should have. I’ll say that the seven Republicans who voted for a conviction will eventually be removed from office. Three of them are up for re-election in 2024. They are lightweights, creeps, and they are going to be defeated. The Democrat Party is about removing American freedoms and will be obliterated in 2022 and Joe Biden will be impeached and removed from office for real crimes against the American people. Let me say this, I believe the election was stolen. The absurd fact that Donald Trump couldn’t find a decent lawyer who could write a proper brief to get the innumerable issues of fraud into court is frankly beyond my comprehension. The lawyers that represented him during the impeachment trial in the Senate were terrible. Trump is lucky he was not found guilty. Folks, indeed there were some errors made by Trump, not intentionally, not even close, and nothing that required an impeachment. I say with disgust and determination to those individuals including you Antifa infiltrators, you are all scum, you ruined it for 75 million people. I hope every one of you gets long prison terms, you are absolute traitors to your country and you are idiots. You killed a cop and you desecrated the peoples’ building and center of Democracy. Regardless, Trump didn’t plan it nor did he intend it to happen. You jerks hurt us all and you created a nightmare for our President. He was NOT Guilty, but you bastards are! That being said, I will call a “Spade a Spade”. Indeed, I have great criticism for the campaign Trump ran — the words opposition research didn’t exist in that campaign. Trump employed an incompetent campaign manager, and throughout his tenure as President seemed to have trouble hiring decent people who were competent and loyal. Regardless, Trump’s ideas and platform were magnificent and he generated the greatest economy in my lifetime. Frankly, If this Biden/Harris administration continues beyond 2024, we will suffer poverty and the loss of all our freedoms. You elite, liberal, suburban housewives who voted for Biden, won’t like it when you can’t afford to get your hair done, belong to clubs, take trips, and watch your houses be grabbed by the banks because YOU CAN’T PAY YOUR MORTGAGE! America has already been put back 50 years by Joe Biden. In 4 years, the house of cards will collapse. Frankly, I am not sure yet how to proceed, however, those incompetents and RINOS in the GOP must be eliminated and we must organize now. I am not sure if Trump will be our guy after all of this media devastation, however, we have hope, there is a path to ultimate victory for the conservative agenda because the Socialists will implode. Soon, someone will emerge and if it is Trump again, then I will support him with a different method of operation. My thoughts for now. As long as I have my 1st Amendment rights intact, I will continue to speak out. As always, your comments are welcome and appreciated. Respectfully submitted, JUDSON Bennett-Coastal NetworkPhoto Creator: Erin Scott | Credit: REUTERS OPINION Dear Friends, It is necessary for me to state that from the very beginning, even during the primaries, I was totally on board with President Donald Trump. He offered prosperity like America has never seen before. He lowered taxes, he did away with obstructive regulations that allowed businesses to prosper, he corrected the trade deficit, and he lowered unemployment to the best it has been in many years. America’s middle class began to move upwards like never before. Indeed, prosperity reigned. However, from the very beginning the Democrats with the help of the Obama administration, the FBI, the CIA, and corrupt legislative operatives created the Russian hoax, and the Ukrainian debacle-leading to a vicious and wrongful impeachment of the President! Then came the Corona Chinese Virus that Communist China unloaded on the United States, killing 350,000 people in the US alone. Why did Trump lose the election? Here are the reasons and it is mind-boggling. First of all, Donald Trump is no politician; he is a New Yorker, and worked in his father’s construction business. He is crude, rude, and sometimes says things that infuriate people. Many people on both sides of the aisle find him obnoxious and hated him from the get-go. The “Never Trumpers” were a partial factor in the loss! On the other hand, having met him on several social occasions at Mar-a-Lago, I found him to be extremely charming, interesting, and humorous. I will quote a good friend of mine, a beautiful woman, who worked for him for 10 years had this to say about The Donald, “Trump was very professional, extremely brilliant and innovative, never hit on me, however sometimes when things didn’t go his way, he had the emotional stability of a 12-year-old.” Isn’t that interesting, when you look back at the first debate where Trump seemed out of control? Then his behavior would again revert back to brilliance and charm. No doubt, he was the best President in my lifetime, yet his demeanor has always worried me. Another issue that has me upset about my President is the fact that he created expectations for the million people that came to Washington DC to support him, that VP Mike Pence could and should send Electors back to their various State Legislatures, thus overturning the election. Folks, there is absolutely no way Mike Pence had the constitutional authority to do what the President asked him to do. Prior to the President’s speech, Pence actually told the President what he had to legally do and Trump excited the crowd anyway. Pence was a loyal partner with Donald Trump in every way, shape, and form! No way did this man of great character and integrity deserve the bad rap he has been given. To Trump’s credit, he did not urge or instigate the thousands of people there to create havoc in the Capitol Building. To blame him for the actions of a few nut cases, who have destroyed so many things, killing a Capitol Police officer, and devastating Trump’s future and that of our conservative credibility is unreasonable to the point of absurdity. To invade the sacred halls of the Capitol Building, vandalizing, terrifying  legislators, and actually killing a cop has put us back in a significant way! Why did the people come to DC to protest? The reason why is the number one reason Trump lost—election fraud! Folks, there is no doubt in my mind that millions of votes were illegally cast, altered, and double-voted. The evidence was overwhelming with thousands of documented and certified witnesses, including video evidence, exclusions of legal Republican witnesses, and illegal voting through wrongful voting-law changes, contrary to various state laws. Secretaries of State cannot arbitrarily change the rules. It must be done through the legislature. There were enough votes compromised, that Trump actually won the election! However, much to my amazement and chagrin, Trump couldn’t find a lawyer that could write a proper legal brief to actually get the cases heard in Federal Court! To me and to millions of others, we feel that we were robbed. We have been violated! That is why the people demonstrated in DC. My God, why did they have to go inside the Capitol Building? How would that be productive or positive? They killed a cop—Party over! Handled differently, the Republicans take back the house in 2022 and Trump is in position to win the Presidential election in 2024—not now folks! So now, the entire country is a virtual powder keg. There are 75 million pissed off Trump voters. It appears we are already losing our freedoms, especially the 1^st amendment, our right to free speech! Speech is free as long as you agree with the left. When you don’t, it is censored, jobs are lost, and conservatives are discriminated against! Soon they will be coming for your guns. Now, new articles of Impeachment are being drawn up by Nancy Pelosi to take out Trump with just days left in his term. Talk about division, talk about violence? Folks, it is my concern that if Trump is impeached, the streets will run red with blood! Make no mistake, the Trump movement is alive and his base is strong. His platform was the best I have ever seen. Maybe, after 4 years of grotesque socialism, dissolution of our freedoms, and loss of prosperity under the corrupt Biden administration —we patriots will vote a Trump like dude back in or maybe Trump himself as President and take back our country. If it gets really bad, then you might actually see an armed revolution that will force a return to capitalism and democracy. Indeed “big brother” is watching us and we are moving slowly into a George Orwell world of oppression as he wrote about in his novel “1984.” I have witnessed in 6 short months, fear, anarchy, sedition, corruption, a pandemic, the destruction of a Presidency, a stolen election, a raid on the capitol building, censorship, and more—hell why not a full scale revolution as well? Is that next? What a year 2020 was. Good riddance, but now what? The left has got all the power and they have told us what they are going to do! God help us. Respectfully Submitted,   JUDSON Bennett-Coastal Network

JUDSON Bennett’s Coastal Network

OPINION   Dear friends,   I just finished watching the Trump event in Dalton Georgia on behalf of the run-off election for Senators Perdue and Loeffler. If these two conservative Senators do not win, the end of America as we know it will happen within a year. Before I get into some predictions and possibilities, I want to briefly discuss the taped conversation that the President had with the Georgia Secretary of State which was unethically recorded and released out of context to the Washington Post.   The conversation, although a waste of time on Trump’s part, was an attempt to settle the lawsuits that the Trump campaign has against the Secretary of State and the Georgia Department of Elections. Unfortunately, it is now being used as a diversion by the corrupt media to take away the fact that despite the Georgia Secretary of State’s claim to the contrary, the evidence of enough significant fraud in Fulton County, Georgia alone is enough to change the results of the Georgia election.   Unfortunately, Trump has managed again to get himself between the dog lifting his leg and the fireplug! He ends up getting pissed on by an unethical Secretary of State. Trump did nothing wrong and the press and the malicious liberals love to use it as a distraction!   I got the following e-mail attack from a Lewes, Delaware Liberal who has no understanding of the depth of the Georgia corruption or the reality of the Democrat move toward socialism and eventual communism. This is what the idiot said, “You mean to sit there and tell me you support Trump’s attempt to get the Georgia Secretary of State to cheat and “find” enough votes so he’ll win Georgia. If so sir you don’t deserve to live in a Democracy. Why don’t you move to Venezuela where your standards are more acceptable?” The vitriol was typical of this mean-spirited mentality.   The hypocrisy and the malicious agenda of the left is unbelievable. This individual is ignorant beyond belief, but is dangerous because he supports the socialist agenda that Biden, et al will generate. Folks the push towards a complete take-over of your lives and a lifelike Venezuela is what you are going to get if the Democrats prevail in the State of Georgia.   Without a doubt, Biden as President will be bad enough and will implement changes that will affect our lives. However, if we lose Georgia, we lose the Senate, and then God help us. If that happens this is what you can expect: 1) A significant tax increase, 2) Loss of your 2nd amendment and right to bear arms, 3) Elimination of the filibuster rule in the Senate, 4) Making Washington DC and Puerto Rico states with 4 new liberal Senators, 5) Elimination of the Electoral College, 6) Increasing the supreme Court to 15 Justices, 7) Medicare for All, 8) Open borders, and 9) The total move toward Socialism leading to Communism. A guaranteed life of mediocrity and hardship.   Folks, Georgia is on my mind and we have to hold the line there.   As always, your feedback is welcome and appreciated.   Respectfully Submitted,   JUDSON Bennett-Coastal Network CoastalNetwork.com

OPINION NEWS ALERT : ARE THE BIDENS DELUSIONAL?? FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, HOW JOE AND JILL MET IS JUST ANOTHER LIE ! Folks, just days before the election, the Bidens have the audacity to put out another TV lie and political ad in the face of outed corruption! Bill Stevenson, Jill’s former husband tells the truth, but the Bidens are apparently so arrogant they think the American people are stupid. Joe and Jill Biden never met on the phony blind date that Jill prevaricates in her insipid book! ABSOLUITELY UNTRUE, which I have personally verified from other unimpeachable sources. Folks, when you put together the entire Biden history of absolute falsehoods, the grotesque misrepresentations and political prevarications these people have perpetrated on the people of Delaware since 1972 and also the American people as a nation while selling his office to Communist China and also Russia, in my opinion, through his son Hunter, how can anybody logically justify voting for this serial criminal who apparently has bamboozled so many people?! Jill might be visiting Joe and Hunter at a federal prison after the election?! I wonder if they will be able to share the same cell? Folks, there is no comparison as to the abilities, lifetime actions, and realities between President Donald Trump and the head of the “Biden Crime Family”, Democrat candidate for President of the United States, Joe Biden! The clear dishonesty of these people make them a threat to our national security. Please, vote for Donald Trump to guarantee future prosperity instead of devastating depression without hope created by people who think they are above the law. Please scroll down to read the accurate article which is public news. VOTE ON TUESDAY NOVEMBER 3rd for DONALD TRUMP like your life depends on it, because it does! Respectfully yours, JUSON Bennett-Coastal Network *Please check out the article below which should further outrage any reasonable citizen who has been lied to by Joe Biden’s lifetime of blatant dishonesty:

Biden campaign ad repeats account of when Jill met Joe disputed by ex-husband

Bidens say they met in 1975; Bill Stevenson says they knew each other in 1972

By Valerie Richardson – The Washington Times – Saturday, October 31, 2020

A Biden campaign ad released this week features a timeline of when Jill Biden met Joseph R. Biden that has been disputed by her ex-husband.

In the one-minute ad, “In the Dark,” Mrs. Biden makes reference to the well-known account of how she met then-Sen. Biden in March 1975 after he saw her photo on a poster and got her phone number from his brother Frank.

“My name is Jill Biden, and I want to tell you about my husband Joe. I first met Joe two years after a car accident that injured his sons and killed his wife and his baby daughter,” says Mrs. Biden, referring to the December 1972 crash, in the ad released Tuesday.

Bill Stevenson, a prominent Delaware rock-venue owner who was married to Jill from 1970-76, has told media outlets that she met Mr. Biden during his 1972 campaign for Senate, before the accident, and that they later had an affair that broke up the Stevenson marriage.

The Biden campaign flatly denied the allegations after they surfaced in August, and accused Mr. Stevenson of seeking to drum up publicity for his upcoming autobiography.

“These claims are fictitious, seemingly to sell and promote a book,” a Biden spokesperson told “Inside Edition” in September. “The relationship of Joe and Jill Biden is well documented. Jill Biden separated from her first husband irreconcilably in the fall of 1974 and moved out of their marital home. Joe and Jill Biden had their first date in March of 1975, and they married in June of 1977.”

Mr. Stevenson, whose Stone Balloon bar featured top acts such as Bruce Springsteen and Metallica, told WDEL radio host Rick Jensen that the allegations went public when a writer interviewed him for a story about his still-unreleased autobiography.

“I said, ‘Look, the Bidens made up this dramatic story that they met, he saw a picture of her,’ and I told him, I said, ‘That was so untrue,’ ” Mr. Stevenson said in the Aug. 17 WDEL interview. “There’s probably 500 people in Delaware that saw Joe Biden and Jill at three major fundraising events at the Stone Balloon in 1972, after the Stone Balloon opened in February.”

Mr. Stevenson told the [U.K.] Daily Mail that he plans to vote for President Trump — he also supported President Barack Obama — but that he bears no ill will toward Mrs. Biden, adding that his book is “ready to go” and that “there’s nothing personal about Jill.”

“One thing I do not want to do, and I know this might sound funny to people, is that I don’t want to hurt her chances of becoming first lady of the United States. That’s not my goal,” Mr. Stevenson told WDEL.

He said he has not spoken to her about the book, but if he did, he would challenge her how-Joe-met-Jill account.

“I would say to Jill, listen, you know how I feel about this. You had an affair. You worked on the campaign,” Mr. Stevenson said. “Why you invented this crazy story on Oprah Winfrey about, he saw your picture in the train station — there’s too many people that knew we worked on his campaign in 1972.”

He said Jill would babysit for the widowed senator’s young sons, and that he grew suspicious when he was told Mr. Biden caused a fender-bender while driving her Corvette in 1974. The couple separated after a friend of hers told him about the affair in October 1974, Mr. Stevenson said.

The divorce became final in late 1976, and Jill and Joe exchanged vows soon after.

“Very shortly thereafter — I was paying her $2,000 a month at that time — when they got married, my lawyer called up and said, hey, she just got married, don’t send the next check,” Mr. Stevenson said. “That was in June of 1977.”

The Bidens, who married June 17, 1977, have given an entirely different account of how they met, saying that they went on their first date after he called her and persuaded her to cancel a previously scheduled date.

“My brother said, there’s this woman — you’ll really like her, Joe,” said Mr. Biden in a 2020 Democratic National Convention video. “So I gave her a call, and she had [another] date that night.”

Mrs. Biden jumped in with, “You said, do you think you can break your date? Well, I called and told the guy that I had a friend in from out of town, and went out with Joe.”

Mr. Stevenson, a member of the Delaware Rock & Roll Hall of Fame who also started and sold a transportation company, was listed as one of the 50 most influential Delawareans in the last 50 years in 2012 by Delaware Today, as was Mr. Biden.

OPINION Dear friends, Liberal Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away at age 87 on Friday. She fought a noble battle against pancreatic cancer. Ginsburg led an amazing life and was a true American icon, who fought tirelessly and successfully for equal rights for women. Regardless of one’s political party or political agenda, Ginsburg’s achievements and commitments were remarkable and should be lauded in perpetuity. Ginsburg was taken from us too soon, and I’m very sad to hear of her passing. The opening this has left on the Supreme Court has significant political ramifications that are worthy of discussion. Mainly, President Donald Trump has the constitutional duty and the authority to nominate a new Supreme Court Justice. It may seem on the surface that it’s inconsistent to replace her in an election year because the Republicans delayed the vote in 2016 when Obama was president. That was a very different situation because the Senate was controlled by the Republican Party, while the presidency was controlled by the Democrats. Currently, there is no party divide between the Senate and the Presidency. If the Democrats had control of the Senate when Obama was president in 2016, they would have made the same move. Trump has stated unequivocally — while considering that the balance of the nine-member court is crucial in regard to the most important issues in American law — that he wants to “swear in without delay, a woman”, and jokingly said at a campaign rally in North Carolina, “I think it should be a woman because I actually like women much more than men.” So do I, folks! President Trump is reportedly considering two female judges who serve on federal courts of appeal. Amy Coney Barrett and Barbara Lagoa. Notice how the liberal media has given Trump no credit for committing to nominate a female Supreme Court Justice and contrast that with the virtual parade and confetti that the media rolled out when Biden committed to a woman as his running mate. Being Vice President, as important as it is, is temporary — a Supreme Court Justice appointment is for life. As always, your feedback is welcome and appreciated. Sincerely yours, JUDSON Bennett-Coastal NetworkDear friends, Everyone should take note today! I am writing about an article from liberal CNN News (!) that discusses something I have written about before: If Biden is ahead, why isn’t Trump an underdog with London’s betting houses? You know what they say, follow the money! Well, folks, the money is betting on Donald Trump to win in November! You have to give the American people some credit. The money is on Trump for the same reason the American stock markets are going off the charts: People are “betting on the come” — a gambling expression that means betting on what’s coming — because they believe Trump if re-elected, will solve the Pandemic with a life-saving, preventative vaccine, restore the great prosperity we had before the Chinese Communist Party actually perpetrated an act of war against America, and will restore law and order to protect our society from the anarchy the Democrats have supported. Additionally, the real truth about Joe Biden is slowly getting out to the American people. The man is probably the most dishonest politician in United States history. He is a serial liar and has absolutely no character. Frankly, I think he is despicable. There are innumerable reasons why the smart money is lining up behind Trump. Biden has been a fraud from the very beginning, as far back as when he was in college. Anyone of his intrinsically evil and fraudulent acts of acute dishonesty should be enough to keep him from being elected. Let’s just name a few interesting facts about Biden: 1) Lied about his grades, scholarships, and degrees. 2) Plagiarized papers in Law School and was suspended. 3) Bribed a Teamster, mafia, union boss… so Delaware newspapers supporting Caleb Boggs in his first campaign could not be delivered to voters. 4) When his first wife Nelia Biden killed herself and her daughter by running a stop sign and colliding with a truck, Biden falsely accused the truck driver of being drunk, ruining the driver’s life. 5) Stole his good friend’s wife, who helped him get elected, Jill Biden, with both publicly lying about when the affair began — showing total lack of character. 6) Arranging lucrative deals for family members. 7) Causing and creating the false charges against General Mike Flynn and spying on the Trump campaign. Folks, these are just a few drops in the bucket of Biden’s grotesque dishonesty. Despite the skewed polls, the smart money has to be on Trump. When you compare the success of Trump’s platform compared to Biden’s Socialistic agenda, conflating Biden’s nefarious, false path and fake persona — I give the American people some credit. Please see the interesting story below and send me your thoughts.   Respectfully yours, JUDSON Bennett-Coastal Network   https://edition.cnn.com/2020/09/04/politics/betting-markets-trump-biden-bovada-betfair/index.html?utm_source=twCNNp&utm_content=2020-09-04T22%3A06%3A05&utm_medium=social&utm_term=link  

Why do gamblers think Donald Trump has such a good chance of winning?

Analysis by Chris Cillizza, CNN Editor-at-large September 4, 2020 (CNN)In the wake of the two national party conventions, a slew of national polling has been conducted that suggests the 2020 race hasn’t changed all that much. Former Vice President Joe Biden maintains a high-single-digit lead over President Donald Trump, with voters still very concerned about the coronavirus pandemic — and less than thrilled about how Trump has performed on that front. (I wrote about all of that here.) Yet, one thing has changed A LOT over the past month: How betting markets see the race. According to Real Clear Politics’ aggregation of the odds being set by various markets, Biden went from a 61% chance of winning August 4 to a 50.5% chance on September 4. Which, if you look at the other available data in the race, doesn’t make a ton of sense! To answer the “why” behind the movement in betting odds, I reached out to Rufus Peabody, a professional sports bettor and partner at the analytics firm Massey Peabody. (If this stuff interests you, Rufus also has a GREAT sports betting podcast called “Bet the Process.”)  Our conversation, conducted via email and lightly edited for flow, is below. Cillizza: Can you explain broadly how betting markets like Betfair and Bovada work — for politics and sports? Peabody: So there’s a distinction here. Betfair is a betting exchange, while Bovada is a sportsbook. If you place a bet at Betfair, you are matching with someone else — often a professional market maker, but possibly just another individual — who wants the opposite side of the bet. Betfair makes money by taking a commission on each transaction. This is a true market, as prices are directly determined by the betting public. When most people refer to the “betting market.” however, they are not referring to an actual market but rather to prices at sportsbooks, which are *not* directly tied to supply and demand. The key distinction between a sportsbook and a betting exchange is the counterparty. If you place a bet at a sportsbook, the sportsbook is the counterparty. If you bet on Joe Biden to win at +100 (50% implied odds), the sportsbook is taking the opposite side of that bet (Trump at +100). Sportsbooks function as markets in a general sense because books are trying to draw equal action on both sides. While exchanges make money by taking a commission, sportsbooks make money by offering “unfair odds.” If a book thought the true price was Biden 50%, Trump 50%, they might offer Biden 53%, Trump 53%. Cillizza: Who is setting the baselines for these markets? Peabody: The prices at an exchange like Betfair are directly set by market participants. Anyone can make an offer, and if there’s a counterparty willing to accept, voila! For traditional sportsbooks, there are a few large offshore books that traditionally act as market makers, setting initial odds, and moving them in response to the betting action they receive. Cillizza: What makes a market move? Outside events? Momentum? Peabody: The short answer is money, and usually, though not necessarily, smart money. Sportsbooks want to make money and minimize risk, which they can do by setting odds that draw betting volume proportional to the odds offered. This is referred to as balanced action, or two-way action. If the betting public is wagering a lot more money on one team (or politician) than another at a traditional sportsbook, the book can adjust the odds they offer (for future bets) in hopes of receiving more balanced action. Why? By setting a “price” that equalizes supply and demand, they can use the money from losing wagers to pay off the winning wagers, and collect a risk-free profit. But it’s not exactly that simple. Let’s say there are two classes of bettors: “Sharp” bettors who will bet large amounts of money if they find a profitable opportunity, and “square,” recreational bettors who do not run sophisticated models, are not especially price sensitive, and are long-term losers (in terms of money made and lost). Squares make up 96% or more of the betting public. If a sportsbook is getting unbalanced action, but all that money is being bet by “squares”, it’s less inclined to adjust its odds, since by doing so, it risks skewing the odds and creating opportunities for “sharps” with large bankrolls to exploit. (Side note: For this reason, books place limits on the size of any one bet, allowing them to adjust the odds before too much damage is inflicted) All this is to say that the most sophisticated offshore sportsbooks that have the highest bet limits are very good at profiling bettors — identifying the “sharp” bettors from the “squares” — and will adjust their odds in response to large wagers from “sharps.” Other, less sophisticated books (i.e. most US books), will adjust their odds to closely mirror the odds of the sophisticated sportsbooks. That was a very long-winded way of saying that large bets from sophisticated, successful bettors generally make markets move. But every market is different. The greater the liquidity, the higher the limits, the more likely market moves are to be efficient — moving toward the true probability. Markets with lower liquidity and/or lower limits tend to have less efficient prices. A market likePredictIt, where users can only bet $800 on a position, should have much less efficient odds than a liquid exchange that does not put a cap on position sizes. Cillizza: There’s very little actual evidence — polling, money etc. — that suggests Trump is much more likely to beat Biden than he was a month ago. But the odds are basically 50-50. What gives? Peabody: Simply put, there has been an influx of money bet on Trump, which has driven his price up. Does that reflect a true fundamental change in the race, or is it an inefficient market move? I am always inclined to side with liquid betting markets over polls — they have a track record of outperforming polls and pundits. Are there times when markets are inefficient? Just look at the stock market moves in the last six months! Of course there are. While polls can be a good barometer, they rely on a number of assumptions, including the composition of the electorate. Given how unusual this election will be, with so many fewer people voting in-person, as well as the possibility of voter suppression, I would argue that voter turnout is much more of an unknown this year than in a typical election cycle. Polls also reflect support now. I’m no political expert, but the perception, accurate or not, seems to be that Republicans have finally found a strong message: law and order. It feels like the election is being fought on different turf than it was a month ago, and while continuing protests may galvanize progressives, they may hurt Biden’s chances with moderates. The law and order message worked for Republicans in 1968, another election year marred by civil unrest. I’m no political expert, though, so this is really all just speculation. Cillizza: Finish this sentence: “The best way to use betting markets to understand where a game or a presidential race is headed is _______.” Now, explain. Peabody: “The best way to use betting markets to understand where a game or presidential race is headed is as the best indicator we have available of the probability. “ Just like stock prices take all available information — including fundamentals such as earnings reports — political betting markets take data, such as polls and fundraising numbers, into account. Markets aren’t always efficient, but liquid markets do a better job of synthesizing available public and nonpublic information than polls alone. (Cillizza note: There is some disagreement on this point.) It’s possible that markets are moving on some information that’s not yet public; we have no way of knowing for sure. I should stress that betting market predictions aren’t always accurate, but historically, they have been better predictors than polls. The predictive value of any market (or pseudo-market) is directly related to its liquidity (how much money is being wagered by all market participants), and any restrictions, such as betting limits. There seems to be a growing global trend in the communities of the prominent billionaire global elites, one which, luckily, has seen some of the world’s richest families carve out swaths of their income dedicated to improving the Earth through charity. The most well known billionaire philanthropists is Bill Gates, cofounder of Microsoft, who, through the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation, the largest charitable organization in the world, has donated over $36 billion since 2000. Other household names also top the list of charitable donors: Warren Buffet, Carlos Slim and Sergey Brin to name a few. But one lesser known billionaire is quietly doing his part to make the world a better place. Brian Sheth made his fortune as the co-founder and President of Vista Equity Partners, a private equity and venture capital firm which owns over 50 software companies and employs over 65,000 people worldwide. Together with his wife, Adria Sheth, Brian founded The Sangreal Foundation, a charitable organization focused on conservation and environmental protection. Through a hands-off approach, The Sangreal Foundation identifies global issues, partners with select organizations, builds a team of world-class specialists, enables them through funding and back-end support and then let the experts do their work. It’s an interesting take on the normally routine charity structure. The Sangreal Foundation focuses on building teams and giving them the tools to tackle the problem themselves. The Sangreal Foundation website claims “Sangreal’s hands off approach keeps our teams supported without monopolizing our efforts. Because of that, we’re able to find new and diverse causes to support so we can continue to help change the world.” Now, Sheth is involved in helping the world heal from this pandemic. and a Democrat, had been watching an effort to gather  America’s top scientists and a collection of billionaires and industry titans who say they have the answer to the coronavirus pandemic. They needed a backdoor  to deliver their plan to the White House. The group, led by a 33-year-old physician-turned-venture capitalist named Tom Cahill, from Boston, has enough lofty connections to influence government decisions in the war against Covid-19. Sheth was an early investor in Dr. Cahill’s fund and had been on the first call. His expertise was technology, though, not immunology. He had become friendly with Thomas Hicks Jr., the Dallas businessman and co-chairman of the Republican National Committee. Mr. Sheth introduced Mr. Hicks to Dr. Cahill’s group. The rest of the story can be read in the Wall Street Journal or on MSN.