The Stream

The Brew: Trump Goes on Trial, Blamed for Iran, ‘Health Crisis’ and Travis Getting Yelled at by Taylor

Former President Donald Trump wondering if he'd be charged with a felony in New York for ordering a pizza pie with pineapple.

By Al Perrotta Published on April 16, 2024 •

Al Perrotta

Good morning!

Today’s Brew is made with Trump water.

History: Donald Trump’s “Hush Money” Trial Gets Underway in New York

The lawfare generals didn’t want this case to go first because it’s the weakest of the many they are waging against Donald Trump, but thanks to the assorted delays in Fulton County and with the Jack Smith cases, here we are.

The first criminal trial of a former U.S. president is now underway, the so-called “hush money” case. The city is crumbling, violence is rampant in the streets, the world is about to explode … but hey, let’s talk about Stormy Daniels!

Trump did not enter the courthouse quietly.

He even released a video, turning the case into a campaign commercial.

Jury selection is the first order of business, but don’t expect Trump to face a jury of his peers. The only way he’d end up with a greater number of Biden voters than the ones he’s likely to get would be selecting the jurors from a cemetery.

Potential jurors are being asked 42 questions. Eleven of them are crafted specifically to determine if they might have a positive attitude towards Trump. Only four are meant to determine if they might have an anti-Trump bias. One deals with religious or other obligations that would make it difficult for the juror to serve.

One issue in particular is raising eyebrows. Judge Juan Merchan decided the court will convene every weekday except Wednesday — meaning, the trial will be conducted on Fridays. Lawyer and Fox News host Mark Levin thinks was a cynical bid to wipe Orthodox Jews, the NYC demographic that overwhelmingly supports Trump, from serving on the jury.

“Left-wing anti-Trump Democrat judge in phony case against Trump starting tomorrow has purposely scheduled trial days to include Fridays to prevent more conservative pro-Trump Orthodox Jews from serving on the jury,” Levin posted on X. “This is yet another sleazy move by this judge.”

By the way, did you know Iran’s attack on Israel is Donald Trump’s fault?

Biden Spokesman John Kirby Blames Trump for Iran Attacking Israel

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby tried blaming Donald Trump for Iran attacking Israel over the weekend. (Yep. And Big Bad Orange is also responsible for the cloud cover that obscured last week’s total eclipse for some. And Tiger Woods’s round of 82 at the Master’s Saturday? All the doing of The Donald.)

When quizzed by Fox News Sunday about the Biden administration having been soft on Iran, Kirby responded, “It was the previous administration that decided to get us out of the Iran deal. And now Iran is so much dramatically closer to potential nuclear weapon capability than they were before … Mr. Trump was elected.”

And the money Biden has been releasing into Iranian hands by the billions? That, too, is on Trump. Just like the Golden Bachelor’s divorce, Caitlin Clark’s loss to South Carolina in the NCAA women’s basketball finals, and the fiery end of the Hindenburg.

The White House also blames Trump for the current “health care crisis.”

Kamala Harris Blames Trump for “Health Care Crisis” … By That She Means Abortion Limits

Last week, Kamala Harris declared, “Donald Trump is the architect of this health care crisis.”

What health care crisis would that be? All the deaths from the fentanyl the Biden administration has allowed into the country through its open-borders policy? Or maybe obesity? 

No, Harris is talking about efforts to protect the lives of the unborn. But one person’s pro-life movement is the Biden administration’s “health care crisis,” in the same way that it deems cutting off kids’ healthy body parts to be “gender affirming care” and illegal immigrants to be “newcomers.”

Seriously, how far down the rabbit hole of “calling good evil” must one have gone in order to describe protecting the unborn as a “health care crisis”? After all, there was a time when politicians gained lift from kissing babies, not advocating for them to be cut up and sold for parts. 

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We’d better lighten things up before sending you into the rest of your day. 

Travis Kelsey in Hot Water For Liking Tweet of Trump With Former ESPN Sportscaster Sage Steele

You’ve got the “Swifties” and the “Not-So-Swifties.” Not sure which of them is responsible for this development, but Kansas City Chiefs tight end and Taylor Swift boyfriend Travis Kelsey is getting grief simply for liking a photo of Donald Trump.

Former ESPN sportscaster Sage Steele uploaded to Instagram her shot with the former president at a UFC event last month in Florida, and Kelsey simply liked it. (What does he like about it? Is he friends with the sportscaster? Does he appreciate Trump’s support of the UFC? Does he like the photo composition? Who knows?)

But given the fact that Kelce is dating the world’s most popular entertainer — who loudly supported Biden in 2020 and whom Democrats hope will cart him over the finish line this November — Kelce’s simple act is raising all sorts of ire. And speculation.

After all, you can’t be a celebrity and show any sort of positivity toward Trump — at least, not since 2016.

For all the moaning coming from the Swifties camp, you’d think Kelsey had declared Taylor’s Red album overrated. We only know one thig: If Taylor and Travis split, the White House will blame Trump for it — and probably make a federal case out of it. 

Along The Stream

Gavin Ashenden offers “The Vatican on ‘Infinite’ Human Dignity. Do Humans Look Dignified to You?”

Dr. Michael Brown answers, “How Will Israel Retaliate Against Iran?”

Yesterday, Al’s Afternoon Tea served up “Masters Winner Praises the Master, Plus When ‘Don’t’ Means ‘Go Ahead’ and Attack Our Ally.”

 

Al Perrotta is managing editor of The Stream, coauthor with John Zmirak of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and coauthor of the counterterrorism memoir Hostile Intent: Protecting Yourself Against Terrorism.

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