House Speaker Mike Johnson describes himself as a ChristianĀ before anything else. He hasĀ saidĀ his ā€œfaith informs everything I do.ā€ He hasĀ toldĀ people curious about his views to ā€œpick up a Bible.ā€ His wifeĀ reportedlyĀ runs a counseling service whose operating agreement, which he himself notarized,Ā states, ā€œWe believe and the Bible teaches that any form of sexual immorality, such as adulteryā€¦is sinful and offensive to God.ā€Ā He hasĀ saidĀ he and his son use a software program called Covenant Eyes to ensure neither is looking at porn.

Given all this, you may think that Johnson would not be comfortable showing up to a criminal trial to defend a guy who allegedly had an affair with an adult film star (according to the adult film star anyway, though Trump denies it), paid her to stay quiet about the alleged affair, and then was accused of covering up said payment. But you would think wrong!

On Tuesday, Johnson attendedĀ Donald Trumpā€™s hush money trial in Manhattan, whereā€”prior to the proceedings getting underwayā€”the congressional leader nodded approvingly at Trump from behind a metal barrier, like a groupie at his favorite bandā€™s concert.

  • zeppo@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    Thatā€™s not at all what the Maher article says. She said she wasnā€™t coerced, not that they didnā€™t have sex. Itā€™s also not the point of the trial.

    • Cincinnatus@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      I never said that it was Mahr she said she didnā€™t have sex to. Word for word, this is the letter she signed in 2018.

      To Whom It May Concern:
      
      Over the past few weeks I have been asked countless times to comment on reports of an alleged sexual relationship I had with Donald Trump many, many, many years ago.
      
      The fact of the matter is that each party to this alleged affair denied its existence in 2006, 20011, 2016, 2017 and now again in 2018. I am not denying this affair because I was paid ā€œhush moneyā€ as has been reported in overseas owned tabloids. I am denying this affair because it never happened. 
      
      I will have no further comment on this matter. Please feel free to check me out on Instagram at @thestormydaniels.
      
      Thank you,
      
      Stormy Daniels
      
      • ghterve@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        She did sign that letter. But she had previously said they did have the affair (and described it in detail). And shortly after she signed that letter, she admitted to Anderson Cooper the letter was a lie. She explained that she lied becauseā€¦ Get thisā€¦ She was concerned about legal complications because she had accepted the hush money to not reveal the affair.

        She also admitted that statement was a lie during her recent testimony while under oath. Signing that statement was not likely a crime. But if she had lied under oath this month, that would be a crime.

        So, she was clearly lying at some point. Why do you choose to believe the much less plausible option that she was truthful the one time in 2018 but she was lying all the other times? Thereā€™s no logical explanation for that, yet the opposite (lied in the 2018 statement you posted) has much more logical support. The only reason I can see to believe her only that one time when she had reason to lie is because it lets you believe Trumpā€™s lies that you really wish were true.

        • Cincinnatus@lemmy.world
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          6 months ago

          Well why do believe that Cohen is honest now, but lied every other time in the past? Stormy came out the third time and said they slept together again to try and get some money, even telling her attorney to hurry it up before the election or sheā€™ll lose her leverage to get paid. The point is that her and Cohen both just arenā€™t credible witnesses at all. Theyā€™re both making a living on Trump being guilty so theyā€™ve got everything to gain from saying whatever they need to say to keep the money flowing