I have no opinion as to the legal merits of the decision of the New York appellate court to decrease Trump’s bond, but I would say it was politically astute. It left the bond at a number high enough to cause pain, while making it more difficult for the man on golf cart to argue that he is being crucified by a partisan judicial system. There will be no images of a fire sale sign on Trump Tower to use for a fundraising campaign.
The decision by the trial judge to keep the April 15 date is a clear blow to Trump. I can’t help observing again that if Trump really believed in his innocence, he would be demanding a speedy trial, not trying to push it back to a date after the election.
From all outward appearances, the Supreme Court is going to find that the plaintiffs in the abortion pill case don’t have standing, because their alleged injury is way too speculative. That decision would be the correct one. The student debt case should have gone the same way.