Bernard Kerik seeks immunity before responding to a subpoena to testify in the first trial of the election Fraud case against Trump and 18 other defendants.
Kerik's been to prison before. He doesn't want to go again.
I would assume that once you have a first mover on this sort of thing the incentives to flip go WAY up. Probably are only a few really good deals on the table and it’s first come first serve for anybody that can serve trump to the prosecutor.
The rats are scrambling to get off the sinking ship. Incredible that it took the threat of prison to break the logjam, but there’s no time like the present.
$1000 fine and 12 months probation per misdemeanor (served consecutively, and after 30 months, probation reverts to non-reporting)
Letter of apology to the State of Georgia
Agreement to provide truthful and complete testimony in relation to this case
No travel restrictions
Hall's flip was an indicator to all the other defendants, witnesses, potential witnesses, defense attorneys, and pretty much all sentient life in the universe, that the DA wants cooperation, and is willing to be very generous in order to get it.
While Hall's charges were dropped to misdemeanors under a "first offense" guideline, Kerik is not currently charged with anything, although he is definitely known as a co-conspirator. It is reasonable for Kerik to seek some kind of immunity (there are various levels) in exchange for full testimony, so long as those potential charges are looming - otherwise he would have no choice but to plead the fifth, and then possibly end up being charged anyway. He's got nowhere else to go than negotiating immunity from prosecution and giving full testimony. Hall was the first domino, Kerik is looking like he'll be the second, much larger domino.
Since Hall pleaded guilty to misdemeanor conspiracy charges, there is a conspiracy, and his is specifically about Coffee County voting machine fuckery. I expect that Sidney Powell and Misty Hampton are right next in line for being the next dominos to fall. Hampton would probably go first; Hall's flip should have been enough for her to do the same, because she's relatively low on the totem pole. Powell is higher, and may wait to see how Kerik's deal gets worked out before also finishing her negotiation.
That’s something the prosecutors really play up in this kind of case. It’s pure prisoner’s dilemma, but with multiple players and non-simultaneous decisions. The first person to flip gets the best deal. The more people that flip, the more information they have, and the less each individual bit of information is worth, in terms of bargaining power.
From everything I have read that's pretty much true. Now it's a race to see who has the most and best damning information that gets them, the prosecution, the furthest up the ladder.
This is the guy who was a former NY police commissioner, was nominated by Bush to lead Homeland Security, he lied to the feds as part of that process, withdrew his nomination, was found to have gotten $250k in renovations to his apartment that he didn't report from a construction company with mob ties , got four years in prison, and Trump pardoned him. Article about the pardon.
Not really passing Trump's loyalty test, apparently.
That's because the mafia knows to be loyal to the underlings, and in return they'll be loyal when put under pressure. They don't care to do a jail stint as long as they/their families are still being taken care of.
You can't be loyal to Trump, because he won't be loyal to you. He knows enough about acting like a mob boss to be circumspect in asking people to do illegal things, but he's too greedy and narcissistic to treat people like a mob boss. He won't buy their loyalty so he doesn't get it.