Brace yourself! The MAGA crowd is absolutley loosing its shit over Trump’s indictment. Republican Crack-Up Fox News is panic stricken. Tucker Carlson suggested this might be the time for his viewers to oil up their AR-15’s. Jesse Waters insists the country won’t stand for it and people better be careful. Governor DeSantis says the rule of law has been turned on its head. Kevin McCarthy insists the indicment is an intolerable injustice. To Vice Presient Pence, it’s and outrage. Marjorie Taylor Green will hit the NY streets on indictment day.
For his part, Lindsey Graham has not given such an emotionally charged speech Vale of Tears since he stood on the Senate floor right after January 6th and publicly announced his official separation from anything Trump. Rather than a defense of Trump, Graham seems so hysterical here you have to wonder if his melt down isn’t more about his fear of being sucked into another of Trump’s future indictments, specifically his involvement in Georgia election interference. And believe me Trump’s cash coffers are doing just fine Lindsey. Not only is he skimming money out of party political PACs, but he has elevated the art of grifting to stratospheric heights. It is uncanny how he can turn adverse, even borderline criminal situations, into a donation site.
But Lindsey is not weeping alone. Sorrowful Support Jesus people, get a grip!
Just what is the complaint here? There is no crime? That can’t be. We dont know yet what the official charges are, but Trump’s attorney Michael Cohen was convicted of two felonies- tax evasion and election tampering that, try as he might to deny, Trump is surely complicit in.
This is election interference? Well, if a politician is involved, yes there is a political element. But a state prosecutor believes a crime has been committed. Politicians, like the rest of us, get prosecuted if there is evidence of a crime. Trump is a criminal defendant, just like you and I would be in similar circumstance. Timing judicial work-arounds for anything political when a politician is involved is almost impossible. “While adherence to the rule of law requires that prosecutors pursue criminal indictments only where the facts, law, and principles of prosecution support such action, it is also critical that no individual be insulated from accountability simply because they are a national political figure, a former president, or a candidate for public office. Choosing not to pursue accountability for fear of political criticism or consequences is itself a deeply political act.” (quote from Connor Shaw- Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington CREW)
A logical worry is the Stormy Daniels affair is the weakest of the four grand jury investigations of the former president. That I am even writing that sentence will eventually be historicaly noted as one of this country’s most embarrassing and traumatic periods. To that concern about this case I say so what? Multiple crimes have more than likely been commited. Someone had to go first. There has to be a lot of pressure to move forward with charges against a former president, whoever is pursuing them. Trump might very well be proven innocent. Defense attorneys only have to convince one juror out of twelve. That’s one safeguad built into our criminal trial jury system Trump eventually could be thankful for. If Trump wins, bring on the next indictment. Let’s clear things up once and for all. Or die trying.
Unfortunately we are also about to endure one of the shittiest constructs of our judicial system. Due process has become so entangled, innumerable delays are a given with someone like Trump who has a lifetime history of delaying legal outcomes. That is part of the process we have to live with. But the important thing is this indictment stregthens the rule of law in our nation. When someone says this procedure is an outrage, they are really saying this is outrageous because Trump is being treated like everyone else.