Opinion | Trump Is Indicted, as America's Justice System Holds Him Accountable
By: The Editorial Board (The New York Times)
FINALLY! Of course, the secret investigations have only been replaced with a secret indictment. At some point the public must be informed of all the secrets. And if the charges appear to be trumped up (to coin a phrase) the blowback will be enormous.
Naturally we'll hear a lot of editorial prose about the rule of law. We'll hear that 'no one is above the law' with liturgical repetition. We'll hear that the high priests of justice must perform their rites. But we're also going to hear a lot of salacious trivia, judgmental outrage about character, and high-horse moralizing.
In the end, Democrats (particularly Clinton) have gotten what they wanted. Don't be surprised if what Democrats wanted turns into a hellscape.
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
For the first time in American history, a grand jury has indicted a former president of the United States, The Times reported on Thursday. Donald Trump spent years as a candidate, in office and out of office, ignoring democratic and legal norms and precedents, trying to bend the Justice Department and the judiciary to his whims and behaving as if rules didn't apply to him.
As the news of the indictment shows, they do.
A pattern of disregard for the law often leads to a criminal indictment, and that is the outcome Mr. Trump now faces. Federal and state prosecutors were right to set aside concerns about political fallout, or reverence for the presidency, and initiate thorough criminal investigations of Mr. Trump's conduct in at least four instances. The investigation by the Manhattan district attorney is the first known to result in an indictment.
Mr. Trump completely transformed the relationship between the presidency and the rule of law, often asserting that a president was above the law. So it is appropriate that his actions as president and as a candidate should now be formally weighed by judges and juries, with the possibility of criminal penalties on the line. Mr. Trump badly damaged America's political and legal institutions and threatened them again with calls for widespread protests once he is indicted. But those institutions have proved to be strong enough to hold him accountable for that harm.
A healthy respect for the legal system also requires Americans to set aside their politics when forming judgments on these cases. While Mr. Trump routinely called for his enemies to be investigated by the F.B.I., to be indicted or to face the death penalty, his indifference to due process for others shouldn't deny him the system's benefits, including a fair trial and the presumption of innocence. At the same time, no jury should extend to him any special privileges as a former president. He should have to follow the same procedures as any other citizen.
The indictment remains sealed, and the exact charges against Mr. Trump may not be known for several days. But Alvin Bragg, the district attorney, has been pursuing a case of possible fraud and campaign finance violations by Mr. Trump for concealing payments he made to the porn-film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. His actions — using money to silence critics and hide politically damaging information — were wrong. The question that will face a jury is whether that behavior meets the threshold for conviction as a felony.
If those are the charges, conviction will hinge on proving that Mr. Trump participated in falsifying business records while violating campaign finance law, a somewhat novel legal strategy. Falsifying records can be charged as a misdemeanor in New York; to make it a more serious felony requires proof that he combined it with a second crime, in this case, a potential campaign finance violation. The former president, who is seeking a second term in 2024, has denied the allegations and has said that the case against him brought by Mr. Bragg, a Democrat, is politically motivated.
While some legal experts have questioned the theory behind Mr. Bragg's case, there is no basis for the accusation that it is politically motivated — a claim that Mr. Trump has made, for many years, about every investigation into his conduct. Just as jurors are routinely instructed to ignore evidence that is improperly introduced in a trial, they will also have to ignore the unsubstantiated implications raised by Trump supporters and attorneys in these cases and judge them strictly on the merits.
Three of the other investigations that may result in indictments are more serious, because they involve allegations not just that Mr. Trump violated the law but also that he abused his presidential office.
Among the most egregious are the accusations against him in Georgia. The Fulton County district attorney, Fani Willis, is weighing criminal charges against several people, including Mr. Trump, for attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in that state, which President Biden won by 11,779 votes. Mr. Trump repeatedly pressured Georgia's secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, to "find" additional votes that would change the results of the state's election, part of a scheme to undermine the will of the voters.
A special grand jury impaneled by Ms. Willis recommended in February that charges be brought in the case; it's not yet known which people or allegations were included in the grand jury's recommendations or whom, if anyone, Ms. Willis may seek to indict.
A federal Justice Department inquiry led by a special counsel, Jack Smith, could also result in charges against Mr. Trump. Mr. Smith is investigating the former president's efforts to prevent the peaceful transfer of power on Jan. 6, 2021, when Mr. Trump roused an armed mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol, threatening lawmakers who were gathered to certify the results of the presidential election. A bipartisan Senate report last year found that seven deaths were related to the attack.
Mr. Smith's team is also investigating the former president over his mishandling of classified documents that were removed from the White House and taken to Mar-a-Lago, his private residence in Florida. Some 300 classified documents have been recovered in the case. Prosecutors are also examining whether Mr. Trump, his attorneys or staff members misled government officials seeking the return of the documents.
In addition to criminal charges, Mr. Trump faces several civil lawsuits. New York's attorney general, Letitia James, is suing the former president for "grossly" and fraudulently inflating the value of his real estate assets. Three of Mr. Trump's adult children are named in the suit as well. A group of Capitol Police officers and Democratic legislators are suing the former president, arguing that his actions on Jan. 6 incited the mob that caused them physical and emotional harm. E. Jean Carroll, a writer who accused Mr. Trump of raping her, is suing the former president for defamation. Mr. Trump denies the charges.
Prosecuting the former president will no doubt widen the existing political divisions that have so damaged the country in recent years. Mr. Trump has already stoked that divisiveness, calling prosecutors behind the probes — several of whom are Black — "racist." He claimed in a social media post that he would be arrested and called on his supporters to "PROTEST, TAKE OUR NATION BACK!" The language echoed his rallying cry that preceded the Capitol riot. Officials in New York City, taking no chances on a repeat performance by Mr. Trump's supporters, have been preparing for unrest.
Those accusations are clearly aimed at undermining the allegations against him, inoculating himself from the consequences of his misconduct and using the cases to his political advantage. The two district attorneys in these cases are elected Democrats, but their race and political affiliations are not relevant to the legal proceedings. (Mr. Smith is not registered with either party.) Nevertheless, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy immediately demonstrated his party's intent to politicize the indictment by calling Mr. Bragg "a radical DA" pursuing "political vengeance" against Mr. Trump. Mr. McCarthy has no jurisdiction over the Manhattan district attorney and no business interfering in a criminal prosecution, and yet he vowed to have the House of Representatives determine whether Mr. Bragg's office is receiving federal funds.
The decision to prosecute a former president is a solemn task, particularly given the deep national fissures that Mr. Trump will inevitably exacerbate as the 2024 campaign grows closer. But the cost of failing to seek justice against a leader who may have committed these crimes would be higher still.
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Charging Trump with petty crimes woven into a phony felony will only make Trump a martyr. The fate of the Democratic Party rests in the hands of a Manhattan District Attorney. It's already crystal clear that Republicans are going to make 'persecution' of Trump by Democrats a highlight of the 2024 campaigns. If Braggs botches up the court trial then Democrats won't be able to defend themselves.
Democrats have gotten what they wanted, at last. Savor the moment. It may not last very long.
The majority of Americans are totally fed up with Trump. Very close to 60% of them recently told a poll that they do NOT want to see Trump as president again. That is more than enough people to defeat him in 2024. Do you seriously believe, as the next two years become a parade of Trump wrongdoing, that his approval will rise?
Conservatives in this country are delusional, doubling and tripling down on backing someone who is totally unfit to ever hold office again.
Yep, that's true. The country is fed up with hearing about Trump. So, what's the point of putting Trump in the spotlight again?
Is all this really about Trump? The story is rapidly shifting toward persecution of conservatives. The playbook is that liberals want to sell out America and conservatives are the country's only chance of saving America. Do you really want to turn your back on America and live in a liberal future?
Do you really want to live in Joe Biden's America?
WE aren't the ones putting him in the spotlight and continually supporting and enabling him and also continually defending the indefensible. He puts himself in that spotlight. I and millions of others wish he would shut the fuck up. We wish something else but saying what that is would get me tickets or a suspension.
I saw part of the interview with Hannity on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and it was hilarious how the fucking moron kept putting his foot in his mouth. Hannity tried to give him an out on the documents he stole and wouldn't return and the fucking moron said he had every right to take whatever he wanted. Hannity tried again but again the fucking moron put his foot in his mouth again. Hannity had to say let's move on.
Persecution of CONservatives? Did you really say that?
So, the CONS are always the victims here, eh?
I imagine this is really just the beginning of the end for him, FINALLY, and I'm REALLY enjoying it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They may have put him right back in the White House.
When it comes to overplaying one's hand the democrats have no equal.
Only hardcore MAGA will vote for him in a general election, and they are far short of being enough to get him elected. The idea that these prosecutions will cause "moderates" to vote for him is an utter pipedream.
74 million strong. You'll need to produce another 80 million ballots, this time minus Mark Zuckerberg and you just may have pissed off independents with your political prosecutions.
PEOPLE ARE NOT STUPID!
I'm not interested in deranged right wing conspiracy theories.
A lot of those "74 million" voted for Trump prior to his traitorous behavior surrounding the Big Lie and his appalling behavior on and around Jan 6. Without doubt he lost quite a few of those 74 million at that point.
Whatever he might have lost Alvin Bragg has brought back.
I suppose for you the pot of gold will be the former President having to go in for a mugshot. Do you understand what the consequences of this malicious prosecution will be?
Maybe we'll all meet again in 2025
See you then
Didn't you know this is persecution of the CONServatives according to Nerm?
The PD&D is clinical, it's a sickness, like I said, or symptoms of their TDS.
No, I don't think this will put Trump back in the White House. But it does set the stage for a Republican tsunami in 2024. Won't take very much for the public to perceive this as more Democrat dirty tricks.
Do you really want to live in Joe Biden's America?
The real question here.
I'll let those who had to choose between fuel and food answer that one.
The majority of the American people are fed up with Trump. That will be reflected going forward into 2024.
That's twice.
What is this...the Rubio meltdown?
In two days we haven't heard one word from your side on the merits of Bragg's case. All I've heard is a lot of insults mixed in with some obnoxious photos. This is supposed to be a discussion group. I'll be available if there is anyone who wants to discuss the merits of the case.
Have a good one.
The majority are even more fed up with Brandon the Human fuck up machine and Democrats. They own turning this country into the disaster it is. Running anti Trump worked for them in 2020 and 2022. Four years of living under Brandon's rule will remove all doubt of who is responsible for the country's current condition.
No hiding in the basement for Brandon this time around. He has his horrendous record that can, and will, be used against him and Democrats.
Yes, indeed, people are fed up with hearing about Trump. IMO that's why Trump won't win the Republican nomination. Putting Trump back in the White House will only mean more Democrat dirty politics. The public hasn't clamored for Trump to be brought to justice; Democrats have forced this crap onto the public. The public was content to let Donald Trump fade into the background.
Trump's role has now shifted to become a martyr in the persecution of conservatives. Democrats oppose any and all moral underpinnings of America. Democrats oppose fiscal responsibility. Democrats don't value work or savings or family. Democrats would rather abort the future than strive for a future. Democrats will sell out America for any liberal theory.
'Trump the persecuted' will become the tag line for Republican campaigns. Democrats are trying to do to ordinary people what they've done to Trump. Democrats will become synonymous with dirty tricks.
Do you really want to live in Joe Biden's America? It's a choice. We either choose to live in Joe Biden's America or we choose to Make America Great Again. See where this is headed?
'more Democrat dirty tricks'?
The PD&D is mind boggling.
Do you really want to live in Joe Biden's America?
How many times has that whackjob nonsense been stated here?
Y'all really have nothing in defense of the former 'president' except PD&D and absolutely nothing against Democrats except of course your projection.
Finally finally finally we are going to see the turd getting what he deserves.
We're sick of the turd and the endless defense off the indefensible.
When is/was the turd going to 'fade into the background'?
Maybe. An indictment isn't a conviction. Hell, it's not even certain of a trial. It's just one more small step towards that goal. We are a long, long way away from anything meaningful one way or the other.
Democrats getting what they want ain't the same thing as Democrats getting what they deserve.
A 2022 Redux ... Yay!
Not quite. Biden wasn't on the midterm ballot. In fact, Biden hardly campaigned for the 2022 elections. Biden won't be able to hide in the basement for the 2024 elections.
Trump's attacks on DeSantis haven't gone over well. And Trump's run will be over when he inevitably attacks Nikki Haley. But Trump dropping out of the race won't be the end of MAGA. Biden won't be running against Trump; Biden will be running against MAGA.
2024 is going to be a choice between Biden's vision for America and a MAGA vision for America. The question is going to be 'do you really want to live in Biden's America?'
I thought about seeding this, but I’ll just leave it here: