“There shall be one rule of Justice for the rich and the poor; for the favorite in Court, and the Countryman at the Plough.”
Samuel Adams
Trump avoided criminal liability during his presidency based on a Constitutionally-questionable 1973 DOJ memorandum which concluded “indictment or criminal prosecution of a sitting President would impermissibly undermine the capacity of the executive branch to perform its constitutionally assigned functions,” despite no language in the Constitution supporting their conclusion.
However, on January 20th 2021, Donald J. Trump ceased being president and became subject to the same exposures for criminal offenses, deserving no better nor lesser consideration or treatment, as any other American. The fact he is a former president should have absolutely no bearing as to whether he should be indicted for suspected illegal actions.
No sooner had information the Manhattan grand jury (a body of 16 to 23 citizens drawn from the same pool of potential jurors as are any other jury panel, and in the same manner) had voted to indict Donald Trump … angry voices from the same crowd who, without evidence, echoed his claims of 2020 election fraud or those planning to run in 2024 Republican primaries and terrified of alienating Trump’s base … launched venomous attacks, demonizing District Attorney Alvin Bragg, presiding Judge Juan Merchan, both New York and Federal Justice Departments, and Democrats.
Some of these Trump’s acolytes have clearly lost their minds with Senator Lindsey Graham emerging as the posterchild for Republican crazies suggesting "On the way to the DA's office on Tuesday, Trump should smash some windows, rob a few shops and punch a cop" as a way to avoid prosecution.
Once unsealed, it is unlikely any of them will objectively evaluate the actual charges or listen to evidence presented in court before rendering self-serving and politically-charged diatribes; as facts like election results and trial evidence in the MAGA-world are only valid when they benefit Trump.
Refreshingly, a small group of Congressional Republicans have chosen not to criticize Bragg; with Senator Murkowski remarking; "No one is above the law in this country, but everyone deserves a fair legal process. The indictment of a former President is unprecedented and must be handled with the utmost integrity and scrutiny."
If the prosecution cannot make its case, Trump is likely to be acquitted.
If, based on the facts and the law, he is found guilty Trump should be subject to the same sentencing exposures any other American would face in a similar situation.
While criminally charging a former president is unprecedented in America, the New York indictments are likely the just first he will face due to ongoing investigations into his attempts to influence Georgia election officials to “find 11,780 votes”, his role in orchestrating the January 6th attack on the Capitol, and his hoarding classified and other documents he was legally required to turn over the National Archives … actions no other former president ever engaged in!
Not surprisingly, Trump is reportedly keeping track of Republicans who are publicly standing by him and those who are not. He has also allegedly been using coded language designed to intimidate the judge, prosecutors and even potential witnesses as their actions are “being watched.”
Neither the White House nor Democrats are “weaponizing our justice system to punish a political opponent” nor are the many investigations into his actions before, during and after his time in the White House “witch hunts.” Simply because Trump proclaims they are or that he is being personally victimized by both those involved in litigation targeting him or unwilling to demonstrate blind loyalty does not make them true!
For those willing to put Donald Trump on pedestal and treat him as being above the law, history is rife with democracies which have died when autocratic populists are given preferential treatment and a free reign to operate outside their nation’s democratic constitutions and institutions.
Tragically, “It Can Happen Here!”
