Last week’s indictment of Donald Trump for felonies associated with his misappropriation of government documents was no surprise. When Attorney General Garland appointed an aggressive, experienced prosecutor, Jack Smith, as Special Counsel to investigate the case as well as Trump’s role in the January 6, 2021, insurrection, we knew indictment was only a matter of time. The first federal indictment dropped on June 8. The second, more serious indictment, likely charging Trump with conspiracy for sedition, will follow before summer ends.
Since the documents indictment was unsealed, we are learning more about Trump (as if there is anything not yet known about him) and the danger he creates for American democracy. We also are learning that Trump’s legal problems are bringing out the worst in many of us, especially Republicans.
Did you watch any of Trump’s campaign rallies in Georgia and North Carolina. Or his comments after the arraignment where he called prosecutor Jack Smith “deranged” and said he looks like a thug? Trump is wholly unapologetic and dismisses the documents indictment as a “witch hunt” and evidence of the deep state to get him. The audiences in both Georgia and North Carolina applauded this. Trump also claimed his poll numbers and donations have increased since the indictment. Could that be true? Trump issued fund raising appeals referencing the indictment within two hours after the news broke.
Trump is described in some quarters as deeply concerned about the indictment. He should be. He allowed himself to be recorded admitting that documents he was showing to unauthorized persons were classified and that he had not declassified them. That is why Jack Smith indicted Trump for lying to the government as well as violating the Espionage Act.
Is it possible that Trump believes a public outcry over his indictments will help his defense? That appears to be the case, which is why Trump and various loyal followers (and, surprisingly, some challenging him for the 2024 Republican nomination) are doing their best to cry “unequal justice,” portraying Trump as a victim. It’s enough to induce vomiting.
It we are seeing the heart of Trump’s defense in the form of the claim that he can’t be indicted because he is running for president and because the “Biden crime family” and Hillary Clinton remain free, the end of Trump’s political career, and maybe his personal freedom, is nearing. Cross your fingers—your own freedom to live in a democracy may depend on it.
Trump’s reaction to his indictment is noteworthy, but so too are the reactions of others. Here are two notable ones:
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, described as a potential presidential candidate or 2024 running mate, decried the indictment as evidence of a two-tiered system of justice. He tweeted: “Regardless of your party, this [the indictment of Trump] undermines faith in our judicial system at exactly the time when we should be working to restore that trust.”
That bizarre comment—suggesting that the indictment of someone who a grand jury found likely to have committed felonies (37 in the indictment) should not be prosecuted—tells you a lot about who Glenn Youngkin is.
We also saw Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC), once a respected legislator, melt down on the George Stephanopoulos program on Sunday as he tried to defend Trump by talking about Hillary Clinton’s computer server. Stephanopoulos tried to interrupt Graham’s disingenuous tirade. Graham lost his temper and pleaded, “Let me finish!” The interview was pathetic.
Trump isn’t going down easy, but, with luck, hard work on the part of prosecutors, and the triumph of justice, Trump’s future is grim.
J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government, and other subjects.
Jerry McConnell says
For an apparently very successful businessman/ entrepreneur, “Younk” comes off as a varsity knucklehead. Granted, he is obligated to play to the Christofascists in good ‘ole East Virginny, but he knows it’s a bunch of hokum.
As far as TFG’s loyal supporters go, anyone with an I Q of 72—which is optimum for that cadre—who can read and understand the charges in the indictment can see that Trump has every reason to be terrified.
His braggadocio helps his fundraising and empowers screwballs like Kari Lake to amp up threats to get her NRA cronies to shoot anyone who is rooting against him. But it’s an act that he obviously knows is just that, and it’s also just plain stupid…sorta like this whole ridiculous situation with a former president.
The next few months are going to be interesting—that’s for certain.
Mickey Terrone says
Trump is clearly desperate and more than willing to incite a second revolution against our country to save himself from several convictions. The legal wheels are coming off for him. He is as guilty as sin itself but I doubt we know the half of his actions in sharing those documents with whomever might pay some exhorbitant amount to get access. The Georgia and Washington, DC cases appear to be very strong as well for the government.
None of this is big news, and given Trump’s manic approach to dealing with the criminal justice system, he is not above any scheme to undermine the justice system or the govvernment itself.
Yet the bigger challenge to our country (and what makes Trump ever more dangerous are the Republican elected leaders who seem to be joining him in his bombastic anti-government, threatening rhetoric. Without their support, Trump would be a tempest in a teapot. Tump’s dupes are practically howling for their lunatic fringe to resort to violence.
Its difficult to tell anymore which foghorn among the mob of the wildest radicals is hollering the loudest and most fervently in support of Trump. Their anti-government attacks upon the Justice Department, the FBI, the IRS, Biden, Harris, Schiff and Jack Smith, among others is fomenting a virtual campaign against the US government.
Despite the relative mountains of evidence, Trump’s rank and file have not budged in their blind support of Trump’s image as a veritable martyr. As the tracks of legal actions and Republican leadership rhetoric come closer together, some flashpoint is almost bound to spark violence. This seems to be the ultimate goal of congressional Republicans with few exeptions.Numerous among them have already acted to undo the 2020 electoral college results, not to mention the state level operatives who sought to establish fake electoral slates, as if this is a game of sorts.
Now, with Judge Cannon presiding at his trial, I fear the justice system might be twisted to protect Trump regardless of the evidence against him. Finally, perhaps the most degenerate aspect of Republican Party dynamics is the deadbeat rank and file voters, who have learned from Trump the art of playing stupid and denying the obvious realities of his (and his close cohorts’) criminality.
We are entering potentially dangerous times. The right wing media, for its endorsement of Trump’s madness and the mainstream media, for its milquetoast failure to confront radical Republicans’ absurd claims during TV interviews are part of the festering problem with huge powers of public persuasion. The cumulative effect of hundreds of false and misleading sound 15-30 second sound bites, unchallenged or not critiqued as they usually are, work are nothing more than frantic propaganda. In their efforts to show both sides, CNN, MSNBC, CBS, ABC and NBC act as sponsor for Trump. With no concern for the facts and with a premium on melodramatic overstatements, Trump can maintain the frequency of his recitation of lies daily and for free, even as his supporters exchange ignorances responding to reporters’ questions. To air unchallenged, absurdly false rhetoric is a huge disservice to thhe public, making Trump all the more dangerous.