Yesterday’s news that the Justice Department is really, truly investigating Trump for his role in January 6 was excellent news. The reactions to it today seem remarkably subdued. Maybe people are afraid to anticipate Trump might finally get justice.
It was especially gratifying to hear Merrick Garland say that Trump can’t get out of being prosecuted by declaring another presidential run. There have been a number of news stories lately saying that Trump might declare his 2024 candidacy way early, like any minute now. The early announcement might divert attention away from the January 6 committee and might protect him from criminal indictments, either from the DOJ or Fulton County, Georgia. And let us not forget he’s still being investigated for business fraud, for mishandling of classified materials, and for his SPAC (Special Purpose Acquisition Company).
I don’t think an early announcement would have the effects Trump might wish for. And a number of articles have pointed out that as soon as he declares he is a candidate for president he loses a lot of control of his $130 million Save America PAC. For that reason alone I suspect he won’t do it. He’s keeping most potential rivals on the back foot just by dropping hints.
Added to yesterday’s New York Times report about Trump campaign emails on the fake elector scheme — in which one lawyer noted it probably would be better to say “alternative” electors rather than “fake” electors — it was possibly not a good day for Trump. Raw Story reports that Trump threw a temper tantrum on Truth Social early this morning.
See also Dennis Aftergut and Norman L. Eisen at Slate, Yes, Donald Trump Is at Significant Risk of Federal Prosecution.
Fake vs Alternative? What part of the Constitution defines "alternative", much less, "fake"? Please, if you have it, name that "lawyer". A little doxing with factual information might discourage more fakery.
It's in the linked NYT article. His name is Jack Wilenchik, of Phoenix. I'm sure he's having a rough enough time now without being doxxed.
The lawyer who wrote that "alternative" v. "fake" electors line in an e-mail is an imbecile!
It's like tRUMP has the KKKeystone KKKoup KKKoppers working for him.
Good thing!
I've been concerned what Garland won't do in the interest of not kicking off a civil war. Much as I want Trump prosecuted, the issue of consequences is not trivial. The closer Trump gets to a trial, the more he will try to incite violence. That's not just opinion – he's made comments to the effect that violence might happen in NY, GA, and DC if they continue… and those are the three places Trump is in legal peril.
My concern was that Garland would nibble around the edges – take down Rudy and Eastman and fail to collect enough evidence to charge Trump. The J6 committee has made that very difficult by linking Trump to J6, to directing the mob Trump knew was armed against the VP, and watching his people fail to secure hostages. (I remain convinced that was a possible goal.)
The interviews before a Grand Jury by the witnesses to the plan to coerce the VP means Garland isn't refusing witness testimony that implicates Trump. It Garland was sabotaging the process, he'd talk to witnesses with no direct knowledge or avoid talking to the witness who HAVE direct knowledge. So, yeah, it's real.
I think Garland goes after Eastman and Clark first to try to crack them. I'm not sure if Garland would prefer that GA goes first with a state prosecution. I'd go after the smaller fish to see if they will cut a deal while hoping GA goes ahead with the prosecution of Rudy and the Don. (Rudy was central to the fake electors.) The gold ring would be for the lawyers around Trump to give testimony to what Trump knew and said in the private meetings. (Did Trump admit in private that he knew he lost but he wasn't going to leave the WH?)
I HOPE Garland sees Trump and Rudy and Bannon as baddies he wants to put away, and others as pawns that Garland might cut a deal with to take down that trio. (I also dislike Sydney what's-her-name who spouted so many lies and was the source of so much propaganda.) But I'm quite willing for the lesser fish to get lighter sentences to put the planners in jail until they can't use a walker to get around.
Justice might happen in a larger sense if Trump and Trumpism split the GOP into two camps. The radical side will be the Evangelicals and violent fascists. The other side will be headed by ethical conservatives, like Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger. Politicians who believe in governance, though they have very different priorities than I. But a non-crazy Republican party could not get back to a majority when half their number has joined the Trump party. So they'd have to move to the middle, affirm women's rights and try to appeal to conservative Hispanics by giving up the racist rhetoric and passing sane immigration policy. Push the Trump party to the margins leaving a right-center party and a further-left Democratic party with lots of room for overlap between the two.
Trump might be the Gollum in this play, in his lust for power breaking the crazy wing off the GOP (if the party tries to move away from Trump as his criminal peril grows.) My read is that Trump can't do nuanced here. In his mind, Trump MUST win the election and he MUST shut down any possible investigation of him and his allies – forever. I think Trump will send flying monkeys (Proud Boys) against anyone who runs against Trump, and Trump will try to be there first. So I expect a declaration of his candidacy soon. Trump will put a stooge in control of the PAC and run it like it's his piggy bank – screw the rules.
The BEST way for this to evolve is if Trump can scare others to stay out of the race and DeSantis declares as the only rival. Because DeSantis could beat Trump in the primary. The worst outcome is if Donnie delays his announcement and he and a half-dozen are going at it when DeSantis declares because the anti-Trump conservatives are diluted which means Trump will do well in the Primaries, even with half the GOP preferring some other candidate.
Garland knows what he is up against. At this point Trump controls the right-wing propaganda machine and his "faithful". That Rupert shows signs of moving away from Trump control of his media empire gives Garland some room to work, as he must be powerful enough to counter the court of public opinion Rupert provides Trump. It makes quite the difference which words are used, as alternative does not have the valance of fake or illegitimate. So too, the repeated use of "the big lie" in reference to who is the rightful election winner. We know Trump still propagates the big lie, and we know the gullible accept it as truth. Such is the problem of mixing politics and religion. Claims of a rigged election demand credible evidence to make it true, not an act of faith. It just makes the believers puppets, pidgins, and patsies of the deceivers. Watch me fool you into thinking I pulled this rabbit out of my empty hat. Some never learn.