Donald Trump continues to make history. The only president to have been convicted twice by the House of Representatives (but acquitted by the Senate), the only one who did not accept his defeat and tried to overturn the election result, is now the first former US head of state to be tried by a grand jury. After predicting arrest a dozen days earlier and calling on his supporters to protest, the new Republican primary candidate was taken by surprise.
A bit like the rest of the country, already accustomed to what the entrepreneur and former entertainer — who once boasted that he could shoot someone in the middle of Manhattan without consequence — “dance in the raindrops of accountability,” as former Manhattan U.S. Attorney Mark Pomerantz wrote in a book about his feud with District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Pomerantz, who had joined as a special prosecutor to lead the Trump investigation in January 2021, was given the go-ahead in December by outgoing District Attorney Cyrus Vance to charge the former president, in a case aimed at falsifying data, especially the inflation of the value of assets in the financial statements that Trump has provided to creditors. But new district attorney Alvin Bragg was not on board, eventually leading to a fight and the departure of the special counsel in February 2022.
In the book People vs. Donald Trump: An Inside Account, a disillusioned Pomerantz reveals that in a conversation between the two, Bragg admitted that he “couldn’t see a world” in which he would sue Trump and call his former attorney and facilitator Michael Cohen as a witness. “Pomerantz’s plane was not ready for takeoff,” Bragg said in a statement at the launch of the work, quoted by the Associated Press.
Just over a year after Pomerantz was fired, the plane took off after a special jury composed of 23 citizens heard witnesses and voted by a majority to indict Trump.
Despite the fact that the United States is a “new world” country, Republican and anti-colonial in origin, the reverence for the presidential office is reflected in details such as the treatment given to former White House residents: they remain president be called. And never were there any criminal charges. Although two were on the verge. In 1921, Warren Harding was a suspect in a corruption scandal, but died in office. And in 1974, Richard Nixon was likely to be indicted after the Watergate scandal, which led to his firing, but his successor, Gerald Ford, pardoned him.
golden handcuffs
The idea had already taken root in Donald Trump’s circle that there would be no verdict. “It was a surprise to everyone,” said David Urban, an adviser to the New Yorker, quoted by the The Washington Post. The same newspaper guarantees that some advisers began to tell the former president that he would not be charged and that he was already joking about “golden handcuffs”.
Trump’s response consists of appearing voluntarily in court on Tuesday (he was subpoenaed for next Friday, but his lawyers argued that more time is needed), claiming his innocence and seeking motions to press charges and remove witnesses.
At the same time, and as is his tone, he will try to profit (by all accounts, he received two million dollars from followers after he said he would be arrested) with the case. Also telling the Washington newspaper, an adviser to the former president said that while he preferred not to be charged, the former president intended “to reap all political benefits.” as a victim and collect money.
Besides the now time-honored “witch hunt” that he often laments, the strongest argument is that District Attorney Bragg, a Democrat, pushed a case with political motives. “This is political persecution and electoral interference,” he said.
Many compatriots, and not just Republicans, agree. According to a poll by Quinnipiac University, 62% believe the case is more political than justice. This group of Americans consists of 32% Democrats and 70% Independents.
Speaking to Reuters, Republican strategist John Feehery described the Manhattan case as “idiot,” especially given the other investigations surrounding Trump.
Special Counsel Jack Smith is overseeing the investigation into two cases: whether Trump conspired to obstruct formal congressional certification of the election results or committed fraud to block the peaceful transfer of power; and about the possible diversion of classified information as a result of house searches after finding more than 100 classified documents.
In addition, attorney Fani Willis is leading an investigation into efforts to reverse Georgia’s election defeat. After a grand jury prepares a report, a new grand jury will decide whether to bring criminal charges.
“It’s not good for Trump, the question is how bad it is. There could be multiple allegations … it’s starting to be a big problem,” said Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Policy Studies at the University of Virginia. .
Q&A
Crime or crime, that is the question
What are the costs?
Trump will find out on Tuesday when he appears before a judge in Manhattan, New York, as it remains a judicial secret. According to CNN, there are more than 30 allegations related to corporate fraud.
What has been investigated?
The Manhattan District Attorney’s investigation stems from a $130,000 payment by Trump’s personal attorney at the time, Michael Cohen, to Stephanie Clifford in late October 2016, days before the 2016 presidential election. for adults, when she would tell about an affair with Trump ten years earlier. In addition to Daniels, former Playboy model Karen McDougal also revealed a similar story to the National Inquirer, but the administrator of the company that owns the tabloid, David Pecker, a Trump ally, paid McDougal $150,000 and never published the story.
What is the illegality?
Paying to silence someone is not a crime, but in New York State, falsifying accounting records is a felony. The payment was made by Cohen, and Trump refunded the amount (and added a bonus) via 11 checks to his name and that of his son Jr., after classifying the payments as an “advance” of attorney fees. It gets more serious if the falsification of a record was done with the intent to commit another crime or to aid or conceal another crime, which in this case could be an election campaign financing law violation, a felony with a minimum sentence of one year in prison and a maximum of four.
Will Trump be detained?
No. The prosecution process involves fingerprinting and photographs, and the suspect is usually handcuffed. But after hearing Trump’s allegations and pleading innocence, the judge will set coercive measures until trial, such as bail, or simply let him leave without any action.
Source: DN
