Narratives And Stories

New in PN: Trump wants to turn his election interference trial into a glorified segment of Steve Bannon's podcast. But Jack Smith just asked the judge to put the kibosh on his plan to pollute the jury. https://t.co/PiUnCGwCUO

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 29, 2023

That is a good précis of Trump’s “strategy.”

Jack Smith's new motion could obliterate Trump's DC strategy https://t.co/gWdwKqG4Wa

— Kirk (@sankalots) December 30, 2023

But Trump never had a snowball’s chance in hell of presenting that strategy in a courtroom. He will argue, outside the courtroom, that he’s being denied his First Amendment rights. But courts are not town halls or candidate debates. They are hermetically sealed to only consider facts relevant to the charges, which includes facts presented in defense. And whether or not there were errors in the 2020 Presidential election (but no other race on the ballot, anywhere in the country?), Trump did not use his lawful authority to investigate those alleged errors.

The only question in court is: did the things he did constitute crimes, as defined by law?

The DOJ’s Motion in Limine is a perfectly ordinary practice in criminal court. Smith is not “obliterating” Trump’s “strategy.” Smith is simply trying a criminal case. 

Trump is eating the pieces.

Maybe we should stop letting Trump frame this narrative?

I wanted to add I don’t know of any American politician convicted of crimes and and sent jail who ever said: “It’s a fair cop. I done it all.” No, they insist on their innocence, at least as long as they are in the public eye. I really don’t understand why Trump, as a former president, can’t go to jail for his crimes, even as he rails against the process. Holding Trump accountable to the law doesn’t undermine the Presidency, it upholds the rule of law and the concept of a government of law, not of persons.

The folks smashing the reply button here may wanna ask themselves if a re-elected Biden wouldn’t do the same - and w a similar rationale https://t.co/glPFyBZbx5

— Jonathan Martin (@jmart) December 30, 2023

So, no, I don’t think Biden will make Gerald Ford’s mistake (which, contrary to Ted Kennedy’s acceptance of it, only served to comfort the powerful and afflict the powerless. Two-tiered justice, indeed.) In the French manner, corrupt leadership needs to be punished so the state can thrive.

Let justice be done though the heavens fall. Because they won’t. Trump is not the anointed of God.

pic.twitter.com/TFCjFEQwP1

— New York Times Pitchbot (@DougJBalloon) December 30, 2023

Despite whatever The Economist (!) might find.