Trump Guilty x 34 on Weakest of Four Criminal Prosecutions

Late yesterday afternoon, as my grandson and I were getting ready to ride the Ironton Rail Trail, a Manhattan jury returned a verdict of guilty against Donald Trump in what I consider the weakest of four criminal prosecutions brought against him. As I said earlier this week, I doubt this verdict will change the minds of anyone who already decided to vote for him. But in my view, an acquittal would have all but ensured his election. He is in a good position to win despite this setback. 

I do think Trump sympathizers have a point when they claim this particular prosecution was politically motivated. Although Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg never specifically promised to prosecute Trump, as some have falsely asserted, he did vow to hold Trump accountable. As a politician who may very well be looking out for his own future, I have little quarrel with those who say his decision to seek an indictment was at least partially political. But it stops there. There is no evidence of any organized or disorganized effort by Biden to go after Trump. Even Biden's Department of Justice has taken a hands-off approach, relying instead on a special prosecutor to look into Trump's federal violations. And Trump's contention that Biden authorized the FBI to use deadly force in the Mar-a-Lago raid is just a blatant lie. They are always authorized to use deadly force, but only when there's a "credible imminent risk of death or serious bodily harm to themselves or others." 

This is what Trump does. He lies. That's why he's been held liable in defamation cases. That's why his business has been held liable for fraud. And now, he's been convicted by a jury of his peers for lying on his business records. 

Had I been a member of that jury, I probably would have voted to acquit. And yes, I do think he has a good shot at getting this conviction reversed. But unlike the MAGA cult and Trump himself, I respect the jury. Our system is built in a way that 12 people can see through a biased judge (I doubt that very much) or a political prosecutor out to make a name for himself. All 12 must agree on guilt, and guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. So like it or not, on the law that was given to them, a jury did its job. 

Trump knows this. If he really thought the system was rigged, why would he bother to appeal?  He'll appeal because he knows our system of justice, despite many flaws and inequities, is fundamentally fair. 

He's done his best to undermine public confidence in our elections. Don't let this demagogue do iyt to our justice system.