I have heard experienced lawyers (albeit on the left wing MSNBC) say that any other defendant who did things like call for a potential witness to be executed would have had their bail revoked and would be awaiting trial in an orange jumpsuit. I'd be interested to know how widely this belief is amongst lawyers. If so we have a real case of a 'two tiered justice system'.
I don't think prosecuters will mind that much Trump making extravagently abusive comments about the District of Columbia. I expect they'd think this is polluting the jury pool in a way they actually like!
"The reality is that, absent a conviction, no judge is going to lock up the former president, who is running to return to office and who has a secret service detail and millions of angry followers. In some sense, every party to this transaction already knows that the court simply cannot treat Trump like any other defendant."
It's the "millions of angry followers" that are already threatening people like Engoron's court clerk every single day. Are their lives less important than Trump's campaign?
Not trying to shoot the messenger here, especially when you make a good point about Chutkan's evident lack of urgency in responding to the motions (maybe it means she's going to move up the trial start date). But goddamn your pessimism and I hope you're wrong. Will also add that he doesn't need to be locked up, home confinement with no internet would be suffice. Secret Service agents are federal law enforcement officers, they can keep him from leaving.
There should be countless American voices calling out that American Presidents represent and protect ALL Americans. They do not call half the country enemies. They do not put targets on the backs of individual Americans for other Americans to harm. A true American President would be telling their supporters that violence against fellow Americans will not be tolerated. Period.
Maybe not jail. But what about large, escalating fine? They should be paid only from his personal accounts, not any PAC, legal defense fund, or campaign fund. Only a matter of time then before trump will violate campaign finance rules. And it would take only ONE person (not gonna guess which party) who donates to any of these to create standing for a suit for fraud.
“And any other defendant who behaved the way Trump does would have long ago been gagged.
So why haven’t courts moved to restrain Trump?”
Because despite their many proclamations that the indictments of Trump show that “No one is above the law” and “The law applies to everyone equally” they don’t actually believe that and are *very much* treating Trump specially.
Trump is NOT being treated like an ordinary citizen. He is being allowed to say whatever he wants on his megaphone, with his howling messages reverberated by the pro and con media.He is really not an ordinary citizen and should be considered more dangerous because of the power he abused and he still has out of office. Every statement by Trump, evidence of his madness to the point where we wonder why he is not in a cage already, works up and keeps his base going at least while possibly/probably tainting the jury pool just enough.
This is not an ordinary criminal. Actually he's being treated carefully and with deference because of the threat of his power the desire to get convictions and ASAP. The longer these cases take, the more interference from Trump, the more he shows his madness to the rest of us, the more dangerous he is and will be.. a wounded animal. This is his campaign, warring against the government that is at war with him.. And he holds the law hostage to fears of shutting him up.
I have heard experienced lawyers (albeit on the left wing MSNBC) say that any other defendant who did things like call for a potential witness to be executed would have had their bail revoked and would be awaiting trial in an orange jumpsuit. I'd be interested to know how widely this belief is amongst lawyers. If so we have a real case of a 'two tiered justice system'.
I don't think prosecuters will mind that much Trump making extravagently abusive comments about the District of Columbia. I expect they'd think this is polluting the jury pool in a way they actually like!
"The reality is that, absent a conviction, no judge is going to lock up the former president, who is running to return to office and who has a secret service detail and millions of angry followers. In some sense, every party to this transaction already knows that the court simply cannot treat Trump like any other defendant."
It's the "millions of angry followers" that are already threatening people like Engoron's court clerk every single day. Are their lives less important than Trump's campaign?
Not trying to shoot the messenger here, especially when you make a good point about Chutkan's evident lack of urgency in responding to the motions (maybe it means she's going to move up the trial start date). But goddamn your pessimism and I hope you're wrong. Will also add that he doesn't need to be locked up, home confinement with no internet would be suffice. Secret Service agents are federal law enforcement officers, they can keep him from leaving.
There should be countless American voices calling out that American Presidents represent and protect ALL Americans. They do not call half the country enemies. They do not put targets on the backs of individual Americans for other Americans to harm. A true American President would be telling their supporters that violence against fellow Americans will not be tolerated. Period.
“You can’t shut him up.”
Sure you can. You can put him in jail for violating the terms of his release and thereby deny him access to microphones and the internet.
Just like would have been done long ago to any other defendant.
That none of the judges has taken that step just shows how hollow their repeated claims of “All treated equally under the law” have been.
Maybe not jail. But what about large, escalating fine? They should be paid only from his personal accounts, not any PAC, legal defense fund, or campaign fund. Only a matter of time then before trump will violate campaign finance rules. And it would take only ONE person (not gonna guess which party) who donates to any of these to create standing for a suit for fraud.
“And any other defendant who behaved the way Trump does would have long ago been gagged.
So why haven’t courts moved to restrain Trump?”
Because despite their many proclamations that the indictments of Trump show that “No one is above the law” and “The law applies to everyone equally” they don’t actually believe that and are *very much* treating Trump specially.
Sanction his lawyers $100K everytime Trump "Truths" maliciously.
Trump is NOT being treated like an ordinary citizen. He is being allowed to say whatever he wants on his megaphone, with his howling messages reverberated by the pro and con media.He is really not an ordinary citizen and should be considered more dangerous because of the power he abused and he still has out of office. Every statement by Trump, evidence of his madness to the point where we wonder why he is not in a cage already, works up and keeps his base going at least while possibly/probably tainting the jury pool just enough.
This is not an ordinary criminal. Actually he's being treated carefully and with deference because of the threat of his power the desire to get convictions and ASAP. The longer these cases take, the more interference from Trump, the more he shows his madness to the rest of us, the more dangerous he is and will be.. a wounded animal. This is his campaign, warring against the government that is at war with him.. And he holds the law hostage to fears of shutting him up.
“every party to this transaction already knows that the court simply cannot treat Trump like any other defendant.”
I call bullshit. I’ve yet to hear anyone put forth a valid argument supporting that.
The court absolutely can. And should.
"Be there! Will be wild." Trump's call to his MAGA base.
I would love to see him locked up and deprived of
his phone and megaphone 📣
until justice is done.
BUT, as things stand right now with a republican rabble
running the House, a
Project 2025 waiting in the
wings, billionaires financing
far right wing nuts and Project 2025, all it would
take would be Trump
sending another rallying
call out to his unhinged base.
This time, they'd all come
armed.