Before the historic first criminal arraignment of an ex-president of the United States on Tuesday, there were two major concerns.
The first was that, despite the fact that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case might include solid evidence of Donald Trump’s alleged wrongdoing, his legal theory might prove to be too vague, complicated, and reminiscent of a 7-year-old election to be easy to sell to the public.
The other possibility was that Trump would respond in such a vengeful and instigative manner that he would further exacerbate divisions in a nation that had been alienated as a result of his erroneous presidency and stoke new unrest that could further harm essential political and judicial institutions.
More About Donald Trump’s Historic Indictment Trump was charged in connection with a probe into a hush money payment scheme. Takeaways and key passages from the indictment are listed below. Read the entire indictment and check the facts: In his first post-indictment address, Trump makes a barrage of false claims. Who is Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan DA leading the historic criminal case?
On a day that Trump described as “surreal” in a social media post sent as he motorcaded to court to turn himself in, both of those worst-case scenarios occurred. As a result, a nation that is preparing for yet another bitter election may face a grim and even tragic chapter in the future. The country is still far from overcoming the effects of Trump’s one term.
One of the most ominous days in American legal history began when the former president left his skyscraper home in the city where he had become famous as a real estate tycoon and tabloid-pleasing celebrity, only to be arrested.
Trump entered the courthouse cautiously and was taken for fingerprinting. News photos of the once-world’s most powerful man sitting at a table with lawyers like any other defendant and sporting a face like thunder reflected his moment of shocking humiliation.
The only thing Trump said in court was “not guilty,” and he didn’t talk to reporters after the hearing. However, by the time he made the transition from the courtroom’s stark decor to the friendly turf, beneath the crystal chandeliers in his
In a rambling rant that was also expanded into an angry rant against prosecutors in other, potentially more serious investigations than the one in Manhattan, he declared, “Our country has gone to Hell.” His rant was full of conspiracy theories.
His furious reaction to those cases showed that he is increasingly concerned about his vulnerability as separate investigations by prosecutors look into his attempt to steal Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election in Georgia, his collection of classified documents, and his behavior leading up to the insurrection on January 6, 2021. However, it also pointed to the possibility that Trump may soon face additional indictments, as several investigations appear to be nearing completion.
It’s possible that Tuesday’s events could be overtaken due to the fact that the Manhattan case’s next hearing is on December 4 and the other cases appear to address more serious constitutional questions. Although the day a former president was charged with a crime will always be remembered, Trump may view it more as the beginning of a dreadful process than a historic event.
Bragg leaves significant unanswered questions.
The fundamental premise of Bragg’s argument is that no one, not even a former president with a future in the White House, should be above the law. The critics of the district attorney, on the other hand, are concerned about a second, incompatible principle: whether someone who is well-known, wealthy, and powerful is prosecuted while someone who is less well-known might be fired.
According to the statement of facts that was included with the indictment, “The defendant Donald J. Trump repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election.”According to the charges, Trump and his former attorney, Michael Cohen, worked with American Media Inc. to pay Stormy Daniels, an adult film star, and Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model, as well as a Trump Tower doorman. Quiet cash payouts are not unlawful. Yet, Bragg, a liberal, claims that Trump distorted business records to conceal the installments. In most cases, such infractions are merely misdemeanors. However, Bragg suggested that if the books were altered to conceal evidence of criminal activity connected to the 2016 campaign, a felony charge could be filed.
Trump’s conduct definite in court reports and in a past case including Cohen was positively unpleasant. However, a number of legal analysts noted that Trump’s attorneys’ robust pre-trial motions may be facilitated by Bragg’s legal roadmap.
Andrew McCabe, a former Deputy Director of the FBI, stated to CNN on Tuesday evening that his fellow veteran law enforcement officers were “disappointed” that the Bragg indictment and statement of facts did not provide additional specifics regarding the leap required to charge Trump with a felony.
“What is the legal theory that ties that very solid misdemeanor case… to the intent to conceal another crime?” “Everyone was hoping we would see more about the direction that they intend to take this prosecution,” McCabe said.
“At the end of the day, it’s hard to imagine convincing a jury that they should get there if all of our legal friends read this indictment and don’t see a way to a felony.”
Still, Bragg insisted that a decision not to prosecute Trump would violate every fundamental American justice principle.
“We can’t and won’t standardize serious crook lead,” he said at a news gathering after Trump showed up in court. According to him, such incidents were not uncommon and were “the bread and butter” of his office’s work.
Like so many of our white-collar cases, this one has allegations at its core. Once more, claims that somebody lied, and once more, to safeguard their inclinations and avoid the regulations to which we are completely considered responsible,” Bragg said.
The legal case’s apparent complexity will be demonstrated in court. Given Trump’s status as a former president aiming to regain the presidency in 2024, however, it will also have significant political repercussions.
It will be harder for everyone else to understand Bragg’s case if it is difficult for even lawyers to comprehend it. Many might address whether misrepresenting business records to conceal a supposed undertaking from years before the 2016 political race, which presently feels quite a while in the past, genuinely legitimizes the politically radioactive step of charging an ex-president without precedent for America’s set of experiences. ( Trump has denied any involvement.)
