Donald Trump has been indicted. But, Michael Harris writes, one indictment isn't enough to stop him:
Simply because Donald Trump never submits to any authority or set of rules that get in the way of his impulsive ego-liberation and terminal narcissism. Instead, he attacks his accusers and opponents like a pit bull with rabies. Facts and decorum have nothing to do with his modus operandi. Consider Trump’s unhinged public remarks about Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing his trial on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
For good measure, Trump also attacked the judge’s family. He accused Judge Merchan of treating his company “VICIOUSLY” in the recent trial of Trump Organization, which Merchan also presided over. That trial ended with tax fraud findings against Trump’s company, and a hefty fine. For his role in the tax frauds, long-time Trump executive Allen Weisselberg was sent to jail for five months.
Trump the bloviating bully has behaved even more outrageously toward Alvin Bragg, the first Black person to hold the post of district attorney for the southern district of Manhattan. He has called Bragg a “criminal” an “animal” a “psychopath” and a “racist.” Trump also posted a photo on Truth Social showing himself wielding a baseball bat next to an image of Bragg’s head. Subtlety has never been Trump’s forte.
Proof that what happens on the internet doesn’t stay on the internet? Both Judge Merchan and District Attorney Alvin Bragg have now received multiple death threats. Trump actually mentioned Merchan by name in one of his Truth Social posts. The upshot? The judge now has extra personal security at the court he presides over.
So let's be clear-eyed about who and what Trump is:
It is now crystal clear why Trump announced his third presidential run so early. He knew that a flurry of possible indictments was coming his way, and he also knew that as a past president and presidential candidate, the courts would be under great pressure to treat him differently from your garden-variety criminal defendant.
Trump was also aware that with his death grip on the Republican base, his potential rivals for the GOP nomination would have no choice but to rally to his cause, even if he were to be indicted. Proof that he had that part right? Even Mitt Romney, one of the few Republicans to see the dangers presented by Trump, is parroting the baseless claim that Bragg’s prosecution against the former president is political.
If Trump is allowed to heap abuse on officers of the court for seven or eight more months, if he is permitted to stir up a hornet’s nest of rage in his political base, there will be little to no stopping him. Officers of the court will be needlessly endangered, and the GOP will be further emboldened to interfere in a criminal case to push the lie that this is somehow all political.
The time to act is now. If anyone else but Trump were involved in this case, that is exactly what would have already happened. If anyone else were spouting the inflammatory rhetoric Trump employs, they would be admonished, held in criminal contempt, or subjected to a gag order to protect the integrity of the case. Judicial authorities have got to stop being in thrall over the job Trump once had, and start dealing with his deeds, or rather, misdeeds.
I'm betting that before Trump is convicted for several crimes, he'll be spending time in jail for contempt of court.
Image: You Tube
