As of Sunday, the indictment had not been leaked. We don’t know the exact laws in question or how they might have been broken. The estimates run from 20 to 30 individual charges, including some felonies
We will probably know by the time you read this what has been alleged about former president Donald Trump’s hush-money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to buy her silence about a sexual encounter in 2006 shortly after Melania had given birth to Barron.
One person familiar with the situation is Michael Cohen, Trump’s lawyer at the time and essentially the bag man who funneled hush money to Daniels. That Cohen pleaded guilty and went to prison for his part in the affair tells me that some law was probably broken.
Trump was to appear before the court today for arraignment and to answer the charges. The idea has been floated that he was not to be fingerprinted or get a mugshot, as is the case for all other criminals.
We have a legal system designed to deal with such infractions. We claim that no one is above the law. This indictment provides some supporting evidence.
Of course, if Trump receives special treatment in the booking area, we will see evidence of the rich and famous getting special treatment – just as the seven-year delay between the alleged 2016 payoff and this year’s indictment.
For the record, while he was president, U.S. Grant was ticketed multiple times for speeding his buggy through the Washington streets and once was arrested and paid his fine. They allowed him to walk back to the White House.
Trump’s presidency should not have delayed these proceedings.
It is concerning that so many “law and order” Republicans think that Trump should be exempt from the laws of the land. Of course, many of them are still publicly defending Trump’s attempted coup of Jan. 6, 2021 – while denouncing it and Trump in private.
Some are co-conspiring traitors. Others are cowards who don’t want to offend Trump’s rabid, fascist base. And, many are the same hypocrites who hounded President Bill Clinton about his moral turpitude while embracing Trump’s proud boasting of his sexual predation.
They were also licking their lips at the prospect to “lock her up” if any of their investigations had found any evidence of wrongdoing on the part of Hillary Clinton. They found none. That same process of investigate, weigh the results and move forward has found evidence that Trump should stand trial.
Let the system play out.