Post # 317, Bob McKnight's Florida Commentary
Our Constitution protects Trump's rights as a charged felon as he prepares to remove other protections in the same document.
It is reported that Donald Trump has spent $76.7 million in legal fees on the 91 criminal charges pending against him in 4 Federal Court cases and 10 felony charges in Georgia State Court. He has been adjudicated guilty in cases calling for fines of almost half a Billion Dollars. By most accounts, it is estimated that his legal costs will exceed several hundred million dollars. As some supporters have said, it is hard to believe that a person can lose that much wealth in America as a former elected President.
But there is another angle to look at with Trump's legal problems. Assuming his guilt for at least some of the almost 100 charges, he is still free today and has found a couple of unusual benefactors for his legal fees--individual donations and the Republican Party. Trump and his army of lawyers have found hundreds of motions to delay or eliminate the litigation against him. That phenomenon of "innocent until proven by a jury of his peers" is why this country is so unusual in the world. Trump has taken this principle of our Constitution to a whole new level financially. But the assumption of innocence remains a reason for Americans to support the rule of law in this country, no matter how much Trump is despised.
Trump's strategy is simple and fully disclosed--he is going to try to get re-elected and if he does, he will immediately issue a pardon to himself on all Federal charges. He cannot eliminate the state charges in Georgia, but he will no doubt create legal roadblocks to slow or suspend that litigation. He has said that he then seek out retaliation against people he deems his enemies, with the full support of the Federal government. Even if that violates individual protections provided by the Constitution. He says he will just change the Constitution.
If all of the developments described above were to happen, we would have a President badly maligned legally, and vulnerable to attack politically in the press and in the world. If he retains a majority in Congress, he will have a somewhat free reign to govern the country as he pleases. If he loses either house in Congress or both, he will have a fight on his hands with every issue and our country will be vulnerable to overthrow. Trump will probably have the support of the Supreme Court which he will no doubt call on often.
Trump has made it clear, he intends on changing whatever is necessary to create a dictation governance and replace the democracy provided for by our Constitution. That could end the freedoms we have always enjoyed. Trump further wants the Presidency without any liability for the individual. It is ironic, the very protections Trump is given from the Constitution are from the same document from which he wants to eliminate other protections.
For the Republican Party today and almost 1/2 of our Country, that status is said to be desirable. For many others, it could be the start of a movement toward a different type of government than that contemplated by our Constitution, because it will almost certainly be changed by a Trump Administration.