One-time president Donald J. Trump was found guilty on all thirty-four counts of falsifying business records to influence the 2016 presidential election. It is a sad time for our country.
It is sad that some people rejoiced that an ex-president has become a convicted felon.
It is sad that other people have decried that the rule of law, which has served America for 250 years, is no longer valid because they didn’t like the outcome.
It is sad that an ex-president was forced to endure a trial for felony charges, and likely has more trials to come.
It is sad that a president committed felonies that caused him to be endure a trial and has committed other acts that will cause him to suffer additional trials.
It is sad that those that have criticized witnesses, have not disputed any of the evidence presented, yet claim the injustice of the testimony.
It is sad that eight senators have already banded together to retaliate against the verdict by making sure no legislation will get passed for the remainder of this year (if Trump loses the election, will they extend that to four more years?). “We are no longer cooperating with any Democrat legislative priorities or nominations, and we invite all concerned Senators to join our stand.”
It is sad that a convicted man, who is running for president, has pledged retribution and retaliation against anyone that he views as having wronged him in any way, and has pledged to alter the Constitution to suit those needs.
It is sad that those who have whined about a weaponized justice department, seem to have conveniently ignored that while they attack this verdict, there is an ongoing criminal prosecution of Hunter Biden and two public corruption cases against Democratic members of Congress, Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), which are justified and are currently active.
It is sad that a judge, who seemingly bent over backwards to accommodate a defendant, despite constant attacks by the defendant, is now being called corrupt, partly because he once donated $15 to a Democratic Presidential campaign. And a jury of twelve, which took two months out of their lives to work hard to follow the law, and that was selected jointly by both the prosecution and the defense, is now being accused of bias because Democrats outnumber Republicans in New York City. As Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) posted in his classy note on social media, “New York is a liberal shit hole.”
It is sad that a defendant can claim “witch hunt” and “fraud” in a trial when he did not stand up under oath to refute the charges that he has denied continuously while NOT under oath. He kept saying he “wanted to testify” so why not?
It is sad that a popular Republican ex-governor, Larry Hogan of Maryland, who is now a Senate candidate, tweets simply, prior to a verdict, “I urge all Americans to respect the verdict and the legal process. At this dangerously divided moment in our history, all leaders—regardless of party—must not pour fuel on the fire with more toxic partisanship. We must reaffirm what has made this nation great: the rule of law.” He was immediately rebuked by multiple people in his own party and told that his Senate campaign is “over.”
It is sad that at least one lawmaker called for state-level revenge after this week’s verdict. “Time for Red State AGs and DAs to get busy,” Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.) posted, referring to state and local prosecutors.
And Donald Trump, Jr. chipped in with a simple classy post of “Just bullshit.”
And perhaps the saddest of all… Mike Johnson’s inference that having contacts in high places could have impact. “The justices on the court — I know many of them personally — I think they’re deeply concerned about that, as we are,” he said.
That’s not exactly as Theodore Roosevelt saw it: “Obedience of the law is demanded; not asked as a favor.”
Curt MacRae is a resident of Coldwater, MI, and publishes opinion columns regularly.
Tweets @curtmacrae — comments to rantsbymac@gmail.com
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