Thursday was one of those days that a person tends to remember forever. I know I will. Thursday was the day that a former President of the United States, namely Donald Trump, was indicted by a Grand Jury in Florida of committing crimes against those United States. The 37 count indictment set out in 49 pages basically accuses Trump of being in possession of classified materials to which he was not entitled once he left office and of obstructing justice while trying to keep them out of the hands of the FBI and the National Archives. His so called “body man”, a gentleman named Nauta was also indicted, for lying to the FBI.
Let me state at this point that I do not feel any particular happiness at this turn of events, no schadenfreude, no satisfaction even though I have no particular use for Donald Trump. The indictment of any elected official, or former elected official, is a sad and terrible thing. The indictment of a former President is almost unthinkable. It would certainly have been unthinkable to Thomas Jefferson who hoped and believed that the occupant of the highest office in the land would be a man of unimpeachable ( forgive me) integrity and character.
While we all believe that “no man is above the law” and that every one of us is entitled to a speedy trial and to the presumption of innocence, I dread the prospect of the days to come even before we get to the trial of this matter. Which, being in Federal Court, mercifully will not be televised. Anyway, Donald Trump summoned the mob to keep the Congress from certifying the results of the election that he most assuredly lost. Do you think he won’t do it again to stay out of prison? Not that I think he would be sentenced to prison if he were convicted. But you get the larger point.
Indeed, one Congressman from Louisiana has tweeted what more than one person has interpreted to be a call for some sort of military action next Tuesday at the Courthouse when Trump makes his first appearance before a Judge. And this is just Plea and Arraignment. The next year will be bumpy indeed.
I have read the indictment a couple of times. I was struck by how the allegations are tied to documents, photographs, text messages ( talk about fools) and notes. Not to the testimony of a snitch somewhere in the darkness although I’m sure Mr. Nauta will have every opportunity to talk to the authorities if and when he feels so led.
Secondly, I was struck by the proprietary nature of Trump’s relationship to documents he had no more authorization to possess than I do. The indictment is replete with references to him referring to the boxes containing the classified documents as “my boxes.” What gave him that idea? One commentator said something along the lines of it’s like Trump saying he was entitled to remove the portrait of George Washington when he left the Oval Office.
This makes no sense. All he had to do was give the damn boxes back and we wouldn’t be at this terrible juncture in American history. How ego driven. How-dare I say it?-childish.
Trumps supporters have not addressed the gravamen of the Indictment. Rather, they are attacking the prosecutor, Joe Biden and the Department of Justice. That ain’t gonna cut when it comes down to brass tacks. And Trumps lawyers know it.
A deceased buddy of mine over in east Arkansas had a client once who was the recipient of a similarly robust multi-count indictment. He urged his client to consider letting him approach the Feds to see about making a deal.
“Because boy,” he told his client. “Ya know ya done at least one of em.”
When, not if, they get to the facts of this case Donald J. Trump will be in a pickle.
Because he was charged with 37 counts. He done at least one of em.
