It’s now a formal judgment by a US court – US District Judge David Carter found that Trump’s plan to overturn the election amounted to a “coup”. This ruling opens the way to the House of Representatives Committee to request the Justice Department consider charges against Trump.
This is also now a very different ball game. Judge Carter also commented that “the illegality of the plan was obvious.” The sheer scope of this finding covers multiple issues. The finding and its various ramifications may lead to actual criminal charges.
Charges against Trump could well impact any run in 2024. It’s unclear exactly where the US draws the line for who (or what) may NOT stand for political office, but it’s a gray area. It is assumed a convicted felon may not stand.
Is this the end of Trump?
More likely it’s the beginning of a lot of litigation. The long series of lawsuits on the subject of Trump’s tax returns is an indicator of how he responds to any sort of legal situation. Trump recently sued Hillary Clinton in regard to matters arising from the 2016 election.
Also to be expected is more self-proclaimed political martyrdom by Trump. In the traditional highly polarized election environments, this heartbreaking tale of an oppressed billionaire may carry some weight.
The hyperbole may not cut a lot of slack with a court, though. Any charges brought as a result of this finding can only be extremely serious charges. Rhetoric isn’t much use against a long list of evidence and now a judicial finding.
The workings of the alleged “conspiracy” are also issues. Allegedly violating voters’ constitutional rights may not be considered too hilarious by a court. Supposedly asking a red state governor to “find” Republican voters to amend the count isn’t much of a joke, either. It’s a long list of possible issues which a court may find less entertaining than demanding of judgment.
One thing for sure – This finding can be a political nuke for Trump’s presidential aspirations. If charges are laid, and he’s convicted, there’s no reason for the Republicans to try to defend the indefensible. The Great Stable Genius might want to take notice for a change.
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Disclaimer
The opinions expressed in this Op-Ed are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the Digital Journal or its members.