The Witness Chronicles, March 15, 2024
Topsy-turvy Trump Trial Tribulations
Are You Confused About Trump’s Court Cases? I Am
It changes every day
I’m going to try and sort this out. But every time I think I have it, something new happens. First, the Trump strategy of trying to delay the trials until after the election has been a mixed bag. Yesterday the Stormy Daniels coverup trial got pushed back from March 25 to a month later so the defense can look at newly released evidence.
That’s probably a small Trump victory. But this morning a judge in Georgia ruled that prosecutor Fani Willis, who had been accused of a conflict of interest, can prosecute if she dumps her special counsel, occasional boyfriend, from the case.
That is a big loss for Trump becàuse it means that trial will likely start this summer and it’s a big one. Yes, six of the 90 counts against him were dropped this week but the judge left the door open to reinstating them after the prosecutor clarifies how they will be prosecuted in more detail.
Still with me? In Florida, Trump appointee Judge Aileen Cannon, who has shown an inclination to rule in Trump’s favor, an obvious conflict, dismissed one of Trump’s motions to dismiss the case. There are others in the pipeline. But a fifth Mar A Lago employee came forward and said he moved documents around, including to Trump’s New Jersey golf course, opening up more possible charges.
Yikes. There’s more. Trump was forced to post a bond for the full amount owed to E. Jean Carroll, $93 million, in the defamation case arising out of his civil conviction for sexual assault. He had asked that the amount be lowered. And he apparently defamed her again in one of his rants, possibly opening up another case.
This was a demonstration of Trump’s greatest weakness, his total inability to keep his mouth shut about anything. And he is still on the hook for another near half billion dollar judgment this month.
Trump uber loyalist Peter Navarro, perhaps the most repulsive of his lackeys (that’s saying a lot) has failed in his attempt to avoid going to jail next week for contempt of Congress. Good riddance Pete, after your constant cries about the stolen election that wasn’t.
So, that’s most of it, as of today, March 15, 2024. But we have eight more months of this and it seems inevitable that this constant legal stuff will further chip away at Trump’s wavering support among the saner wing of his party and independents.
It is important to note that all of this means his huge legal bills are still piling up and the Republican National Committee says they will no longer pay them, in part because they have no money. That may change now that Trump’s daughter-in-law is in charge there and her first action was to fire 60+ staff members and replace them with lackeys.
Finally there is the SCOTUS ruling on his claims of Presidential immunity, which they have pushed back till the end of this term in June, meaning a decision may not come for months after. Most observers think he will lose that one but there is definitely stalling going on.
So, if you are inclined to pooh pooh his legal troubles and assume he will dodge them, you might want to think again. For now the winds seem to be against him, at least so far this week.
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