Banana republic' criticism of Trump's trial is bananas
By David French / The New York Times
I’ve long been a skeptic of Alvin Bragg’s prosecution of Donald Trump. As a legal matter, I think it’s the weakest of the four criminal cases against Trump, and there is a very real chance the conviction will be overturned on appeal. At the same time, however, the MAGA argument that Trump’s trial and conviction are somehow proof that America is now a banana republic is absurd.
A case can have weaknesses without being an affront to the rule of law. And in Trump’s case, even the weakest elements are supported by prior prosecutions brought by Democrats and Republicans.
For example, the Obama Department of Justice prosecuted former vice-presidential candidate John Edwards for accepting campaign contributions intended to cover up an affair with a woman named Rielle Hunter. The case ended with an acquittal on one count and a hung jury on five others.
The Trump Department of Justice prosecuted Michael Cohen for his specific role in the same hush-money scheme at issue in Trump’s trial. That case ended with a guilty plea. While it is absolutely true that the Biden Department of Justice didn’t choose to prosecute Trump for his role in the hush-money scheme, it remains rather interesting that the department didn’t charge the principal after it convicted Cohen, the lower-level employee who acted on his behalf.
https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/french-banana-republic-criticism-of-trumps-trial-is-bananas/
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