Trump Arrest Watch

Question,

Can he still run for President if he has been arrested and charged?

I can totally see Trump doing this. He thrives on chaos.

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The only way that he would be prohibited from being elected is if he were impeached again and the Senate convicted him and included an exclusion from future public office in the sentence.

A GOP-controlled House isn’t going to impeach him.
Even if he were impeached, the Dems don’t have enough seats in the Senate to convict him.

(EDIT: I was going to mention that the 14th Amendment exclusion of insurrectionists could apply…but when I checked the language, I learned it only applies to Congress and the Electoral College. Apparently insurrection doesn’t disqualify you from being elected President or Vice-President.)

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Agree, but with some additional notes:

Yes, those with criminal convictions can serve as president. He could even run for office from jail.

The prosecution for the pilfering of classified documents could be interesting. If convicted, that statute says that "willfully and unlawfully conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates, falsifies, or destroys the same, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both; and shall forfeit his office and be disqualified from holding any office under the United States. "

It is my understanding that barring someone from office under this law would be likely overturned if challenged in court as unconstitutional.

WRT the 14th amendment, while Senators, Representatives, and electors are specifically named I think the office of President would also be caught up in the “hold any office” wider language. I think that Trump could get barred from serving that way if there was political will to do so (I don’t think there is. Attempting to overturn the government via insurrection or coup is the new normal)

" No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability."

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Specifically, the Constitution would preempt the law if the office in question were President, Vice-President, Senator, or Representative

But he could be barred from being a federal judge, or the head of a federal agency.

Warren: let law enforcement do their job.

Greene: democrats are weaponizing law enforcement and Trump is innocent.

Really fox? They agree?

Michael Cohen has said that he is testifying again (time #4?) before the grand jury tomorrow. If the grand jury is still hearing testimony, that means that they haven’t yet issued an indictment.

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See: Joe Exotic

That would be absurdly awesome. And given the last few years, a reasonable prediction.

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This seems a lot like the John Edwards stuff. What was his penance?

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That’s a good example to remember.

Looking at wikipedia page, he was indicted and tried. But he was found not guilty on one charge and no jury agreement on the others.

He was not disbarred it looks like.

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Yeah, very similar. Funny the politicians from either side don’t weigh in much on stuff like this. Makes me wonder how many politicians are paying off mistresses and mastresses (or whatever a guy version of a mistress is) to keep quiet.

Trump is an interesting case too as he has done so much stuff that is sleazy we want the book to be thrown at him, but all the sleazy stuff individually is all only borderline worthy of jail time (like this case). It’s the amalgamation of all of it together that makes him worthy of spending a few years behind bars, but that’s not how the legal system works.

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I still think GA may be one of the best shots at nailing Trump for a serious crime. Reportedly the DA is considering charging Trump with racketeering and conspiracy. That would lead to real jail time if convicted

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That also nails him for the election BS which is a true crime and will send a message to every other huckster he has attracted to the Republican party.

Aren’t there 6 potential criminal trials pending for Trump?

Courtesy of today’s Tangle (I added the #s)

Currently, Trump is being investigated 1) by federal prosecutors over the January 6 riots; 2) by the D.C. attorney general over financial fraud on the Presidential Inaugural Committee; 3) by the Fulton County, Georgia, district attorney over criminal election interference in Georgia; 4) by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over rules violations in his plans to take his social-media company public through a SPAC; and 5) by the FBI and Justice Department over his handling of classified documents. The Congressional House Select Committee recently completed its investigation into his role in January 6.

He’s almost certainly enjoying the attention and chaos.

I’d think it was more likely God than trolls.

Apres Trump, le deluge

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Great example. I looked it up. Edwards was indicted. There was a jury trial.

He was found not-guilty on one charge, and a mistrial for other charges because the jury was deadlocked.

In Edwards’ case it was not 100% clear if he was receiving “campaign contributions” vs “a gift”, and it was not 100% clear whether he himself was directing the money to be used as hush money. I would expect similar arguments if Trump was in the hotseat, but maybe not the same evidence or ruling, who knows.

Rand Paul now thinks the NY DA should be “put in jail” for even considering indicting Trump, and DeSantis has called it “some type of manufactured circus by some Soros DA.” Because of course.