Donald Trump’s goose is cooked
Thanks to Team Trump filing a motion to dismiss, we have a clearer picture of the charges pending against him in D.C. Prosecutors from the Special Counsel’s office want to ensure that doesn’t happen, and in response to Trump’s motion to dismiss, we got a view into how the prosecutors plan to handle this case. They won’t be taking it easy on Trump, starting out their response with: “The defendant attempts to rewrite the indictment, claiming that it charges him with wholly innocuous, perhaps even admirable conduct-sharing his opinions about election fraud and seeking election integrity, when in fact it clearly describes the defendant’s fraudulent use of knowingly false statements as weapons in furtherance of his criminal plans.”
What Donald Trump did after the 2020 election was criminal. Regardless of what Trump says, he knew he lost and forged ahead with his plan to disrupt the installation of the new president and, in the process, invalidate millions of votes. He not only lied, but he fundraised off those lies, he attempted to defraud multiple secretaries of state and governors, and he caused one of the most shameful moments in American history when his supporters violated the Capitol at his behest. The Special Counsel’s office went even farther by laying out part of his case.
The prosecution will show that Trump knew he lost and used lies to commit a fraud on the American public. The Special Counsel will also show evidence that Trump further used those lies to set off the riot at the Capitol on January 6. That’s right: they will charge him with inciting a riot. The prosecutors’ filing calls what Trump did a “campaign of deceit,” including the assembly of fake electors to replace real electors to give those states’ votes to Trump instead of to the rightful winner. The prosecutors’ filing was well written, including: “The defendant stands alone in American history for his alleged crimes. No other president has engaged in conspiracy and obstruction to overturn valid election results and illegitimately retain power.” Too bad this one won’t be televised. It is overwhelmingly popcorn worthy.
Trump, of course, continues to claim that he honestly thought the election was stolen. There is nothing honest about Donald Trump, and the prosecution will show that. They disputed Trump’s claims that President Biden is in any way involved: “The incumbent president has no role in this case, and the career prosecutors handling this matter would not participate in this prosecution if it were otherwise.” In other words, these prosecutors operate on integrity, something Trump knows nothing about. The prosecutors hammered every one of Team Trump’s ridiculous claims. “The First Amendment does not protect fraudulent speech,” prosecutors wrote. Again, this is like yelling “fire” in a crowded theater, which is against the law. They also attacked every piece of case law used by Trump’s attorneys. No matter which way Trump turns, he’s not getting out of this one. He may have his friendly judge in Florida, but in D.C., he will be confronted by legal precedence, prosecutors with integrity, and a law-abiding judge. Trump’s proverbial goose is so cooked.
Shirley is a former entertainment writer and has worked in the legal field for over 25 years