This is the part where the Trump Organization goes down
The question of whether you can indict a sitting President remains unresolved. Special Counsel Robert Mueller might be reluctant to bring charges against President Donald Trump, because of the U.S. Supreme Court. The 5 to 4 conservative majority is unlikely to back such a bold legal maneuver, but then again hope springs eternal — Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch (of stolen seat infamy) might be forced to recuse himself.
So what is a reasonable Plan B for holding the President accountable outside of impeachment proceedings requiring a two-thirds majority in the Senate, after obtaining a simple majority in the House of Representatives? The answer is simple, but devastating for Trump. The Trump Organization, which is headquartered in New York City, falls under the jurisdictional purview of New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. He could bring state charges against the organization. The usually leak-proof Mueller let it leak in August that he was working with Schneiderman in investigating Paul Manafort. Maybe the partnership doesn’t end there.
Schneiderman has engaged in a continuing onslaught of legal actions against the Trump Administration. He got a large settlement against Trump University for defrauding its students and forced the Donald J. Trump Foundation to stop soliciting donations and shut down after engaging in self-dealing. So clearly, Schneiderman is not bashful about going after Trump.
The potential opportunities for state charges for money laundering are plentiful. Trump has thirteen real estate properties in New York City, including the controversial Trump SoHo, which have drawn enormous interests from shady Russians. Mueller has a daunting task ahead of him. Sift through a byzantine mess of corruption, avoid being fired or having his investigation undermined, and guard against potential pardons from the President. Mueller’s trump card is going after the Trump Organization. The Empire State strikes back.
J.H. Norton is a communications professional, life-long Democrat, and married father of two boys living in Washington, D.C.