“Prosecutorial Discretion”
Some pundits are now pointing to “Prosecutorial Discretion” is their new potential factor against a Trump indictment. Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg used prosecutorial discretion to delay the campaign finance fraud case against Trump. Georgia’s Fulton County DA Fani Wallis could choose not to indict Trump despite overwhelming evidence for a slam-dunk conviction. And Merrick Garland could decide against a Trump indictment for the good of the country despite a recommendation and proof beyond a doubt from Special Counsel Jack Smith of Trump’s guilt in the January 6th and Classified Documents cases. Some pundits also find the first ever indictment of a United States President to be a solemn moment not to be celebrated. I reject both narratives.
Trump is a national security threat inciting violence every day. From posting a violent meme of himself holding a baseball bat next to Alvin Bragg, to standing with his hand on his heart during a fake national anthem while footage of the deadly January 6th clashes played on a big screen at his Waco Texas rally, on the anniversary of a deadly anti-government shoot-out, an incident that Timothy McVeigh used to justify his anti-government terrorist attack killing 168, for which Merrick Garland got him convicted and executed in just five years.
There are also plenty of precedents for indicting a president. Before being reelected, Israel’s president Benjamin Netanyahu was indicted on corruption charges. Netanyahu then campaigned on a false platform that he abandoned once elected and is now brazenly attempting to pass legislation that would interfere with the court’s ability to convict him, causing massive protests in the country. Also, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian president Vladimir Putin for war crimes. Not as recently, a U.S. President has been arrested and prosecuted, Civil War hero Ulysses S. Grant was charged with speeding in his horse-drawn carriage, which was impounded, after which he walked back to the White House, all without causing an insurrection.
Trump’s actions and these precedents support multiple Trump indictments. As for it being a solemn occasion, I intend to pop champagne and celebrate, just as I did the 2018, 2020, and 2022 elections, and all the special elections we have won in between. Cheers!
Chicago native Lorraine Evanoff earned her degree in French from DePaul University then became a Certified Financial Manager. She worked as a finance exec in film production for seven years in Paris, then in Silicon Valley during the dot-com era, and later for various Hollywood production companies, notably as CFO of National Lampoon. She is currently living in Los Angeles with her husband.