RICO
The House impeachment managers are doing a tremendous job of weaving together months and months of Donald Trump’s lies, exhortations and hidden maneuvers, demonstrating that he was all along pulling the strings that led to a climax on January 6th.
But most Republican senators — craven, fearful or both — and having seen a heartrending and horrific video record of the assault, will likely call for the individual mob members to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law … while acquitting Trump because he wasn’t the actual cause.
Let’s get real and call this what it is: this is a massive criminal conspiracy, a crime that should be punishable by the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. After all, the RICO law was passed so that leaders of a conspiracy could be prosecuted for the crimes they instructed others to commit even if they personally did not take part.
One lasting benefit of the Senate trial—even if Trump is acquitted—is the roadmap for a criminal conspiracy case to be brought against this mob boss and others who worked with him to undermine the outcome of the 2020 election and, yes, ultimately to order his foot soldiers to attack our Capitol.
Nelson Checkoway is an award-winning copywriter and the principal of Rising Tide Direct, a fundraising agency for non-profit organizations.