Bolling: Trump Criminal Trials Begin
On Monday, in a Manhattan courtroom, history was made. For the first time ever, a former American President went on trial for alleged criminal offenses.
Of course, the former President is Donald Trump, who is no stranger to the courtroom.
Over the past year, Trump has spent considerable time in a courtroom, but up until now his alleged offenses have been embodied in civil lawsuits, not criminal prosecutions.
That changed yesterday, with Trump going on trial for alleged criminal offenses – felonies, which could result in his imprisonment.
The charge is allegedly making illegal payments to former porn star Stormy Daniels, with whom Trump allegedly had a sexual relationship, and fraudulently concealing those payments as campaign related expenditures.
Trump, in typical fashion, alleges that these charges are politically motivated, and he is most assuredly right about that.
The charges have been brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, who made prosecuting Trump a hallmark of his own election campaign in 2022.
And remember, Bragg brought these charges against Trump even though former Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance had refused to bring such charges.
But even though these charges may be politically motivated, Trump and his legal team must take them seriously. If Trump is found guilty of these charges he could face significant fines and penalties, as well as potential jail time.
Unfortunately, this case, which may last for several weeks, is not the end of Trump’s potential criminal trials … it is just the beginning.
Trump also faces state criminal charges for election interference in Georgia and federal charges in Florida for his handling of classified documents following the completion of his term as President.
He also faces criminal charges in Washington, D.C., for his alleged involvement in inciting the Capitol insurrection on January 6, 2021, and trying to subvert the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.
These trials, which are also unprecedented, will produce high drama and living history over the next several months, all against the backdrop of the 2024 presidential campaign. Hollywood could not have written a more compelling script.
The outcome of these trials could certainly impact the presidential election. It could also create deeper divisions in an American society that is already deeply divided. It is an episode no one should be proud of or look forward to, but it is one we must all endure.
Perhaps we should all pause and say a prayer for our country and our people. Divine intervention may be exactly what we need to emerge from this as a strong and united nation.
