Vice News is reporting that Donald Trump’s second criminal indictment is virtually on calendar for this summer. They’ve even pinpointed the dates that it probably will drop, between July 11 and September 1. They base that prediction upon the fact that Fani Willis has asked local officials to increase security during that time and why would she do so unless she was planning to announce charging decisions in her long running investigation of Trump’s interference with the election in Georgia in 2020?
“The Fulton DA’s letter makes it almost certain that Trump is getting indicted,” said Titus Nichols, an Atlanta-area defense lawyer and former prosecutor from the nearby Augusta Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office. “There is no other reason to send something in writing to the sheriff.”
Vice points out that this is going to make the primary and general election even more surreal if the presumptive GOP nominee is facing two criminal trials in two different states. Normalcy in politics will be gone forever, if that hasn’t already taken place.
DA Willis asked Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat to prepare for a “significant public reaction” to her announcement, which she said would occur during the court’s fourth term of this year—a two-month period starting on July 11. Willis said she wanted to give Labat time to prep for possible attacks or violent demonstrations.
“We have seen in recent years that some may go outside of public expressions of opinion that are protected by the First Amendment to engage in acts of violence that will endanger the safety of our community,” Willis wrote. “As leaders, it is incumbent upon us to prepare.”
“Willis is highly unlikely to issue this letter if she’s not fully intending to charge Donald Trump, as opposed to not bringing charges against him or bringing charges only against lower-level figures,” wrote Andrew Weissmann, who served under former Special Counsel Bob Mueller during his investigation of the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia, for MSNBC. “Why not write something shorter and sweeter that kicks the can down the road, if you are not anticipating a fight over an upcoming indictment?”
It’s going to be a long hot summer for the Tangerine Man.
My worry is that he would be acquitted and then be immune from some Federal crimes or preclude some Federal charges because of double jeopardy. However, the thought of him and his fellow traitors sitting in a Georgia prison is very satisfying.
Usually, acquittal does NOT preclude other charges. “Double jeopardy” simply means you can’t be prosecuted for the SAME crime barring some incredible new evidence. What it doesn’t mean is you can’t be tried of a crime of the same NATURE.
In other words, if you’re tried for murdering John Doe and acquitted then, barring some new evidence (maybe like jury tampering or the murder weapon from your crime with your prints on them is found), then you can’t face a second trial for murdering John Doe. BUT, if you kill JANE Doe, then you can most certainly be tried for THAT crime.
With election fraud or interference, I haven’t heard of Trump facing FEDERAL charges on that; right now, the only Federal charges Trump is dealing with involve his connection with the Insurrection and his unlawful possession of classified government documents. Therefore, whatever happens in Georgia won’t have anything to do with double jeopardy. About the only Federal charges that can be brought dealing with voting have to do with a civil rights case (such as preventing someone from voting due to race or ethnicity) since the Feds pretty much leave all election matters to the states.
Unless I’ve misunderstood goings on in Georgia there’s a potential for a real mess in the next month or so. Because the GA Legislature put itself in a position to intervene and replace a local DA – in effect terminate this or any other prosecution it deems “inappropriate.” This was in the news a while back and I can’t say for sure but unless I’m mistaken legislation was passed and signed by Kemp that would give the GA State Assembly to protect Trump by screwing with Willis’ case up to and including firing her. Like I said, it would create an uproar and kill the secret ambition I believe Kemp has of stepping in to “save the GOP” if as is likely DeSantis becomes the 2024 version of Wisconsin’s Scott Walker and Trump’s candidacy craters. Perhaps Alvin Bragg having already charged Trump up in NYC, and his likely loss in his rape trial will make the GA legislature think twice about their attempt at “legalized” Obstruction of Justice. I’d imagine Kemp has had a series of private one-on-one meetings with leaders to get them to cool their freaking jets.
My understanding of that legislation in GA is that they have to set up a commission and come up with rules, etc. The speculation is that it would take more than a year from signing into law into having the commission set up and running, which gives Fani some time to get her case into the court and possibly have a result. So while that law is concerning, it may not affect the Fulton County DA’s case against TFG. And if she gets a jury verdict before the commission is in place, then the Parole Board has to recommend a pardon, Kemp can’t do it on his own. They have some set in stone rules, including having to have served at least a portion of their time.
“Hey, Mr. Tangerine Man, tell.a lie to.me,
I am stupid and I like the crap you’re sellin’
Hey, Mr. Tangerine, tell a lie to me
I ‘ll stay loyal even if you are a felon”