Sean Combs, or “P-Diddy,” or whatever he is going by now, is on trial for sex trafficking and racketeering. His trial just entered its 17th day, which is noteworthy because it means there is a lot of evidence surrounding a case for one of the worst crimes in the federal code. A jury will analyze every fact and determine whether each element is proven beyond a reasonable doubt. A judge, who has overseen the entire process, will – if the charges are proven – then decide on an appropriate punishment. It is important to note that Combs made three attempts to be released on bail, and the judge denied each attempt due to the seriousness of the charges and the possibility that Combs would abscond. But now President Donald Trump is weighing in as if he is the only jury that matters, and he – too, will look at the facts in considering a pardon. This isn’t how this is all supposed to work and it’s outrageous.
The pardon or clemency process in this country is set up to be an act of mercy in certain cases where the law and punishment operated to a uniquely unfair end. We have an appeal process to determine whether the law was followed or who was mistreated. The presumption is that if the law is followed, there is no need for a pardon or commutation, at least not coming out of the trial and before appeals run. But Donald Trump has already signaled a willingness to “look at the facts” as to whether Combs was “mistreated” and then determine whether he will issue a pardon. As reported by Joe My God, Trump noted the following when taking questions in the Oval Office and asked whether he would pardon Combs:
“I know people are thinking about it. I think some people have been very close to asking. First of all, I’d look at what’s happening. And I haven’t been watching it too closely. He used to really like me a lot, but I think when I ran for politics, he sort of – that relationship busted up, from what I read, I don’t know. He didn’t tell me that, but I’d read some little bit nasty statements in the paper all of a sudden.
“So, I don’t know. I would certainly look at the facts. If I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don’t like me, wouldn’t have any impact. It’s not a popularity contest, so I don’t know. I would certainly look at the facts.”
Look at the statement again and consider whether Trump would give this answer if it were Taylor Swift on trial for extortion or something really bad, and tell me whether you believe Donald Trump would “look at the facts” and consider a pardon. If you just limit yourself to the bolded parts, it reads:
“I would look at what’s happening. I haven’t been watching too closely. He used to really like me a lot, but that relationship busted up. But I’d read some little bit [sic] nasty statements in the paper all of a sudden. So I don’t know. I would certainly look at the facts.”
It is all about him and Diddy and nothing about what Combs did, only whether, in Trump’s opinion, Combs was “mistreated.” There are worse things in the world than a president who cares about whether criminal defendants are mistreated. The problem here is that everything is premised on a relationship with Trump. Indeed, according to Google, a Harvard study found that 87 of Trump’s initial 97 grants of clemency up to December of 2020 went to someone with whom Trump had some kind of relationship – whether it be fans or supporters or someone famous, and only ten were strangers to Trump. We all know that Trump then pardoned 1,500 people who attacked the Capitol on January 6th 2021 – again, people who supported Trump. Read Trump’s statement again and tell us that this isn’t a popularity contest.
Most presidents wouldn’t need to insert any sort of disclaimer. Indeed, no other president would entertain such a discussion during the trial. Trump is first supposed to leave it up to the jury – the people that spend a month or longer looking at all the facts, and then the judge, to determine whether Combs was “mistreated.” To be sure, Trump didn’t say when he would look at the facts, but appeals would go on until very late in the Trump term. The trial is going on today. One could be forgiven for assuming Trump means he will look at the “facts” right after the trial.
It is time to stop dancing around the manure pile. Trump uses the clemency process to reward people who support him. Whatever grievances Trump may have (And none are well-founded) against how he was treated, that in no way excuses him for limiting his “mercy” to those who support him politically. Indeed, what does Trump mean by “It’s not a popularity contest”? He insults our intelligence in telling us it doesn’t matter whether Combs likes him or not when he just got done analyzing whether Combs continues to like him or not and whether those “nasty statements” are the final word. If Combs came out today with a statement, “I voted for Joe Biden” – nothing more, would he get consideration?
If a jury finds that Combs was involved in sex trafficking girls, he should go to prison for a long, long time, and it shouldn’t matter if he was head of “MAGA Inc.” Every decent person finds sex trafficking abhorrent, but girldads with a teen have a visceral reaction to this. Trump has a daughter, so it is interesting that his most recent statement focused on possible mistreatment of Combs – who used to be a big supporter – and not the girls and women who were victims.
We all know what’s going on here. Powerful men feel entitled. And Trump supporters get special treatment. We will see. But it is stunning that Trump would even address the matter during the trial and before appeals are done. It is also outrageous.
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God Bless: I can be reached at [email protected] and also on X at @JasonMiciak, and please follow me now on Bluesky.
Zoomers, we are always in need of donations. It’s been an especially rough month, and my own health has not been great these past few weeks, which just adds to the frustration. Anything you can spare will be immensely appreciated. And thank you to all who have donated generously already. Ursula
Trump is trying to move his appeal to the federal courts in the hush money case, and Alvin Bragg is arguing no. That’s still on
Here are some facts. Combs and Trump are both misogynists. Serial abusers of women. Fellow sexual assaulters and rapists. No wonder Trump and combs used to be pals. I’m guessing Combs didn’t donate enough money so he fell out of favor. However the dude is plenty rich (for now) and another FACT is that for the right price Trump will sign a pardon without blinking an eye.
“If a jury finds that Combs was involved in sex trafficking girls, he should go to prison for a long, long time, and it shouldn’t matter if he was head of “MAGA Inc.” Every decent person finds sex trafficking abhorrent, but girldads with a teen have a visceral reaction to this.”
Sorry, Jason, but where were all the “girldads” from “MAGA Inc” who seemed to put ZERO weight to Drumpf’s own comment about how “hot” his own daughter was and that, “if” he wasn’t related to her, he’d be dating her? “MAGA” girldads don’t give a fork about OTHER females who aren’t their actual daughters. And the whole matter about sex trafficking doesn’t even rank anywhere in the minds of most MAGA voters or politicians except when they can USE the issue for their own motives. For instance, when we hear about rape and sexual assault coming from MAGAt politicians, it’s ALWAYS in connection with undocumented immigrants–they couldn’t care less about the millions of women and girls being sexually assaulted by white men and boys. Hell, we’ve got Pete Hegseth running the DOD and one of the first moves by Hegseth (most likely with Drumpf’s complete and total approval) was to put a stop to (or seriously curtail) the DOD’s investigations about sexual assault and rape filed in the military. Even Joni Ernst–a known victim of such assault while in the military–voted for Hegseth (likely with a bit of “arm-twisting” from Drumpf). I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if the only complaints about sexual assault that do get investigated involve white women claiming assault by someone of color (male or female) but if a woman of color claims assault by anyone, it’ll get ignored or swept under the rug.
And where were these “MAGA girldads” who went ahead and voted for Drumpf this past year IN SPITE OF his sexual assault conviction against Dr Carroll or the cover-up in the Stormy Daniels case? These “girldads” have a “me and mine first” mentality (much like their idol/god Drumpf) with “ME” coming in first, then the “mine” (family members, job, friends. city) comes next in varying degrees of importance. As for their feelings on Diddy, they probably won’t care unless it’s shown that Diddy’s victims were mostly “hot, young white” girls; if most were “just” women of color–even “hot” ones–they might get a bit peeved with Drumpf’s pardoning Diddy but the scales would probably fall from their eyes if they thought Drumpf would pardon a man who “polluted pure white girls.”
I meant normal people.
jason
In the Australian crime drama Mr. Inbetween, the main character is a hit man for hire while trying to balance being a dad. He and his daughter are walking down the street and some young punks bump into her causing her to drop her ice cream. Not only are they not sorry, they curse at them. He drops his daughter at the car, locates the punks around the corner, who have NO idea who they are dealing with. He kicks one in the balls and the other runs. He’s ordered into an anger management group run by a know it all therapist. Most men in there, unlike him, are woman beaters and child abusers. The therapist in his smugness tries to force Ray to admit what he did was wrong. Ray refuses saying sometimes it’s called for. The therapist asks him again why. Ray said they were being assholes. The therapist smugly ask don’t you know the world is full of assholes? Ray smiles and asks him do you want to know why? Why asks the guy. Ray responds with a smile…because people let them get away with it. He made the point those punks now will think twice before phucking with the next person. A lesson for this country.