Despite what appears, to me at least, to be overwhelming evidence of his guilt, Donald Trump may well walk away from the federal courthouse in Miami a free man because convincing 12 jurors of his culpability would be nearly impossible in southern Florida Trumpland.
Yes, you read that right. A conviction would require an affirmative vote from all 12 jurors. Just one holdout and he secures his get-out-of-jail card.
Yes, it’s a bummer to contemplate. My thanks to high school classmate Arthur for pointing out Trump’s escape-route-from-conviction plan.
Some news reports state that never before has a former president been charged with obstructing an investigation. Perhaps technically correct, but Richard Nixon was about to be impeached and probably convicted for obstructing the Watergate investigation before he succumbed to reality and resigned from the presidency.
Trump will appear Tuesday for his arraignment before probably his most favored federal judge. Aileen M. Cannon could throw a monkey wrench into the government’s case by ruling inadmissible under client-attorney privilege evidence implicating Trump violated the law. She once before almost sabotaged the FBI investigation but was overruled on appeal.
Any adverse ruling would be appealed by the government and probably won, gaining for Trump just a short reprieve from the proceedings. But Trump has always played the long game in almost all of his legal contests. Rather than seek a speedy trial, he will seek delay after delay, at first probably arguing that he is assembling a new team of lawyers who need time to adequately prepare his defense. Judge Cannon likely will acquiesce to his delaying tactics. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/06/12/judge-aileen-cannon-trump-case/)
Don’t expect a trial to begin before October at the earliest, plenty time for Trump to campaign for the Republican presidential nomination and repeatedly lambast Democrats, the FBI and all others who question his integrity.
This will be Trump’s summer of discontent. And, for the rest of us, no escape from Trumpisms.
