Please excuse me while I have a mini-rant.
Occasionally mainstream and social media commentators settle on a theory that projects their own reasoning onto Trump and his supporters. For example, at one time, the going theory was that Lindsay Graham was kissing Trump’s ring because Trump was blackmailing him. It was common for people to ask, “What does Trump have on him?”
At the time, I insisted he was not being blackmailed: Lindsay Graham was kissing Trump’s ring because Trump is a reactionary and Graham is a reactionary, and Graham likes what Trump stands for.
People argued: “But remember how Lindsay Graham was initially opposed to Trump, then he went golfing with Trump and changed his mind?” What could have caused him to change his mind, people wondered, other than blackmail?
The whole blackmail theory gave Graham too much credit. People assumed that without the blackmail Graham would have done the right thing and denounced Trump. The blackmail theorists were projecting their own values onto Lindsay Graham.
What happened was simpler: Initially, Lindsay Graham thought Trump would lose. As Graham famously said in 2016:
He didn’t think the country would elect an avowed white supremacist. The Republicans were accustomed to using dog whistles and Trump was coming right out with racist remarks. When Trump persuaded Graham that he could win, Graham fell in line. Once Trump assumed office, Graham became a devoted follower because that’s what people with authoritarian personalities do. They worship their leaders.
The latest theory is that the goal of Trump’s shenanigans with these criminal probes is to delay. To take a few recent examples, a well-known ethics lawyer who I highly respect, said, “Trump has had remarkable success with delay and evasion tactics.” Another of my faves, a legal commentator, said, “Judges can see through Trump’s delay game.”
Here is the Oxford Dictionary‘s definition of delay:
To make something late or slow. The train was delayed. To postpone or defer.
Here is the definition of obstruction:
A block; to be in the way or get in the way of, to prevent or hinder.
The goal of delay is to postpone the train. The goal of obstruction is to derail the train. I maintain that Trump is not trying to delay. He is trying to derail.
Example: Trump’s Special Master lawsuit
Had he succeeded, the government would have had to return the documents to Trump and would not have been able to charge him with a crime.
He lost. Within a few weeks, court allowed the DOJ to continue its investigation into the classified documents, and within two months, the appellate court bounced the entire case out of court.
- The chorus on social media: “His delay tactic worked! He managed a delay!”
My theory: He thought he would win. He thought he had the right to take and keep the documents, and that the government had no authority to seize the documents or prosecute him for taking them. He thought he could torpedo the entire investigation.
- Me: “His attempt to obstruct the investigation failed.”
But Teri! Why does it matter whether we say ‘delay’ or ‘obstruct’?
Accuracy and precision with language matter. Using the wrong word conveys the wrong ideas. If you think Trump’s object is to delay, he “wins” every time he files a court document. If he’s trying to derail things, he keeps losing. There is a big difference between winning and losing.
Before law school, I taught college English. One day I was teaching a basic English class at the University of California, Davis. A student raised her hand and asked, “But why does it matter which word we use?”
I threw a nutty. (The students were always amused when I threw nutties.) Me: “Wars have been fought over which word was used! The course of history can be changed depending on which word is used!” I went on like that. You get the idea.
Mark Twain said that the difference between the right word and the almost-right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. In this case, it is the difference between labeling Trump a loser or admiring his winning abilities.
Example: Trump’s claims Attorney-Client Privilege
This week Donald Trump received a bit of a shock. He said this:
Evidently nobody ever told Trump about the crime-fraud exception. Now he knows. Here is what happened this week:
- DOJ prosecutors subpoenaed Trump’s lawyers, Evan Corcoran and Jennifer Little, to testify in the stolen documents case.
- Trump claimed attorney-client privilege to prevent them from testifying. Evidently, he thought this would work.
- The prosecution presented evidence that Trump lied to his lawyers about the documents, which is hugely important and helps clinch the case that Trump deliberately stole the documents.
- We also learned that there is documentary evidence that Trump lied to his lawyers.
- Trump did not want this evidence to fall into the hands of prosecutors.
- A federal judge found that Trump’s communication with his attorneys was part of an on-going crime, therefore the crime-fraud exception applies, therefore, Trump cannot claim attorney-client privilege–and therefore, the prosecution can get the testimony and documentary evidence.
- Trump appealed on Wednesday.
- The court set an expedited schedule: By midnight on Wednesday, Trump had to file a document with the court listing which documents were at issue. By 6 am the government had to file their response.
- On Thursday afternoon, the appellate court ruled against Trump. The appellate court ordered the lawyers to testify and turn over the documentary evidence.
- On Friday, Corcoran testified before the grand jury.
Chorus: Trump managed to get a delay. The delay was short because courts are getting tired of Trump’s delay games.
Me: Trump lost his bid to prevent his lawyers from testifying and turning over documents. The turnaround was fast because the courts are getting tired of his attempts to obstruct and derail these proceedings.
Trump lost with his executive privilege claims
We also found out that Trump tried to prevent Mark Meadows and others from testifying in the probe into the January 6 attack by claiming executive privilege. He lost that one as well.
This week there were also court proceedings about whether Pence would have to testify. We don’t have an answer about Pence, but given Trump’s track record, we can expect Trump to lose on that one, too.
Pence and Meadows are key witnesses to Trump’s attempt to incite an insurrection. Trump is trying to keep them from testifying.
Trump Tries to Derail the Prosecution in Georgia
On Tuesday, Trump filed a motion in Fulton County demanding that the grand jury report not be made public (as the law allows) and that prosecutor Fani Willis be recused.
Without going into the problems with his motion, the reason to file it now (when it is clearly premature and I don’t see how he’d even have standing) is to prevent the public from finding out what is in the report and to get rid of the prosecutor before she can file charges.
Trump Sent Costello as a Witness in the Manhattan Grand Jury
Last week, Trump was offered an opportunity to speak to the Manhattan grand jury. (This means that the grand jury is wrapping up its case and getting ready to decide whether to bring charges.)
Trump declined to appear. Instead, he sent one of his lawyers, Robert Costello, as a witness. It was clear from both Trump and Costello’s statements that Trump believed that the Manhattan case against him was based on Michael Cohen’s word. Trump and Costello evidently believed Costello’s testimony would undermine Cohen’s testimony and thus derail an indictment.
Cohen was asked to stand by as a possible rebuttal witness. The prosecution decided not to call Cohen, which leads to the obvious conclusion that Costello’s testimony was not as compelling as he believed it was, and that he did not manage to derail the investigation.
Notice: This week, Trump tried to derail all four investigations:
- The DOJ stolen documents case (by keeping Corcoran and Little from testifying and turning over documents),
- the DOJ January 6 investigation (by keeping Meadows and Pence from testifying)
- The Georgia investigation (by demanding that Fani Willis recuse herself)
- The Manhattan investigation (by sending in Costello)
He’s like the boy with his fingers in the dike trying to plug up four leaks.
How did Trump respond when he failed to derail these investigations? By calling for violence. This headline is from The Washington Post:
Trump repeatedly evokes threat of violence over a potential indictment
On his Truth Social account, Trump made racist slurs against Bragg and encouraged his supporters to attack Bragg.
Bragg responded with an internal memo stating that his office will not be intimidated.
Trump then increased the fervor of his calls for violence, including showing himself holding a baseball bat not far from Bragg’s head. Bragg indeed received a death threat and an unidentified white substance.
For reasons that I will leave to the psychologists, Trump apparently thinks that he can strong-arm his way out of trouble. He seems to believe if he incites violence, one of two things will happen: he will emerge the victor or the country will be destroyed.
Evidently he thinks either of those options is better than facing indictment.
As the week went on, Trump’s calls to violence increased in fervor. On Friday, Trump warned of potential “death and destruction” if he is indicted.
He held a rally on Saturday in Waco, Texas, a place that obviously “carries great symbolic value to anti-government extremists and conspiracists.” During his rally, he said, “Either the deep state destroys America or we destroy the deep state.”
These are not the words of someone who wants to delay the filing of an indictment or delay his trial. These are the words of someone who would rather destroy the country than see an indictment brought against him. These are the words of someone looking to the most extreme elements of his base to come to his aid.
Will they come to his aid? While incapacitation as a theory of criminal punishment works only temporarily–prison sentences are limited and inmates often grow more hardened–as timing has it, the most dangerous militia leaders who might have answered Trump’s call are currently on trial or in jail for the role they played in the insurrection.
People who assume that Trump is trying to delay instead of destroy are giving Trump way too much credit. “Well, if I were Trump, I would just try to delay things so that my trial landed after I was the Republican nominee,” they think, and project their normalcy onto Trump. That might be how a normal person thinks—but a normal person does not threaten a prosecutor with violence.
Trump is not talking like someone who visualizes himself sitting quietly at the defendant’s table in a criminal courtroom at any time in the future. He’s talking like someone who imagines the courthouse burning down.
Some reporting suggested that Trump relishes the chance to do a perp walk.
I call malarky. If Trump is cool with being indicted, why is he doing everything he can to derail the indictments?
Strongmen don’t like to lose. They like to flex their muscles and show that they are strong. Trump is fighting because that’s what wanna-be dictators do. When they act tough, their supporters cheer.
Trump wants his supporters to cheer. It’s really that simple. Trump wants to be labeled a winner and everyone who characterizes his constant losses in court as victories is helping him.
Someone on Mastodon asked me this:
But surely he benefits from these delays, right?
Wrong! When he delays civil proceedings he may have to pay less money. Also, it’s always better to pay later than now. But criminal matters are different. Threatening prosecutors with violence makes things worse. Antagonizing prosecutors makes things worse.
He’s accustomed to civil cases, where long delays are possible and he’s (theoretically) on equal footing with his opponents because civil cases are citizen v. citizen.
Criminal cases are the government against the individual. The government has the power. Individuals have constitutional protections because the government has the power.
Trump doesn’t see or accept the inherent power imbalance right now. Antagonizing prosecutors when you are under investigation is stupid. 🎶 It’s like spitting into the wind, or pulling the mask off the old lone ranger🎶
Had Trump cooperated in the documents case, he probably wouldn’t be facing indictment. But he didn’t cooperate because he can’t cooperate (again, I will leave the reasons to the psychologists).
One person on Mastodon told me this:
- The prosecutors are so terrified of screwing up the cases they are bringing the delays themselves.
I was sort of flummoxed by that comment. The idea seems to be “if an indictment hasn’t happened yet, it must be because someone is creating delays.”
All of the “delay” comments appear to be motivated by frustration that there are still no indictments. I might feel frustrated at 5:00 am that the sun hasn’t yet risen, but that doesn’t mean the sunrise has been delayed.
In an instant gratification world, people seem to think that anything that takes time must be flawed.
Enough talk about Strong Men. Here is what a Strong Dog looks like
Image #1: JJ making sure no ground animals entered our backyard. He stepped in front of the light.
Image #2: JJ’s shadow on the garage, capturing how he sees himself (and probably, how the ground animals see him.)
Oh Teri, I loved this one so much! Thank you from a former university writing instructor and poet–UC Irvine, among other places–yes, words matter! And your ending about the sunrise made me laugh out loud. Love that Strong Dog too. You are a treasure.
Dear, Teri,
Love your weekly blog posts — they help keep me sane in this crazy political environment. Your “rant” post this week is 100% spot on, and introduces common sense and logic into what is going on with Trump and his legal threats. The little I read about his rants and his rally this week at Waco made me want to scream to the media: Stop treating this candidate as a normal candidate! NONE OF THIS IS NORMAL. And you explain so well what is actually going on with this individual: “These are not the words of someone who wants to delay the filing of an indictment or delay his trial. These are the words of someone who would rather destroy the country than see an indictment brought against him.” Bravo! You are a treasure, Ms Kanefield.
P.S. JJ and his shadow — love, love, love! Laughed out loud.
This post is one I’d like to frame and put on the wall. Imprecise words reflect imprecise, often erroneous thinking, and I so cherish getting schooled in this by you and other fine thinkers (hello Joyce Vance and Heather Cox Richardson).
As a software engineer, one of the things all engineers struggle with is coming up with good names for the things we create – names of variables, names of this or that software artifact. As you work a software problem, and as your understanding of the problem goes from murky to clear, it’s typical, and a welcome sign that your names get clearer, more succinct, and precise, because your thinking has gotten clearer. It’s all about creating something that’s as self-documenting as it can be, so others can quickly grasp what’s going on and carry the ball, when that time comes.
As an occasional writer, I struggle with precision and flow, and am thrilled when I can hit all the notes a passage is supposed to make, right on the mark, and it flows like water. It finally sings.
I don’t know how you can train your mind to think more precisely, apart from writing out your thoughts and working with them, where you can see them in front of you (not all that different from what a software engineer does in computer code). Would love to take a college-level course in “Fine Thinking”. Law school is probably a good venue for this.
Very intrigued and hopeful about the error Trump is making, projecting his experience with civil suits onto the criminal world. Very hopeful about recent developments, that the top people, Meadows et al., can no longer evade testifying.
Given your writing background, you probably present better in the written world, instead of in a forum requiring extemporaneous speech, such as pod-casting, or a spot on MSNBC (or similar). But the quality of what you’re saying here is beyond most of what’s on TV, and needs to be heard (not just read).
Agree 100%! The content of this “rant” needs to be heard via multiple media outlets! Such a great analysis of what is actually happening with these criminal cases and the motivation behind the not-normal candidate and his maneuverings.
I think that quote should be attributed to Mark Twain, not Robert Frost.
I sometimes find myself thinking ‘I need Teri Kanefield to write about this so I can calm down’.
I do wish there was a psychologist or psychiatrist with expertise in narcissistic rage to help us prepare for what is happening now, and will only get worse as the walls close in on him, literally and figuratively.
A collaboration between you and such a person would be so helpful.
And I love JJ. He’s teh best boy.
Thanks for the comment. It’s interesting to me that people find this calming: I am saying that Trump is evil and out to destroy us all. I guess people find that more comforting than “He is delaying and avoiding consequences.”
I think for me the difference is that he (or his lawyers) seems capable of delaying things and to imagine that could help his run for presidency. So far I don’t see any sign that he or his followers are competent enough to actually destroy the country… Maybe just wishful thinking on my part.
It’s the calm of resolve; resolve to see this arc through.
I am not sure calming is the right word. But the truth makes one more resolute and focused providing a clear path to action.
Here are 37 mental health experts writing about Trump’s character pathologies Vickie and Teri. Very very dangerous and getting worse, as they predicted.
https://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Case-Donald-Trump-Psychiatrists/dp/1250212863
Also check out Mary Trump PhD writing about her uncle’s destructiveness and malevolence.
I think you nailed it. This is why understanding dangerousness is so important. I think it’s terrifying. JJ gets it too.
Excellent, as usual. I appreciate the distinction between delaying and obstructing, as it does make a difference as to whether TFG is winning or losing. But I’m pretty sure it was Twain, not Frost, who made the lightning – lightning bug comparison.
Right. I thought I fixed it. Maybe I didn’t hit “save” HAHA
Excellent post, Terri!
Anyone who doesn’t know by now, if not before, that Trump’s goal is to destroy the US government by any means possible, only to save himself, hasn’t been paying attention. I have always said Trump is for Trump. In fact, his slogan should really be, “make Trump great again” because that is his only goal, and he knows it. To threaten, or call for violence against those investigating him for criminal, not civil charges, only potentially adds more charges against him. But, Trump has an answer for that … remind his syncophants that he has always been a helpless victim, that every investigation is a “witch hunt”; ask for more money and call for violence. (Do any of his syncophants know what “billionaire” means?)
Graham, McCarthy, Jordan, et al … they’re all opportunists. The problem with many opportunists is they live in the present and aren’t able to employe a long view. While they’re trying to help Trump burn down the house, they’re also helping hurn down their own. If they’re loyal to Trump today, they assume Trump will always hold them in esteem … he will not. Trump is loyal to Trump, as was/is every Dictator or wannabe Dictator in history and today.
So true! So infuriating and frustrating that he is being treated by media and most people as a normal candidate, when there is nothing normal about this situation!
Being a retired teacher, I always enjoyed challenging my students to view the world in different ways. I enjoy reading your posts because they ask me to do the same. I may be getting older, but hopefully never so old that I stop learning and viewing the world in different ways. Thanks for opening my eyes.
I am as above “washed, dried, and powdered”. Your excellent article made so much of what I have been pondering and grinding my teeth over, more understood. To me DJT is like Swiss cheese; all wrapped up looks whole, but as you take out slices you see the holes.
Jim Croce should be quoted far more often. ❤️
You don’t mess around with Fani
I dont think Graham particulary likes Trump, or have particular ideals but is like pilot fish that sticks to the biggest shark until something biggers comes along
As for reasons why Trump does and says many things that seem strange, if you read about sociopaths and how they behave, you will understand Trump a lot better. Someone like him has no business being anywhere near real power.
Teri, Thanks for bringing some sanity to this craziness. Is it ok if I disseminate this quote? I absolutely love this! “All of the “delay” comments appear to be motivated by frustration that there are still no indictments. I might feel frustrated at 5:00 am that the sun hasn’t yet risen, but that doesn’t mean the sunrise has been delayed.”
This is very helpful. Thank you.
My instinct told me that the belief TFG actually wanted a perp walk was nonsense. Now I’m certain it’s nonsense. And projecting. The people who think TFG wants a perp walk are projecting their own need for a perp walk.
I agree, precise words matter. I like your interpretation, especially because it has the added bonus of making TFG a serial loser.
So totally stealing this: In an instant gratification world, people seem to think that anything that takes time must be flawed.
Brava
I thought it was Mark Twain who made the comment about lightning vs lightning bug
I have always seen it attributed it to him, but apparently he gave credit to Josh Billings (pen name of Henry Wheeler Shaw) for saying something similar.
I have never heard it attributed to Robert Frost.
I guess I was totally wrong! Will fix
Professor Google told me that the quote is from Mark Twain. Thank you all!
I was totally tired last night when I finished and didn’t check 🙂
Trump doesn’t have the support he thinks he has…
Crossing the heartland the last three years, his “defiant” followers signs and flags are tattered, torn, and mostly: GONE!
His street fighters! Cheerfully replaced by our schadenfreude when trump world implodes!
Nice summary of the week!
You didn’t add “and you don’t mess around with Jim”. I love reading your posts! Keep up the good work!
> The goal of delay is to postpone the train. The goal of obstruction is to derail the train. I maintain that Trump is not trying to delay. He is trying to derail.
OK. I maintain that they are not distinct. Delay is a tactic in the obstruction and not a goal in and of itself. Delay provides additional opportunities for: getting re-elected, applying pressure on prosecutors, riling the troops, etc.
Anyway, my preferred characterization of tRUmp’s defenses is the spaghetti defense. As you can guess, I see him throwing lots of both delay and derail spaghetti strands at the wall to see what sticks. Some of the delay stuff sticks for a while, but the judiciary is also getting pretty tired of it. The midnight and 6AM deadlines for responses were quite amusing in that regard.
So, I am still not convinced that US prosecutors have spent the last two years doing everything they can to move the process along and derail tRUmp’s attempts at delay. The only thing that will convince me is a thorough post-mortem and that can’t happen until we’re post-action. Presumably not terribly long after the prosecutions are done.
Heisenberg (physicist) once said “every word or concept, clear as it may seem to be, has only a limited range of applicability.” This is what makes communicating difficult and this is another reason why words matter. Excellent post, as always, with well-chosen words.
Aha!
Teri, I had it backwards all along. Upon discovering your writing, I noted that you write very well for a lawyer, with sentences that flow naturally into each other and a story arc to your essays that carry your readers to a place you had in mind at the outset.
That you’re a writer first explains a lot. Of course lawyers are supposed to be able to write consisely, but that’s not necessarily the same as writing well, as I’m sure you’ve had the misfortune of observing.
“Words matter: Use them.” Newt Gingrich advised new members of Congress as he handed them that infamous list of charged words. We do well to realize how, cynical as he is, he was correct.
Trump is not trying to delay justice; The former president is trying to obstruct justice.
Got it.
“In an instant gratification world, people seem to think that anything that takes time must be flawed.” This may be the root of the push in NY to raise the speed limit from 65 to 70. Not that people abiding by the speed limit are frustrated, the people pushing for a higher limit really want no limit at all. As a person who wants to squeeze every last mile out of a gallon of gas, I rarely drive at the posted maximum speed and I try to leave plenty of room in front of me so that I can slow down by letting off on the gas. I am often passed in no-passing zones by people who simply cannot abide to have another car in front of them.
Cool, I like it when you go on a rant!!! Well done!
I’ve been in the “trump is not blackmailing anyone camp” since early 2017. They are and have been willing participants. Trump merely opened the door for them. It feels like the biggest hurdle out there is getting over the perception that a President can do bad things. Yes, we’ve never had to indict or arrest a former President. Yes, that is what happens in “other” countries. But as a collective society we need to just say we had a good run and that’s over. If we want to continue to be the shiny example to the rest of the world, then we need to do what’s right for the country.
Brilliant. Thank you.
Thank you so much for this post. You are brilliant!
Right. It’s obstruction and destruction, not delay. It’s also terrorism and treason. (Ok I know you didn’t say terrorism and treason but I did.)
People-left, right, none–are confused about everyone calling things names and terms which makes it harder for truth to shine.
Also, speaking of words mattering… As anti-JEW sentiment spreads in the world, it’s time to stop using the intellectual term of anti-semitism. HUH? Very simply put, it is AGAINST JEWS and it is HATE speech against Jews. I hope you will join me in speaking that simple truth. ANTI-JEWS is HATE, bigotry, degrading of JEWS
Thank you, Teri. I always appreciate my weekly dose of reality.
Thank you
Thank you for helping me reduce my frustration as I read about Trump’s court cases. As Ted Lasso’s poster reads,”Believe “.
Says a lot with: “People who assume that Trump is trying to delay instead of destroy are giving Trump way too much credit.”
EVERYTHING that has been thought ans written about Trump is from the perspective of the writer. This provides a rational framework for his actions. That is incorrect. Better to know, with certainty that Trump is destructive, and what we referred to in my bad neighborhood: “A bad guy”.
There ARE monsters.
Derail v. Delay is great insight. Thx!
The other difference between civil & criminal is that before the presidency, he was the big fish with greater resources against for ex the piano vendor he refused to pay. Lengthy, endless litigation was a way to get those vendors to say uncle.
In the criminal cases he now faces, he’s up against the might & resources of the government. He’s now on the wrong side of the power equation.
Teri: Wow! I read you latest blog right after reading the latest PopeHat missive from Ken White discussing Freedom of Speech. Oh, yes, indeed words matter. You reasoning and analysis of Trumps tactics are laser like in focus. Thank you!
And methinks that J.J. and his shadow standing guard is epic.
Ha ha. JJ is a ferocious beast!
Thank you for analysis Teri. Logic and precision are so reassuring in these tumultuous times. Plus, who doesn’t love a spunky little dog?
Teri,
Brilliant. Could you please make the rounds on all the cable news show with this blog for the next week and educate them and their audiences? I’m so tired of talking heads who don’t know how to interpret Trump — or the investigations — spouting the same old nonsense as if he was normal and these were normal times. We need you out front.
Cheryl, your suggestion is brilliant! I, also, am tired of the talking heads who continue to regurgitate Trump’s “delay tactics”. I tell the TV I’ve already heard that … delay isn’t Trump’s goal, and it’s past time to get some fresh eyes and voices.
Thank you Teri, you always make me feel better about our legal system. I want to add that I really appreciate the way you write. I follow a lot of lawyers on Mastodon and try to read the court documents. Most of the time I find myself not understanding what they are trying to say. Your posts evaluating court documents always explain the legal terminology so the layman can understand.
My biggest fear, if and when indictments come, is the composition of the jury. Is it remotely possible to ensure that the jury will evaluate the facts of any case with an open mind, fairly, and in accordance with the law? Can one juror blow up the whole thing? This is what keeps me up at night.
It’s a rare treat to read a piece on a heavy topic that both edifies me AND elicits several chuckles as I’m reading. I am enlightened in more ways than one by your writing, Teri — thank you so much.
Thank you again for another sigh of relief.
I don’t see how the courts let Pence not testify. He’s claiming he’s basically a senator because he was at the capitol doing the ceremonial counting of the electoral college votes as president of the senate.
So maybe the court says “anything you said while you were doing that is off limits”. I’m sure Jack Smith doesn’t care about that and would ask about who and what he was talking about before the counting and during the insurrection when the counting had already stopped and he was hiding.
I’ll bet Jack Smith would also ask him about everything Pence wrote in his book about the insurrection. Pence can’t claim any type of privileged there, he wrote and sold a book about January 6 ! I’m sure Jack Smith would ask him about everything he wrote but this time it would be under oath so he can’t claim later that the book was embellished or that he took some poetic license to change details, or distort some facts or something like that.
Thanks. Your calm reasoning is such a relief!
Great comments, Teri! I try to limit my consumption of hypothetical analysis for reasons you probably can guess. I appreciate your perspective on this. The extent to which Trump has bought, bribed and grifted his way through life ill-prepared him for high public office, where the degree of public scrutiny is so much greater than even he as a public figure had previously experienced. I think you’re correct that he truly thought he could skate again. And while he may not ultimately be prosecuted on every potential charge that could be brought against him, there will be accountability for Trump this time. And as a result, deterrence for future elected leaders who would otherwise readily abuse their power under our system.
I’ve really been wondering about a lot of what you’ve explained here so well. Made my day and renewed my hope that justice will win out in the end and everything will be right with the world again. I’m still keeping my fingers crossed though…
We need a “Batman” signal light for JJ. That’ll put the fear into anyone. What a good dog!! ❤
There are very good reasons why these prosecutions are proceeding as they are, time-wise.
There is a better than even chance that the feds would prefer New York go first. One, to the extent a “simple” case exists when it comes to Trump, New York has a case that’s been examined extensively by the New York AG in its tax prosecutions, and the Manhattan DA has access to that evidence and those witnesses. And, unlike Georgia, there really isn’t much of a Trump “fan base” to worry about. It might be tacky to put it like this, but a Manhattan jury is incredibly likely to convict. They know Trump better than everyone, and they’ve had to put up with his antics for too long. I always said that if the RNC had talked to any Manhattan doorman or garbage collector, they would have learned how hated this guy is, and what a total joke he is. But they didn’t.
So NY is the best place for the first case. Hell, his minions are terrified of the place. They think it’s full of transsexuals and black gangbangers.
Georgia will be the trickiest, because the state is lousy with Trumpalos. But DC? Everyone’s worried about the Thug Right, the Proud Boys and their ilk. Forgotten is the fact that much of the leadership is now doing time.
Thought the feds were pansies for going after the mob first? Hey, if you put them in prison, it’s hard for them to be leading the thuggery in the street.
Best point, one I make frequently. It really, truly, does matter. And when people are imprecise, it indicates imprecision in thinking. And that’s never good.
“Accuracy and precision with language matter…”
Thanks, Teri. Your points make perfect sense.
Seconding Michele, John Paul, and Terrie. Thank you for all of this.
JJ’s delusions of grandeur and his larger-than-life shadow on the wall seem a little like TFG’s view of himself. But in JJ’s case, they’re cute and totally innocent.
Go Ags!
Simply put, after reading this blog entry I feel washed, dried, powdered and ready. Thank you. One simply has to think calmly about things that are chaotic to understand the underlying logic. Sigh of confidence.
Well said! And thank you, Teri, as always! Wonderful rant!
Really great posting. Words are my thing too, and I love it when people call out imprecision. Favourite bit: “In an instant gratification world, people seem to think that anything that takes time must be flawed.” That’s just the perfect high hat hit to end the piece. Thank you once again.
Yes!
Words matter. A lot. Thank you for writing these. 🙂