Arrest Trump
A collection of far-right extremists attempted to destroy the American Republic in a seditious conspiracy led by a defeated President of the United States and aided by Senators, Members of the House of Representatives and other high government officials.
Every single person who was involved in the greatest assault and crime since secession should be prosecuted and imprisoned if found guilty. This includes the 45th President of the United States.
The United States of America is a nation of laws, one in which no person is above the law. Trump disgraced his office in a thousand different ways. His lying and insanity helped kill hundreds of thousands unnecessarily during the early years of Covid. His malice ignited divisions that will take decades to cool. His ignominy will endure through history, and his name will be etched in granite as the worst President of the United States. Ever.
There were a million corrupt acts that occurred during the rancid Trump era, and probably thousands of offences that are indictable. The fact that the Saudis gave Jared Kushner $2 billion for his “investment fund” shortly after leaving the White House should have instigated a criminal investigation – one against the son of a felon, who strode the world like America’s dauphin with his plastic wife setting unbreakable records of crudity, nepotism, entitlement and arrogance that even the British Royal family couldn’t touch on their best day.
All of this was disgusting and awful. Much of it was criminal, but there is one great crime that stands alone. It is singular. There is no doubt whatsoever about what happened and how. There was intent, motive, a plan and co-conspirators. Donald Trump attacked the United States on January 6th, 2021, for the purposes of remaining in political power. He led a coup. The facts are clear.
He must be arrested and charged by the Government of the United States. He must face criminal trial. The era of special treatment for the Queens hustler must come to an end. His appalling dispensations have helped shatter trust and confidence in the American justice system at a moment in which the collapse of faith, trust and belief in American institutions has reached such a dangerous low that extremism has been embraced as an answer. The extremism led to the greatest crime against democracy since the firing on Fort Sumter.
Nearly 1,400,000 American have died in the nation’s wars to preserve freedom, liberty and civilization. All of the graves in the American Cemetery in Normandy, France, face westward, towards home. They look back towards the country they left and died serving. They were young men.
The story of America is one that is filled with epic bravery from ordinary people who became American legends from Rosa Parks to Eugene Goodman. The Justice Department is opaque, and that is a good thing. Our justice system is not based on “kangaroo-ism,” despite the best efforts of the extremists. Every single person in America who is charged with a crime is owed a presumption of innocence, as well as a fair trial. That applies to the Don of Mar-a-Lago as well.
There are some who say that a trial of Donald Trump may become a catalyst for violence and mayhem. Perhaps. That would be terrible, but in the end, the civil authorities will have to do what is necessary to restore order. The American people must not live at the point of the militia’s gun. We won’t.
The far worse choice is giving Trump a pass. Attorney General Garland has been clear that the Justice Department doesn’t investigate people; it investigates crimes. That is all well and good, but two years on, it seems a certain person is getting a special deal. This is unacceptable and deeply corrosive in a country where the people at the top have run completely amok with few consequences for a generation.
They say the wheels of justice turn slowly. There is a reason for that. But it is also true that the wheel must turn. It is hard to tell if it is turning at all because the failure to deal with what the entire nation saw play out on live television guarantees it will happen again. The decision to move on makes January 6th a dress rehearsal, and the consequence will be terrible.
The failure to enforce the laws of the land against Donald Trump will be a political decision. It will have nothing to do with justice. Immunizing a former President who tried to overthrow the government will be one of the greatest travesties of justice in American history.
What happened on January 6th was a crime. The criminals should all be charged and prosecuted. That includes all of the participants in the conspiracy to attack America. That includes the people at the top. If the Attorney General of the United States will not enforce the law, the President of the United States should ask for his resignation and find someone to run the Justice Department – someone who is focused on the law, not politics.
Perhaps this is a bit unfair to Merrick Garland. Maybe he will do his duty. Almost two years on though, one has to wonder, is Donald Trump above the law? If he is, then the people who decide that will become his equals in wrecking democracy in this country. That is a high bar to meet.
My single hope rests with a comment made by Merrrick Garland's Harvard Law professor, Lawrence Tribe, who two days ago said he believes Garland will prosecute Trump. Too many people, most of whom have risked their lives (literally) to testify as witnesses to Trump's crime(s) need to know their honesty and brave heartedness has not been in vain. Trump's continued mockery of our country and its laws and principles of governance is an outrage to all who abide the law. He travels freely throughout the land unmolested and unprosecuted by the institutions authorized by we the people to punish those who harm us. We are not a lawless country and will never be one. If Garland ignores the ocean of facts brought forth by the Jan. 6th Committee he alone will be responsible for the violence whose intensity will be much worse than he can imagine, even in his worst nightmare.
Amen! We should remember that he has already been twice prosecuted in the Congress and it was only shameful cowardice and political shallowness that resulted in his acquittal by the Senate. But thanks to the January 6th Committee we now have much more evidence of his guilt. His criminal conduct cannot be ignored if we are to remain a country where the rule of law is respected.