LTP News Sharing:

AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura

I guess I’m an eternal optimist. Despite all the predictions that the case was unfairly stacked against former President Donald Trump, I was hoping against hope that the jury with the two lawyers on it might be able to traverse the mess that Judge Merchan handed them, make sense of it, and come out with the truth on the other side. 

Unfortunately, that did not happen. 

A man who should not have been charged, let alone convicted, was convicted on Thursday, and it was against everything that we stand for as a nation. As even CNN’s Fareed Zakaria acknowledged out loud about two weeks ago, he doubted Trump would have been charged if his name were not Donald Trump. There was so much wrong with the case that even CNN’s Jake Tapper questioned its validity. Whatever one thinks of Donald Trump, wherever you stand on the political aisle, someone being wrongly convicted should be an affront to us all. 

But beyond the nature of the conviction of the one man is the greater question of what that means and where that leaves us. And in some measure, George Washington Law professor Jonathan Turley’s comment encapsulated what I was thinking and feeling. 

I obviously disagree with this verdict as do many others. I believe that the case will be reversed eventually either in the state or federal systems. However, this was the worst expectation for a trial in Manhattan. I am saddened by the result more for the New York legal system than the former president. I had hoped that the jurors might redeem the integrity of a system that has been used for political purposes.

I am sad for him and his family, but this goes far beyond Trump. I think I am mourning what it means for our legal system and our rule of law when you can do this to a political opponent and a former president. It means none of us is safe, that that great principle which has made us special as a nation—equality under the law—died more than a little on Thursday. And that’s a horrible thing to ponder. 

Democrats have sacrificed it all on the altar of power and holding onto control. 

Yes, there are a bunch of potential appealable issues, and it may very well be overturned on appeal. And sentence is likely to be stayed pending appeal. But in the meantime, the Democrats have what they wanted: the ability to call Trump a “convicted felon” and the hope that in a close race, this will hurt Trump and hand the race to Biden. The case may be overturned in the future, and some may say then, “Oh, so sorry.” But it will be too late for justice and too late for the Republic. And nothing will be the same again. 

There is, of course, only one answer to this: to take the threat of what this means seriously and do all we can to turn Biden out of office on Nov. 5 and to repair the damage that has been done to our system. 

There are signs that this may backfire on the Democrats, with people rushing out to donate to Trump in such numbers as to temporarily overwhelm the system. I’d also like to note the following examples from folks who are now going to vote for Trump because they understand what’s at stake. 

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Conn Carroll @conncarroll

Through two primaries and two general elections I have never voted for Trump. I would crawl over broken glass to vote for him now.

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I saw many similar posts.

You even have folks who support other candidates like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. being so offended as to donate money to Trump. 

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Daniel Bostic @debostic

I’m an RFK guy and so I can’t believe I’m saying this….

but I just donated to Trump ‘24.

I just can’t take this anymore. These freaks are destroying our country.

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Have they awoken a Sleeping Giant? 

Let us hope so. 

For only we can save ourselves.