Trump Indicted

I still plan to write less often on my blog, but of course I have to address the indictment of Donald Trump.

Trump was indicted  by the Manhattan District Attorney's office on over 30 counts - some say 34 - in a case of giving hush money to a porn star to cover up a sexual encounter with her and falsifying business records to cover it up and possibly falsifying records to cover up the cover-up, which Michael Cohen took care of in his stead and already did time for.  The basic falsification charge is a misdemeanor.  But Trump is also apparently being charged with, according to CNN, "falsifying a record with the intent to commit another crime or to aid or conceal another crime," which would be a violation of campaign finance law - and a felony.

Some say that this successful effort of Trump to cover up his affairs (another woman, a Playboy model, is involved) before the 2016 presidential election unfairly influenced the decisions of the electorate of whom to vote for and thus cost Hillary Clinton the Presidency.  No, I don't think so.  Many Trump supporters hated Hillary Clinton so much, they would have voted for Trump even if he been involved in a three-way with these two women.  But the campaign finance violation charge is still pretty serious.

But not as serious as Trump's obvious crimes in inciting an insurrection, holding on to government documents in Mar-a-Lago, and trying to overturn the election in Georgia - all of which are still pending and which could get Trump indicted yet again.  

We won't know exactly what the charges are until Trump is arraigned this coming Tuesday, but the Republicans are already defending Trump and dismissing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and threatening to investigating him.  And to be honest, this indictment will help Trump politically.  Not only will this be a good fundraising tool for his presidential candidacy, but the case itself is so convoluted and complicated, Bragg may not be able to get a conviction in court.

Nevertheless, the indictment of Trump is a start.  A sitting or former President has never happened before.  But do not assume that this is the beginning of the end for Trump.  It may in fact be the beginning of a second wind . . .leading to a second presidential term.