Donald Trump’s conviction on 34 felony counts in a New York state court is being framed by Trump, his acolytes and right-wing media as a shameful miscarriage of justice. Trump’s strategy is to portray himself as the victim with the warning that if it can happen to him it can happen to you. Of course, that seems unlikely, unless you are a billionaire politician who has sex with a porn star shortly after your wife gives birth, then conspires to kill the story not because of said wife, but to hide the information from voters, then pays off the porn star and fraudulently hides the payment as legal expenses.
One should keep in mind that Trump was indicted by a New York citizen grand jury with no federal involvement. His legal team agreed to the selection of the 12 trial jurors who rendered the verdict. Trump and his legal team agreed on their defense strategy, no matter how ill-advised. And of course, Trump has the right to appeal.
In other words, the process is working as it should. What is not acceptable is the disrespect being shown for our legal system by Trump and his fellow Republicans, and the threats being issued against the judge, prosecutor and jury members by Trump’s followers. I would politely ask those followers if they would react the same way if it were Joe Biden in Trump’s shoes.
This begs a fundamental question: Are Republicans really the law-and-order party anymore, or is everything just about political advantage?
— Mark Wolbers
Anchorage
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