Staff Reports
Former President Donald Trump could find himself in a precarious situation next year. He could either be reelected as president, convicted of federal crimes, or even be able to pardon himself. It’s like a crazy game of political roulette!
BUT, if Trump is convicted of state crimes in New York or Georgia, he won’t be able to weasel his way out with a presidential pardon. Bummer for Trump!
In the federal case in Florida, Trump is facing a whopping 40 counts related to classified documents. That’s a lot of counts for someone who claims to be a stable genius. And there are four counts in the federal case in Washington, D.C., related to the 2020 election. Talk about a sore loser! But wait, there’s more! In the local case in Manhattan, Trump has to contend with 34 counts related to hush money payments. It seems like he’s been quite the busy bee, breaking the law left and right.
But the fun doesn’t stop there! In Georgia, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is expected to bring her case against Trump and possibly others to a grand jury. They’re looking at charging him with racketeering for his attempts to turn the 2020 election in Georgia, which he lost fair and square. It’s almost impressive how much trouble Trump can get himself into.
If convicted on all the charges, Trump could be looking at several hundred years in prison. Wowza! That’s a loooong time to spend behind bars, even for someone as cartoonishly over-the-top as Trump. But hey, it’s the judges who will decide, not him. Maybe his time in prison will give him a chance to work on his tan and catch up on his favorite reality TV shows.
Some legal experts say that even if Trump is reelected president, he could pardon himself for any federal convictions. But things get a little murky when it comes to serving as president while in prison and issuing pardons from behind bars. Talk about multitasking! It’s like juggling flaming swords while riding a unicycle. Not that Trump has ever been good at multitasking, let’s be real here.
Why looming Georgia case could be most damaging to Donald Trump https://t.co/ayyjZE2tlz
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) August 14, 2023
Regardless of what happens at the federal level, Trump’s powers over the state judicial systems are severely limited. In New York, he’ll have to grovel to Governor Kathy Hochul, who has the sole authority to pardon him. Good luck with that, buddy! And in Georgia, he’ll have to wait a painful five years after being indicted, convicted, and finishing his sentence before he can even apply for a pardon. That’s a lot of time to dodge soap in the prison showers!
But hey, maybe the prosecutions won’t be as strong as they seem. Some legal experts, like Jonathan Turley and Alan Dershowitz, think the cases could be weak. Turley believes that Georgia’s case might hinge on that infamous phone call Trump had with Georgia officials. If that’s their strongest evidence, then we’re in for a whole lot of nothing. And Dershowitz thinks the New York case is an “utter mess.” He must be an expert in messes after defending Trump during his first impeachment!
One final scenario, which only applies to federal cases, is if President Joe Biden decides to preemptively pardon Trump. It’s like a political do-over! But let’s be real, Biden probably won’t be too keen on pardoning his political rival while the legal processes are still ongoing. He’s got better things to do, like fighting for clean energy and expanding healthcare. Sorry, Trump, your hopes for a Biden pardon might just be a pipe dream.
So, what’s the moral of the story? Trump might find himself in a world of trouble. While he could potentially pardon himself for federal crimes if he becomes president again, he won’t have the same luxury when it comes to state crimes. And let’s not forget, he’ll still have to face those pesky court cases first. So, buckle up folks, it’s going to be a wild ride!
