Former president Donald Trump is facing a historic second indictment by the Department of Justice for his alleged mishandling of classified documents that he took to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. This is a serious breach of national security and a blatant disregard for the rule of law by Trump, who has already been indicted on 34 felony charges in New York for his involvement in hush money payments to silence women who accused him of sexual misconduct. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and called the investigations a “hoax” and a “dark day” for the country.
The evidence against him is compelling and shows that he endangered the lives of Americans and allies by keeping sensitive information about potential attacks, foreign affairs, and military operations in his possession without proper authorization or protection. Trump’s indictment is a victory for justice and democracy and a clear sign that no one is above the law, not even a former president who tried to undermine the will of the people and overturn a free and fair election.
Admittedly, I hold a strong bias against Trump. In my view, he embodies a profoundly dishonest and malignant personality, posing a clear and present danger to the republic and its foundational governmental structures. This sentiment is further fueled by my genuine policy disagreements with his tenure in office. However, I believe there is an abundance of compelling evidence supporting my perspective, despite my inherent bias against him. Yet, seeking an alternative viewpoint from someone on the opposite side of the political spectrum can be beneficial, particularly if they possess legal expertise. Bill Barr, a highly conservative and devout lifelong Republican who previously served as Trump’s attorney general, should do quite nicely. What’s his stance on Trump’s current predicament?
One of the most serious legal threats that Trump faces, according to Barr, is the probe into his mishandling of classified materials after he left the White House. Barr told CBS News that he believes Trump will be “very exposed” legally if he was playing “any games” with the documents. He also dismissed Trump’s claim that he was declassifying records as they left the White House, saying “I don’t think that argument’s gonna fly”. Barr said that Trump had “no business having those documents” and that he was given a long time to send them back.
Barr told ABC News that he thinks the classified documents case is more threatening to Trump than the case in New York City over hush money paid to Stormy Daniels, a porn actress who alleged an affair with Trump. Barr said that the hush money case is “transparently an abuse of prosecutorial power to accomplish a political end” and that it may help Trump politically by turning the Republican primary process into a “circus”.
I disagree with Barr regarding the Hush Money case. Though I admit it’s low-hanging legal fruit if John Edwards can be indicted for the same thing, so can Trump.. The fact that Barr defends Trump in that situation while completely dismantling his claims of a witch hunt in the classified documents case speaks volumes about Trump’s predicament.
Time will tell what consequences Trump will face, if any. But for now, those who believe in the rule of law should be thankful that Trump is finally being held to account for egregiously ignoring it. Unfortunately, despite the multiple indictments on the books, and the possibility of more to come, he still remains the likely Republican nominee, with a real chance to win the general election.
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