In retrospect it was a almost definitely a mistake not to go after Trump more aggressively. What ever downsides there were to the prosecution its hard to imagine how it could have made things worse than they are now.
That said I do see Garland’s calculation to not pursue it based on the following assumptions. Which although turned out to in many cases be erroneous are not in my opinion entirely unreasonable.
Even though the prosecutions were justified, it would be impossible to avoid opening up the justice department to accusations of being weaponized to go after Biden’s political enemies.
Trump and MAGA thrive on a prosecution complex. Making that prosecution a reality will only strengthen the movement.
The case against Trump wasn’t a slam dunk. Although its pretty clear that Trump wanted a riot to disrupt the Jan 6th proceedings, his language on that day was ambiguous enough to allow for plausible deniability that would make it extremely difficult to prove his intentions beyond a reasonable doubt. The case of fake electors was stronger. but all it would take is one Trump cultest to get on the jury and Trump would be able to declare his innocence. And since he was innocent the prosecution must have been pure to get rid of him.
Biden had already beaten Trump, and with only a couple of exceptions once you lose an election you are a spent force. Trump could rant and bluster all he wanted but he was done.
I think Garland basically intended to go after the small fry and just let the case die. What changed was when Trump refused to give back the top secret documents that he had in his possession. At that point Garland had to take action for the sake of national security. Once he launched a raid to Mara Largo, there was no going back for better or worse the justice department was going after Trump. Any negative consequences of prosecuting Trump were fait acompli, and in for a penny in for a pound, yoiu might as well go after him for everything.
The thing that really killed things was Canon being selected as judge in that case. It was a total open and shut case, which could easily have been over and done with before the election but Canon foiled and slow walked it at every turn leaving us where we are now.
New York should have thrown Trump in jail. He was convicted, showed no remorse, and was constantly in contempt.
Fuck a “constitutional crisis”. The crisis was letting an insurrectionist run for POTUS in violation of the law. That was the crisis. This is the battle that should have been fought.
This, I think. The authoritarian-minded wanted someone to worship, and who better than someone who did exactly as he pleased all the time, and never faced consequences?
Had the documents case not been derailed by a partisan judge, we almost certainly would have seen Donald face actual consequences months before November 2024. He’d have been proven human, and thus less compelling to the dictator-worshipers.
And the Republicans would not have let him run–sparing the world all the pain that is to come.
Trump has been under investigation for one thing or another his entire adult life. It’s just that nothing ever comes of it. It’s no wonder he considers himself above the law; it’s because he really is.
Sure, but the result is that Trump is the only American citizen proven to be above the law, just as kings are. Al Capone ended up in prison, Trump never will. God bless America.
You sort of wonder how many other rich people walk, because people are afraid to assign them consequences. Probably one of those things I don’t want to know.