And surprisingly enough this is not about Trump per se. I first thought of the question when I read about how Eugene Debs ran for President while imprisoned as a Socialist. But with Trump facing criminal charges in state courts (so pardoning himself is a no go) and you know his base will double-down with this “politically-based persecution” it might become a reality. Would the President have zoom calls between working in the laundry and chow-time? Would it be the Vice-President serving as Acting President under the 25th Amendment until the President is released? Would he be able to petition (YMMV depending on the state) for house-arrest and stay in the White House, or at least an Executive Mansion still in the state?
So let’s not turn this into an Anti-Trump thread-of-rants but rather how a President would serve 2025-2029 if imprisoned so that replies could fit Trump, other Republican, Biden et alii equally and the only differences would be the state that convicted them.
But considering the Cabinet is hand-picked by the President would Section 4 even come into effect and if so, assuming the President writes their declaration that no inability exists (and would it have to go to the SotH and PPT through prison mail?) and given the partisan nature of Congress, then is it even possible that Dems & Pubs can look at the big picture and beyond their party considering it takes 2/3 of both Houses to remove the President from their duties?
Well, with every new President, they seem to turn his preferred holiday spot into a new, functioning “Other White House”, so I can’t imagine it would be that hard to fix up some low security prison wing as the Grey Bars White House.
With modern communications systems, there’s no actual need for the president to travel, and in fact, when you consider how badly they fuck up traffic for everyone else when they do travel, it might actually be a good idea to tell him to just sit his ass down for four years.
If Mafia Dons manage to run their empires from prison, I imagine trump would be able to make do. Especially since he ran his first term like a Mafia Don.
Being the POTUS is in many ways already being a prisioner of the office. You can’t drive, can’t go anywhere without a armed escort and you can’t just go for a walk down to the corner.
He isn’t going to a prison win or lose, and if he wins there will be little if any restraints put on him. He will pardon himself of all federal crimes and the state sentences will be put on hold until he is out of office.
If he wins it will be the ultimate insult to justice.
A compliant VP can fulfill any presidential duties as directed while the Prez is “indisposed”. As long as he can communicate with his (amicable) veep, an incarcerated president can effectively stay in charge.