According to this RAWSTORY article based on CNN reporting, DA Bragg is about to let Trump walk.
Before anyone says something about how hard it would have been to prosecute the case, or it’s so hard to prove in a court of law, blah blah blah, I will point out that white-collar cases are usually fairly straightforward because paperwork doesn’t lie, it is what it is.
Additionally, in his resignation letter, one of the main prosecutors working on the case said:
he personally "harbors no doubt about whether [Trump] committed crimes — he did."
And:
Pomerantz also told Bragg that "your decision not to authorize prosecution now will doom any future prospects that Mr. Trump will be prosecuted for the criminal conduct we have been investigating."
Anyone who thinks they know better than one of the lead prosecutors on the case is welcome to correct that stance if they wish.
I know this is the Manhatten DA and it doesn’t speak to any other investigation. But, as I mentioned in my last Bragg diary, look at this from a 50,000 foot view. Does this give you more or less confidence in any of the other cases against Trump? Honest question, do you feel more or less confident that Trump will be held accountable for anything after what we are witnessing in Manhattan?
The most common defense of the vocal Garland supporters boils down to something like “give him time, the DoJ is working on this you just don’t see it happening out in the open.”
I would like to point out that we wouldn't know a thing about what is happening in Manhattan right now if the prosecutors didn’t step down in a public display of anger. If they had not resigned so publicly the same arguments made for giving Mr. Garland and the DoJ more time would have applied to Bragg as well.
So the Garland supporters are absolutely correct, we don’t know what is happening behind the scenes…. but past history and current events like this story above, point to an Occam's razor outcome. Absent any additional evidence to the contrary and based on historical precedence we should probably assume the DoJ isn’t going to do much about any of Trump’s other transgressions (which I will note goes far beyond just the events leading up to Jan 6th) and until proven otherwise the best course of action by people looking for accountability is to put more vocal pressure on the DoJ not less.
Last point. Lots of people on the left are talking about an enthusiasm gap on our side. I think that is partly true and we can’t hide from reality as the GOP does.
But unlike the pundits and Internet chatter types who chalk this up to a lack of movement on policy issues only, I think some of that lost enthusiasm is related to Trump’s ability to walk away from any and all accountability.
Sure, inflation is part of the problem now, as well as the inability to pass meaningful voting rights legislation and the BBB bill. But the lack of accountability for Trump’s misdeeds IS playing a part in the mood of the Democratic base like it or not. I will not say how much of a part it’s playing because I don’t know the number (not sure if anyone does really because it hasn’t shown up in polling I have seen) but it is a factor heading into the midterms.
People are scared and they see what to them is clear lawlessness going unchecked, that is obviously disheartening for many. We shouldn’t discount how important it is for the future of our democracy to hold people accountable for their crimes. Not doing so is a double hit, it gives the criminals the green light to commit more crimes and it causes citizens to lose even more faith in institutions.
We the people need to hold our government officials accountable and demand they do their jobs. Instead of defending Garland or any other law enforcement officers from critique (mainly due to the political justifications not based on tangible evidence mind you), we should be pressing them to follow the rule of law until they show concrete evidence of the steps they are taking to protect our democracy.