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crime and punishment general freedom insider corruption

If It Can Happen to Trump

If it can happen to former President Donald Trump — something like the politically motivated ham-​sandwich indictment issuing from an avid Trump-​hating Democratic DA — can it happen to you and me?

It already happened to me. Fifteen years ago.

Handcuffs and leg-​irons. Paul Jacob, Rick Carpenter, Susan Johnson.

The Oklahoma Three. Indicted by an arch enemy of citizen initiative, Oklahoma Apparatchik and Attorney General Drew Edmondson.

No, we hadn’t robbed a bank or gunned down the sheriff.

We were accused of not following all regulations in conducting a 2006 petition drive in Oklahoma. The fictional charge: “conspiracy to defraud the state of Oklahoma.”

The possibility of ten years in prison hung over our heads for a year and a half. In all that time, the AG started but never completed a preliminary hearing after which a judge could decide whether the indictment had enough evidence to warrant a trial. (Because it didn’t.) Then, the federal 10th Circuit declared unconstitutional the law we had allegedly violated, residency requirements for signature gatherers. 

Gritting his teeth and with smoke pouring out of his ears, Drew Edmondson dismissed the charges.

If somebody with official power like Edmondson or New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg wants to wield it against you and is indifferent to the requirements of justice, he might just do that.

Can it happen to you? Maybe not. Keep your head down, never say anything somebody somewhere could dispute, don’t leave the house, always wear a disguise, never exercise your political rights in a way that might draw the attention of thin-​skinned and scared denizens of the political establishment.

Do all this, and you’ll probably almost certainly be fine. Maybe.

Or just fight them anyway.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.


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4 replies on “If It Can Happen to Trump”

Apples and oranges. Your prosecution was unconstitutional. Donald Trump was indicted by a grand jury. We don’t know what Trump was indicted for, but it will most likely be constitutional.

And Trump faces serious charges in Georgia along with mishandling of classified documents in Florida. And the Department of Justice is considering charges relating to January 6th. He is also facing charges for rape and defamation by Jean Carroll.

Trump is the first current or former president in US history who has faced criminal charges. The district attorney’s office has been investigating Trump’s alleged role in a hush money payment scheme involving adult film star Stormy Daniels.

Trump will be arraigned on Tuesday on 30+ charges!

Will Rupert Murdoch turn on Donald Trump? Murdoch required to testify in Dominion voting machine trial. Murdock on the hook for 1.6 billion dollars!

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