Does another indictment mean another political surge for former President Donald Trump?
Probably not by itself.
But it could give him a villain to hammer away at that can be a valuable commodity in the 2024 election.
That’s presuming it doesn’t lead to a conviction, and given Special Counsel Jack Smith’s record, it probably won’t.
As suggested before, Donald Trump might have reached critical mass on indictment momentum.
This time its in the federal case regarding the investigation into the Capitol riot and efforts to overturn the 2020 election that Trump lost to President Joe Biden.
Trump has carried out his verbal tirades against “Deranged Jack Smith,” and called him a “wacko prosecutor.”
On Tuesday, the 45th president announced getting a letter informing him he was a target of the federal probe into the push to reverse the election outcome.
While this sentiment alone doesn’t seem all that shocking, what’s notable is that prosecutors typically inform a target he or she is a target only when an indictment is imminent.
Smith has, of course, already indicted Donald Trump in the classified documents case. So this would be the second federal indictment, and third overall after the Manhattan case over the Stormy Daniels case.
Meanwhile, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis impaneled another grand jury to investigate Trump for his efforts to reverse the outcome of the Peach State’s election in 2020.
Trump’s first indictment, by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg–who ran on a platform of prosecuting Trump–was a weak case, but a historic first against a former president. The Smith indictment was an unprecedented federal case.
Both prompted a massive groundswell of support for Trump in the Republian primary, as he opened up a massive lead over nearest rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
But even if the indictment momentum runs out, Trump has a convenient villain, one, with the beard, sort of looks like a Bond villain, or actually a little like General Zod in the Superman movies.
More substantively, Jack Smith’s record is not that impressive for nailing politicians. It’s not entirely clear why Attorney General Merrick Garland chose him, of all people, for this task.
It hasn’t entirely been along party lines in prosecuting alleged public corruption cases, and falling flat.
He brought charges against 2004 Democratic Vice Presidential nominee John Edward regarding his use of campaign funds and a mistress–not all that different from the Trump case in Manhattan. Edwards was acquitted.
Smith won a conviction against Virginia Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell for allegedly accepting illegal gifts. However, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously threw out the conviction.
He was also formerly part of a prosecution team that charged New Jersey Democrat Sen. Bob Menendez, but was off the team before the formal charges were announced.
Nevertheless, his record is easy to pick apart, and in the case of Donald Trump, likely to be very exaggerated.
About the Author
Barbara Joanna Lucas is a writer and researcher in Northern Virginia. She has been a healthcare professional, political blogger, is a proud dog mom, and news junkie. Follow her on Twitter @BasiaJL.
From 19FortyFive
Donald Trump Just Got Caught in a Big Lie
