Decryption | Trump during the verdicts

Richard Hatu
Special contribution

The question arises as to whether the acquittal of the former President is imminent. On January 13, the House of Representatives accused him of “inciting a coup” in the deadly attack on Capitol Hill a week earlier. An indictment requires the support of 17 Republican senators (including 50 senators from the Democratic group), a scene that no one is hovering on the horizon.

But the trial marked the beginning of an unprecedented period for the former president of the United States. Unlike his predecessors, Donald Trump could not wait for the judgment of the history of the years he was in power. He will have to fight to avoid not only the judgment of criminal or civil justice, but also the judgment of the business world.

It is intended to be submitted again for the judgment of the electorate. In such a case, his second impeachment trial would have serious consequences.

Alan Lichtman, a professor of history at the American University, said:

Some of Donald Trump’s friends make a similar analysis, including 45 who have recently been pardoned.^E President.

“Democrats have a very emotional and compelling case,” the former White House chief strategist told the Politico site last week. “They try to denounce it in the eyes of the American people and make it dirty forever.”

“Too many problems to solve”

The Senate ruling begins as Republican support for Donald Trump’s third presidential campaign declines. According to an Echelon poll released last week, only 45% of Republicans are now in favor of the opportunity, down 20 percentage points from December.

Such a percentage would be enough to persuade a former president to repeat Grover Cleveland’s merit, the only American president to serve twice in a row (1885 to 1889 and 1893 to 1897). But will he succeed in making such a comeback?

The temptation to ask Alan Lichtman is high. Historian Donald Trump not only thanked his famous “keys” in September 2016, but also expected the House of Representatives to impeach him in a book published in April 2017, just months before the start of his presidency. .

On the subject of Donald Trump’s political future, he avoids a definite guess, satisfying himself in describing the dangerous situation he faces after becoming the most powerful man on the planet.

“I think he will have a hard time campaigning for 2024 because he has a lot of problems. Trump is facing $ 400 million in mature debt, major tax audit and multiple civil lawsuits. [la journaliste] E. said Trump raped her in the 1990s and that she had DNA evidence. Jean Carroll mentioned. He may also face other civil cases in the wake of the January 6 riots. ”

But Donald Trump’s problems are not over.

“Trump’s business, brand and endorsement ratings have plummeted,” Lichtman continues. Twitter access is prohibited. He may be subject to criminal prosecution by New York federal prosecutors and New York State prosecutors [qui enquêtent sur ses pratiques financières]. »

Three violations

First, however, Donald Trump will pursue his second impeachment trial from his estate in Mar-a-Lago. Democratic prosecutors invited participants to answer their questions in person “under oath”, but his lawyers sent them to the pasture. They consider the impeachment trial against the former president to be unconstitutional. They believe that the statements made by Donald Trump before the attack on Capitol Hill are protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression.

In theory, Democratic prosecutors could try to force the former president’s hand. But his lawyers could drag the case into the courts for weeks.

Not surprisingly, the Democratic prosecutors’ refusal to testify voluntarily by the president proves that he failed to present legal protection.

History will undoubtedly judge Donald Trump in this impeachment trial, whose goal is not only to condemn the former president for his attack on Capitol Hill, but also to prevent him from running for president again. But we must be patient before we know its judgment.

“It takes time to assess the presidency,” Professor Lichtman explained. However, it is my opinion that Trump will be remembered for three deadly violations in presidential history. First, there was his lie about the pandemic and his horrific reactions, which claimed the lives of tens of thousands of Americans. Second, it puts a brake on efforts to tackle climate change, which puts humanity at great risk. Third, he lied about the election, which damaged Americans’ confidence in their democracy and led to Hurricane Capital Hill in January. ”

Tough, this verdict.