We like to say of our justice system in America that, “You’re presumed innocent until proven guilty.”
Well, innocence is no longer presumed. Twelve honest jurors, approved and selected by Donald Trump’s own defense counsel, voted 12-0 for all 34 counts against him. Twelve jurors unanimously voted 34-0, Trump guilty. Not even close. A blowout. Trump isn’t presumed innocent anymore. He’s a convicted felon.
Now, in what is perhaps the most disgusting collapse of patriotism and loyalty to country since the South attempted succession, nearly the entire national Republican Party has, post-verdict, bemoaned not their candidate’s crimes, but rather – some imaginary conspiratorial corruption of our entire legal system, top to bottom.
Trump has hit a nirvana of criminality: The more he transgresses, facing appropriate legal consequence, the more his die-hards believe our justice system and courts are corrupt.
The more crime Trump commits, the more they believe everyone and everything other than Trump is the cause of Trump’s troubles. For many MAGAs, Trump can literally do no wrong and remains their Savior, albeit draped in sinner’s robes.
When Trump said years ago, “I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose voters,” most initially thought he was delusional. Instead, Trump experienced momentary clarity, while his cultish following turns out to be mad.
If white-collar crime had a mascot and if subversion of democracy had a brand – both would be Trump.
Trump is the walking, sometimes barely talking, personification of crime – petty and profound. From fake universities and charities, to hiring hookers and running afoul hushing it up – all the way to attempted extortion of Georgia’s secretary of state and motivating the Jan. 6 riots, Trump has been a gross stain on any shreds of propriety and patriotism remaining in the national Republican Party.
To hear Mr. Morality Mike Johnson attack the legal system as “corrupt,” while giving the convicted Trump a complete pass, is incredulous.
So much for the “Family Values” party. Nowadays, it’s the “sex party” party. So much for the “law and order” party. Nowadays, it’s the “laws are for losers” party.
All these indictments and four criminal cases against Trump? Fake, all fake. Rioting mobs, mobster phone calls, porn star and Playboy Playmate coverups, and boxes of state secrets – none which we saw and heard as real are real to the Lawlessness Party. It’s all “fake and rigged,” and Trump is just misunderstood and victimized.
Post-trial, we have a convicted conman who might yet be our next president if the Party of Lawlessness doesn’t soon vomit the Kool-Aid.
Trump long bemoaned, “s—hole countries send us their convicts and rapists.” And some want to send our own convict and (civilly) convicted sex-abuser, jetting from country to country representing the good people of the United States of America? Will anyone take him or us seriously? Trump once joked that those (—-hole countries) aren’t sending us their best. Trump has become irony on two feet …
It’s further irony that Trump’s coverup of the porn star he calls “horseface,” may be the small thing that takes the big man down. Like gangster Al Capone getting the slammer for not murder, but tax fraud, mobster-wannabe Trump goes down over a tawdry financial coverup, instead of the attempted election coup he nearly imposed on our democracy.
Time heals all wounds, it’s said. My bet is time will eventually eradicate the parasites gnawing MAGA brains. Time will be the light that casts the scales off MAGA eyes to see Trump not as America’s Savior, but clearly, as the narcissistic mobster-mentality criminal businessman who lied to those nearest and dearest to him, and indeed to all of us.
Today, the national Republican Lawlessness Party is still choosing politician over principle. But over time, felon Trump will lose traction, lose support, and cause his Party of Lawlessness to succumb to the overall public desire for continued unobstructed democracy and public decency.
Gary Horton’s “Full Speed to Port!” has appeared in The Signal since 2006. The opinions expressed in his column do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Signal or its editorial board.
