No one is above the law. That should be an obvious, irrefutable principle in a democratic country.
And in many countries, it is. In recent days, as the historic criminal prosecution of former President Donald Trump has moved forward in Manhattan, plenty of examples have been offered of nations that have put that principle to the test — trying, convicting and in some cases incarcerating their top leaders for corruption, theft, bribery and other crimes.
Surely a rules-based democracy like the United States can be as principled as those other countries and bring a successful criminal case against a former head of state who has broken the law. Yet before 10 days ago, no current or former U.S. president had ever been indicted or charged, much less convicted. Many Americans apparently believe that prosecuting a president is improper or beyond the pale. (When Richard Nixon came close to being charged, he was pardoned by his successor, Gerald Ford, to preserve national "tranquility.")
