I was asked a few times by people over Memorial Day weekend what I thought would happen in Donald Trump's criminal trial for fraud in Manhattan. I expressed cautious optimism that he would be convicted, pointing out that the prosecution presented an overwhelming amount of evidence while the defense acted like a bunch of clowns. Folks reacted with surprise to this prediction. They've been burned too many times, watching Trump wriggle away from consequences for a dizzying number of crimes, including his efforts to overthrow democracy. Thursday, however, a ray of hope opened up as Trump was found guilty on 34 state felony charges.
District Attorney Alvin Bragg and lead prosecutor Joshua Steinglass had two advantages over others who have tried to hold Trump accountable. First, there are no powerful Republicans swooping in to save Trump from consequences in New York. There are no corrupt Federalist judges, like Aileen Cannon or the Supreme Court Six, finding ways to delay Trump's federal trials indefinitely. No Senate Republicans to stop Trump from being rightfully convicted after his impeachment in the House of Representatives. No wealthy donors to step in and pay his civil judgments, whether for his extensive business fraud or his sexual assault of E. Jean Carroll. Second, Trump was facing a jury of his peers. I had some faith that ordinary people, when faced with inescapable evidence of Trump's criminality, would suck it up and do their civic duty. Unlike, say, all the people who swore an oath to uphold the Constitution but decided to protect the leader of the GOP instead.
