LONG CORRUPTION CASE PRECEDENT, AND GA TRUMP ELECTION RIG CASE STRONG WITH TAPE DEMANDING SEC STATE "FIND 11,780, ONE MORE (VOTE) THAN NEEDED"
Makes Clear: No One Is Above the Law.
By Robert Weiner and Ben Lasky
The Georgia Trump prosecutor, who has convened a grand jury, should offer Trump a plea deal of no prison time if he agrees not to run for office again, for felony election law and conspiracy violations. Arranging a grand jury is already under way, and the prosecutor is meeting with Trump's lawyers, usually a last stand for defense before indictment.
The Georgia case is the strongest and clearest -- where Trump is directly on tape pressing the GA Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to "find me 11,780 votes, one more than I need." We first made the proposal for the Trump Prosecutor's plea deal on London Times Radio "Capitol Discussion" last week, on the Jan. 6 insurrection one-year anniversary. At least six top Trump aides and subordinates have already gone to prison or been sentenced, with Trump pardoning some.
The Georgia prosecutor need not fear being a first for prosecuting and imprisoning leading corrupt politicians. House Ways and Means Chairman Dan Rostenkowski, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, Rep. William Jefferson for his bribe money in the freezer, are just three that come to mind. Fuller list below.
In Trump world itself, among those actually serving prison: Michael Stone, Trump's lawyer and "fixer" (three years); Paul Manafort, Trump's Campaign Manager (7.5 years); THE REST: Roger Stone (40 monthspardoned), Elliott Broidy (charged and pleaded guilty to crimes for up to five years but pardoned before sentencing), Rick Gates (45 days) and George Papadopoulos (12 days).
Under an arrangement with the prosecution, Trump might actually avoid prison and agree not to run for office again. While we and many would be disappointed he would not go to jail, we and they, including many in Trump's own party, would agree that it is appropriate justice and good for our republic and democracy for him to not run for public office again.
It would demonstrate the right message that no one is above the law.
Both Trump and justice would benefit from this arrangement-- avoiding the trial, the predictable Trump team delays and hopeless but time-consuming appeals, but mostly the risky ongoing division of the country. Moreover, Trump should conclude that politicians who agree to plea deals generally fare far better than those who take their cases to trial.
Convicted:
Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY)21 months
Rep. Corrine Brow (D-FL)--five years
Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-PA)10 years
Rep. Rick Renzi (R-AZ)three years
Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA)13 years
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