Wednesday, June 14, 2023

First Step

   Few people showed up to protest or support the arraignment of Donald Trump in Miami this week.
   Police were ready to deal with a massive protest rally, as happened at other Trump events. But because of numerous arrests and convictions after these other events, fewer supporters were willing to risk jail and heavy fines for their disturbing behavior.
   Result: A peaceful rally.
   The court appearance itself was quiet, presided over by a magistrate and not the regional judge who had been appointed by Trump and who is expected to preside over his trial, if and when it comes.
   There's nothing to be read into that, since the bail hearing was a routine first step in the legal process. The significance remained that it was the first step in a federal criminal procedure against a man who just happened to be a former president of the nation.
   News outlets, however, devoted a large amount of time and space to the story.
   In turn, this publicity helps Trump raise money for his defense fund, and provides multiple opportunities for him tell his side of the story.
   The downside of that, however, is that he regularly says things that are false. On top of that, he has already been fined for saying falsehoods, and despite the fines, he repeats them, so the target gets the court to repeat and increase the fines against him.
   Also, news recordings of what he says become evidence for new charges as well further admission of his continuing illegal behavior.
   When will he ever learn? Perhaps after all the flowers have gone. But that will be a long time in passing.

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