When Leaders Are Lawbreakers
On Thursday, May 30, a jury of 12 New Yorkers found former President Donald Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts he faced for falsifying business records to hide a hush-money payment during his 2016 campaign. Trump’s opponents and critics hailed the conviction as a victory for the rule of law; his supporters accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the other prosecutors who have charged Trump with “weaponizing” the legal system. Trump himself falsely alleged that the trial was “rigged.”
To dissect the news and to give it global and historical context, Executive Editor Justin Vogt spoke on Friday with political scientist Lucan Ahmad Way. “It’s very rare in a democracy for someone to have actually been convicted and then take power, which is obviously a strong possibility here,” Way said. Read the Q&A to learn how prosecutions in other countries have affected democratic rule—and how this one might affect American democracy.
Former Pastor/Elder at Kent County church of Christ/Certified Parent coach/ Retired Elementary educator
7moYou should be writing about the sham judge and his ridiculous instructions to the jury. Convict a man on his thinking without evidence. That should be your story!
LLM (Exon), Diploma in Art Law (Institute of Art & Law) (London), TEP, Barrister (Lincoln's Inn) & CMC Registered Mediator - Trust & Estate Disputes & Claims for the Return of Ancient Art - 1 EC Barristers, Inner Temple.
7moInterntional arrest warrants may soon be issued v. Netantahu & Gallant. There is speculation about whether the ICC prosecutor may before November, also petition the judges to issue international arrest warrants v. Biden, Blinken, Austin & Sullivan. If that happens, then one Presidential candidate will be a convicted felon (who is appealing), and the other will be an indicted war criminal. How will that look to the rest of the world? Is America self-immolating in front of the world so that one of two pro-Zionism geriatrics can be elected to run it? Whose interest does that serve? if the answer is the narrow interest of a sect of Christian Evangelicals + Zionists (including Israel + Netanyahu), then that is a narrow interest. In which case, Amercia has not only lost its moral compass. It has also lost the right to lead the free world. That is because if either a convicted criminal, or an indicted war criminal, is elected in November, on the back of campaign funds provided by the Israel Lobby, the world will see America for what it is. Not the voice of freedom and a beacon of liberty, but as the slave of a Zionism, Israel & Netanyahu. It is too late for soul-searching. I fear not only civil unrest, but the collapse of US influence.
Dean of Law | Research Fellow at U.S. Air Force Reserve
7moTrump is uneasy after the conviction but messaged me privately that he remains convicted. His choice to have prostitutional sex with several women is OK with all churches because he has repented and sought solace in the loving arms of his wife, First Lady Melania Trump. Jesus Christ told the surrounding onlookers that he, who is without sin, threw the first stone. So it is with the Judge, Jury, and Prosecutorial team that they have each committed homosexual adultery against humankind.
Managing Director
7mo'The New World Order in progress' The New World Order - in progress, balances economic growth with individual development. It delivers eco-friendly projects, adoptable to evolving challenges to remain sustainable and empower individuals to lead quality lives beyond borders. Following the ‘projects of the future’ are embedded with 3 major features: (BOS) : 01. Build potential growth and welfare of each individual, empowering global citizens develop. Build Capital valued assessed on real returns, to support productivity, integrate social, economic, environmental assets and create a natural evolution of adequate money supply. 02. Operate through a high-tech digital platform, establishing 24/7 global connectivity between all stake and shareholders, working institutions and the projects operational profiles. 03. Share profit among all stakeholders, based on performance, to create a dynamic and resilient infra-structure for a sustainable, progressive socio-economic system, evolving with technology to optimize productivity and individual empowerment. This BOS Model is being operated in a pilot project termed ‘VHC-1’ And can be used for all sustainable projects. One may visit at www.valerehealthcare.co.
Managing Director
7moIt is our de facto captive system that creates such situations. Try implement the 'Build, Operate, Share' (BOS) Model for a system that delivers optimum economic growth with individual development and empowerment. We call it the 'New world Order ... in progress.'