Trump’s Disqualifying Trump
Terry H. Schwadron
Feb. 2, 2022
Donald Trump is so one-note about his claims of election-rigging in the face of facts that it must not occur to him that he’s making the case against any envisioned Trump return to the White House.
Whatever he allows in or ignores about squaring reality with his own fantasies about being hailed as a returning hero, he’s now already proclaimed a major reason to block his candidacy early.
What Trump told a Texas rally on Saturday in teasing a 2024 presidential candidacy was that he would consider pardoning those who were charged in connection with the deadly January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol if he wins the White House again. “If I run and if I win, we will treat those people from January 6 fairly. We will treat them fairly,” Trump said. “And if it requires pardons, we will give them pardons. Because they are being treated so unfairly.”
I tried to hold up a reaction to ensure the statements were not a glitch. Indeed, it seems more a promise; Trump has heard initial poor reaction and stayed with his desire to waive Jan. 6 away as unfair criticism of a coup plan in which we’re learning that Trump played an ever-more central role. It’s the inevitable position that emerges from his actions and positions since November. So, let’s take it seriously.
What Trump is displaying as his almost campaign unrolls is a complete disregard for law, an intent to misuse and abuse powers of office for partisan gain and a totally blurring of any line between White House and Justice Department prosecutions or judicial findings.
In his meandering way of talking, Trump told us he would do it again, more successfully next time. Indeed, on Sunday, Trump issued a written statement that acknowledged he wanted Vice President Mike Pence to overturn election results, acknowledging the gist of all the various investigations that connect Trump to Jan. 6. And he called for more mass MAGA protests if other unrelated legal challenges go against him.
Trump Speaks, We Listen
Normally, two years before an election, we let politicians rail away, and promise rally followers whatever they want. But Donald Trump is making us pay attention now because he is outlining the autocracy he intends to bring about, destroying votes, rule of law and the meaning of evidence and reality.
Except for those identifying on the extreme fringe who still describe January 6 as a simple protest march, even most Republicans in Congress — think Senators Ted Cruz, Lindsay Graham and Mitch McConnell — call for prosecution of actual rioters.
Even the Republicans who want to also extend prosecution of participants in Black Lives Matter street protests call for prosecuting Jan. 6 rioters.
There is no serious talk of pardoning the now hundreds of participating rioters. The Justice Department is only beginning to bring charges against militia members and others involved in coordinating and enabling the literal rioters. Among the cases he would pardon is the one filed against an Oath Keeper leader for seditious conspiracy, the specific charge of seeking to bring down the government Trump wants to represent.
We all expect that the nation is about to enter the yet deeper legal waters involving the planners and legal coup makers who surrounded Trump and who, in some fashion, are likely to end up outlining a role for and by Trump himself.
His advocacy of pardons for others are a pre-strike on a shield for himself against owning up to his own involvement in what may prove illegal activities.
Trump’s Oath
It is clear from reporting and from the remarks of the members of the House select committee on Jan. 6 that there is more to come.
The looming congressional public hearings, committee reports and eventual referrals to Justice of the roles of fake state elector slates, memos and meetings of those who sought to overthrow election results and the actions and inactions of the White House itself leading to and during the Capitol riot are on the prosecutorial block.
Trump is using recent rallies to argue again without evidence that the election results were fraudulent and that any actions in support of keeping him in office were legally justified.
It is a position that defies reality, defies the findings of multiple state audits and boatloads of judicial findings. It is a proclamation for adoption of Trump and his most loyal followers as above the law. It is a declaration to end democracy and install an autonomous monarch. By his own words and deeds, he cannot truthfully swear the Inauguration Day oath.
Maybe Republicans are right to insist that there be no presidential debates. We have it all wrapped up here by the candidate himself.
It is Donald Trump insisting that Donald Trump has disqualified himself from become president again.
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