Editorial: Donald Trump reliant on people power to evade justice

Former President Donald Trump speaks before he boards his plane at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport after facing a judge on federal conspiracy charges that allege he conspired to subvert the 2020 election. Photo / Alex Brandon, AP

EDITORIAL

In court yesterday on a third criminal indictment, former United States President Donald Trump sat with his hands clasped, staring at the light wood desk while awaiting the magistrate.

Appearing relaxed, the 77-year-old New York-born entrepreneur-turned-politician will know that whatever the outcome in court, he has an escape clause unavailable to any other American.

The charges of attempting to overturn the 2020 election and block the transfer of presidential power, to which he’s pleaded not guilty, carry a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.

But - and there’s a big but - Trump remains the frontrunner for the Republican candidacy for President in 2024. Incumbent President Joe Biden is still polling as favourite but underdog status has hardly slowed Trump’s juggernaut before.

If he is returned to office, Trump could direct his attorney general to dismiss the federal cases, fire prosecutors or test presidential power by trying to pardon himself. Those efforts would only apply to the federal cases, not the state criminal charges he faces in New York or could face in Georgia.

Even if Trump does not become the nominee, a different Republican president would likely face enormous pressure to drop the charges to placate Trump’s supporters,

Trump faces another arraignment next week in Florida after special counsel Jack Smith filed additional criminal charges against him there in the case related to his handling of classified documents.

But first, he has a campaign stop in New Hampshire, where he will again appeal to the people to re-elect him and save him from a fate anyone else would surely face.