The other shoe is dropping
Jack Smith’s latest missive seems to have Trump’s lawyers worried. Give them credit for being somewhat smarter than we might think because they should be worried. Based on the latest target letter to Donald Trump, prosecutors think he’s done. Former U.S. Attorney David Kelley of New York appeared on MSNBC with Ari Melber. During his appearance, Kelley said: “From the perspective of a defense lawyer, the last thing you ever want in the world is to get a target letter because a target letter means you’re done. You’re going to get indicted.” Joining Kelley on the show was Kristy Greenberg, Former Deputy Chief of Criminal Division in the Southern District of New York. When asked to elaborate on the conversation, Greenberg believes “Smith has got the goods.” She mentioned forged documents and the fake elector scheme, which are clearly fraudulent conduct. Greenberg said that Trump will have no defense. His lawyers are thinking the same thing.
According to CNN, Trump’s attorneys wonder what Jack Smith knows that they don’t. Based on the potential charges contained in the target letter, this case could be much bigger than anticipated by Trump’s team. How can they be so gullible? They should know Trump better than anyone and should, therefore, know what he’s capable of doing. If they honestly believe that Trump would be considered an “unindicted co-conspirator,” they’re not very bright. None of the frivolous lawsuits, fake electors, or the insurrection for that matter would have happened had Trump not been directing traffic. CNN calls this third potential charge “a profound stain on [Trump’s] legacy.” Please. Trump has no legacy beyond his legacy of successfully stirring up hate and dividing the country.
The most striking thing is that Trump still hasn’t learned his lesson. He attended a town hall in Iowa, hosted by Sean Hannity, where he continued to lie about the 2020 election. He claimed that “they” (whoever “they” are) created phony ballots. CNN pointed out that “a minuscule number of people-some of them Trump supporters-voted illegally.” Yet, according to Trump, everyone else is cheating just to get back at him. Trump and his supporters either live in a fantasy bubble or they are like Pee Wee Herman: “la la la I am not listening to you.” In other words, if anyone is cheating, it is Republicans, not that anyone is surprised by that. CNN spoke with David Becker, founder and executive director of the Center for Election Innovation & Research, who said that Trump’s claim: “is 100% false.” Of course, it is.
As earlier reported, the target letter to Trump cites three federal statutes relating to deprivation of rights, conspiracy to defraud the U.S., and tampering with a witness (NBC News). The information was disclosed in the letter to Trump and offered him the opportunity to testify before a grand jury, which he won’t do. He complained that they only gave him four days, but he wouldn’t do it if they gave him four months. Trump knows he’s a liar, and testifying before a grand jury is the last thing he wants.
Shirley is a former entertainment writer and has worked in the legal field for over 25 years