The US presidential election is right around the corner, and we have seen so many instances of Donald Trump being on the news. It’s not a surprise though! However, this time he’s on the news for a different thing. Remember the case brought up against him on conspiracy to defraud the United States? Well, he tried to appeal the case, but it seems he might have to fight harder to get rid of the case.
The Trump Saga: A Case of Elections Shenanigans
Former US President, Donald Trump is currently facing backlash and allegations for coming up with a far reaching scheme to rule out the 2020 election results between him and Joe Biden. Trump has actually claimed that the results were false and this had gotten the federal prosecutors irritated as they believe he’s just trying to spread misinformation about election fraud.
He also wanted the result of the election to be overturned, a stance which contributed to the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots. The riots which were primarily led by Trump’s supporters, and the perceived stance that he wasn’t ready to hand over power resulted in Trump being charged with four criminal counts. These charges range from conspiracy against citizen’s rights and the conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Trump's Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card Declines
As expected Donald Trump wasn’t going to sit still and accept those charges as he put his legal team into action to dismiss the case. They argued that the whole case was borne out of political vendetta. Trump also claimed that the whole process was because he questioned the election results and also that others weren’t prosecuted for the same reasons.
However, the election interference case arguments didn’t fly with the sitting judge, Tanya Chuktan, who rejected the arguments and insisted that Trump must answer for his ‘crimes’. The former President is charged for making false statements, the obstruction of the handover process, and election certification. The judge also also claimed that Trump’s lawyers' claims of political bias were unfounded as their client was facing the case due to his actions post-election.
What Next: A Balancing Act or Legal Snare Trap?
Based on the observation of the judge, it is believed that Trump’s legal team were basically pulling at straws and looking for a way to take any win they can get. However, Tanya Chuktuk wasn’t buying it, as the election interference case was scheduled for a hearing on August 16, when the next steps in the case would be considered.
Now, this case could come as an Achilles heel for Trump in the countdown to the presidential elections. If Trump gets convicted in this case, then it would be a warning to public officials who intend to subvert democratic processes. However, on the flip side, if he gets acquitted, then we should expect to see more cases where election results could be challenged more brazenly.
As the nation waits to see what happens with the case, and the impact it could have on the American rule of law as well as the presidential elections, we can only hope that justice prevails.