OPINION:
The Trump felony case has its share of ironies (“Trump’s the ham sandwich in Bragg’s Banana Republic,” Web, April 5). First, former President Trump is claiming that the 34 felony counts against him are intended to interfere with the 2024 presidential election. This is ironic in that all 34 counts are felonies precisely because they allege Trump intended to interfere with the 2016 election.
Second, the allegations that Trump cooked his books to hide hush-money payments — crucial to the prosecution — may be one of Trump’s key defenses. As odd as it seems, Trump may argue that he has been having affairs, paying hush money and cooking his books for decades, regardless of any election. He may argue that it has been his intent to protect his reputation, not to influence the 2016 election. If the judge or jury buys that defense, all 34 of those felony counts evaporate and become fairly common misdemeanors.
Third, it is New York that is charging Trump with interfering in the 2016 presidential election; the Justice Department has already declined to prosecute that same charge.
This all presumes, of course, that the case ever goes to trial, which Trump would probably welcome and his lawyers are working hard to prevent.
MIKE BARRETT
Ashburn, Virginia
