I’m celebrating – again – as we learn that TFG has been indicated on seven federal criminal charges in Florida related to the Mar-A-Lago “documents” case (which is actually about conspiracy, obstruction, and espionage, not about documents. We cannot let the supporters of TFG get away with calling this a “paperwork error” not much different from forgetting to return a library book. They’re wrong and they know it. They just hope you don’t). Neither should we let the supporters of TFG “both-sides” this issue. It is not the same thing that Biden and Pence have done. Not even close. The other side knows this; they just hope you don’t.
You may recall my celebratory essay when the first indictments came down a couple of months ago. Here’s a refresher on what I wrote then:
When I published my earlier essay, I got a couple of responses suggesting that this is not something to be happy about but something to be sad about – sad that America has “fallen so far” as to indict a former President.
I think this is a misguided response. There was dancing in the streets of the United States and across (most of) Europe on V-E Day, 1945. This was a time of victory, a time to dance; later would come the sober reflection on the cost of this victory.
After World War II, the world established new norms of international relations. The Nuremberg Trials showed that wholesale violations of fundamental human rights would not be tolerated. NATO, the Marshall Plan, the United Nations, and the seeds of the European Union showed that international cooperation, not conflict, would be the New World Order. There was a lot of work to do. Progress wasn’t straightforward. Lots of people made lots of mistakes. Not everyone was happy. We papered over some of the problems, and we are still seeing the consequences of this. But after experiencing two World Wars in the space of 25 years, we learned that peace was better than total war, and worked to maintain that peace. The proxy wars of the Cold War and subsequent era are not to be ignored, but the fact that the post-WWII international order averted WWIII is an accomplishment that should be acknowledged. Albert Einstein is credited with saying "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.”
To put these indictments in context, think about where we were a year ago. TFG had already committed the crimes he was indicted for, but most Americans didn’t know anything about them. We hadn’t had the January 6 Committee hearings yet. The 2022 midterm elections hadn’t happened yet, so we didn’t know that TFG’s criminality had negatively impacted the electability of Republicans across the board. Even people who were fully aware of what was happening were bemoaning their future, pontificating that TFG and his allies were “going to get away with everything.” None of the J6 criminal defendants had been convicted of serious crimes and sentenced to long jail sentences. None of the cases against TFG seemed to be making much headway; some of them hadn’t been filed yet.
Now think about where we are. The T***p Organization had been held liable for financial fraud and tax evasion. E. Jean Carroll was successful in her civil suit against TFG for sexual assault and defamation. TFG has been indicted in Manhattan for 34 counts of various financially fraudulent actions. Fani Willis in Georgia has told officials in Atlanta to clear the decks for indictments in late July or early August. Jack Smith is poised to drop further indictments on TFG for his role in the January 6 insurrection.
To summarize: by the end of the summer, TFG will be under indictment in four jurisdictions – Manhattan, DC, Miami, and Atlanta. E. Jean Carroll has filed an additional defamation lawsuit against TFG for comments he made after the original verdict in her favor. A year ago, we didn’t know that the “arc of the moral universe” was actually going to bend toward justice.
The Usual Suspects in Congress have leaped to TFG’s support before they have even seen the indictments. They will regret this. His opponents in the GOP primary field have largely remained silent, waiting to see which way the wind is blowing before they tell you what they “think.” Again, let’s be clear. They know he did all the things he is accused of. But they don’t see a path for themselves if they publicly oppose him. They should all come out and say – publicly – that they won’t support him in his quest for the nomination. But they won’t. So far, only Asa Hutchinson (former Arkansas Governor) has made a public statement against him because of this indictment. I expect Christie will continue to stake out his anti-TFG position, and Pence will weasel-word his way around outright condemnation of the guy whose supporters wanted to hang him a little over two years ago. Profiles in Courage they are not.
It is clear that this work isn’t over. As Churchill said after the 1942 Battle of El Alamein, “This is not the end; it is not even the beginning of the end; but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” World War II didn’t end for another three years, but this was the “turning point” in the war.
Similarly, we are not at the end of the damage TFG has done to the country. We are not even at the beginning of the end. But we are, perhaps, at the end of the beginning. This is ample reason to dance.
So later we work. Today we should dance.
Yes, I am dancing. Looking forward to the party when he is actually convicted. And yet again a great post!
I truly hope it is the beginning of the end of fRump, his followers and all he stands for.
Oh, happy day! Frabjous joy! Ahhh. Feeling better.
Great piece, as usual. Yes, tomorrow we work, but today we dance!