Questions for Trump Fans

TomT · December 12, 2022

Which Witch?

No American President ever posed as the victim of a “witch hunt” save former Donald Trump. It’s his favorite metaphor for all time. He has used it at least 387 times since 2017 or about every 6 days. From my point of view, there never was a witch hunt. The witch has always been in plain sight. However, Mr. Trump sees thing differently

Sometimes it’s difficult to understand which witch he is talking about on any given day. Is it the same witch with different hunters or are there discreet witch-hunter dramas going on at the same time?

When negotiations with Trump failed to return all stolen government documents (which he declared are Mine! Mine! Mine!) a search warrant was issued by a federal magistrate. As Trump had left many of the America’s most important secret documents scattered around his winter resort home of Mir-a-Lago, (Trump had moved to his New Jersey resort for the summer as he does in May). Trump described the August execution of the search warrant branding it "politically motivated" and a "witch-hunt". Also, as a “raid on his home by an out-of-control FBI.” He accused the Department of Justice of being on a Witch Hunt. The DOJ found over 11,000 stolen government documents including some of America’s most (formerly) closely guarded secrets. They were certainly not closely guarded when they were left scattered around Trump’s empty office for more than 90 days before the FBI rescued them. (There is probably no truth to the rumor that to get a “cleaning” job at Mir-a-Lago during those days the price you had to pay was well into 6 figures)

Another witch hunter is the House of Representatives January 6th Select Committee. Donald Trump launched an angry verbal attack on the congressional January 6 hearings, dismissing them as a “rigged deal” and “one-sided witch-hunt,” although, logically, aren’t all witch hunts one-sided?

To 5th or Not to 5th?

The attorney general of the State of New York, Letitia James presented evidence of Tax Fraud by the Trump organization. A Manhattan jury has found two Trump Organization companies guilty on 17 charges of criminal tax fraud and falsifying business records connected to a 15-year scheme to defraud tax authorities by failing to report and pay taxes on compensation for top executives. Trump was given the opportunity to testify in defense of his company, and in defence of one of his closest friends for 20+ years, he chose the 5th over 450 times instead. In a statement, Trump vowed an appeal and claimed the verdict by 12 jurors was “a continuation of the Greatest Political Witch Hunt in the History of our Country.”

The attorney general of the State of New York, Letitia James has also filed another criminal law suit against Trump and his 3 grown children of for committing business fraud over the last 10 years. Mr. Trump, for his part, has accused her of conducting a "witch hunt" and branded Ms James - the first black woman to be New York's attorney general - a "racist". About the judge in Trump’s trial, he said “His name is Arthur Engoron & he is a vicious, biased, and mean ‘rubber stamp’ for the Communist takeover of the great & prosperous American company that I have built over a long period of years" This may prove to be a tricky one for Trump when the trial starts next October. Will he take the 5th? But publicly blame his kids or will he take the blame like a normal father to protect his kids? I wonder what the betting line will be when that one opens.

In the ruling Thursday, Judge Arthur Engoron appointed an official that will move into the Trump organization with full access to all financial records, legal actions, corporate actions and any associated Trump entity. This is the court’s move that restricts the company's freedom to do business independently. It means as a proven felon the company is unable to change its corporate structure, sell or transfer non-cash assets, or make deals without giving notice to the court. Trump in a Truth Social post described Engoron as a "Radical Left Lunatic Judge in New York City" who is "refusing to let go of the case. He is a partisan disaster. A Rigged & Corrupt System!" Of course, in this case, the witch hunt is over.

When Trump was asked why he chose to take the 5th Amendment instead of defend his company and his friend, his response was because “I have absolutely no choice because the current administration and many prosecutors in this country have lost all moral and ethical bounds of decency.”

At an Iowa rally, Trump said of Hillary Clinton: "Her staffers are taking the Fifth Amendment, how about that?" He added, "You see the mob takes the Fifth. If you're innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?" Later Trump repeated, "Only the mob takes the 5th."

During a presidential debate, Trump said: "When you have your staff taking the Fifth Amendment, taking the Fifth so they’re not prosecuted, when you have the man that set up the illegal server taking the Fifth, I think it’s disgraceful. And believe me, this country thinks it’s really thinks it’s disgraceful, also."

Trump’s love/hate relationship with the 5th Amendment goes back quite a way. During his divorce proceedings with Ivana Trump in 1990, he invoked his right against self-incrimination close to 100 times according to Wayne Barrett’s book “Trump: The Greatest Show on Earth.” Most of the questions he was avoiding concerned his infidelity.

For Trump fans only – seriously, no piling on…

Question 1 – Which is the most real witch hunt? Is Trump the witch in his metaphor?

Question 2- Given potential prosecutions related to Jan 6, lets guess 2 to 4 criminal counts, corruption in Georgia, lets guess 2 criminal counts, theft and hiding of government documents, give it 4 counts….

What do his fans think he should do. Take the 5th all the way? Try to defend himself on some or all charges? (Please don’t recommend he should claim he is still President and thus immune to everything)

Question 3 - If Trump's friends and lawyers Giuliani, Eastman, Flynn, Meadows, Sidney Powell, Bannon etc. are all charged with crimes - should Trump testify in their defense?

What is the winning strategy?

What are the chances that Orange will become the New Black for Republicanism?