Could Donald J. Trump campaign for President of the United States, even if convicted and imprisoned? Admit that it would be quite a deal!
The answer is probably yes, because there is a precedent.
Eugene V. Debs, socialist leader, imprisoned in 1919 for his opposition to the entry into the war of the United States in the First World War, was able to be a candidate in the presidential election of 1920.
Even imprisoned, he obtained more than 900,000 votes, or 3.4% of the total votes.
On the eve of Trump’s impending indictment in the Stormy Daniels case, the American media world is frantic, literally in a trance.
Its craftsmen are excited like fleas and smell blood.
Well, I will not try to turn myself into an expert on the Constitution of the United States. Especially since if you do the rounds of the American media currently, you will find that the devil is in the cows and that the most brilliant in the matter do not get along for a second.
Especially since in terms of time, or schedule, Trump, who faces several serious charges that could send him to jail, will use all possible means to delay the application of justice, in order to go to election day.
The guy could invent cancer, if necessary, to gain a few months.
Now, if we forget the measurement of time, objectively, the Constitution provides for a case that could prevent it from occurring.
The 14the amendment prescribes that Congress may bar the presidential candidacy of an individual who has participated in insurgent activities (Engage in insurrection) or who aided an enemy of the United States. Inciting insurrection would also be in the same category of sins.
Notice to lawyers or specialists who read this text, we take our equal gas! The columnist does his best to summarize, so we don’t make him sweat unnecessarily!
Thus, Trump had an intimate relationship with a nice lady named Stormy, a porn star, and the small check for US$130,000 he gave her to buy her silence, two weeks before the 2016 election, could be considered a bribe and contravene campaign finance rules.
The gesture could send him to prison, but would not necessarily prevent him from being a candidate.
This might also be the case if he were convicted of trying to hijack the results of the presidential election in the state of Georgia.
And one can think of the same eventual result in the ongoing investigation of the classified documents, which he probably hid under his mattress and in the ventilation hatch, at the castle of the perfect commoner mogul, Mar-a-Lago, after his departure from the White House.
But where he might be in trouble is his involvement in the January 6, 2020 riot in Congress, following his electoral defeat.
A special prosecutor is on the case and we will eventually find out what is going on. But expect a huge debate over the nature of the words “insurrection” and “sedition”.
All observers agree, however, that the Stormy case is the one where Trump has the least chance of being convicted, compared to the three others I have just mentioned.
Another stupid hypothesis, with all the possible legal delays, can we imagine, as a burlesque scenario, that Donald could be banned from running for president, after the next presidential election…?
A crazy idea that crossed my mind… There would be a doctor in the room, please?
And what if he was then elected and in office?
I stop here because I have the impression of participating in the organization of a madhouse.
But the most cynical thing right now is to see the tartufe behavior of elected Republicans or known and potential opponents of Trump in the Republican primary.
Their thing right now is to rip their shirts off Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who is leading the Stormy investigation, treat it like political revenge, and defend Trump in the case.
Make no mistake about it. They all hope the worst for the former president and only want to reclaim the vote of his allies, including those of rednecks who believe the nation is in danger without him.
The most hypocritical is probably former Vice President Mike Pence, the Catholic spaniel on a daily overdose of Valium, who practices the famous Texas two-step dance, by dint of praising and condemning Trump in the same sentence.
The absolute coward obviously wishes to empty the churches in his favor during the primary, by recovering the evangelical vote which supported Trump before.
Do not doubt that all together, these honorable people are praying hard to baby Jesus that Trump will be buried under a pile of manure, the sooner the better.
I found out about Eugene Debs’ story through Bruce Maiman in the HuffPost1but especially by Jason Serafino’s excellent text in Mental Floss2.
He explains that Debs, in prison and presidential candidate of the Socialist Party in 1920, was entitled during the campaign to one statement per week, which was transmitted to the news wires, and of course picked up by his supporters and relayed to the population.
Hypothetically, in the era of social networks, one has to wonder what form this campaign would take with Trump in prison, let’s admit it… Phew!
Eventually, in December 1921, Debs was pardoned by President Harding, who even invited him to the White House to get to know him better.
All the same !
Between us
He could have been my father, he became my friend. Claude Fournier left us. He lived with passion until he was 91 years old. He shamelessly shamed Quebec cinema and left an indelible imprint on this art here. My feelings go out to his spouse Marie-José Raymond, to his brother Guy and to the family.