Despite the mounting indictment, 45 idyls in self-praise, unfettered by legal woes.
Staff Writer, Asher Miles
Editorial illustration by Milan Rafaelov
The ongoing support for the Commander-In-Tweet amidst the riddled financial foibles of former President Trump will forever be an American conundrum. Post presidency, 45’s narrative has been a tangled tapestry. Mar-a-Lago raids, a restrained civil trial in the overvaluing of properties, and the exposure of civil missteps have culminated in 91 criminal charges spread across four indictments.
New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a case against the 77-year-old for widespread fraud and overinflation of personal assets. With bold aims to strip his New York business license and a looming $250 million penalty, one would believe that cream-of-the-crop lawyers would be more than willing to testify for Trump.
From the onset of the civil trial, Trump’s legal team failed to request a jury after competent lawyers wouldn’t dare associate with the alleged criminal businessman. The former president can only muster a team of grifter legal eagles. The result is a cabal of Saul Goodman-like figures counseling Trump, encasing him in an echo chamber of delusion.
To add insult to injury, his surrogates offer little relief when they are called for cross-examination.
“I just wanted to relax, and stop being accused of misrepresenting assets for the company that I loved working for," Jeffrey McConney, former Trump Organization controller, cried in a hissy fit when questioned about his retirement.
Trump is attempting to appeal a gag order that prohibits him and his counsel from discussing the staff of the judge overseeing his New York fraud trial. As of Monday, Trump racked up $15,000 after violating the gag order.
While he’s fighting to keep his business privileges alive in New York, the ex-president is collecting indictments like collectibles. Currently, he sits with two state and two federal formal charges. In New York, he’s charged with 34 counts for getting creative with business records, while in Georgia, there are 13 charges related to his attempts to overturn President Biden’s victory.
And who could forget about the Mar-a-Lago drama? Trump faces 40 criminal charges for brazen mishandling of top-secret documents at Mar-a-Lago, and four criminal charges for his involvement at the Capitol on Jan. 6.
Trial dates for the first former president to face criminal charges are set to commence in March 2024. However, if Trump is anticipating a Perry Mason moment, he will be waiting a long time.