Alvin Bragg Struggling With Deeply Flawed Trump Indictment
In a twist of high-stakes political poker, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is facing the blowback from his bold yet dubious indictment of President Donald Trump. His eagerness to be the first to file state-level charges against Trump looks more like desperation than a determined pursuit of justice.
Bragg advanced with a novel legal theory, claiming he can take a misdemeanor, already past the statute of limitations, and elevate it to a felony, claiming Trump committed this misdemeanor in service to another crime. The catch? This supposed “other crime” is a federal campaign finance law over which Bragg holds no jurisdiction and the Department of Justice had already declined to pursue.
While the trumpeted media attention following the indictment seemed like a victory lap for Bragg, the glory may be short-lived. A harsh reality is dawning on him, as out of all the Trump indictments, his is the most likely to falter in court. An early loss for Bragg could potentially provide Trump with a substantial public relations victory. This realization seems to have Bragg scrambling for a way to let the DOJ’s cases proceed before his own.
Bragg’s case, as weak as it is, could impact the timing of Trump’s federal trial for mishandling classified documents. Despite the Department of Justice’s preference for a December 2023 trial in federal court, Trump’s attorneys have pushed for an indefinite delay. They argue that the campaigning period leading to the 2024 election will keep the former president fully engaged.
It’s an interesting twist in legal strategies. While Trump’s legal team is seeking additional time in the federal case, they seem more than willing to expedite the state case filed by Bragg, agreeing to set it for spring 2024. This selective scheduling could be a clever tactic to use Bragg’s case as a reason to delay the federal case.
Bragg, on the other hand, seems keen to postpone his case. His arguments are cloaked under the guise of taking a “broad look at what justice requires.” Still, they appear more related to his political aspirations than any pursuit of truth or justice. Bragg’s hopes of keeping his career trajectory pointed toward higher office may hinge on the success or failure of this case against Trump.
However, the closer one examines Bragg’s position, the more it seems like he’s in over his head. If he pursues his trial in March 2024 as planned, the likelihood of losing could tarnish his legal and political reputation.
One thing is for certain: Bragg’s gambit with this indictment is more about the political spin he seeks than actual justice.
