Illiberalism
Israel
Fig. 1. “Sara Netanyahu, wife of the Prime Minister of Israel, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu signing the visitors book, at Teen Murti Chowk, in New Delhi. . . . The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi is also seen.” Photograph credited to Prime Minister's Office (GODL-India), January 14, 2018, via Wikimedia Commons, GODL-India
Dov Lieber, “Israeli Reservists Start Missing Duty, Threatening Military Unity and Readiness,” Wall Street Journal, August 3, 2023, https://www.wsj.com/articles/israeli-reservists-start-missing-duty-threatening-military-unity-and-readiness-76df3ade
Gilead
Donald Trump
Coup attempt
Fig. 1. “Jake Angeli (Qanon Shaman), seen holding a Qanon sign at the intersection of Bell Rd and 75th Ave in Peoria, Arizona, on 2020 October 15.” Photography by TheUnseen011101 [pseud.], October 15, 2020, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
Even if this is true, I don’t think it’s going anywhere, but I’m wondering if Donald Trump is doubling down on losing the criminal cases against him, on a theory that such losses will rally his support, with the idea that he wins the presidency and pardons himself.
One problem is that the timing is off: He will likely be able to stall any conviction until after the election anyway, when he thinks he can pardon himself for any convictions that have occurred and order the Justice Department to drop remaining federal charges, and when he likely can get the Georgia agency that handles pardons to pardon him. Hence James Risen’s elevation of the hush money case as possibly the one conviction, assuming it is to be had, that might stick.[1] Another is, while, yes, it’s way too fucking early to make such prognostications, it still really and truly looks like Trump cannot win the general election; pundits who say otherwise pay too much attention to opinion polling and not enough attention to the self-imposed constraints on Trump’s support,[2] which would mean that a Georgia pardon is the only one that might be in Trump’s pocket. Finally, there is, of course, that issue of self-pardoning, which, as has been widely reported, pits a doctrine that “no man may be a judge in his own case” against the fact that this doctrine has never been tested in the courts.
As I say, I think the issue is moot. Trump won’t win. And, for now at least, I’ll believe a Georgia pardon when I actually see it.
Tori Otten, “‘We’re Ready to Go’: Georgia DA Warns New Trump Charges Are Coming,” New Republic, July 31, 2023, https://newrepublic.com/post/174734/were-ready-go-georgia-da-warns-new-trump-charges-coming
Jan Wolfe and Cameron McWhirter, “Judge Criticizes Trump for ‘Overwrought’ Complaints About Georgia Election Probe,” Wall Street Journal, July 31, 2023, https://www.wsj.com/articles/judge-criticizes-trump-for-overwrought-complaints-about-georgia-election-probe-701bd894
Devlin Barrett et al., “Trump charged in probe of Jan. 6, efforts to overturn 2020 election,” Washington Post, August 1, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/08/01/trump-indictment-jan-6-2020-election/
Spencer S. Hsu and Tom Jackman, “Judge Tanya Chutkan is a tough Trump critic, toughest Jan. 6 sentencer,” Washington Post, August 1, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/08/01/judge-chutkan-trump-jan-6-special-counsel/
Adam Rawnsley and Asawin Suebsaeng, “Trump’s Plan to Save Himself: Scapegoat His Coup Lawyers,” Rolling Stone, August 1, 2023, https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/donald-trump-jan6-jack-smith-rudy-giuliani-john-eastman-1234798826/
Tina Nguyen, “The Closing of the Florida Mind,” Puck, August 2, 2023, https://puck.news/the-closing-of-the-florida-mind/
Ryan Cooper, “Merrick Garland Failed America,” American Prospect, August 3, 2023, https://prospect.org/justice/2023-08-03-merrick-garland-failed-america/
Tierney Sneed et al., “Donald Trump pleads not guilty to January 6-related charges,” CNN, August 3, 2023, https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/03/politics/arraignment-trump-election-interference-indictment/index.html
Michael Tomasky, “Donald Trump’s Lawyer Is Dumber Than Donald Trump,” New Republic, August 4, 2023, https://newrepublic.com/article/174847/donald-trump-lawyer-john-lauro-dumber-donald-trump
Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh
Unauthorized violence
Fig. 1. “Ed Gainey poses with CeaseFirePA during the 2020 Women’s March in Downtown Pittsburgh.” Photograph by Megan Gloeckler, undated, via Pittsburgh City Paper,[3] fair use.
Paula Reed Ward and Justin Vellucci, “Pittsburgh synagogue shooter should be put to death, jury decides,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, August 2, 2023, https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-synagogue-shooter-should-be-put-to-death-jury-decides/
Paula Reed Ward and Justin Vellucci, “Judge formally sentences Pittsburgh synagogue shooter to death in emotional hearing,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, August 3, 2023, https://triblive.com/local/judge-formally-sentences-pittsburgh-synagogue-shooter-to-death/
- [1]James Risen, “Stormy Daniels May Have the Last Word on Donald Trump,” Intercept, July 30, 2023, https://theintercept.com/2023/07/30/trump-indictments-stormy-daniels-pardon/↩
- [2]David Benfell, “It should be obvious by now: Donald Trump and Doug Mastriano are not the future of the Republican Party,” Not Housebroken, June 17, 2023, https://disunitedstates.org/2023/03/26/it-should-be-obvious-by-now-donald-trump-and-doug-mastriano-are-not-the-future-of-the-republican-party/↩
- [3]Charlie Wolfson, “Neighborhood groups try to curb shootings as Pittsburgh’s mayoral campaign puts political focus on gun violence,” Pittsburgh City Paper, October 20, 2021, https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/neighborhood-groups-try-to-curb-shootings-as-pittsburghs-mayoral-campaign-puts-political-focus-on-gun-violence/Content?oid=20401296↩