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Emperor Trump
It appears that Donald Trump sees himself not as the president, but as a royal who can rule by edict. He blithely reads the latest news and declares not just on the question of guilt and innocence in New York City, but even the appropriate punishment, thereby perhaps polluting the jury pool for when the federal executive branch actually acts on the question in the careful normal processing of the charges.
Given Trump’s abysmal popularity, it is possible that jurors might be biased against the guilty finding because Trump wants it so much.
In the Bergdahl sentencing, he ridicules his own military judicial system when he doesn’t like its decision.
Then, too, he wants to decree investigation, indictment and conviction of Hillary Clinton, to a chorus of “Lock her up!”
The news suggests that Trump might fire the attorney general if Trump does not get what he wants.
He was elected by the Electoral College (not the people) as the president, not the all-powerful chief executive officer of the United States.
Timothy Rolfe
Spokane