On the subject of understanding what motivates President Donald Trump, it virtually at all times comes all the way down to self-interest. Over the past four years, we have now seen little proof that he has ever put the wants of the nation over his personal. We see this identical dynamic within the present postelection chaos. President-elect Joe Biden was projected by NBC {News} to win Arizona on Thursday, including to his already insurmountable Electoral School margin. So why is Trump nonetheless refusing to concede, as a substitute stalling with ineffective authorized challenges that quantity to little greater than mood tantrums? All of it comes all the way down to what would serve him finest.
We imagine that Trump does privately settle for the outcomes. On Sunday, he even admitted that Biden received in a tweet, solely to double down on his refusal to concede. Irrespective of who’s whispering in his ear, it is clear to just about each authorized knowledgeable that his lawsuits difficult the election outcomes will in all probability go nowhere. And but he continues to boost cash for what he calls his “Election Protection Fund.”
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That is why he refuses to confess defeat. The longer the president drags this out, the longer he can proceed to boost cash.
However, the cash he’s elevating to fund his authorized challenges in a number of battleground states is only a guise. It’s much more seemingly that he’s elevating cash in preparation for the cases that await him in New York. Make no mistake: Whereas the nation may have Georgia on its thoughts these subsequent few months, Donald Trump is in a New York mindset. And so are a pair of very formidable New York prosecutors.
Whereas the nation may have Georgia on its thoughts these subsequent few months, Donald Trump is in a New York mindset. And so are a pair of very formidable New York prosecutors.
For all sensible functions, Trump has already given up on his accountability to the nation — if he ever felt any to start with. He does not care that he’s placing our nationwide safety in danger by refusing to permit Biden entry to the Presidential Day by day Transient. The spikes in coronavirus infections and deaths additionally imply nothing. And Trump and his allies in Congress have signalled that the tens of millions of unemployed and companies which might be failing are principally on their very own.
So why battle so arduous? Marketing campaign money. It’s the one factor he’ll be capable of taking with him and use within the number of lawsuits he’ll seemingly face in New York and elsewhere. Trump is barely too conscious that he can now not use the Justice Division as his private attorneys. He’s additionally seemingly conscious that he can use his marketing campaign cash to rent a really costly authorized group.
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In accordance the Federal Election Fee, “In a number of advisory opinions the Fee has mentioned that marketing campaign funds could also be used to pay for as much as 100 % of authorized bills associated to marketing campaign or officeholder exercise, the place such bills wouldn’t have occurred had the person not been a candidate or officeholder.” And there’s no scarcity of potential authorized challenges for Trump — most notably these initiated by the New York County district legal professional and the New York state legal professional common.
Keep in mind that throughout his presidency, Trump’s attorneys typically invoked immunity and govt privilege to maintain Trump from having to testify. For a former president, neither safety might be relevant.
One investigation already underway in New York is being performed by Cyrus Vance, the Manhattan district legal professional. Vance’s workplace is trying into hush cash funds Trump is alleged to have made in the course of the 2016 marketing campaign to 2 ladies who claimed to have had affairs with him earlier than he turned president. The district legal professional’s workplace can be trying into potential crimes dedicated by the Trump Group.
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Trump’s attorneys typically invoked immunity and govt privilege to maintain Trump from having to testify. For a former president, neither safety might be relevant.
One other investigation is being performed by Letitia James, the state legal professional common. Her workplace is investigating whether or not Trump and his firm have dedicated tax fraud. Trump and his group got here beneath scrutiny when Trump’s former “fixer,” Michael Cohen, informed Congress that Trump had lied in regards to the worth of his belongings.
James’ case has been shifting ahead, and it has efficiently compelled members of the Trump Group to testify. The president’s son Eric Trump was ordered by the court docket to seem for an interview, beneath oath, simply final month.
It’s price noting that as a result of that is New York; all the things have political penalties. Cy Vance has lengthy sought to redeem himself after his misdealing with of a 2015 sexual abuse case involving Harvey Weinstein.
As to the political way forward for Letitia James, in New York, “AG” has been recognized to face for “Aspiring Governor.”
However, political concerns apart, Trump is correct to be apprehensive. In truth, with such excessive stakes, it appears unlikely that both Vance or James would even try to pursue them in the event that they thought they could not convict Trump or his internal circle. Prosecutors hoping to manoeuvre up within the political ranks are notoriously protecting of their conviction charges.
Which is why Trump is making an attempt to squeeze each final greenback he can from his donors. As an alternative of retreating again to his new house state of Florida after the inauguration, it appears seemingly that Trump might be pressured to return to the town the place it began, on a sunny day in June, atop a golden escalator.
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