June 4, 2024

Editorial representing personal opinion of Darrin McDonald

There was a time when it would have seemed absolute insanity to imagine prosecution of a President of the United States in a State Court, even when one could make a compelling case that the President had committed a crime which victimized the citizens in that jurisdiction.  Consider the Trump prosecution in Manhattan for allegedly falsifying a campaign finance expense about eight years ago.  Times are changing, so hear me out.  (Technically, a sitting President would not be able to be prosecuted until he or she leaves office.  But, for the sake of argument, let’s suppose Joe Biden loses this election.)

President Joe Biden just announced that he has unilaterally decided to grant 7.7 Billion Dollars in student loan relief for persons he unilaterally chose via executive order.  This, despite the fact that earlier this year the United States Supreme Court told him that he had no authority to do such a thing by executive order.  As we all know from High School Government, Congress controls the purse strings in America- not the President.  

Now then, we are all smart enough to know that there really is no such thing as wiping out student debt. Someone always pays.  Consequently, to buy votes, Joe Biden has, without lawful authority, decided to take money from you and me and give it to a group of people that he is selfishly hoping to convince to keep him in power.

In Indiana, the crime of Theft is defined as exerting unauthorized control over the property of another person with intent to deprive that person of any part of the use or value thereof.  If there are roughly 350 million people in America this amounts to a cost of $22 per person. 

Donald Trump has about 10% approval rating in Manhattan, which about matches the Biden approval rating in Southwestern Indiana.  Suppose a Grand Jury in Southwestern Indiana was called to consider whether President Biden’s unauthorized control of your money met the legal elements of Theft?  

What is the difference in this scenario and Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s prosecution of Donald Trump?  I would argue that simply based upon a mechanical analysis, the Biden prosecution is actually more justified than the Trump prosecution.  DA Bragg has had to cobble Misdemeanor record-keeping offenses together under a novel theory that there was an enhancement because the record-keeping offense was done to break another law, raising it to a felony. Consequently that Statute of Limitations now has not run out- even though the acts at core are alleged misdemeanors (eight years old).  Making matters worse, Bragg’s case hinges on the jury finding that Trump intended to violate federal election law; for which Bragg, a State Prosecutor, has no jurisdiction.  (Did I mention that the Federal Election Commission has already declined to prosecute under this federal law).   So yes, the Biden prosecution for stealing from taxpayers to buy votes would have greater validity than the Trump prosecution for record-keeping, BUT, that would not make it right.  A State Prosecutor has no business prosecuting the President of the United States, past or present.  It is called “lawfare”, and, it has no place in America.  Lawfare is a devil which should not be invited into our way of life.   

In point of fact, this is a low point in America’s proud history as a Constitutional Republic.  Four Trump prosecutions, and two lawsuits, popping up like mushrooms all across the country in an election year, all moving at warp speed, are not a coincidence.  Biden’s fingerprints are all over this, and, I fear our nation may devolve into a never-ending tit-for-tat of political, rather than criminal, prosecutions.  In fact, no matter what the verdict in Manhattan, someone (probably on both sides) is/are likely to do something hateful and stupid- leading to more anger and more distrust.   The cycle will continue.      

Truly, the “hush money” trial has reminded me personally of many things that I do not like about Donald Trump: disloyalty to his wife; buying his way out of things, and being petty and selfish.  No matter, the only voice I have in objection to Biden’s lawfare is a vote for Trump.  Just like the gas pumps, “Biden did that!” Trump is right: Biden is just that crooked.  It also occurs to me that someone that crooked just might be willing to cheat at the ballot box.  I hope my vote counts.

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