…at last
Well, there you have it! Even though there have been increasing accusations that the American Justice system is broken, you gotta admit that a jury convicting a past US president – and presumed frontrunner in their upcoming elections – should give one hope!! Donald Trump – the man who defines the word “sleaze” by just looking at him smirk – has been convicted on THIRTY-FOUR counts. There are three other more serious criminal cases outstanding – including that Trump tried to overturn his 2020 presidential defeat, and mishandled classified documents after leaving office. But they won’t come up for trial until after the elections, so we – and he – gotta deal with this unanimous decision by his jury of twelve!!
While the substantive matter of falsification of business records was under trial, the reason for the falsification was even more gripping to Americans and the world at large. Imagine the effect of the salacious details of the presumed billionaire having sex with an admitted porn star graphically regaled in a New York courtroom – like Trump asking to be spanked with a folded magazine!! – had on folks who held leaders to a higher standard. And he was married to his present wife, Melanie, at the time!! But then this is a man who boasted that he enjoyed grabbing women by their crotches, cause they’d be too shocked to protest!!
So, what happens now that Donald Trump has become the first U.S. president to be convicted of a crime? Well…probably nothing!! And that’s not because he’ll appeal the judgement. Even though there’s a maximum 4-year jail term for each falsification of business records, since it’s his first conviction, the smart money says he’ll just be given a slap on the wrist – like receiving probation or conditional discharge – and be told to be a good boy going forward!! So, it doesn’t look like we’ll be seeing Trump in an orange jumpsuit behind bars.
The sentencing will be handed down on July 11 – four days before the Republican National Convention!! With the reaction of the party leaders at the conviction – near unanimity in questioning the legitimacy of the trial, and how it was conducted – he might be received as a conquering hero – once he ain’t jailed!! House Speaker Mike Johnson protested that it was a “shameful day in American history”, and the charges were “purely political.” Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance said the verdict was a “disgrace to the judicial system.” And Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, the No. 2 House Republican, pronounced that the decision was “a defeat for Americans who believe in the critical legal tenet that justice is blind.” And these are the folks that make the laws for America!!
If he’s jailed, who knows, the RNC might just try to break him out!!
…in South Africa
In case you didn’t hear, South Africa held their general elections. While the results are gonna be declared tomorrow, the trend is clear: Mandela’s ANC has lost the clear majority it’s won for 30 years!! So, how could the ANC lose when it was the emblematic Black party in all of Africa – seizing the democratic moral high ground earned by Mandela?
Sadly, things fell apart because of greed and the corruption it breeds like mushrooms on dung!! Even Mandela wasn’t exempted: it was discovered that most of the top execs and other “freedom fighters” had enriched themselves – while the country went to the dogs. Continuous blackouts and a collapsing economy resulted. Ex-Pres Zuma – who’d been charged with corruption and is out on court contempt – formed a breakaway party that looks headed for high double digits. The Black radical youth leader Malema’s EEF will get the same, and the White/Coloured/Business- oriented Democratic Alliance will increase its 25%.
Expect confusion due to conflicting demands.
…against Venezuela
Mad Maduro was hoping to get revenues from the Dragon gas which the US had permitted T&T and BP to exploit. But a T&T court just granted ConocoPhillips COP.N the right to enforce a $1.33 billion claim against Venezuela for past expropriations!
