Democrats and Georgia prosecutors will try to humiliate Donald Trump in a televised courtroom appearance and trial, but the tactic could backfire if the former president succeeds in putting the politically-tainted judicial system on trial.
Trump’s first appearance in court to face his charges, which will come sometime before Aug. 25, could be the Super Bowl of politics, drawing hundreds of millions of viewers around the world.
It will be the first time live cameras have been permitted in Trump’s long legal saga.
Prosecutors and the judge want the optic of treating Trump like any other criminal, complete with mug shots and showing up at the jailhouse.
There are obvious disadvantages to Trump fighting his case live on TV.
Every minute he has to spend in court is a minute he can’t be out there campaigning.
Every dollar he spends defending himself, will be money he can’t spend on the campaign.
Whether they stop him running for president they’ve already tried tying his hands behind his back and bogging down his candidacy.
But Trump – never one to shy away from cameras – could try to make the courtroom his stage in proving the charges against him are bogus and an attempt to stop his 2024 presidential campaign.
No matter what prosecutors do, it’s going to seem political, especially when the lawyers and judge are Democrats.
As much as Democrats in a twisted way will enjoy seeing him humiliated, most of the country may see it differently.
It could take on a Kangaroo court feel and the people with the credibility problem could turn out to be prosecutors.
Much like Trump’s poll numbers have gone up after his indictments, a trial – if it even comes before the election – could boost his chances.
The Georgia case could turn out to be one indictment too far, putting a face to the notion that this is simply a stop Trump effort.
Trump could act indignant, taking the Al Pacino, “I’m not out of order, you’re out of order, this whole court is out of order” approach. He could become a martyr to his supporters.
The kitchen sink indictment against the former president for trying to overturn the Georgia election may not withstand scrutiny once Trump is allowed to present his defense.
It could show how ludicrous it is trying Trump like an organized crime kingpin with RICO charges.
Did he try to corral enough votes to win the state? Yes. But he can argue that he didn’t rig the election because he didn’t win.
There will be an initial wow factor when Trump first appears in court, but as they slog through other appearances and the trial it could quickly become mundane – much like the Jan. 6 hearings.
The reality is most courtroom proceedings are slow-moving and boring – even with Trump at the center.
But if Trump plays his cards right, he could walk away as a political martyr – not the crooked mobster prosecutors are trying to portray.