Despite indictments, Trump still dominates GOP line-up and media

YOU have to hand it to Donald Trump. Even as polls continue to show that a clear majority of Americans don’t want him back in the White House or perhaps even to remain out of prison, this man exerts an irresistible force on the media in the US. And he continues to crush any and all Republican opposition to his renomination for president next summer.

Trump was indicted for a second time on Tuesday, this time in federal court in Washington, on charges related to his incitement of the January 6, 2021 riots that saw the American capitol breached by an angry mob of Trump supporters.

Trump was charged on four counts: conspiracy to defraud the US; conspiracy to threaten the rights of others; and one count each of conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding before Congress. Convictions on the first two would carry a sentence of up to five years in prison each; the other charges carry up to 20 years each.

There was more bad news for Trump. The judge overseeing his case in Washington is much different than Florida district judge Aileen Cannon, who was appointed to her position by Trump three years ago, has ruled in his favor a couple of times already, and was randomly assigned to oversee his trial on charges related to his alleged illegal theft of highly sensitive documents from the White House after he lost the 2020 election.