Letters: Government should give Trump ample time to defend himself

There’s a lot of discussion about the timing of the federal indictments of twice-impeached former President Donald Trump.

Setting aside that there is no good time to charge a former president of criminal conduct, the consensus of Republican leaders during his impeachment trials was simply that an impeachment was not the right venue and the president should face indictment and trial in court only at the end of his term. Similarly, the Mueller report examining the possibility of Russian interference during Trump’s first election cited a Justice Department memorandum that argues against indicting a president while in office.

Clearly the allegations Trump is facing related to his defeat to Joe Biden is no surprise to anyone. The issue now is whether a trial should occur promptly or should await the outcome of the next election in which Trump may be the Republican nominee and eventually the president.

A speedy trial is for the benefit of the accused and not the government. I don’t think motions, a trial and appeals can possibly occur during any window of opportunity before Trump is again a nominee or becomes the president.

The die is cast. There are two federal indictments regarding matters tied to his defeat for a second term. Trump’s legal team could waive his right to a speedy trial. It’s his freedom and liberty at stake, and if he believes he cannot defend himself while pursuing his second term, then delay the trial to even years from now. Complicated criminal trials with many witnesses often occur years after the alleged wrongdoing. The considerable burden of examining evidence, complicated motion practice and trial preparation may be inconsistent with a quick disposition of the case. Plus, a speedy trial is to force the government to meet its burden of proof.

I think if Trump needs time to defend himself, the government should accommodate him. If he again becomes president, he will have been elected by a nation that doesn’t care about his alleged prior conduct.

— Sheldon I. Saitlin, Boca Raton, Florida

DOJ thoroughly politicized

Regrettably, this largely “Donald Trump should have known better” indictment is not likely to make a dent in Trump’s support, and it might actually enhance it. This is because of the fully justified perception, one that I share, that the Department of Justice is disgracefully politicized in favor of the Democrats.

On the one hand, you have a DOJ putting the hammer down on Trump in any way it can, and on the other, a DOJ offering a sweetheart slap-on-the-wrist deal to Hunter Biden while ... oops, somehow letting the statute of limitations expire on two years of his tax returns, according to whistleblowers from the Internal Revenue Service.

This is a DOJ that, based on fully credible whistleblower testimony, did everything it could to thwart the IRS investigation into Hunter Biden. I could go on, of course, all the way back to the 2016 election. but as little as I think of Trump, and given a choice between accepting the continuing corrupt Democratic politicization of the highest law enforcement agency in America or accept Trump, I’ll go with Trump, and at some point, that may include my vote.

— Neil Gaffney, Chicago

Indictment a political sham

There’s no doubt that Donald Trump did many bad things after the 2020 election, but this latest indictment is nothing more than a political witch hunt. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland should be ashamed of himself for allowing this sham to proceed.

Unfortunately, he and special counsel Jack Smith are nothing more than paid political hacks. Isn’t it rather ironic that this indictment comes a day after a whistleblower testified that President Joe Biden had spoken with son Hunter Biden’s business associates over the years?

This is purely election interference and undermines our confidence in the judicial system.

— Dan Schuchardt, Glen Ellyn

ACE Act a GOP power grab

Donald Trump has finally been indicted on charges related to his horrific attempt to destabilize our democracy on Jan. 6. It’s an important step toward accountability, and I’m thankful that our legal system is working as intended, but it’s hard to feel any relief when Republicans in Congress are actively trying to enshrine Trump’s alleged crimes into law.

The American Confidence in Elections (ACE) Act should be called the Big Lie Act, since it aims to finish what Trump started: The measure would make it easier for dishonest politicians to challenge election results, increase the corporate and dark money influence in our elections, block states from running voter registration programs and empower the spread of disinformation. It is custom-designed to help Trump regain power, despite his indictment.

The fact that Trump has been charged with a whole list of new, serious crimes, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, along with all his other indictments, shows us once again that Trump and his MAGA enablers in the House are a grave threat to our democracy and our country.

We deserve and demand fair, free and open elections, not shameless power grabs and endless Republican corruption.

— Danielle Harter, Chicago

Founding Fathers’ prescience

There are many people who think that our Founding Fathers must be turning in their graves over Trump’s indictments and his poll numbers.

But there are at least two who are not. Ben Franklin, reportedly when asked about what type of government the Constitutional Convention of 1787 had created, replied: “A republic, if you can keep it.” He clearly had grave doubts about our ability to keep such a form of government.

And John Adams once said, “There never was a democracy yet, that did not commit suicide.” The supporters and voters of Trump are the weapons by which our democracy will die if they prevail.

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— Jan Goldberg, Riverside

Trump’s failure to his oath

Donald J. Trump took an oath of office that he would “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” He lied from day one.

— Marsha Lieberman, Chicago

The final nail in coffin?

Talk about a sore loser. Here we go again. We can only hope that this latest federal indictment might be the final nail in Donald Trump’s coffin.

— Michael Oakes, Chicago

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