Power of Attorneys

It is so difficult these days to know what to write about.  After all, there is Jim Jordan going down with the ship for the third time, losing votes in his attempt to become Insurrectionist Speaker.  And then in a (notably) secret vote of the Republican conference – secret, out of concern of violent threats from the fascist base of the party -- not even receiving a majority of votes and losing to remain their choice as Speaker.  As the House under Republican majority rule remains closed for business for 20 days and counting with no idea of how to end their debacle – in the midst of two major wars.  Not to mention Republicans in the Senate blocking the appointment of ambassadors to Israel and other Middle East countries, and blocking (of course) the promotion of military leaders – in the midst of two major wars.

And then, too, of course, are those two wars, especially between Israel and Hamas, with the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

But…for me, the top story remains (and indeed, increases) with Ken Chesebro becoming the second Trump lawyer in two days to plead guilty. Not the coffee boy, not someone who Trump barely knows. Two Trump inner-circle lawyers. And this one for a felony, related to the false electors scheme.  (But it's worth noting that the original indictment against him including charges about disrupting Congress on January 6.)

By the way, as a whimsical side note, it took him three days, but Trump did finally do his best to deny any involvement with the first of those two inner-circle lawyers who pleaded guilty for their part in election fraud, saying that Sidney Powell “was not my lawyer and never was.”  Ignoring the reality that she was one of the top lawyers for his election campaign who argued (and lost) many cases on behalf of the campaign and who was in the December, 2020 meeting planning election fraud when Trump told all there that he wanted Powell to become his Special Counsel to investigate election fraud.  But that’s reality, so we can put that aside for now…

(Also worth noting is that by saying she was never his lawyer, that makes it incredibly hard for Trump to use a "following my lawyer's advice."  And further, it makes it impossible for him to cry "attorney-client" privilege -- never mind that he can't cry that anyway, what with the crime-fraud exception.  But still, the larger point is that it appears Trump didn't think his "She never was my lawyer" rant through very well.  And "very well" shall be defined here as meaning "at all.")

But back to Ken Chesebro.  In pleading guilty, he received a very light sentence, similar to Powell, which has to mean he gave up a lot.  He also was sentenced to five years probation, a $5,000 fine, 100 hours of community service, and must continue to provide documents and evidence.   He is also obligated to testify truthfully in the case against others.  And like Powell, has to write a letter of apology.  How impactful Powell's guilty plea was can be seen by the fact that Chesebro said he has already written the apology.

This makes three guilty pleas so far in the Georgia RICO case.  Which kind of makes the legal complaints that have been lodged by Georgia Republicans against DA Willis for her supposedly filing “empty charges” look empty.  And also make her strategy to file a RICO case look smarter and smarter.  Indeed, it would seem that at least some, if not many of the remaining 16 co-defendants must be pondering pleas - although it may be getting too late to get anything near as good a deal as Powell and Chesebro got.

In fact, at the rate things are going, the big wariness that many legal experts had about Willis filing a RICO case -- with 19 co-defendants and their lawyers being at the same table, and each attorney able to question each witness -- may end up being moot if defendants keep seeing the growing risk they face from flipped former-defendants testifying against them and instead plead guilty.  While it’s not at all likely that Trump will end up the only remaining defendant, what’s fascinating is that it’s not improbable.  And less improbably that the final defendants could be in single digits.

By the way, a friend made a great point I haven't heard addressed much.  When Powell and Chesebro separated their cases from the other 17 co-defendants to go early, one of the biggest "concerns" that legal analysts were saying was that this would show Trump's team the evidence that Fani Willis has and the legal arguments she would be making, which will help Trump prepare his defense.  But with both Powell and Chesebro pleading guilty, there is none of that!!!  What a subtle but significant bonus!

And what a major turn of events in what could be one of the most important of the cases against Trump, since it comes in state court where a president can’t pardon anyone -- and where there is an actual recording of Trump committing what appears to be blatant election fraud.

And not only have two inner-circle lawyers for Trump’s campaign – so far – pleaded guilty and required to testify openly and honestly or have their probation revoked and go to jail…but they can (and no doubt will) be called to testify in any of the other cases filed against Trump where their testimony would be appropriate.

And three guilty pleas (so far) over all.

Another one bites the dust

Another one bites the dust

And another one gone, and another one gone

Another one bites the dust

Hey, I'm gonna get you too

Another one bites the dust