Or, what does it take to get arrested in New York?
As I write this, Donald Trump hasn’t yet been arrested, although I suspect (and rather hope) that by the time you get to read it, he will have been.
Speaking as an interested observer of the US political scene (ever since I did A Level Politics at a time when Jimmy Carter was handing the White House keys to Ronald Reagan – and yes I know, that dates me), I find myself wondering why it has taken so long for the old boy to have his collar felt by the authorities.
I suspect there are two reasons: 1. Because Trump has predicted the timing. By delaying the arrest it shows he’s wrong yet again. And 2. They want to be sure that there’s no way he can use it to his political advantage. And given his legendary ability to make up whatever he thinks will play well with his MAGA power base, they will need to have to have a cast iron case; one that he cannot spin into presenting him as the victim. Rather it needs to show that he is a clear-cut criminal. A bit like getting Al Capone for tax evasion. And it will be interesting to see if his MAGA meatheads will have his back if he is indicted. I rather think not; they do appear to have learned the lessons of January 6th – if you take part in insurrectionist protest, you’re liable to get arrested yourself. As I understand it, the only protest so far in New York has been against Trump. Hopefully that will give the District Attorney Alvin Bragg the reassurance he needs to crack on with the indictment.
