If Trump is the Republican nominee, would it still be possible to prosecute him?

[kentuck]

It would be extremely difficult to prosecute anybody that is considered the leader of one of the two major political Parties in this country. The idea of "justice" would have little to do with it. The Justice Department could not simply overlook the political reality that almost half of the country supports a person charged with serious criminal offenses. The political reality would overwhelm any criminal offenses.

It would be naive to think that "political realities" would make no difference to the Justice Department, on whether or not to charge the leader of the other Party with criminal indictments. Contrary to popular belief, justice is not blind.

In my opinion, the only people that can hold Trump accountable are the voters of this country, most specifically, the Republican voters of this country.

If he is rejected in the primaries or defeated in the general election, then the voters have spoken. The Justice Dept would then have license to prosecute. He would then have been defeated for a second time and would hold no special privileges in the minds of the voters, as he would if he were the leader of their Party.

Local and state prosecutions would have much more merit with a criminal such as Donald Trump. That is why the Georgia indictments are so important, in my opinion.

[emulatorloo]

1. That's what Trump thinks, but he is mistaken.

OTOH sounds like Jack Smith is about done with the J6 and documents grand juries. May well be indictments prior to Trump being the nominee.

[Fiendish Thingy]

2. He won't become the nominee until August 2024

Which is Just before the DOJ election season moratorium begins. Georgia, or any other state’s prosecutions, are not affected by the moratorium.

I expect he will be indicted on numerous DOJ charges long before then, although perhaps not all potential federal charges.

Once a candidate is indicted, the control of the process shifts to the courts, and the DOJ moratorium does not affect the judicial branch and the trial.

I would not expect Smith to indict, then for Garland to ask the judge to postpone the trial until the election is over. That’s not going to happen. I also don’t expect Garland to block Smith from seeking indictments until after the elections.

[Just A Box Of Rain]

5. I see it the same way.

[kentuck]

6. He hides behind the Republican Party...

...as a political shield, for a political shill.

His first job is to get DeSantis out of the race. He is hoping no Republicans will challenge him for the nomination of the Party. He would like to be unanimous in his Party.

Who would dare to challenge him for the nomination of the Republican Party? Can you think of even one person?

[Fiendish Thingy]

8. Isn't this thread about obstacles to prosecuting Trump?

That’s what I was responding to, not the odds of him getting the nomination.

Regardless of whether he runs unopposed or not, the convention isn’t until August 2024, and the moratorium doesn’t begin until around Labor Day 2024.

DOJ will indict him before then.

[walkingman]

3. It amazes me that half out country worships such a POS - says a lot about America.

[Silent3]

4. It was *possible* to indict and prosecute Trump while he was President

No law prevented that. Only DoJ internal policy, which clearly has too little flexibility or common sense, and too much sycophancy, to deal with an emergency situation.

[Martin68]

7. Of course.

[bluestarone]

9. I agree, it will be more difficult. i'll take this a step further

I believe that is exactly WHY he;s the nominee. They will do ANYTHING to help protect and STALL his prison term. ALL PREPLANNED!!

[MissMillie]

10. Primaries don't start for another 9 months

And there will be no official nominee for over a year.

I suspect that Willis will announce her indictments by September of this year--in fact I think she has already said that this is her plan. (I don't know whether or not TFG will be included in her indictments. I think whether he's included will depend on whether or not she can tie TFG to the GOP phony electors. The electors are ratting each other out. I don't have a hard time imagining that they'd give up TFG to get a plea deal.)

If/when DOJ makes indictments, that will happen before 90 days prior to the first primary/caucus. They have a policy of 90 days before elections (though we have witnessed them break that policy before).

I don't think that TFG gets a free pass from indictment just because he announced his candidacy 2 years before an election. I'm sure HE thinks this might give him a free pass, but frankly that just further proves what an idiot he is.

[lame54]

11. We HAVE to