Chris Truax in The Hill: “If Trump gets convicted, what happens next?”
Charter Member Chris Truax published a new op-ed in The Hill. It it, he argues that it’s unlikely that a former president — much less a potential president-elect — would find himself in jail or prison,” but that the possibility is on the table. He goes on to sketch the various scenarios that could lead to this outcome. Chris writes:
So are we likely to see Donald Trump gagged or jailed? That all depends on Trump. Perhaps he will behave himself. But these things are real possibilities for the former commander in chief, just as they are for any criminal defendant.
The rule of law can sometimes be a harsh mistress. There is a very real possibility that one of our two major presidential candidates will be a convicted felon and serving time by November. That’s bad enough. But if he is elected despite a conviction, then constitutional crises don’t come much bigger than that.
Yes, jailing a former and possibly future president would be unprecedented. But these are unprecedented times, and unprecedented things are going to happen. Trump facing jail, especially for contempt of court, is one of the less bizarre scenarios we are likely to see play out in the coming months.