The media narrative has empowered Trump

Things were not as close as the media has reported. Let's examine where the media narrative was wrong.

1. The Vance case was never about getting Trump's federal tax returns. He had them because New York had them. New York had them because they were an addendum to his state returns. The case was about the confirming accounting and bank records. Sadly, the statute of limitations on money laundering has expired, so any money laundering done for Russia is off the table.

The New York Times had the Trump returns and reported on them. When the story was available, the national media failed to cover it adequately. It still could but does not.

2. As the federal district judge hinted and the Supreme Court affirmed, there is no presidential immunity, and as the district judge hinted (though he could not order it because it was not part of the case), the Office of Legal Counsel opinion has no legal force. Any federal prosecutor could have indicted Trump, had they had the courage, and any federal magistrate would have issued instructions to the President's Secret Service detail to detain Trump (and be sanctioned if they did not).

The media narrative did not even explore this possibility, which reinforced Donald Trump's mistaken belief that he was immune from prosecution. Arresting Trump should have been discussed - not just whether it could happen but also how easy it could have been done. Again, MSNBC and CNN failed to depart from a narrative that enabled Trump to continue in power.

3. Robert Barr was not as bad as is reported. Barr was the shiny object that convinced Trump that he was OK. The reality is that the Mueller investigation spent a good deal of time passing off information to the FBI, which will be useful in cases against Trump in the Eastern District of New York and the Eastern District of Virginia. 

The case against Fruman and Parnas shows a money trail from Moscow to Lev and Igor to Rudy and the Trump Super-PAC. A bribery conviction against Trump ends his eligibility for any federal office.

If Barr were a bad actor, the investigations would have been quashed and every piece of evidence classified and then ordered burned. When Barr made an obvious mistake in selecting a new US Attorney for SDNY, he did it in such a way as to make sure there would be no political appointee that could obstruct the investigation.

4. An official DOJ letter, as drafted by Clark, would never have been sent and was not. State legislatures were never going to follow suggestions to send alternative slates of electors, so there was no path to 270 for Trump.

5. The acting Secretary of Defenses instructions to not attack the insurrectionists would not have been followed by the DC Guard. Further, once Mayor Bowser had declared the event a riot, things got serious and the mob cleared. Once the door to the Speaker's lobby held, the day was over and the leaders, who were likely not in that mob, pulled back. Those who were arrested at that time will turn on their leadership.

6. There will be no future Trump uprising. Everything Trump had went into January 6th. The shock troops all reported and their leadership, probably including Q, are rotting in the DC Jail. They won't get out before trial and certainly not after their trials. Without these extremists, there is no danger.

7. The 12th Amendment's clear language states that, if electors are disqualified the total required to make a majority changes. The Speaker would have ruled that this is the case and any objection would have been upheld by the Majority. The tragedy of January 6th is that no one made a parliamentary inquiry about this matter. Had they done so early enough, or had this matter been covered in the media, the Insurrection simply would not have occurred.

8. Members of Congress who voted to challenge the Electoral Votes knew that this was just for show. Had things gotten bloody, the coup would not have occurred. While those who worked with Trump should be expelled in due course, the investigation has not yet gone there. Whether there is a referral to the Ethics Committee already in progress is not known. You can bet that there will be. 

Those who voted the wrong way may have to accept censure to survive politically to heal the nation. It will certainly be used in elections in any district that is not gerrymandered. Some may not run.

9. The 20th Amendment puts the Speaker of the House in charge if the election is disputed after January 20th.

10. Chief Justice Roberts would never have sworn Trump in for a second term. He would have inaugurated Biden as planned.

11. The permanent government would have respected the rule of law. If a Kangaroo Congress had declared Trump the winner, he would not have been obeyed.

12. Trump will not live long enough to run for office. If he does, he will have been convicted of bribery and be ineligible to serve and, again, the disability would not be removed as required by the 14th Amendment. Current office holders are biding their time rather than leading, but they know how this will end and will pivot.

13. Trump is about to be poor. Those who think that Trump is a successful businessman will think twice once his property is seized by creditors and by governments under civil asset forfeiture, especially when it is revealed how much of his money depended on the kindness of Vladimir Putin. Once this comes out and they are faced with the label of being soft on a KGB lieutenant colonel, they will dump Trump. So will any supporters in Congress.

The media could explore that story now. The question should be tested among GOP voters. If Trumpism means being Soft on Putin, Trump is done.

14. The other source of Trump's power - and those who would support someone like him - is the pro-life movement and their commitment to overturn Roe. The media narrative on that is wrong as well. While some appellate judges are letting matters go to the Supreme Court, there is no danger that the Court will overturn Roe to the extent that the state power regime of Plessy v. Ferguson is restored. 

The main point of the Mississippi case is to affirm state power over who is a person. Only Justice Scalia though that was a good idea. Scalia is dead. The arguments in December will likely include discussion of this issue and June will not be a good month for the pro-life movement. Had there been a ground swell of support for overturning Roe, they would have heard Box (Indiana) vs. Planned Parenthood of Indiana and West Virginia, regardless of Rule 10.

The media is looking for a story. Again, their narrative is wrong. Once the Pro-Life movement is forced to accept the certainty that Roe will not fall (even if viability is pushed back to fetal reaction to painful stimuli), they will feel betrayed by the justices Trump appointed and will lose steam.

It is time to report the truth rather than spewing a narrative that keeps controversy going. It is harmful to the country - as much as Trumpism/Putinism is.