What does the future hold for Donald Trump? - threadbans in OP

My unqualified opinion regarding 2024 and beyond for Donald Trump. Looks into crystal ball on table within an incense smoked darkened room. Mumbles a bit of esoteric Latin while fashioning hands about the glowing orb. Yes! Something prescient emerges.

1. After several frivolous motions that delay the currently scheduled March 2024 Jan 6 case prosecuted by Smith, Trump is tried and convicted in Washington DC. But before he can be sentenced, he whips out his pocket self pardon made by him days before leaving presidential office.
2. Smith appeals. A constitutional crisis results from Trump pardoning himself. The US Supreme Court, as stacked by Trump, rules in favor of Trump 6 to 3, and he is self pardoned not only for the Jan 6 conviction, but also for all alleged federal crimes that he may have committed since his birth approximately 78 years ago up to leaving the presidency 20 January 2021.
3. Several defense motions, often frivolous, but allowed by the Trump appointed US federal judge in Florida delays the alleged documents case originally scheduled for May 2024. Several critical pieces of evidence are thrown out by the Trump appointed judge, resulting in Smith appealing successfully to a higher court, but cause for more delays. The Trump appointed judge continues to reschedule the trial several times. The case does not go to trial until after the November 2024 general election.
4. The New York State alleged fraudulent business records case concerning the hidden Stormy Danials payments, has been delayed by an agreement between Smith and Bragg per a federal criminal case having precedence over a state case. Trump’s defense team challenges Bragg’s charge that elevated the indictment from misdemeanors to felony levels. Appeals eventually reach the US Supreme Court, stacked by Trump, and it rules in favor of Trump 5 to 4, with Roberts siding with the minority. The NY case does not go to trial before the November 2024 general elections, but only for misdemeanors, which Trump settles out of court for a fine, similar to the Trump University case.
5. The Georgia Republican controlled state legislature has passed a law that creates a commission that can impeach an elected county prosecutor. The Republican appointees commission impeaches Fani Willis for alleged dereliction of duty, removing her from prosecution before Trump can go to trial in March 2024. Along with all the confusion caused by this, additional confounding of the indictment against Trump and 18 co-defendants occurs, several of which successfully file severance from being tried together, as well as several, but not all, getting their cases moved to federal court. Georgia not only fails to try this case before the November 2024 election, but does not proceed with it in the future given pressures from state Republican officials.

Ohhhh, the crystal ball clouds from long term covid brain fog. Fathom leaves to make an overdue coffee house appointment.

Disclaimer: The above crystal ball visions are obviously a mystical fiction that pertains to alleged state and federal crimes, and notes that in the US all defendants are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty.

Presidents are allowed to issue pardons per the US Constitution, Article II, Section 2, Clause 1:

”The President… shall have the Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in cases of Impeachment.”

That’s all it says about pardons. It does not say he cannot pardon himself. The US Constitution is the ultimate law of the land. As to lesser case law, there have not been any rulings that pertain the president self pardoning himself, at lower federal courts, federal appeals courts, or the ultimate US Supreme Court. No case law, because none of the 46 presidents have tried it since the nation’s constitution came into force centuries ago.

The US Supreme Court is charged with interpreting the Constitution, but ex-post-facto rulings might be problematic, perhaps allowing it to stand in a past case if Trump used it for himself, but outlawed in future cases. That’s a supreme ruling, not mine.

Furthermore, the US Congress has not passed any laws that would prevent a president from pardoning himself, once again, because none of the 46 have tried it. Then again, because of the separation of government branches, there might be a question if Congress could overrule the US Constitution. Normally such changes would require a constitutional amendment ratified by the required number of the 50 states.

I’m not qualified to rigorously interpret the US Constitution, case laws, or congressional legislation. I work as a university researcher, but none of the above remotely falls near my domain, so my opinion may be worth 2 cents. Then again, maybe one cent.

Maybe Trump kept his mouth and Truth Social shut in this one unique case? He does seem to allegedly wave things about that are top secret before non-cleared citizens per the documents indictment, or allegedly before foreign diplomats at Mar-a-Lago. But if he waved it about, it would no longer be secret and therefore not a pocket pardon.

Then why would he delay whipping out his pocket pardon in an attempt to make Smith’s Jan 6 indictment moot? A couple reasons come to mind. First, what did Deep Throat say in the parking garage about how to break Watergate? “Follow the money.” The Trump team claims that they received over $7 million dollars in the three days following his last indictment. Indictments = money for Trump. Maybe state and federal trials will too? During his rallies Trump keeps yelling that he stands between the the #%#x DOJ and his followers, and if they get him, they will be next. So donate! And they do on the millions of dollars.

Second, there was an old statement decades old by former Louisiana governor and US senator Huey Long, nicknamed the King Fish. To paraphrase, the best news is good news, the second best news is bad news, and the worst news is no news for a politician. And with all this indictment news, Trump is sucking all the air out of the news media. It’s all Trump this, and Trump that during everyday news cycles. Trump is King Fish 2.0