Dem
51
GOP
49
It is a tradition with amateur theater groups to hold a cast party after the first live performance. So is it with political theater. After being arrested, fingerprinted, photographed, and booked, did Donald Trump go home and have serious meetings with his lawyers about his defense strategy? No. Of course not. He held a big party, as though he had just won the Iowa caucuses. The media were invited to cover it and bright lights were installed so the video quality would be excellent. Usually when someone is indicted, their first reaction is not to create a movie set for the media, but Trump is not your generic defendant. In sports, it is sometimes said that "the best defense is a good offense." Trump seems to think that holds for law and politics as well. We have our doubts about the law part, but for politics, being able to spin being indicted for 34 crimes as a huge win might work, at least for some voters. It's enough spinning that even Rumpelstiltskin would have been impressed.
Details? Get this: There was a parade in the ballroom, with couples walking in it smiling and waving, as if an indictment were like winning the lottery or the Super Bowl or the like. Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle took part, as did Eric and Lara Trump. Even Tiffany Trump and her husband, Michael Boulos, showed up. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and his new wife, Ginger, took part. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) was there alone. Although she called only for a national divorce, her former husband, Perry Greene, took it personally and divorced her in December. If she was looking for a replacement who is Trumpy as hell, she came to the right place as the room was packed with them.
Other attendees included a Who's Who of Trumpworld. Roger Stone, Mike Lindell, Reps. Ronny Jackson (R-TX) and Matt Rosendale (R-MT), among others, showed up for the festivities.
Caroline Wren, who worked for failed candidate Kari Lake in Arizona, said: "It's pretty wild to see these people here celebrating. Who has a baby shower when you can have an arraignment party?" Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" was playing when Trump stepped up.
The former president naturally gave a speech listing all his grievances, the scandals he has endured, and the opponents he has faced. He called Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg the real criminal and special counsel Jack Smith a lunatic. In case you have forgotten, calling people names can have consequences. In 2 weeks, Trump will be in court because he called writer E. Jean Carroll a liar when she said he raped her. But Trump was undeterred.
Trump also repeatedly attacked Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over the trials of the Trump Organization, Steve Bannon, and Allen Weisselberg. Trump clearly wants him removed from the case, but there the no reason to expect that he will recuse himself or be taken off the case by the chief judge. If he were removed, however, Trump would tout that as a massive victory.
In addition, on his social media website, he called for defunding the police—no, sorry, defunding the FBI. Traditionally Republicans supported law enforcement, but Trump's support is very selective. When they are doing things he likes, he supports them. Otherwise, no.
If this is how Trump celebrated being indicted on minor charges of falsifying bookkeeping records, just imagine what he will do if Fulton County D.A. indicts him for trying to steal an election. He'll have to rent Disney World for a week to top this. Which, you know, he just might, given Disney World's relationship with Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL). After all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. (V)