No One Above The Law!

Ishtiaq Ahmed

London: Donald Trump, the former president of the United States, is in New York to face criminal charges later today.

Trump is the first former President to face criminal charges. He is spending night at the Trump Tower before his appearance in the court to face charges. The indictment has come after a yearlong investigation by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg. Mr Trump is running as a Republican candidate for president in 2024.

The case against Trump comes after a grand jury in New York heard evidence from Michael Cohen, his erstwhile lawyer that he was ordered in 2016 to pay $130,000 to porn actor Stormy Daniels to cover up an alleged affair.

The learned readers may recall that Mr Cohen was convicted for breaking campaign finance rules and tax evasion in connection to the payment. Such cases are unknown in Pakistan where millions are spent by the vying politicians without the fear of accountability by the relevant authorities.

Something that the courts in Pakistan and Pakistan Election Commission should make a priority.

The full details of the charges are not known but sources close to the case say that one of these at least could be felony fraud which could carry a maximum of about five years in prison, although, it is common for convicts to be sentenced to just probation or a fine.

Even if convicted, it is highly unlikely that the former president could be legally prevented from running in a future presidential election. Mr Trump has already made it clear that he will not abandon his 2024 White House campaign.

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The opponents of the case say that the indictment is politically motivated. Mr Trump’s legal team claims that the alleged payment had nothing to do with the presidential campaign but was paid to protect Mr Trump’s family against false allegations.

The Prosecutors would have to prove that Mr Trump had full knowledge of the payment and that it was to aid his election campaign.

Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg would have to prove that Mr Trump knew he was breaking the law and that he falsified business records. He paid the money knowing to prevent the affair from going public and which would have been embarrassing to him.

The full details of the case should emerge later today when the case for indictment is set out before the court by the prosecuting team.

The fact that such case against a former president has come to the court is significant. It points the core principle of justice that is no one is above the law, not even the former president.

We also know that the Mr Trump would be appearing in person to face the charges and would not be hiding behind the hordes of lawyers.

He certainly would not be finding ways and excuses to leave the country to avoid facing the court as it has become an established tradition in Pakistan where present and former office bearers find every lame excuse to avoid accountability and justice.

There are other pending investigations against Mr Trump including the inciting of violence and attack on the capitol hill after his demise in the previous presidential elections.

The case is being intriguingly watched by the international community.

The author is a British citizen of Pakistani origin with a keen interest in Pakistani and international affairs.