Imagine a world where everyone goes to sleep as soon as they are done with work, and saves their groggy end-of-day hours for work. Unfortunately, society has chosen the opposite.
The case I’m referring to in #2 has a judge that was not appointed by Trump. (Tanya Chutkan)
Case #1 might eventually be considered by the Supreme Court though, and your criticism would apply there.
Also, Trump’s trial over mishandling classified documents is overseen by Judge Cannon, who Trump appointed, which is a sham. Cannon should have recused herself.
I don’t mean there are 2 ways this can shake out. I mean there are 2 legal barriers in the way. Once the courts rule that Trump can be prosecuted, then the trial date is set for spring. The judge is motivated to hold to that trial date. The prosecutors have their evidence and arguments ready for the jury.
On the possibility of Trump pardoning himself, it’s not clear that a President can pardon himself and the supreme court would probably end up having to rule on that.
If Trump is a convicted felon, then he probably can’t get enough votes to win, but I don’t know, the cult is strong with this one.
At this point the only things between Trump and a jail cell are:
The courts must rule in the coming days (probably this month, Jan 2024) that Presidents are subject to criminal prosecution. We know Presidents are not subject to civil prosecution, but the courts are deciding about criminal prosecution now. (Trump argues it would be “bedlam” if Presidents were subject to the law).
A jury decision in mid 2024. If that jury says “guilty”, it’s over, Trump is a convicted felon.
The Colorado lower court also found it was an insurrection, but that an insurrection didn’t disqualify a person from running for President (because of some very specific wording in the constitution).
So both sides in the case appealed and now here we are.