Ruat caelum fiat justitia

Though the heavens fall, let justice be done.

Comments

[RainbowDoubleDash]

Side note: it’s technically supposed to be fiat justitia ruat caelum (“let justice be done though the heavens fall”), but I prefer saying it the other way. It sounds more profound.

[thatguyvex]

Here's hoping something actually comes of this, but it is nice to at least see the gears of the judicial system turn, however slowly.

[Thought Prism]

Finally.

[Herald of Opera]

To be fair, translations already have to alter word order just because of different languages having different grammatical order. If you need to do so to make a pithy quote pithier, you're pretty much honor-bound to.

[Herald of Opera]

It marks the first time in US history that a current or former president will face criminal charges.

To be fair, Watergate only didn't get that far because he had the good sense to resign and make it a moot point. (This isn't the only way in which Trump is basically just a less competent Nixon)

[Georg]

I much prefer Sir Thomas More's speech about the importance of man's laws in protecting the innocent and guilty alike in A Man For All Seasons. The protections of law extend over everybody, regardless of our feelings about them. To have a prosecutor throw out the statute of limitations, prior established law, and launch a legal assault in this fashion may feel good now, but when they have cut down the laws protecting those who we dislike, they have cut down the same protections guarding us.

[RainbowDoubleDash]

5720525
The statute of limitations in the case has run out for misdemeanor charges, but not yet for felony ones, which is believed to be what he is charged with (though the indictment is still sealed at the moment)

No, at least in terms of whether or not Trump can be charged, we’re very much in the clear here.

EDIT
Oh, also New York law allows the statute of limitations to be paused for every day Trump spent outside of New York State after the last criminal act he committed. So in fact possibly even the misdemeanor charges haven’t run out given that Trump spent only 81 days during his presidency in New York, leaving around 21 months on the statute of limitations remaining.

[Steel Resolve]

5720525
Assuming that is true, the judge would have every reason to dismiss the case. But Trump should have to answer the charges. That is how our system works.

[Fermats Last Pony]

5720523
It's worth remembering that Nixon was pardoned after he resigned from office.
Pardon of Richard Nixon

He likely would have faced investigation and charges otherwise.

5720525
Agreed.

I'm not a fan of #45, but the hush money charges don't seem airtight at all.

Though we haven't seen all the charges yet, so I'll withhold judgment.

What to know about Alvin Bragg, Manhattan district attorney

Bragg inherited a yearslong grand jury investigation into hush money paid on Trump’s behalf during his 2016 presidential campaign.

After taking office, Bragg slowed down his office’s move toward an indictment against Trump and said he had concerns about the strength of the case. That sparked a public protest by two prosecutors who were leading the investigation and resigned.

Hoping this doesn't turn into a HUUUUUUUUGE clusterfluff, but given the personalities involved I won't hold my breath.

[Georg]

5720560 Technically, the case is not about the hush money payment, i.e. blackmail payoff to Stormy. It's perfectly legal to pay off a blackmailer/plaintiff with a Non-Disclosure Arrangement (like Bill Clinton did with several young women). It *would* have been illegal to pay her NDA with campaign funds. Both Trump and Clinton used personal funds. Where the claim of illegality comes is how that payoff was structured. The Stormy NDA was signed by her and Cohen, but not Trump (but it was still a legal enforceable contract). She was paid, wound up over the years issuing several "We didn't do it" statements when asked about it, but was foolish enough to believe Michael Avenatti when he claimed she could make more money than the penalty clause in the NDA by breaking it. That went poorly. Avenatti took her money from another settlement, stole millions, and wound up in jail after trying to extort Nike, leaving Stormy on the hook for paying off the penalty clause in the NDA.

The Feds looked into the NDA arrangement and decided there was nothing there to prosecute. The IRS looked into it (since the payments to Cohen were counted as expenses) and decided there was nothing worth prosecuting. The NY DA looked into it and decided there was nothing worth prosecuting. Then along came Bragg, years after the statute of limitations had passed. Yeah, color me skeptical. If the IRS passes on running you through the wringer for a loose dime or two, there's nothing there.

[RainbowDoubleDash]

5720620

years after the statute of limitations had passed

Again, it hasn’t actually passed. The statute of limitations is 2 years from the commission of the crime but is paused for every day that the person is outside of the state. Between 8/1/17 (when Trump signed the check to Cohen) and today, Trump has spent only 81 non-consecutive days in New York. The statute of limitations has 21 months left on it and is at present paused on those 21 months.

[Fermats Last Pony]

Trump and Stormy Daniels cash in on merchandise after indictment

[vazak]

And he just keeps incriminating himself, its so cathartic.