ABC Reporter Calls Trump Felony Charges "Tawdry"—"Why Is This Even Being Prosecuted?"
Just before Trump’s sentencing in the sketchy Stormy Daniels hush money case, ABC Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl spoke critically of the charges. He called the case “tawdry”. “Frankly, a fair observer could look at that New York case and say, ‘Why is this even being prosecuted?’," he said in the Washington, DC bookstore, Politics and Prose.
Tim Heaphy, the January 6th Committee’s lead investigator, tried to frame Karl’s thoughts as a Trump talking point; however, Karl repeated that it’s not just Trump’s point of view but that of any “fair-minded observer”.
KARL: Ultimately, the only criminal trial that happened related to the past and future President was the one in New York, a pretty complicated case involving payments that his fixer and lawyer made to a porn actress…
HEAPHY: Falsification of records.
KARL: Falsification of records itself wasn't a felony. But if you tied it to a campaign finance violation because you make the argument he did it so it wouldn't hurt his campaign if she had spoken out. I mean it's a pretty complicated, tawdry set of—and you think that's the thing that he went on trial for. But not [January 6th].
HEAPHY: Yes.
KARL: I mean how much of a problem—Cause I mean frankly, a fair observer could look at that New York case and say, "Why is this even being prosecuted?"
HEAPHY: Well, and I think [Trump] did say that, and it—
KARL: Well, he said it but I think a fair observer can say it…
Karl covered the trial last year for ABC News. Funny, how these fair-minded observations come only now, after the charges, after the trial, and after the election. There always seems to be a reliable delay for fair-minded observations in the gatekeeping mainstream media. Whether it’s the COVID-19 lab leak, Joe Biden’s dementia, or the partisan corruption of our legal system.
It’s fascinating to see how many center-left personalities and CEO’s have recently reshaped their views in a more conservative direction. And Trump hasn’t even been sworn in yet! Is that because they now feel free to say what they really believe, or is this more moderate shift more a matter of blowing with the winds of a Trump administration? Regardless, the Orange Man Bad resistance seems to have largely evaporated.
My understanding is that Trump's felony conviction resulted from an essentialy crafted NY State statute, adding felonious charges when a connection can be made to election fraud. I'm not a supporter of the former and incoming president, but have always thought the circumstances of this charge and conviction were contrived.