Opinion by Brett Tolman
Lawfare doesn’t begin to describe the legal circus we’re witnessing this week as a state judge and prosecutor
thumb their noses at our U.S. Supreme Court. Despite the Justices’ easy-to-understand immunity ruling months ago, Judge Juan Merchan’s petulant ego threatens to undermine our entire constitution by
refusing to concede that People v. Trump is legally and procedurally flawed and should be dismissed.
As a nation committed to justice and the rule of law, this criminal case poses a grave threat to judicial impartiality and the public's faith in our criminal justice system. A judiciary that disproportionately defers prosecutorial authority undermines its constitutional role as a check on government power.
From its inception, this case has been marred by political overtones. The charges against Trump—34 counts of falsifying business records—may hold technical validity, but there’s no hiding that the broader context serves ulterior motives. Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan District Attorney, pursued this case not in the "interest of justice," as required by the
U.S. Supreme Court, but in a politically charged atmosphere that undermines public trust.
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