Fani Willis Knows When a Trial Is a Show Trial – WSJ

If the worst allegations are true, credit Fani Willis at least with understanding in her own mind what her case, and all the cases against Donald Trump, are really about.

In the worst interpretation, the Fulton Country, Ga., district attorney hired her boyfriend, a municipal court judge, as co-prosecutor against Mr. Trump despite his lack of relevant expertise in Georgia election or RICO law because she was cutting an ally in on a big-time case, a lucrative hustle, a chance for national fame. If so, it s a useful light on the Trump prosecutions generally.

They aren t about the facts and law, at least until they reach the appellate level, and maybe not then. They are battles of jury nullification (if I can stretch a point to include 150 million voters in the jury): It doesn t matter what the law says, Trump is bad vs. It doesn t matter what the law says, Trump s enemies are bad.

Trump opponents cloak themselves in sanctimony, whereas Mr. Trump portrays himself as a gamester outsmarting less competent, more self-deluding gamesters. That s why he keeps coming out ahead in such fights. Careful onlookers will often find little to choose ethically between him and his enemies.

To me, the most interesting case is the most legally sound, the documents-related case, though that s not why it s interesting. It gets to the unspoken issue.

via www.wsj.com

Holman Jenkins, a national treasure.