Trump tailwind as Republican National Convention begins
A federal judge has dismissed the classified documents case against Donald Trump, a huge victory for the former President two days after surviving an assassination attempt.
The dismissal comes the day that Trump is expected to announce his running mate and be formally endorsed by the Republican party as its candidate for president at the Republican National Convention, one of the most important events in the electoral calendar.
Democratic politicians including Senate leader Chuck Schumer have criticised the ruling by a Trump-appointed judge who argues that the appointment by the Justice Department of special counsel Jack Smith was unlawful.
But the verdict means that Trump enjoys an enormous tailwind going into the RNC, an extraordinary fanfare even in a normal election year. Just two days after surviving an assassin’s bullet in Pennsylvania, Trump says he will use the occasion to “bring the whole country, even the whole world together”.
The net effect will surely be positive for the presidential hopeful. Remember that, until the shock of events on Saturday, Trump was chiefly recognised as the only criminal in US history to be running for President. Some of the T-shirts printed for sale at the RNC read “I’m voting for the convicted felon”.
The shooting at a rally in Pennsylvania over the weekend has rocked the country and drawn condemnation from all sides. It will also define the tone at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and transform Trump’s campaign.
J.D. Vance, the populist Republican senator from Ohio, has been among the most vocal critics of the Democratic party’s rhetoric, linking it directly to the rally shooting that left two people dead, including the sniper whose bullet grazed Trump’s right ear. A 50-year-old volunteer fire chief and avid Trump supporter, Corey Comperatore, also died at the Rally while trying to protect his family during the attempted assassination, diving onto them to shield them from the bullets.
Vance is widely touted to be the top pick for Trump’s running mate. As events unfold, there is unlikely to be a whisper from the Biden campaign team, which says it is “pausing all outbound communications” following the shooting.
Trump now has five pending criminal cases. The Supreme Court earlier this month ruled that Trump is immune for prosecution for “official acts”, meaning he is unlikely to be indicted for his role in the Capitol insurrection three years ago.
The Republican National Convention begins today and ends on Thursday. While Trump’s big speech is expected on Thursday, he could announce his Vice President as early as tonight.
Write to us with your comments to be considered for publication at letters@reaction.life