Donald J. Trump’s High Stakes Game of Clue
A Guide for Visual Thinkers
A few weeks ago, our listener Elizabeth sent us a message: Beth does a fabulous job breaking down Trump’s legal cases. Any chance she has a simplified spreadsheet that can be shared with the public? It’s so hard to keep straight for a visual learner.
Today, Beth answers that question with Donald J. Trump’s High Stakes Game of Clue.
The former twice-impeached 91x-charged president and Republican candidate is trying to outrun a number of potential electoral-killers.* Can he make it to the White House before they close in on him? Let’s assess the state of the board.
*Obviously, none of us here at Pantsuit Politics endorse any form of violence and do not wish for any harm to come to Donald Trump or anyone else. We just try (try, try, try, try) to bring levity to a tough situation where we can.
Mrs. White in the Billiard Room with the Rope
The Billiard Room, where games of skill and chance collide, is host to Mrs. White, a.k.a. the New York District Attorney’s criminal case against Trump. This case charges Trump with falsifying business records in violation of New York law to hide hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels in order to deceive voters. That’s a lot of “in-order-tos,” right? It’s a complicated and relatively novel legal theory. The case is scheduled for trial on March 25 if it survives Trump's motion to dismiss. We expect a decision on February 15.
Mr. Green in the Dining Room with the Candlestick
Mr. Green, aka the Georgia RICO case, stationed in the Dining Room because it has a big table. In Georgia, Trump is charged alongside 18 co-defendants (4 have entered guilty pleas already) with engaging in a pattern of illegal activity to overturn the 2020 election. This case shines a light on the extent to which Trump allegedly pressured state and local officials to violate their oaths and election laws. No trial date has been set (the District Attorney has requested that the trial, which will likely last months, begin on August 5).
Miss Scarlett in the Ballroom with the Lead Pipe
The Mar-A-Lago Ballroom is one of the former President’s favorite places…to keep national security documents according to the Department of Justice’s charges pending in a Florida federal court. Miss Scarlett, aka Special Counsel Jack Smith’s case, accuses Trump of illegally retaining protected intelligence information and obstructing justice. Experts believe this case is one of brute force--as close to open and shut as it gets. But the judge in this case appears to be slow-walking it. It’s currently scheduled to go to trial on May 20. We’ll be surprised if that date holds.
Colonel Mustard in the Study with the Dagger
If you see a flurry of game pieces hanging outside the Study, it might be members of the press waiting on Colonel Mustard, a.k.a. the New York civil fraud case that is all but wrapped. We are currently awaiting a decision from the judge in the case (no jury here -- it’s a bench trial), which is expected to come in mid-February, later than many anticipated. This case is expected to dramatically pierce Trump’s businesses.
Professor Plum in the Hall with the Wrench
Professor Plum, aka the Trump campaign’s finances, is hanging out in the Hall. You’d think the Ballroom would be a more appropriate spot, but given the need to frequently dash to court appearances, the Hall has become more convenient. Plum is working overtime to wrench donations from small- and large-dollar donors alike after PACs supporting Trump have reportedly spent over $50 million on legal fees, and the Republican National Committee reported its worst fundraising year in 2023 in 30 years.
Mrs. Peacock in the Kitchen with the Revolver
The real work is always done in the Kitchen. Mrs. Peacock, a.k.a. the Special Counsel’s case against Trump for corruptly obstructing an official proceeding, defrauding the United States, and working against the right to vote, is no exception. The so-called January 6 case is pending in federal court in Washington, DC. We currently await a decision by the DC Circuit Court of Appeals on whether Trump is “absolutely immune” from these charges by virtue of having been the President. This week, the Court of Appeals held that Trump is not absolutely immune from these charges by virtue of having been the president. Trump has until Monday to appeal to the Supreme Court.
The Library and The Lounge
In the Library, multiple state courts, commissions, Secretaries of State, and election officials are pulling dictionaries from the 1800s off the shelf to determine what “insurrection” and “engage” might mean. The Supreme Court heard arguments this week (on February 8) about whether the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution precludes Trump from appearing on state primary ballots. All players hope the Court will decide the case quickly and in a way that shows them the box-top directions for both the remaining primaries and the general election.
This mansion of horrors has no empty rooms. In the Lounge, you’ll find E. Jean Carroll counting to $88.3 million--the total that Trump has been ordered to pay her after two separate defamation trials. A jury found that Trump sexually assaulted E. Jean Carroll and then defamed her by lying about it after she publicly disclosed the assault.
The Dice
Clue is a game of skill and chance. Logic, reason, deduction, and composure are critical. But the speed at which our players can move around the board is all determined by rolling a die, a.k.a. the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court is likely to hear a number of issues arising from our cast of legal characters, and the speed of resolution is almost as critical as the resolution itself. The Court will want to avoid any appearance of influencing the coming election, but it has no choice this time. By controlling its own calendar, the Court will necessarily make a number of game-changing choices.
p.s. I want you to know that all of the rooms pictured are actual rooms in Mar-a-Lago -m
Sarah: AHP on Taylor Swift at the Grammys! It’s so good and continues what we were saying in such a thoughtful way: Taylor Swift and the Good Girl Trap
Christina: Passing along this newsletter that is primarily focused on international education, for the interesting points it makes about the "nerdiest of nerdiest" current Supreme Court cases around Chevron deference, and the potential far reaching effects, including on immigration (in this case, for international students in particular.)
Lorie: Your border episode reminded me of this amazing book that I found out about when I was researching my trip to Big Bend National Park (GO! AMAZING!) last February, seeing parts of the border up close, walking across the (quite narrow) Rio Grande barefoot, canoeing through giant canyons, passing through lots of border control checkpoints while driving around the region, eating delicious food in border towns. The River and the Wall
Chelsea: I wanted to share about a small nonprofit in Denton, TX, that provides low-cost and/or free car repairs and zero-interest car loans! My husband started it a few years ago, and it’s been such a blessing to our community. He gets referrals from homeless shelters and domestic violence agencies primarily. I just wanted to share good news, especially since Sarah and Beth mentioned feeling like there’s a lack of this resource in our very car-centric society.
We hope Nikki Haley is listening to Pantsuit Politics and taking Beth’s advice to go YOLO (Nikki on SNL)
Nikol: Baltimore Ravens star with Type 1 Diabetes helps save woman’s life on a plane
If you made it to the end of these, this will make you laugh. The Podcast Police
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