By: Donald V. Watkins
Copyrighted and Published on January 9, 2022
An Editorial Opinion
I have a premonition that former president Donald Trump will be indicted soon, perhaps as early as this month. My premonition squares with the profile and modus operindi of Special Counsel Jack Smith.
Smith is a prosecutorial “hitman.” His job is to execute a Blitzkrieg “takedown” of Donald Trump, by any and all means necessary.
Smith will act in a way that breaks the fighting spirit of Trump’s lawyers in the opening phase of the criminal process.
Smith knows that Trump’s lawyers have no significant trial experience in defending “outcast” members of American society. Trump is now viewed by the members of Smith’s prosecutorial team as an "outcast." In fact, prosecutors consider Trump as a racketeering “kingpin.”
Trump’s lawyers are mostly “white shoe” criminal defense attorneys who are accustomed to representing the fallen pillars of white society solely for the money. They have no loyalty to, or belief in, their clients. This is why none of Trump's lawyers will certify that he has no more classified documents within his possession and control.
Furthermore, Trump's legal team is NOT adequately prepared to do battle with Jack Smith and his team of handpicked federal prosecutors. Trump’s lack of confidence in his defense attorneys (assuming that he ever had any) will sour faster than his lack of confidence in Jeff Sessions did.
Venue in Washington, D.C.
Trump will likely be indicted in Washington, D.C. This is the most favorable trial venue for prosecutors in Trump’s case. Most of the federal judges in the Washington, D.C. are moderate to liberal.
A Trump-appointed judge WILL NOT get his case. Jack Smith knows how to engage in judge-shopping within the system to prevent a Trump judge from being assigned to Trump’s case. There will be no repeat of the judge-shopping fiasco with Judge Aileen Cannon that was initiated by the Trump defense team last year.
The grand and trial juries in D.C. federal court proceedings have a heavy black presence. It’s a known fact that African- Americans have NO affinity for Donald Trump.
Trump will be arrested on a Friday at his New York residence or his Mar-a-Largo country club in what law enforcement officials call a “perp walk” that will be televised around the world. Trump will be cuffed, shackled, and placed in a FBI vehicle under heavy armed guard. He will be transported by U.S. Marshals to Washington for booking, processing, detention, and arraignment.
Trump will spend at least three weekend nights in the D.C. detention center, where he will be placed in solitary detention for his own protection.
Trump will be arraigned in front of a U.S. Magistrate on the following Monday morning.
At his arraignment, Jack Smith's prosecutors will argue that Trump is a flight risk. They will point out that Trump owns a private Boeing jumbo jet with a flight range that can reach a number of hostile foreign countries and safe-havens for Trump.
Prosecutors will demonstrate Trump’s close personal friendships with the dictatorial heads of state in Russia, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, and China. They will focus on Trump's close personal relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Prosecutors will remind the magistrate judge that fugitive defense contractor employee Edward Snowden, who publicly disclosed a treasure trove of U.S. National security secrets, made a successful escape to Russia in 2013, and the U.S. has never been able to get him back from Putin.
Prosecutors will also harp on the highly questionable business relationships Trump and his family and friends have with the oligarchs in Russia, Saudi Arabia, China, Scotland Azerbaijan, Qatar, and Panama that have infused Trump-affiliated companies with billions of dollars.
Finally, prosecutors will make an issue out of Trump’s propensity to lie about everything, with impunity. This means that the court, prosecutors, and federal probation services cannot rely on anything Trump says orally or in writing.
It would not surprise me if the magistrate judge conducting Trump's arraignment denies him bail. If Trump is granted bail, it will be a sky-high bail. He would also be tethered with an electronic monitor.
Will Trump Family Members Be Indicted?
I predict that Jack Smith will indict one or more of Donald Trump’s three oldest adult children. This move is designed to place maximum pressure on Trump to plead guilty to one of the criminal charges.
The indicted Trump child or children will be dragged through the same federal criminal process that I described for the former president.
There will be no secret service agents protecting Trump or his children in their respective detention cells. Solitary confinement is the only protection they would have.
Crushing Violent Trump Supporters
Jack Smith and his team of FBI agents and prosecutors will crush any and all Trump political supporters and cult worshippers who resort to violence or the threat of violence in their support of the former president during the criminal proceedings.
They will unleash "hell" on violent Trump supporters, as they should.
Will My Premonition Come True?
Based upon my personal knowledge of Jack Smith and his approach to law enforcement, I have no doubt that my premonition will come true.
The trial of Donald Trump and his co-defendants is going to be the biggest spectacle since the trial of Jesus Christ more 2,000 years ago.
It will not play out well for Trump.
The assessment of this potential case makes a lot of sense. This is probably why the case in Georgia and Florida is being delayed because of the strategy to go through D.C. Your inside information about the federal prosecutor is encouraging. People who resort to violence should be swiftly dealt with. Mr. Trump has been quiet these past weeks, which means that indictment is imminent. We'll see how this plays out, but you've been spot on back with your legal expertise and experience so far.