Trump is back at Mar-a-Lago, discussing the indictment circus with one of his attorneys.
T: Well, that was a huge success, don’t you think?
A: What do you mean?
T: Look at all of the attention I got! It was like OJ takes NYC!
A: Is that a good thing? Are you really comfortable coming across as a white OJ?
T: Absolutely! DeSantis would kill for that kind of coverage! It reminds everyone that the Republican Party revolves around me. The base loves it, and it’s good for fundraising.
A: Whatever. I’ll leave the politics to you. We need to discuss what comes next, and what doesn’t.
T: OK.
A: First of all, I would advise any other client not to attack the DA, but I know you’re going to do it, so I won’t bother. It doesn’t make that much difference, anyway. That said, there are two things you absolutely cannot do.
T: They are?
A: Don’t attack the judge at your rallies and on social media, and don’t do anything to encourage violence. Both of those things will hurt you in the legal proceeding.
T: I’ll do my best, but I make no promises. The base likes it when I’m on the attack. What happens next?
A: We’ll go after the indictment. We’ll argue that it is legally flawed. That’s the best defense we have. It may or may not work.
T: What else?
A: We’ll ask for a change in venue, but I doubt we’ll get it. You’re the most famous man in the world, and everyone knows about the charges, so getting an impartial jury will be a challenge no matter where we go. Besides, you’re not entitled to a jury of Trump voters. You know that, don’t you?
T: That doesn’t seem fair to me.
A: We may dig into the grand jury proceedings and see if we find anything useful there.
T: OK. Just remember to be as aggressive as possible. That’s my brand.
A: One question we have for you–do you want this to move slowly or quickly? I know you usually do whatever you can to delay legal proceedings, but do you really want a trial during the middle of 2024, as opposed to sometime this year? It’s a political question, not a legal question, so it’s up to you.
T: I’ll think about it. (The attorney leaves)