Will Judge Juan Merchan actually have the gall to toss a former president of the United States in the pokey for contempt, and if he does, how would that be handled?
New York Mayor Eric Adams insists that the city's Rikers Island jail is "prepared" to take in the former president.
New York City's Rikers Island is prepared if former President Donald Trump is ordered to serve time in jail amid his unprecedented trial in Manhattan, Mayor Eric Adams said Tuesday.
"Our amazing commissioner … is prepared for whatever comes on Rikers Island," Adams told the media Tuesday when asked if Rikers, New York City's largest prison, is prepared if Trump is ordered to jail for violating a gag order imposed during the trial.
"I'm pretty sure [the Department of Corrections commissioner] would be prepared to manage and deal with the situation. As you see what's happening with Harvey Weinstein, we have to just you know, in this business, particularly around law enforcement, we have to adjust whatever comes our way," he continued.
"We don't want to deal with a hypothetical, but they're professionals that will be ready."
To set the trial and all of the attendant controversy aside for a moment: We can and should hope that Mayor Adams is correct here and that the personnel at Rikers Island handle this unprecedented situation professionally - they had no part in any of the (political) decisions that have brought things to this point, and face what will be at best an awkward and difficult situation, should Judge Merchan actually decide on jail time.
With that said, I'm skeptical about it coming to that.
For one thing: I suspect the Secret Service will have something to say about the matter. If Trump should be, for any reason, ordered to serve time in any jail or prison, his Secret Service would not be relieved of its duty to protect its principal; Secret Service agents would, effectively, have to accompany the former president in jail. Now any efforts the Service might take would be well behind the scenes, but it seems likely that the Service would have a thing or two to say about all this.
Then again, the Secret Service reports to the Treasury Department, which is part of Joe Biden's Executive Branch, so they may well be told to shut up and accompany a former president of the United States into the crowbars.
Previously on RedState: Former Biden DOJ Official Now Prosecuting Trump Took Thousands From DNC for 'Political Consulting'
PLOT TWIST: Prosecutors Call Stormy Daniels to the Stand, and Trump Is Not Happy About It
Granted, a $1,000 fine for each incident of breaking the judicial gag order - whatever one thinks of the constitutionality of that gag order - is, to a person of Donald Trump's wealth, pocket change. He could take to Truth Social all he pleases, speak on the trial at every rally and news conference far and wide, and easily cover those fines. And he seems prepared to do just that:
"I have to watch every word I tell you people. You ask me a question, a simple question I'd like to give it, but I can't talk about it because this judge has given me a gag order and [says] you'll go to jail if you violate it," Trump said Monday.
"And frankly, you know what? Our Constitution is much more important than jail. It's not even close. I'll do that sacrifice any day."
Judge Merchan, rather than order jail time, might increase the fines - $100,000 per incident may grab the former president's attention, although there is a constitutional argument against that, as well.
As of this writing, the RealClearPolitics polling average still has Trump leading Joe Biden by 1.2%, while their "no toss-up" Electoral College map has Trump winning a comfortable victory, 312 to 226. If the Democrats are trying to turn the general public against Trump with these legal cases, it's not working - and, ay, there's the rub. As of this moment, Trump is looking like a political Obi-Wan Kenobi; every blow the establishment lands on him just makes him stronger.
One final note: If you aren't reading Susie Moore's regular Trump trial updates, you should be.
Related:
Does Trump WANT to Be Thrown in Jail?
Join the conversation as a VIP Member