Opinion
Bill Cotterell: Trump’s arraignment was a wasteful, silly spectacle
The ex-president is surely the world’s greatest showoff but even he couldn’t have wanted such a circus, our Capitol Columnist writes.
Former President Donald Trump arrives for his court appearance in New York, NY on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, becoming the first sitting or former U.S. president to be indicted and turn himself to be arraigned in a case that involves payoffs through an intermediary to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels to conceal an alleged affair ahead of the 2016 election. Photo by Jabin Botsford for The Washington Post via Getty Images
It was reported that tens of thousands of New York police officers were mobilized for the arraignment of ex-President Donald Trump, so we can hope at least a few hundred of them got a chance to use that old cop cliche from countless TV shows and movies.
“OK, C’mon, folks… move along, nothin’ to see here… Aww-rite, show’s over… let’s go, huh?….”
Like so many things involving the 45th president, the six-day spectacle surrounding his quick court appearance was unprecedented.
It was also unnecessary.
Once Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced Trump’s indictment, they could have let the lawyers handle the paperwork. The legal details of surrendering, booking, photographing, reading charges, fingerprinting, notifying attorneys of filing deadlines, and what amounted to the perp walk were all for show.
Trump is surely the world’s greatest showoff but even he couldn’t have wanted such a circus. Even the homecoming pep rally at his Palm Beach mansion was a whining wallow in self-pity more than a two-fisted defense of his place in history. The whole thing raised about $7 million for him in less than a week, though.
Of course the news media loved documenting, minute by minute, the most entertaining chase since O.J. Simpson led a flock of cop cars and TV helicopters on a freeway tour of Los Angeles nearly 30 years ago. We knew how that one was going to end, too, but at least this time we got to see a rich guy’s big plane take off and land — and a procession of black SUVs cruise the FDR Drive while countless commentators assured us how historically significant and fraught with political gravity it all was.
But at least O.J. really had to be there. Donald J. could have phoned it in. If they really wanted another headshot of Trump, they could have made a screen capture via Zoom.
The enormous amount of labor and money used for checking in the suspect of a misdemeanor (OK, 34 misdemeanors Bragg hopes to boost into felonies) could have been put to much better use. Perhaps the D.A.’s office could devote some of those resources to criminal offenses that affect the daily lives of Big Apple residents.
Yes, yes, yes, nobody’s above the law and all that. Gotta treat everybody the same. The turnstile jumper is no better, and no worse, than the guy who conspires to pay a porn star, a Playboy model and a doorman to shut up about some sex stuff years ago.
In the eyes of the law, if the Johns busted for offering $50 to undercover police decoys on the street must make a first appearance, so must billionaire ex-presidents who have their lawyer steer much more hush money in the waning days of a political race. Only difference is, Bragg’s office has quit prosecuting a lot of the street crime.
Except, they’re not all the same. Donald Trump is not like you and me. How many fraud cases will influence the 2024 presidential race? When was the last time disguising an embarrassing personal expense as a legal fee prompted Gov. Ron DeSantis to, first, say he doesn’t know much about paying porn stars, and then promise not to extradite a defendant who never asked to be protected?
The Trump arraignment was just a routine scrivener’s function, some paperwork. There are at least three more torpedoes in the water — the Jan. 6 incitement case, the Atlanta “find me 11,780 votes” phone call and the secret document stash at Mar-a-Lago — so maybe arraignments won’t be all that newsworthy soon.
C’mon, move along… show’s over… nothing to see here… just an old guy posting bond again.…
Bill Cotterell is a retired Capitol reporter and columnist for United Press International and the Tallahassee Democrat. He can be reached at bcotterell@cityandstatefl.com.
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