Summary

Special counsel Jack Smith dropped 44 federal charges against Donald Trump, citing DOJ policy that sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted.

The charges, including election interference and classified documents retention, could be refiled after Trump’s presidency.

Critics, including Rep. Dan Goldman and former Capitol officer Aquilino Gonell, decried the move as a miscarriage of justice, asserting it places Trump above the law.

Trump and allies celebrated the decision as a victory, with Vice President-elect JD Vance vowing to prevent similar prosecutions.

Democrats fear Trump will seek political retaliation, deepening national divisions.

    • Semi-Hemi-Lemmygod@lemmy.world
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      4 days ago

      And I’m not sure which would be worse. Vance might be a bit more moderate on some things but his competence and ability to work with others makes him more dangerous on those.

      • EldritchFeminity@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        4 days ago

        I’ve been debating this with myself, and my conclusion is that Trump might be worse because Vance is at least a politician. He has some knowledge and “respect” (maybe) for the trappings of the office, whereas Trump gives no shits for rules or regulations and is all too happy to trample on every right and freedom we have.

        But who knows, I could go both ways on which would be worse.

        • Krauerking@lemy.lol
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          3 days ago

          Vance is a smarmy piece of shit who will do anything for power and will bend over backwards for his owners who picked him to be vice president to make sure they had control when Trump dies.

          Vance is absolutely much more the issue cause he won’t have enough charisma and self aggrandizing to stand up for his own ideas like Trump does that slows his party down and occasionally creates tension. He will just “yes and” whatever is needed to be done.

          • EldritchFeminity@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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            3 days ago

            Vance is a smarmy piece of shit who will do anything for power

            You just described the entire Republican party.

            But more to the point, the other side of the coin is that either Trump’s views align with those of his owners, or he’s just as easily manipulated, and either way, he believes himself to be a dictator and acts accordingly. He has no morals and no qualms about breaking the law. He says that people who disagree with him politically should be locked up and talks about how he needs generals like Hitler had. He has been putting people loyal to him in positions of power since day one of his first term. What infighting he has created in the Republican party may slow him down, but it might create more collateral along the way from his cronyism and disregard for rules of politics. At least Vance wouldn’t be ignoring the FBI vetting his appointments and talking about replacing the heads of the FBI with people more loyal to him.

            Both are bad for the country, I just don’t know if I can say one would be worse than the other. Vance is the corrupt official while Trump is the Florida man riding the high of who only knows what squared up to fight 5 cops who will probably win the fight.