With the Senate trial likely to end in Donald Trump's acquittal, it will be up to the news media to continue to shine the glaring spotlight of truth on this president, and then up to us to decide if we want this president to remain in office.
Some of his supporters claim he's been the victim of a "trial by media." That term is often referred to as an injustice. Public opinion can be swayed even before charges are read, pleas are submitted, and the jury is picked. Defense attorney’s or prosecutor’s may even take cues from the media reports if the information helps their case.
Newspaper accounts, social media and television news could poison a jury, even before a trial begins.
But that is not the case here as we are witnessing an impeachment trial that has turned justice upside down. The rule of law has disappeared, defense attorney’s are providing false statements and it’s not the media that has caused this disgusting act, it is partisanship.
It’s unpatriotic; it’s desperation by the Republican party to hold office. It’s witness tampering; there is jury tampering.
Let’s face it, the Senate will dispose of this trial as quickly as it can as the hope of finding four Republicans to vote for witnesses is dwindling, and next will be the three or four Democrats in Trump territory who are afraid of losing their seats.
Former national security advisor John Bolton and Rudy Giuliani's pal, Lev Parnas, will be left sitting in the witness waiting rooms with testimony that would be devastating to Trump. Who knows what other information will leak or spill out, or who else will come forward and what other criminal activity will surface, but it will be too late to be considered by the Senate. The trial will be over, Trump acquitted. Then, Republicans and an empowered Trump will take a victory lap.
So it will be up to the media to continue to investigate, to uncover, to report and inform until election day, to shine the harsh, unyielding light of truth on this conman president.
We, the people, will become judge and jury.
It will be our turn to issue the verdict.