Trump not above the law

For those partisans crying foul over the indictment of former President Donald Trump, that's how our legal system works. A prosecutor has a duty and obligation to look at allegations of wrongdoing and present evidence to a grand jury if he/she believes the person being investigated committed wrongdoing. Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event at the South Carolina Statehouse, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023, in Columbia, S.C. AP photo/Alex Brandon That's how it works. Some of us remember when President Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon in 1974 for any and all wrongdoing he may have committed related to the Watergate break-in and subsequent coverup. If Ford hadn't done that, then chances are the indictment of Trump this week would not be unprecedented. But that's also how our legal system works. Nixon was not indicted because he couldn't be for his role in Watergate, thanks to Ford's pardon. Perhaps it could come to President Joe Biden pardoning Trump, but to this point that would seem unlikely for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is Trump denies any wrongdoing. Those denials are expansive, from denying he paid hush money to a porn star and covered it up, to rape allegations against the former president, alleged attempts to influence election officials to reverse the results of the 2020 election, fabricating false results and voter fraud claims, holding onto classified records and withholding U.S. military aid to Ukraine for political reasons. He also denies wrongdoing on Jan. 6 when he encourages his followers to seize the government and attack the U.S. Capitol. The indictment of Trump on Thursday is the beginning of a legal process that any citizen could become subject to, and Trump is no different. His former attorney, Michael Cohen, was convicted and sent to prison for his role in the hush money payoff of adult film star Stormy Daniels. Hundreds of Trump's followers who stormed the U.S. Capitol Jan. 6 have been convicted of crimes. Nobody — including Donald Trump — is above the law. The calls from the right to hurt this process are simply not appropriate.