THE DAILY BEAST: "It’s not the crime; it’s the coverup"... | Jose Pagliery Political Investigations Reporter

The idea that Trump hatched a plan to destroy evidence dramatically increases the seriousness of the case against him, threatening to amplify his infamy in the history books. And if proven at trial next year, it could very well derail his ambitions to return to the White House in 2025.

Donald Trump Finally Has His Richard Nixon Moment 

TRICKY

It’s not the crime; it’s the coverup.

Published Jul. 31, 2023 4:50AM EDT 

Jose Pagliery 

Political Investigations Reporter

@Jose_Paglieryjose.pagliery@thedailybeast.com

Donald Trump already faced more than 30 charges related to his illegal retention of classified documents—in addition to a grab bag of alleged felonies in a number other cases. So when prosecutors added three more charges against Trump last week, it was never going to turn Trump’s legal or political fortunes upside down.
And yet, these new charges may do just that.

Trump now faces two new counts of obstruction of justice over his attempts to erase security footage at Mar-a-Lago, as well as a new Espionage Act violation over his alleged possession of an Iran war plan that he waved around during an interview.
While the superseding indictment may not seem any more serious than the original charges, they could substantially aid special prosecutor Jack Smith in getting a conviction—both in the public’s eye and in an actual courtroom.

As Richard Nixon taught America: It’s not the crime; it’s the coverup. 

• And with this new evidence, that Trump directed assistants to wipe a computer server that would show security footage at his South Florida club—evidence that Trump not only knew he was doing something wrong, but also that he tried to conceal the whole affair—Smith may have the smoking gun. Just like Nixon’s accusers did when they found out the president wouldn’t turn over White House tapes—and that there was an 18-minute gap in the audio. . .
• But the parallels between Nixon and Trump could veer sharply in different directions, presidential scholars said—it’s all up to American voters next year.

Nixon faced a Republican Party that couldn’t stomach being led by a humiliated and disgraced politician. Today’s GOP has so far remained loyal to Trump, no matter the embarrassment.

“I think Trump sees it’s in his best interest to keep fighting, because his only way out at this point is to win an election and pardon himself—or get the Department of Justice to shut this down,” Edelson said.

And that leads to what former journalist Luke Nichter, now a presidential historian at Chapman University, calls the real takeaway here.

“Nixon was never ready for battle, ready to mount the defense the way Reagan did with Iran-Contra,” he said. 

• “With Trump’s base, you could impeach him 10 times. That’s the lesson of Nixon and Watergate: It pays to be partisan. 
• It doesn’t matter what the evidence is, you stand by your leader. Since Watergate, that’s what parties have done.”

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