Trump had one of his best weeks as cases against him appeared to implode

 While Woody Allen once said that "80 percent of success is showing up," former President Donald Trump proved this week that the same can be said about "just sticking around." It was one of the best weeks for Trump as he faced issues and critics ranging from the impeachment effort in Washington to the scandal in Georgia. Still, Trump is not out of the woods and faces significant threats in a war of attrition.

In Washington, the Supreme Court gave a cool reception to the glacial border disqualification effort. While law professors like Harvard's Lawrence Tribe insisted that the grounds for barring Trump from office were "unassailable" under the 14th Amendment, the justices seemed completely unconvinced and now likely unanimously defeated the entire effort. May go. Even liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson appeared to say that the effort was undemocratic.

The case against Trump in Georgia is faltering, as his subordinate special prosecutor Nathan J. Allegations are being made regarding intimate relations with Wade. This week, a court filing alleged that Willis and Wade filed false claims with the court about when their relationship began. Both prosecutors have insisted that they became intimate only after Willis hired Wade. Wade's former attorney has reportedly come forward to dispute that claim.

This allegation, if true, could make Willis and Wade's continuance in the case untenable. Various defendants being prosecuted in Georgia are accused of making false statements and filings in court. Of course, removing Willis and Wade would not end the case, but it would present logistical and optical problems for the office.

There are also calls for the removal of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who is accused of neglecting to prosecute a crime despite a determined effort to convict Trump.

Trump has the strange luck of having critics who seem to resist in spectacular fashion over time. His former lawyer Michael Cohen went to jail and lost his law license. At the Justice Department, various FBI officials in the Russia investigation were accused of wrongdoing and ousted from the DOJ. This included James Comey, who was found to have deleted FBI material after Trump fired him and given it to a friend, who leaked it to the press. Another Justice official pleaded guilty to criminal conduct related to the Russia investigation.

In politics, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who attacked Trump over his behavior toward women, was forced out of office over sexual harassment allegations. Michael Avenatti was sentenced to a long prison sentence for fraud and other crimes. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., who voted to convict Trump in the Senate, is now facing corruption charges.

Even in the field of art, Trump's critics have fallen from great heights. Comedian Kathy Griffin has not only become persona non grata after her gruesome portrayal of a decapitated Trump, but she's now urging people to buy tickets to his comeback tour. Alec Baldwin, who played Trump's tough guy, has been criminally charged after shooting a film crew member.

Of course, it's fair to note that some of Trump's associates have fared equally poorly, including those convicted or facing trial like Paul Manafort, Michael Flynn, Roger Stone, Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, and others. Are included.

Still, there's no doubt that timing has worked in Trump's favor in delivering certain narratives. He has accused the Democrats of trying to rig the election. Rejecting the claims in 2020, Democrats like Colorado Secretary of State Jenna Griswold bulldozed any high ground by trying to prevent citizens from voting for Trump because he was leading in the polls.

Similarly, Trump has long mocked President Biden over his age and mental decline. This week, special counsel Robert Hur justified his refusal to bring criminal charges against Biden in part because of his "diminished capabilities." He said his team was worried that the jury would perceive him as a "sympathetic, well-intentioned, elderly man with a failing memory."

Biden then held a press conference to show that he was mentally sharp. it was a disaster. Not only did Biden come across as an irritable octogenarian telling reporters to get off his lawn, but he proceeded to confuse the presidents of Mexico and Egypt.

Now, 76% of Americans are concerned about Biden's mental fitness to be president.

Still, there's no doubt that timing has worked in Trump's favor in delivering certain narratives. He has accused the Democrats of trying to rig the election. Rejecting the claims in 2020, Democrats like Colorado Secretary of State Jenna Griswold bulldozed any high ground by trying to prevent citizens from voting for Trump because he was leading in the polls.

Similarly, Trump has long mocked President Biden over his age and mental decline. This week, special counsel Robert Hur justified his refusal to bring criminal charges against Biden in part because of his "diminished capabilities." He said his team was worried that the jury would perceive him as a "sympathetic, well-intentioned, elderly man with a failing memory."

Biden then held a press conference to show that he was mentally sharp. it was a disaster. Not only did Biden come across as an irritable octogenarian telling reporters to get off his lawn, but he proceeded to confuse the presidents of Mexico and Egypt.

Now, 76% of Americans are concerned about Biden's mental fitness to be president.

Even more important was what the report said about Biden's underlying conduct. Despite Biden's false claims at the press conference, the report found that he knowingly withheld classified material, mishandled such material for years, and disclosed classified material.

If that sounds familiar, it should. The photos and allegations are strikingly similar to those involving Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Indeed, the report revealed that every element of the crime was evident, which is why Hur tried to use Biden's memory and sympathetic demeanor to justify his decision. Nevertheless, it was suggested that a less empathetic defendant with a better memory might have been charged.

Photos of classified documents in Biden's garage 'don't lie': Jonathan Turley

That unsympathetic man is sitting in Mar-a-Lago facing 37 counts.

Hur tried to separate the cases by citing Trump's failure to cooperate and his alleged efforts to obstruct the investigation. However, this explains the number of interruptions. The problem lies in retention and other matters of mismanagement. Some of those charges simply require a showing of gross negligence. Hur found intentional misconduct by Biden, but rejected similar allegations.

For many, the two special counsel investigations have proven, yet again, a two-tier legal system. In Florida, Jack Smith went after Trump without thinking, while in Washington Hur showed avoidance that proved insulting to both the president and the public.

Polls show that a majority of Americans believe the FBI has been politicized. Even in Georgia, a recent poll found 77 percent of people believe politics played a major role (59%) or some role (18%) in impeaching Trump.

None of this means Trump is out of the woods. It's possible that if elected he could obstruct the federal investigation or even pardon himself. However, the cases in Georgia and New York can still move forward absent legal challenges. Additionally, he has faced a tough few weeks, including a large award and a pending judgment in a defamation suit that could bar him from doing business in New York and potentially cost him millions. .

The biggest concern is about timing. While polls indicate that the public sees a political motive in some of these cases, a majority of voters in swing states also indicate that they would be influenced by a conviction against Trump.

Perhaps for this reason, Smith has continued to pressure the courts to allow Trump to be prosecuted before the election. However, due to the pending appeal on immunity, he may be out of the runway. The Justice Department has long opposed filing a lawsuit within months of the election. Trump's trial is likely to take several months, making any date after the summer difficult. If Trump is elected, Smith knows there could be support for dropping the cases from a weary public in 2025.

However, at this rate, Trump may rely less on retaliation than on abdication.