Donald Trump Indicted, US Protects Democracy

Published in Sankei Shimbun
(Japan) on 11 August 2023
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Dorothy Phoenix. Edited by Helaine Schweitzer.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has been indicted by a federal grand jury for his role in inciting the 2021 attack on the Capitol in an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, which he lost.

This is Trump's third criminal indictment, following charges he paid hush money to cover up an extramarital affair and retained classified documents at his private residence.

At his Aug. 3 arraignment in federal district court, Trump pleaded not guilty to the four latest criminal charges. After his court appearance, he complained to the press that the matter amounted to “persecution of a political opponent.”

But the indictment provides Trump with due process. It is a decision made by a grand jury of U.S. citizens, and it deserves to be respected. Government should not turn prosecution into a political tool. We believe the trial should be an investigation into the truth of the charges.

The indictment here charges Trump with conspiring to defraud the U.S. by interfering with the federal government's ability to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election, thereby obstructing a congressional process.

The indictment alleges that between November 2020 and January 2021, Trump colluded with six lawyers to assert his political influence and overturn election results, and falsely claimed the election was unfair in order to interfere with the election certification process.

Before the attack on the Capitol, Trump told his supporters in allegedly seditious remarks to “walk down to the Capitol.” For an hour, Trump supporters occupied the Capitol building, leading to the tragic deaths of five people, including a police officer.

If the charges are proved, we can consider this a grave shock to U.S. democracy. Trump’s language and conduct erode faith in the election system. It must be said that Trump acted irresponsibly as U.S. head of state.

Following the two previous indictments, Trump's approval rating among the Republican Party's core supporter base improved. During this indictment as well, it is expected that Trump will orchestrate an election strategy that turns the tables in his favor by criticizing President Joe Biden.

Political division in the U.S. will probably deepen. We expect that the U.S. will be at the center of challenging despotic influences such as Russia and China. We hope that both Biden and Trump are aware of this.

Biden's son, Hunter Biden, is surrounded by financial charges, which have called the independence of the U.S. judiciary into question. In an unusual development, a judge has put a hold on a plea deal between the prosecution and Hunter Biden, in which Biden was prepared to plead guilty to tax evasion charges. There has been criticism of the move to end the plea bargaining in its early stages. In this situation as well, there must be fairness and impartiality in the investigation and process of administering justice.


トランプ氏起訴 米国は民主主義守り抜け

トランプ前大統領が2020年米大統領選で敗北した結果を覆すことを企て、21年の議会襲撃事件を誘発したとして、連邦大陪審に起訴された。

トランプ氏の刑事訴追は、不倫もみ消し問題と私邸への機密文書持ち出し事件に続く3度目だ。

トランプ氏は3日、連邦地裁での罪状認否で、起訴された4つの罪状すべてで「無罪」を主張した。出廷後は記者団に「政敵への迫害だ」と訴えた。

だが、起訴は正当な手続きに沿ったものだ。国民から選ばれた大陪審による判断であり、尊重すべきは当然である。訴追を政争の具とすることがあってはならない。裁判で真相を究明してもらいたい。

起訴されたのは、20年大統領選の結果を認定する連邦政府の機能を弱めて米国を欺こうと企てた罪のほか、議会手続きを妨害した罪など4件の罪だ。

起訴状によると、トランプ氏は20年11月~21年1月、大統領選の結果を覆して権力を維持しようと弁護士ら6人と共謀し、選挙で不正があったとの噓の主張を用いて、結果認定手続きを妨害しようとした。

トランプ氏は議会が襲撃される前、「議会まで行くぞ」と支持者を扇動するような発言をした。議会は支持者らに一時占拠され、警官1人を含む5人が死亡する惨事となった。

起訴内容が事実なら米国の民主主義を揺るがす重大事といえる。選挙制度への信頼を低下させる言行である。米国の元首であった人物として、無責任と言わざるを得ない。

トランプ氏は2度の起訴のたびに共和党支持層の間で支持率を上げてきた。今回も起訴を逆手にバイデン氏を批判する選挙戦略を展開する見通しだ。

米国内の政治的分断は深まるだろう。米国には、ロシアや中国などの専制主義勢力への対抗軸としての役割が期待されている。バイデン、トランプ両氏はそれを自覚してもらいたい。

バイデン氏の次男を巡る金銭疑惑では米司法の独立性も問われている。検察側と次男は脱税の罪を認めるなどの司法取引で合意したが、判事が保留する異例の展開となった。司法取引で早期の幕引きとなることへの批判がある。こちらも捜査や司法手続きの公正さが確保されなければならない。
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