It was exactly two years ago this week when Jane Mayer wrote a piece for The New Yorker, raising the prospect of a nightmarish legal/political scenario.
After noting Donald Trump’s willingness to “engage in almost unthinkable tactics to protect himself,” the article added, “Among his social circle in Palm Beach, speculation abounds that Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, an ally, might not honor an extradition request from New York if a bench warrant were issued for Trump’s arrest.”
At the time, this was quite striking for a variety of reasons. It was just two months after President Joe Biden’s inauguration, and there was growing speculation about then-Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance eyeing possible fraud charges against Trump. Under normal circumstances, if prosecutors in one state were to indict someone in another state, the geography wouldn’t much matter: The accused would be expected to travel as part of the legal proceedings.
But Mayer’s piece, amidst related speculation, led to an uncomfortable conversation: What if Trump refused to go to New York? What if DeSantis refused to extradite the former president?
For now, it appears those fears can be put aside. NBC News reported on Friday afternoon:
Trump’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, told NBC News that the former president will follow normal procedures if it gets to the point of having to surrender to authorities from the DA’s office.
The New York Daily News published a related report, quoting Tacopina saying, “There won’t be a standoff at Mar-a-Lago with Secret Service and the Manhattan DA’s office,” but the lawyer soon after denied having said that.
Either way, the bottom line remains the same: If Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg indicts Trump in the hush money case, and the former president predicted that this will in fact happen, the Republican is prepared to go to New York and follow “normal procedures.”
That’s encouraging, to be sure. But in case…
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