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Should Trump’s January 6 prosecution be televised?

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A journalist reports outside the Elijah Barrett Prettyman U.S. Court House on August 3, 2023 in Washington, D.C. Former President Donald Trump, indicted on charges related to the 2020 election, was arraigned Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Bonnie Jo Mount/Washington Post/Getty Images)

When I told my editor this morning that I’d be writing about broadcasting The Trial Of The Century on television, she replied in all caps without hesitating: “THAT’S A TERRIBLE IDEA.”

(Airing the trial on TV, that is. Not writing about it.)

Can you blame her? I’ve written whole columns about my antipathy to televising government proceedings. This piece from January about expanding C-SPAN’s access to Congress can be summarized in those four words: THAT’S A TERRIBLE IDEA. 

Former Sen. Ben Sasse explained why last year during then-Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearing, when he lobbied her against allowing cameras at oral arguments once she was seated on the Supreme Court. Transparency is important, he allowed, but a well functioning judiciary is more important. His position also boiled down to four pointed words: “Cameras change human behavior.”

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  1. Avatar photo
    Bill Dyer (aka Beldar)

    A grace note, Mr. Catoggio, if you or others are still following these comments:

    https://thehill.com/homenews/4149398-trump-federal-court-cameras/

    ===begin quote===
    “Given the historic nature of the charges brought forth in these cases, it is hard to imagine a more powerful circumstance for televised proceedings,” lawmakers wrote in a letter spearheaded by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and more than 40 lawmakers.

    ....

    One of Trump’s attorneys, John Lauro, has pushed for cameras in the courtroom.
    ===end quote===

    So it's you, Trump's lawyer, and Adam Schiff who're on board with this cameras in the courthouse proposal, right?

    If that is not enough to give you pause, sir, I implore you to spend an hour watching internet clips from the nightly news coverage of the OJ trial.

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  2. Avatar photo
    Ben Connelly

    ““Cameras change human behavior.” Yes, but they’re less likely to do so in court than in Congress. Courts follow strict procedural rules, after all. Typically only the lawyers and witnesses speak, limiting—somewhat—the opportunities for political grandstanding.“

    Don’t you remember the OJ trials?

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  3. Paul in NC

    Whether the trial is televised or not, the MAGA cult will never believe for a second that their "dear leader" is guilty of any crime. The first thing a cult leader will do is convince his followers that everyone else is lying. The MAGA cult is well past that phase at this point. They have proven time and again that they will believe literally anything that comes out of Trump's mouth. It's past time to stop caring what these low-intelligence fools think. Try Trump according to the letter of the law, then let the chips fall where they may. Very few minds will ever be changed.

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  4. David Pflaum

    Doesn’t Trump need to delay his federal criminal trials until after his inauguration, assuming he wins the election? Everyone seems to be saying that all he needs to do is delay those trials until after the election which will be on 11/5/24. However, if he should win, he will not become president until almost 11 weeks later on 1/20/25. Delaying both federal trials until after 1/20/25 may be a bridge too far for Trump and his attorneys.

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  5. Mary Stine

    WC Fields complained bitterly about sharing a movie scene with child actors..who inevitably stole the scene by refusing to cooperate. He was onto something. Donald Trump has never left childhood, emotionally speaking.
    He thinks of himself as a performer, an actor, and he's not incorrect, except that he's a child actor. If the trial is televised, he'll find a way to command camera attention for himself, even if he doesn't testify. His most devoted fans won't miss watching him perform as a hero. There will be no way to keep the trial normal or neutral.
    Another issue is protecting the jurors, judge and other court personnel from the MAGA fanatics who will want to harm them. Unless the jury could be masked or behind a oneway screen, I would expect them to be in greater danger under a televised trial. The risk to the judge, jurors and justice with a televised trial is not worth the vaunted hope of transparency and truth changing hearts and minds. Those qualities, while admirable, have no effect on a cult. Televising this would just be one more example of handing the microphone to a crazy cult person and expecting sane and logical prose. No matter HOW this trial is handled the MAGA cult is only going to see this one way: their perfect, innocent leader is being persecuted. Every little thing and big thing that doesn't please The Donald will be seen as an injustice; even stuff that does go his way will not be enough to overcome the insult and indignity of it all. Truly crazy people cannot be reasoned with and no one should try..
    just call the emergency squad with the little white straitjacket because words and actions won't cut it.

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  6. Zjim0608

    William Barr

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  7. Hikingguy

    Rich Lowry over at NR is preparing the ground for when he flips and tell America to vote Trump. The story today is Jack Smith Is A Fanatic. Lowry is a puling weasel.

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    1. J. Walter Weatherman

      Puling (Noun): A plaintive piping, as of a chicken; a whining complaint.

      I learned a new word today! Thanks Hikingguy!

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  8. Nemmerle924

    Is there, seriously, anyone left in America that could be persuaded, either way, by watching this trial?

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  9. Avatar photo
    Abridge683

    Trump, having worked for years to destroy the public's faith in our elections systems, will now attempt to do the same for the criminal justice system. His followers, and his political sycophants, will eat it up with a spoon.

    Trump will hope for an OJ trial and do everything he can to send his minions out maligning the judge, the jury, the prosecutor, the DOJ writ large, and (of course) the "Biden Crime Family."

    As always the labels Trump applies to others fit him first and best.

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  10. Avatar photo
    SandyG

    OK, got it. Watergate to Clinton to Trump.

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