Staff Reports
Former President Donald Trump’s attorney, John Lauro, recently took CNN host Kaitlan Collins to school on the First Amendment. Lauro, who has been a prominent figure defending Trump against the Biden Justice Department’s dubious charges, shut down Collins’ claims that Trump couldn’t allege fraud if he knew it didn’t happen. Lauro made it clear that Trump’s statements were protected under free speech and that political debate, not criminal trials, should be the arena for determining the veracity of these claims.
Collins seemed to be under the impression that the First Amendment prevented the president from claiming fraud when he was advised otherwise. But Lauro quickly corrected her. He provided examples of situations where ballots were sent without request, verification procedures were changed, and ballot supervision was inadequate. Trump was simply stating what he believed to be true based on the information he received, and he followed the advice he was given. Whether these things actually occurred is up for debate, not criminal prosecution.
Trump Attorney Smacks Down Kaitlan Collins, Schools Her On First Amendment: 'Absolute Protection'https://t.co/qAtLoq2428
— 🇺🇸🇺🇸Josh Dunlap🇺🇲🇺🇲 ULTRA-MAGA (@JDunlap1974) August 2, 2023
Collins continued to argue that it does matter whether those things occurred or not, claiming that the First Amendment doesn’t allow the president to claim fraud when told otherwise and attempt to overturn legitimate electors. However, Lauro firmly disagreed. He emphasized that the First Amendment protects all speech, even political speech, and warned that if politicians can be fact-checked and indicted for the accuracy of their statements, it would shut down political discourse in the country. He even suggested that President Joe Biden could face criminal charges if people disagreed with something he said during the election.
The attorney’s point was crystal clear. Injecting politics into the criminal justice system would be disastrous for the country. Lauro argued that if the Department of Justice starts fact-checking politicians and prosecuting them for political speech, it would undermine political engagement and threaten the democratic process. This case against Trump could set a dangerous precedent where any politician could face criminal charges over their statements.
Lauro also mentioned that Trump’s legal team would rely on his calls for peaceful assembly on January 6, 2021, as evidence that he did not incite the Capitol breach. The team believes that Trump’s words were misconstrued by those who took part in the violent events that unfolded. They see the charges brought against him as another politically motivated attack on the former president, orchestrated by a prosecutor appointed by the Biden administration. Trump has called the charges ridiculous and denounced them as yet another “political hit job” by his opponent for the upcoming election.
It is refreshing to see an attorney like John Lauro standing up for the principles enshrined in the First Amendment. Regardless of one’s opinions on Trump or the election, protecting free speech must be a priority. Politicians should be able to express their views, even if they are controversial or factually disputed, without fear of criminal prosecution. The case against Trump seems more driven by political motives than evidentiary support, and it is crucial to recognize the potential dangers of politicizing the criminal justice system.
