2023: The Year Of Accountability
The wheels of justice may be slow, but they never cease moving forward.
The Trump years were incredibly frustrating for millions of people across the country. Witnessing the lawlessness and sheer corruption that permeated the highest levels of government was disheartening and disillusioning. It felt as though the fundamental principles of accountability and justice were being eroded before our eyes.
The culmination of this aggravation came with the shocking insurrection at the US Capitol, where the fragility of our democracy was laid bare. What intensified the anger was the perception that Republicans seemed immune to consequences for their actions. It appeared that they could defy laws, norms, and ethical standards without facing any meaningful repercussions. This glaring disparity in accountability deepened the sense of injustice and further eroded faith in our political system.
But you have to remember the wheels of justice turn slowly, and there are many reasons for that. First, complex legal processes and procedures require meticulous examination of evidence, analysis of arguments, and adherence to due process. Additionally, court systems often face heavy caseloads, leading to backlogs and delays. Moreover, pursuing justice involves multiple parties, including investigators, prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, and juries, all requiring time to prepare and present their cases. Furthermore, legal challenges, appeals, and the need to ensure fairness and accuracy contribute to the gradual pace of justice. Overall, the intricate nature of the legal system and the commitment to upholding principles of fairness and thoroughness contribute to the slow progression of justice.
If 2020 and 2021 were the year of fucking around, 2023 is the year of finding out.
January 2023: Four members of the Oath Keepers were found guilty of seditious conspiracy in the January 6 Capitol attack, including Oath Keeper leader Steward Rhodes. The charges carry up to 20 years in prison, and the four were also convicted of other conspiracy charges and obstructing an official proceeding.
April 2023: Trump was arraigned on a 34-count felony indictment related to a scheme to cover up allegations of extramarital affairs during his first presidential campaign. Prosecutors accused Trump of falsifying business records and orchestrating payments to silence individuals who could have harmed his candidacy. The next court date is scheduled for December 4, 2023.
May 2023: Four members of the far-right Proud Boys, including leader Enrique Tarrio, were found guilty of seditious conspiracy and other charges related to their roles in the January 6 Capitol attack. The jury verdict marked the third time seditious conspiracy convictions have been secured in the Justice Department’s prosecution of those involved in the insurrection. Tarrio’s arrest before January 6 was significant, as evidence presented during the trial highlighted his involvement in creating a command structure within the Proud Boys and planning to occupy key buildings in Washington, DC.
May 2023: The Texas House unanimously voted to expel sleazeball Bryan Slaton. While Slaton spent most of his legislative history focused on the genitalia of transgender minors, his grooming of a teenage girl ultimately did him in.
May 2023: New York Representative George Santos was taken into federal custody for 13 federal charges, including wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds, and making false statements to the House of Representatives.
May 2023: Ken Paxton was impeached from the Texas House as his long history of corruption and shady dealings finally caught up to him. While it will still be a few months until his trial in the Texas Senate, a conviction should surely follow if the Senators act based on truth and fairness and not political affiliation.
June 2023: Trump was indicted again, this time by the Department of Justice, facing seven counts, including espionage. The red-hot meltdown from Republicans is still in full swing, as some call for violence and another insurrection.
June 2023: Ken Paxton’s corrupt associate, Nate Paul, was arrested in Austin on a felony FBI hold. The attorney general’s defense attorney told Lauren McGaughey with the Dallas News he believes the FBI charges against Nate Paul involve Paxton and thinks the FBI is trying to get Paul to flip on Paxton.
It’s only June—what does the rest of the year have in store?
Trump is supposed to be arraigned in court in Miami next Tuesday. They will surely set his court date at that time. Undoubtedly, it will likely be months from now as the wheels of justice turn slowly.
Trump is still facing charges in Georgia. However, Fulton County District Attorney Fanni Willis has indicated it will likely be August before he is indicted. I would suspect that after he is indicted in Georgia, the trial for that case won’t begin until 2024.
Trump will see his day in court in New York in December this year, and the espionage charges in DC will likely go to trial in the fall. When will Trump be found guilty and sent to jail? We should expect to see that by early 2024, if not sooner. It’s inevitable at this point.
As far as Paxton goes, we don’t have a date for the Senate trial yet, but we should have one in the next two weeks. The latest Senate trial will take place in late August. So, by the end of the summer, he will either be reinstated as Attorney General or convicted and permanently removed. It’s hard to say how this will go, as the Senate is full of corrupt ideologues and Paxton loyalists.
The Nate Paul arrest yesterday indicates that the FBI is closing in on Paxton, and we will likely see a federal indictment before the end of this year.
Finally, witnessing justice being served after years of waiting is a profound moment of vindication for those who waited for it.
The slow progression of justice may have tested our patience, but the recent convictions and indictments offer a glimmer of hope. Each step taken, whether it be the guilty verdicts for the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys involved in the Capitol attack, the expulsion of corrupt officials like Bryan Slaton and George Santos, or the impending trials of figures like Trump and Paxton, serves as a reminder that accountability can prevail. The wheels of justice may turn slowly, but their momentum is building, and the wait for true justice is nearing its end.
Stay tuned. Justice delayed is not justice denied. 2023 is the year of accountability, and we still have six months left.