On December 13, 2022, Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida announced the filing of “a petition for a Statewide Grand Jury to investigate crimes and wrongdoing committed against Floridians related to the COVID-19 vaccine.”  After more than a year, on February 2, 2024, the Grand Jury released a preliminary report finding that mask and lockdowns were harmful and ineffective, but nothing on any crimes.

Meanwhile, four months earlier, on August 8, 2022, a citizen of Florida, President Donald J. Trump, had his property raided by federal officials, marking the beginning of what appears to be a series of coordinated attacks on a political opponent.  There is strong reason to believe that “crimes and wrongdoing” were committed against this Floridian by organized criminals in the Department of Justice and district attorneys’ offices in New York and Georgia.  The most recent result of this was an obscene and transparently partisan prosecution and conviction in New York on 34 felony counts of recording payments to a lawyer as legal expenses, with a potential for prison time.

The judge actually acted as one of the prosecutors in this case and, among other things:

- refused to approve a change of venue, instead forcing the trial to remain in an area where nearly 85% of registered voters are Democrats.

- refused to recuse himself, even though he had personal and family conflicts of interest.

- placed a First Amendment–violating gag order on the defendant, preventing him from speaking about the judge’s conflicts of interest or the fact that the local D.A. was using a Biden DOJ attorney to prosecute the case.

- allowed salacious and prejudicial testimony against the defendant that had nothing to do with the case.

- rarely sustained a defense objection or overruled the prosecution.

- refused to allow expert witnesses to testify for the defense.

- instructed the jury that unanimously agreeing on the crime was unnecessary; they just had to agree the defendant was guilty of something.

Because of this despicable case, many people are asking the Supreme Court to step in.  Certainly, there were numerous instances where New York egregiously violated Trump’s civil liberties, so there is precedent for the Supreme Court to act.  But everyone knows that this is a political case, and courts are reluctant to step into blatantly political battles.  Eventually, this case may come to the Supreme Court.  However, it’s likely that normal judicial processes will not be suspended in the fight to get justice from the current abnormal New York State justice system.

Also, some are looking for Congress to act by investigating, pontificating, and defunding the prosecution efforts.  Though congressmen talk a big game, they don’t have executive authority.  They can’t arrest or prosecute anyone, and they are spineless in using the power of the purse to stop anything.  But there is another way.

There is far more public information pointing to an organized criminal conspiracy to “Get Trump” than there was for intentionally harming people with the COVID-19 vaccine.  So where is the next Florida statewide grand jury to investigate a criminal conspiracy against Floridian Donald J. Trump?

Governor DeSantis needs to immediately announce the filing of a petition for a statewide grand jury to investigate crimes and wrongdoing committed against Floridian Donald J. Trump, related to the prosecution and conviction, and to protect him from the upcoming sentencing.  The grand jury should subpoena records and individuals involved in this case in the State of New York and at the DOJ.  Of course, those individuals will fight the subpoenas and refuse to comply and object to Florida interfering with New York State law.  Also, according to President Biden, the DOJ has nothing to do with this prosecution.

When these corrupt state officials refuse to respond to legal subpoenas, arrest warrants should be issued.  More importantly, Governor DeSantis should activate the Florida National Guard and solicit other sympathetic states to do the same, to protect and defend his citizen, President Trump, from the abusive persecutions.  This would include ensuring that Trump does not set foot in New York to attend his sentencing and, if jail time is demanded, refusing extradition and ensuring that the troops of multiple State National Guards join the Secret Service in protecting and defending the civil liberties of this Floridian from the organized criminals attacking him.

Maybe the Supreme Court would then step in to hear a case of Florida versus New York, and address whether a state can defend its citizens’ constitutionally protected rights against other rogue states.   But at that point, whether the SCOTUS or Congress steps in is irrelevant — executives with the power to execute must act.  And they need to hurry.

Charlie Rose (a pen name) recently retired after working over 30 years for the United States Army.

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.