The federal government's second criminal indictment and approaching trial of Donald J. Trump, as well as his anticipated criminal indictment and subsequent trial in Fulton County, Georgia.
Both of these cases include conspiracy to undermine American democracy, disenfranchise voters, and cheat the government.
In the former case, there are also connected charges and counts surrounding the corrupt obstruction of a congressional proceeding on Jan. 6, 2021
anticipated counts of obstructing justice under Georgia's racketeering legislation in the latter case.
They make it very apparent why both of these trials must take place — and why they must be broadcast live for all to see.
Even if Trump's Democratic opponents must ultimately "defeat him at the ballot box," as Jamelle Bouie of the New York Times writes in his latest column
"it would have been untenable for the legal system to remain silent in the face of an effort to put an end to the American experiment in republican self-government."
It is also worth emphasizing that Trump's "attempt to overthrow our institutions," in Bouie's words