Exorcising America’s Demon(s)

Until U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Jack Luman Smith special counsel, Donald Trump seemed unstoppable, despite mountains of incriminating evidence compiled by the bipartisan (only two Republicans joined) House Select Committee on the January 6th attack.

In his bid to win the White House again, Trump has operated like he’s untouchable, staging rallies, flaunting civil discourse, and stealing and mishandling secret U.S. documents on military preparedness, nuclear technology and more.

Could no one stop this man from destroying democracy?

Most certainly not Republican-elected officials who feared Trump’s MAGA base in the party and thus losing power. They use “whataboutism” to excuse away his alleged crimes. Social media and the airwaves crackled with anger and indignation that Trump would escape justice while MAGA supporters reacted with anger and indignation over perceived unfair treatment of their man.

Critics of Merrick Garland wondered whether the Department of Justice would ever investigate Trump for executing the January 6, 2021 attempted coup and violent insurrection by thousands of his supporters. They accused DOJ of fearing prosecution because of Trump’s mob-boss threats of “civil war,” if he is indicted.

With this backdrop, Smith, a relatively unknown prosecutor, arrived in Washington, D.C. in the 2022, somewhat like that of the exorcist priest Lankester Merrin in the 1973 horror film, “The Exorcist.” In fact, when Garland announced Smith’s appointment, the only photo of Smith the media seemed to have was of him in a priestly looking white-collared, black and purple robe that prosecutors in the International Criminal Court are required to wear. Smith had just finished a stint there chief prosecutor for war crimes committed in the 1999 Kosovo War.

The robe seemed to affect the former president. Just as the devil who possessed teenager Regan MacNeil screamed Merrin’s name upon his entering her Georgetown home, Trump used his Truth Social posts to scream Smith was a “deranged lunatic,” a “Trump Hater,” and a “psycho that shouldn’t be involved in any case having to do with ‘Justice.’”

Seems the devil draws the line at name calling.

In his role as special counsel, Smith is neither friend nor foe but an attorney for the federal government assigned to ensure that in our judicial system, as he says, “no one is above the law.”

I don’t know Jack Smith, but I’ve watched him speak at his two brief news conferences and read his indictments against Trump. I’m guessing his love of country, democracy and the rule of law eclipse any feeling he may have about the man he’s about to try in a courtroom, possibly as early as this fall.

Smith’s middle name sounds like “lumen” – a measure of visible light emitted from a source – and the charges he will argue are related to Trump’s January 6 coup attempt. The other federal case, stolen classified documents, will likely be tried next year.

Set aside the characters in this legal drama, the case against the defendant is simple, concise, and brilliant in its jurisprudence and execution. The specter of jail looms for Trump. And yet, similarities to a 1970s film about a couple of priests fighting a demon possessing a young girl resonate on the circus level, where Trump prefers to exist. He plays the role of victim, defender of the little people that he constantly lies to and fleeces following every indictment – four and counting – and at every rally. Alabama MAGAs gave him $1.2 million after his third arraignment because they believe when he tells them, “I’m being indicted for you.”

After these “Christ the Savior” allegories Trump spews, you almost expect Jack Smith – here in his role as exorcist priest Lankester Merrin – to start showering Trump with injunctions while loudly praying, “The rule of law compels you! The rule of law compels you!”

In reality, what Smith is doing is prosecuting Trump for his alleged crimes to undermine American democracy and to sell American security to foreign bidders.

Most Americans, exhausted by a man they fear can get elected and destroy democracy, hope Smith will win convictions and thus exorcise the body politics’ “demons.” But that’s not his role; that’s the individual voters’ role because there is no guarantee Trump will be convicted of anything, and if convicted, there’s no guarantee that he won’t get elected.

To stop Trump, who has stated his authoritarian anti-democratic plans to alter the nation forever if returned to office, vote against him. To stop candidates who oppose democracy, vote against them. To be sure, there are tens of millions of Trump supporters who will be voting for him. Some of them, unfortunately, actually believe he is fighting demons.

That’s the power every individual in a democracy possesses—the right to vote. There is no guarantee – even if Trump were to make a guarantee – that this sacred right would continue to exist if he is elected.

Remember, one of the charges for which he is about to stand trial is “conspiracy against the right to vote and to have one’s vote counted,” which is usurping the will of the people, that is, taking away your right to vote.

Also remember, that while we have the right to vote, only we the people can exorcise our political demons.