Letter: Deck stacked against Trump in New York trial

Editor:

I am compelled to respond to “Trump’s New York trial reaffirms his unfitness” (Reading Eagle, June 18), which lauded the justice system in its conviction of Donald Trump.

To begin, Judge Juan Merchan should have recused himself. His daughter is a Democratic political consultant. He didn’t recuse himself. The Trump defense sought a change of venue as 76% of Manhattan voted for Biden in 2020. Hardly a jury of Trump’s “peers.” Change of venue denied.

Merchan then issued a gag order. Not to everyone, just Trump, an obvious assault on Trump’s free speech rights. The defense challenged that ruling. Challenge denied.

Brad Smith, an expert on federal campaign law, was not allowed to testify by Merchan. Smith was a member of the Federal Election Commission who would have testified that Trump broke no laws. Merchan didn’t want that information to “confuse” the jury. Merchan had no interest in the truth.

In Merchan’s final instructions to the jury he made prejudicial remarks about what constitutes a guilty verdict. None other than Alan Dershowitz, a lifelong Democrat and Harvard law professor, has characterized Trump’s trial and conviction a “travesty of justice” and an abuse of power that will be overturned on appeal.

I think I’ll side with Dershowitz instead of people suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome.

David Rupp

Alsace Township