Bob Schwartz

Non-lawyer Americans believe they have a trove of legal knowledge, based on thousands of hours of TV. Part of that hard-viewed learning should include this:

Many serious cases are based on differing versions. Sometimes there is direct evidence or just circumstantial evidence supporting one version or the other, but sometimes it comes down to she said/he said. If the claim is plausible, it will proceed to trial, and the credibility of the victim, and of the accused if he testifies, will be evaluated by the trier of fact, either a jury or a judge. A decision will be made. At trial.

The smokescreen that women (then girls) accusing Trump are making “unsubstantiated” claims does not resolve the matter. They have been justifiably scared to come forward for decades. When we see the roster of powerful men involved, not to mention the woman who did much of Epstein’s dirty work, it would be imprudent not be scared. One of those men in fact turned out to be arguably the most powerful man in the world, and still is.

DOJ should release every claim that was made against Trump, as they are legally required to do. Every claim should be investigated, just as claims revealed against other men are, some of whom may also claim that the accusations are “unsubstantiated”. Let Trump and his shills and sycophants repeat that each one of the claims is unsubstantiated or vindictive. And if the claims don’t ever go to trial, which they should, let all Americans be the trier of fact as to what actually happened. We now know all about Trump—too much sometimes—and we’ll be the judge.