The arraignment of a former president garners attention because of the high profile of the defendant, but what occurred today is unexceptional for those who know how the rule of law is supposed to function in this nation.  A judge read charges authorized by an indictment of a grand jury and brought by a prosecutor—and a defendant acknowledged that he understood the charges and pleaded not guilty.  Now this case will move through the trial process, during which both the prosecution and the defense will be afforded the opportunity to present evidence and their strongest arguments before a group of randomly selected citizens who will serve as trial jurors.  These jurors will be tasked with the duty to fairly and impartially follow the facts and the law where they lead.  And the jurors will be entrusted to honor a central tenet of the rule of law in this nation:  no one—not even a former president—is above the law.

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Constitutional Accountability Center is a nonpartisan think tank and public interest law firm dedicated to fulfilling the progressive promise of the Constitution’s text, history, and values. Visit CAC’s website at www.theusconstitution.org.

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Praveen Fernandes, Possible Trump Indictment Shows the Rule of Law at Work: https://www.theusconstitution.org/news/possible-trump-indictment-shows-the-rule-of-law-at-work/