美国国家公共电台 NPR--If Trump is indicted, how will that affect his 2024 presidential campaign?

If Trump¹ is indicted², how will that affect his 2024 presidential campaign?

Transcript³

NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with Columbia Law professor Richard Briffault about what a possible indictment⁴ could mean for former President Donald Trump's political future.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

As many news organizations have reported in great detail, Donald Trump says he will be arrested on Tuesday.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

It's Wednesday, Steve.

INSKEEP: That's exactly right, Leila. It's Wednesday.

FADEL: Donald Trump hasn't been arrested.

INSKEEP: Oh, yes. That's because his widely reported prediction of an arrest on Tuesday turns out to be untrue. That said, nobody can rule out the possibility that the former president will be indicted sometime, somewhere, because there are multiple investigations⁵. New York prosecutors⁶ are examining a hush⁷ money payment to an adult film star. The federal Justice Department has questioned his handling of classified documents, and Georgia prosecutors have examined his effort to overturn his election defeat in 2020. So what does all this mean for Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, which is already underway? We turn now to Columbia Law School professor Richard Briffault.

Good morning, sir.

RICHARD BRIFFAULT: Good morning.

INSKEEP: And glad to hear from you. Republicans, of course, have criticized all these investigations as political, a way to interfere⁸ with his presidential campaign. So let's examine the law first. Could a prosecution⁹ prevent Trump from continuing his presidential campaign?

BRIFFAULT: Not legally. I mean, that is - the fact that he - that the president - former president might be indicted - that's not a bar to running for president. It might make it logistically more difficult for a - for somebody to run for president, but it wouldn't create a legal obstacle.

INSKEEP: Oh, that's an interesting word, logistical. Why would it be logistically more difficult for an indicted person to continue or make a presidential campaign?

BRIFFAULT: Well, once the trial begins, presumably he may want to attend. He may be called as a witness. He may be examined. He may - just the process of running a trial itself or would - could conceivably interfere with his ability to run around the country.

INSKEEP: Oh, interesting.

BRIFFAULT: Again, he might not be constrained¹⁰ physically¹¹, but, you know, just the process of having to deal with the case.

INSKEEP: No. We're not presuming that the former president would end up in jail prior to a trial, but we're presuming that he would be distracted, that he could be very busy. That's what you're saying.

BRIFFAULT: Exactly.

INSKEEP: What authority, if any, does Congress have to keep someone from running for office if they were to feel that it was bad for the country?

BRIFFAULT: Not really much. I mean, the Constitution sets the criteria¹² for eligibility¹³ for president, and he meets them. He's in a - he's over 35. He's been a resident for a long enough period of time, and he's a citizen. So there - that's really about it. It's actually would be improper¹⁴ for Congress to add criteria. There is a provision in the 14th Amendment¹⁵ for people who are involved in an insurrection against the country. They lose the ability to hold office. And Congress could conclude that. But short of that, they would - they really can't add new requirements.

INSKEEP: Yeah. And I guess we should mention that late last year, when Democrats¹⁶ still controlled both houses of Congress, some House Democrats introduced legislation essentially¹⁷ to declare that Trump couldn't run because of the 14th Amendment or declare that he could not have another campaign. But that did not pass. I'd like to know what the implications are of any of these indictments¹⁸, should they ever come to pass. We have not had a president prosecuted¹⁹ in this way before. We've not had a former president put on trial, not even Richard Nixon after he resigned. He was pardoned for various crimes. Would this in some way change our system if there was a former president and presidential candidate on trial?

BRIFFAULT: It would really be up to the public. It would really - it continues to be a matter of how much would potential voters, both initially²⁰ within a Republican primary and then should he be nominated in a general election - how much would it matter for them? Again, you know, indictment doesn't mean conviction. So the - people have been indicted for charges and have been acquitted²¹. So it's not clear that indictment necessarily means anything. But ultimately, it would be up to the voters to make the decision.

INSKEEP: But would it in some way politicize our system beyond whatever it is now?

BRIFFAULT: Well, that's the concern. I mean, you've got the dueling²² concerns here. One is the possibility of a political prosecution, and that's certainly what's being charged by the former president's defenders²³. On the other hand, there's the basic proposition that nobody's above the law and that if somebody commits a crime, they should be charged for it, no matter how important they are or how high a position they've held. No one - there wouldn't be any question about this if this, say, was a homicide case.

INSKEEP: Richard Briffault of Columbia Law School, thanks so much. Pleasure talking with you.

BRIFFAULT: My pleasure.

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 indicted   

控告，起诉( indict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The senator was indicted for murder. 那位参议员被控犯谋杀罪。
• He was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of murder. 他被大陪审团以两项谋杀罪名起诉。

3 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

4 indictment   

n.起诉；诉状

参考例句：

• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。
• They issued an indictment against them.他们起诉了他们。

5 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

6 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

7 hush   

int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静

参考例句：

• A hush fell over the onlookers.旁观者们突然静了下来。
• Do hush up the scandal!不要把这丑事声张出去！

8 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

9 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

10 constrained   

adj.束缚的,节制的

参考例句：

• The evidence was so compelling that he felt constrained to accept it. 证据是那样的令人折服，他觉得不得不接受。
• I feel constrained to write and ask for your forgiveness. 我不得不写信请你原谅。

11 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

12 criteria   

n.标准

参考例句：

• The main criterion is value for money.主要的标准是钱要用得划算。
• There are strict criteria for inclusion in the competition.参赛的标准很严格。

13 eligibility   

n.合格，资格

参考例句：

• What are the eligibility requirements? 病人被选参加试验的要求是什么？ 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望
• Eligibility for HINARI access is based on gross national income (GNI). 进入HINARI获取计划是依据国民总收入来评定的。

14 improper   

adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的

参考例句：

• Short trousers are improper at a dance.舞会上穿短裤不成体统。
• Laughing and joking are improper at a funeral.葬礼时大笑和开玩笑是不合适的。

15 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

16 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

18 indictments   

n.（制度、社会等的）衰败迹象( indictment的名词复数 )；刑事起诉书；公诉书；控告

参考例句：

• A New York jury brought criminal indictments against the founder of the organization. 纽约的一个陪审团对这个组织的创始人提起了多项刑事诉讼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These two indictments are self-evident and require no elaboration. 这两条意义自明，无须多说。 来自互联网

19 prosecuted   

a.被起诉的

参考例句：

• The editors are being prosecuted for obscenity. 编辑因刊载污秽文字而被起诉。
• The company was prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety Act. 这家公司被控违反《卫生安全条例》。

20 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

21 acquitted   

宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现

参考例句：

• The jury acquitted him of murder. 陪审团裁决他谋杀罪不成立。
• Five months ago she was acquitted on a shoplifting charge. 五个月前她被宣判未犯入店行窃罪。

22 dueling   

n. 决斗, 抗争(=duelling) 动词duel的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• More light-hearted But somewhat puzzled, Vladimir prepared to meet Eugene on the dueling ground. 弗拉基米尔心里轻松了一些，但仍感到有些困惑，在这种心情下，他准备去决斗场地迎战叶甫盖尼。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学
• They had been dueling for hours and finally called a draw. 他们一直决斗了数小时，最后打成平局。

23 defenders   

n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者

参考例句：

• The defenders were outnumbered and had to give in. 抵抗者寡不敌众，只能投降。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• After hard fighting,the defenders were still masters of the city. 守军经过奋战仍然控制着城市。 来自《简明英汉词典》