Banks Weighs in on Trump’s Indictment in Agence France Presse, Spectrum News and WAER Articles

April 13, 2023

Agence France Presse,iNews,Spectrum News,WAER

William C. Banks

Public Administration & International Affairs Department

Syracuse University Institute for Security Policy & Law

Crime & Violence

Federal

U.S. Elections

William C. Banks

Last week, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg laid out the indictment of former President Donald Trump, the first criminal case against a current or former president in American history. The historic case faces a number of legal hurdles if it is to result in the first conviction of a U.S. president on criminal charges, legal experts say.

William Banks, professor emeritus of public administration and international affairs, tells Agence France Presse the case is "fraught" with difficulties and the charges pale in comparison to the legal jeopardy Trump could face elsewhere. Banks specifically cites Georgia, where prosecutors are investigating Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in the southern state.

Banks tells Spectrum News that time will tell if the felony charges were appropriate in the New York case, but the inclusion of a state tax law violation could be a felony if prosecutors can prove intent to “obscure tax liability.”

Banks was also quoted in the iNews article, "Trump indictment: Legal expert says unexpected tax charges have ‘opened up a path’ for prosecution," and the WAER article, "NY Representative, legal expert weigh in on Trump indictment."