Crash Course: Former federal prosecutor: A "day of reckoning" is coming for Trump — but he's not going to jail

Kenneth McCallion battled Trump in court — and says Merrick Garland has "overwhelming evidence" for conviction. [View in browser](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0Q2aHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL2xldHRlci81MDU5VwNzcGNCCmMiTp0pYyi_F5NSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpjIk6dKWMovxeTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). [Donald-Trump] Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images Former federal prosecutor: A "day of reckoning" is coming for Trump — but he's not going to jail Will Donald Trump eventually be prosecuted, convicted and then imprisoned for his apparent high crimes, which may include violating the Espionage Act? Attorney and author Kenneth Foard McCallion believes that the answer is probably no. Salon's Chauncey DeVega spoke with McCallion, a former Justice Department prosecutor who also worked for the New York State Attorney General's office as a prosecutor on Trump racketeering cases. As an assistant U.S. attorney and special assistant U.S. attorney, he focused on international fraud and counterintelligence cases that often involved Russian organized crime. In this wide-ranging conversation, he offers his view that Donald Trump, along with his inner circle and his businesses, operate like an organized crime family. McCallion says these attributes and behavior help to explain Trump's affinity for foreign demagogues and other corrupt elements, including Eastern European and Russian criminal organizations. McCallion explains the approach that Merrick Garland and the Department of Justice will likely take in prosecuting Trump for the government documents he stored at Mar-a-Lago and the events of Jan. 6. He also outlines a likely scenario for the final disposition of such a prosecution. He believes that Trump may be brought down by a litany of civil lawsuits that will cripple him financially, not by a high-profile criminal case in which the former president is "perp-walked" in handcuffs and then sent to prison.  [Read Chauncey DeVega's full interview with Kenneth McCallion.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0RvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTkvZm9ybWVyLXByb3NlY3V0b3ItYS1kYXktb2YtcmVja29uaW5nLWlzLWNvbWluZy1mb3ItLWJ1dC1oZXMtbm90LWdvaW5nLXRvLWphaWwvVwNzcGNCCmMiTp0pYyi_F5NSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) [Trump-won-sign] Spencer Platt/Getty Images Promotion from Slow Moon [Find out more] Sustainable wellbeing with a passion for pattern Slow Moon eye pillows help rest tired eyes, stimulating the oculocardiac reflex and resetting your body. Handmade from organic cotton they are the perfect tool for deeper concentration. [Find out more](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMva2V3c3YwNGd3OFcDc3BjQgpjIk6dKWMovxeTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) Toxic effects of the Big Lie: Will any Republican, anywhere, ever concede defeat? According to [FiveThirtyEight](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0RGaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9qZWN0cy5maXZldGhpcnR5ZWlnaHQuY29tL3JlcHVibGljYW5zLXRydW1wLWVsZWN0aW9uLWZyYXVkL1cDc3BjQgpjIk6dKWMovxeTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~), 60% of American voters have an election denier on the ballot where they live. Both the [New York Times](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0ReaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wOS8xOC91cy9wb2xpdGljcy90cnVtcC1yZXB1YmxpY2Fucy1taWR0ZXJtLWVsZWN0aW9uLXJlc3VsdHMuaHRtbFcDc3BjQgpjIk6dKWMovxeTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) and the [Washington Post](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FzaGluZ3RvbnBvc3QuY29tL3BvbGl0aWNzLzIwMjIvMDkvMTgvcmVwdWJsaWNhbnMtcmVmdXNlLWFjY2VwdC1yZXN1bHRzL1cDc3BjQgpjIk6dKWMovxeTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) reported over the weekend about election deniers running for office around the country who have refused to say whether they will accept the results of their own upcoming elections. The Post surveyed 19 important statewide races, and only seven Republican candidates said they would accept the results while 18 of the 19 Democrats said they would. (The other Democrat didn't respond.) The Times noted that a few of those GOP candidates seem to be posturing in order to appeal to Trump voters who've bought into the big lie, quoting an aide who said on background that their candidate would certainly accept the results but just couldn't say so in public. That's what passes for integrity in Republican politics these days. Amusingly, a number of defeated Republicans in this year's primary elections have claimed that the votes were rigged, proving just how deep this conspiracy goes. [Axios reports](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0Q0aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYXhpb3MuY29tLzIwMjIvMDgvMDQvdHJ1bXBzLXBhbmRvcmFzLWJveFcDc3BjQgpjIk6dKWMovxeTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) that losing GOP candidates in Michigan, Colorado, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada and Florida have all claimed their elections were tainted. Even some winners complained. Arizona's GOP nominee for secretary of state, state Rep. Mark Finchem, a hardcore 2020 election denier, claimed that "people all over the state [are] saying, 'I've gotten ballots that I didn't ask for."" Presumably he doesn't believe his own primary win was dubious, but these people are so far down the rabbit hole that you never know. [Read more from Heather Digby Parton.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0RpaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTkvZWZmZWN0cy1vZi10aGUtYmlnLWxpZS13aWxsLWFueS1yZXB1YmxpY2FuLWFueXdoZXJlLWV2ZXItY29uY2VkZS1kZWZlYXQvVwNzcGNCCmMiTp0pYyi_F5NSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - Trump goes on [late-night Truth Social rant](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0RzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTkvZ29lcy1vbi1sYXRlLW5pZ2h0LXRydXRoLXNvY2lhbC1yYW50LWluLWZpcnN0LXJldHVybi10by1tYXItYS1sYWdvLWFmdGVyLWZiaS1yYWlkL1cDc3BjQgpjIk6dKWMovxeTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) in first return to Mar-a-Lago after FBI raid - [Ken Burns](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0R9aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTkva2VuLW9uLWFza2luZy15b3Vyc2VsZi10aGUtdG91Z2hlc3QtcXVlc3Rpb25zLWFuZC1ob3ctdGhlLWJlYXRsZXMtaW5mbHVlbmNlZC1oaXMtZmlsbW1ha2luZy9XA3NwY0IKYyJOnSljKL8Xk1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) on asking yourself "the toughest questions" and how the Beatles influenced his filmmaking - A [drug that can kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0RuaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTkvYS10aGF0LWNhbi1hbnRpYmlvdGljLXJlc2lzdGFudC1iYWN0ZXJpYS1jb3VsZC1zdGF2ZS1vZmYtdGhlLWNvbWluZy1zdXBlcmJ1Zy9XA3NwY0IKYyJOnSljKL8Xk1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) could stave off the coming superbug crisis - "Equity within the whole restaurant": [The problem with the tipped wage](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0RlaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTgvZXF1aXR5LXdpdGhpbi10aGUtd2hvbGUtcmVzdGF1cmFudC10aGUtcHJvYmxlbS13aXRoLXRoZS10aXBwZWQtd2FnZS9XA3NwY0IKYyJOnSljKL8Xk1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - The United States' [invasive species crisis, in pictures](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0RXaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTkvdGhlLXVuaXRlZC1zdGF0ZXMtaW52YXNpdmUtc3BlY2llcy1jcmlzaXMtaW4tcGljdHVyZXMvVwNzcGNCCmMiTp0pYyi_F5NSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - 7 details you may have missed from [Queen Elizabeth II's funeral](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0RgaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTkvNy1kZXRhaWxzLXlvdS1tYXktaGF2ZS1taXNzZWQtZnJvbS1xdWVlbi1lbGl6YWJldGgtaWlzLWZ1bmVyYWwvVwNzcGNCCmMiTp0pYyi_F5NSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - ["The Gospel of Wellness" author](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0R6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTgvdGhlLWdvc3BlbC1vZi13ZWxsbmVzcy1hdXRob3Itb24tdGhlLW9mLWd3eW5ldGgtYW5kLXdoeS1nb29wLWZhbnMtZG9udC1idXktdGhlLXNuYWtlLW9pbC9XA3NwY0IKYyJOnSljKL8Xk1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) on the cult of Gwyneth, and why Goop fans don't buy the snake oil - A ["House of the Dragon" wedding celebration](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTkvYS1ob3VzZS1vZi10aGUtZHJhZ29uLXdlZGRpbmctY2VsZWJyYXRpb24tdHVybnMtaW50by1hLXNjZW5lLW1haW5seS1kdWUtdG8tdGhlLWRhbmNpbmcvVwNzcGNCCmMiTp0pYyi_F5NSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) turns into a crime scene, mainly due to the dancing - The [4 best soups](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTkvdGhlLTQtYmVzdC1zb3Vwcy10by10cnktZnJvbS10cmFkZXItam9lcy1yaWdodC1ub3ctYWNjb3JkaW5nLXRvLXJlZGRpdC9XA3NwY0IKYyJOnSljKL8Xk1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) to try from Trader Joe’s right now, according to Reddit - Cooking for a crowd? [Chicken and charred mushroom larb](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0RzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTkvY29va2luZy1mb3ItYS1jcm93ZC1jaGlja2VuLWFuZC1jaGFycmVkLW11c2hyb29tLWxhcmItaXMtdGhlLWZsYXZvci1wYWNrZWQtYW5zd2VyL1cDc3BjQgpjIk6dKWMovxeTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) is the flavor-packed answer Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpjIk6dKWMovxeTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. [DeSantis/Trump] Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images Of course DeSantis flouts the law and human decency — He's just following Trump's example Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been dangled before the Republican faithful as the potential Boy Scout Mussolini, a man who can dish out all the bigotry and authoritarian crackdowns, without getting distracted by role-playing a mafioso. In large part, this is because DeSantis is perceived as having even less of an internal life than a pickle-brained sociopath like Trump. DeSantis has the look and feel of a prototype politician-robot, who doesn't explode in angry tirades but has been programmed to think exclusively in right-wing grievances. Robots lack the complicated human motives that lead to criminal actions, after all, and DeSantis feels "safer" for those who dare to imagine a fascist regime free of corruption. After last week's [Martha's Vineyard stunt](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0R5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTUvZXZpbC1hbmQtaW5odW1hbmUtZGVzYW50aXMtbWFydGhhcy12aW5leWFyZC13aXRoLXBsYW5lcy1vZi1taWdyYW50cy0tYnV0LWxvY2Fscy1zdGVwLXVwL1cDc3BjQgpjIk6dKWMovxeTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~), however, it's time for Republicans to set aside their longings for an evil-but-lawful leader. As any sci-fi geek could tell you, those AI-powered robots invariably evolve to be worse than their creators. Most of Trump's crimes are rooted in ordinary human impulses, like outright greed and ego gratification. But programming DeSantis to care only about right-wing trolling didn't prevent him from playing Trump-like games with the law. In this case, he appears to have defrauded these immigrants not for financial gain, but solely to create a political spectacle that would play well on Fox News. [Read more from Amanda Marcotte.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0RyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTkvb2YtY291cnNlLWRlc2FudGlzLWZsb3V0cy10aGUtbGF3LWFuZC1odW1hbi1kZWNlbmN5LS0taGVzLWp1c3QtZm9sbG93aW5nLWV4YW1wbGUvVwNzcGNCCmMiTp0pYyi_F5NSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "Pentagon opens sweeping review of clandestine psychological operations," [The Washington Post](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0RvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FzaGluZ3RvbnBvc3QuY29tL25hdGlvbmFsLXNlY3VyaXR5LzIwMjIvMDkvMTkvcGVudGFnb24tcHN5Y2hvbG9naWNhbC1vcGVyYXRpb25zLWZhY2Vib29rLXR3aXR0ZXIvVwNzcGNCCmMiTp0pYyi_F5NSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "At eBay, Lurid Crimes and the Search for Punishment," [The New York Times](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0RMaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wOS8xNi90ZWNobm9sb2d5L2ViYXktY3liZXJzdGFsa2luZy1jcmltZXMuaHRtbFcDc3BjQgpjIk6dKWMovxeTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Why Are Rich People So Obsessed With Proving US Cities Are Dystopian Hellholes?" [Motherboard](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0R2aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudmljZS5jb20vZW4vYXJ0aWNsZS94Z3l2eGEvd2h5LWFyZS1yaWNoLXBlb3BsZS1zby1vYnNlc3NlZC13aXRoLXByb3ZpbmctdXMtY2l0aWVzLWFyZS1keXN0b3BpYW4taGVsbC1ob2xlc1cDc3BjQgpjIk6dKWMovxeTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "How Brett Favre Got $6 Million in Welfare For A Volleyball Stadium," [Mississippi Free Press](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0R_aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubWlzc2lzc2lwcGlmcmVlcHJlc3Mub3JnLzI3NDY1L2luLWRlcHRoLWhvdy1icmV0dC1mYXZyZS1zZWN1cmVkLTYtbWlsbGlvbi1pbi13ZWxmYXJlLWZ1bmRzLWZvci1hLXZvbGxleWJhbGwtc3RhZGl1bVcDc3BjQgpjIk6dKWMovxeTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "How dating apps sold us an unromantic, dehumanising idea of romance," [i-D](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0RDaHR0cHM6Ly9pLWQudmljZS5jb20vZW4vYXJ0aWNsZS94Z3l2ZGEvdGhlLXByb2JsZW0td2l0aC1kYXRpbmctYXBwc1cDc3BjQgpjIk6dKWMovxeTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Prospect of far-right female premier divides Italian women," [Associated Press](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0RgaHR0cHM6Ly9hcG5ld3MuY29tL2FydGljbGUvYWJvcnRpb24taGVhbHRoLW1pZ3JhdGlvbi1yb21lLWl0YWx5LTBlODE2MzI1ZTZlN2IyNjdkN2M1YzQ5ZjFiOWE3Yjk3VwNzcGNCCmMiTp0pYyi_F5NSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) [Mar-a-Lago] Joe Raedle/Getty Images Trump team picked special master they think is a "deep skeptic of FBI" due to Russia probe: report U.S. District Judge [Aileen Cannon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0QpaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL3RvcGljL2FpbGVlbl9jYW5ub25XA3NwY0IKYyJOnSljKL8Xk1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) last week appointed Judge Raymond J. Dearie as a special master to review records the FBI seized from Mar-a-Lago. Dearie served seven years on the [Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0RvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZmlzYy51c2NvdXJ0cy5nb3Yvc2l0ZXMvZGVmYXVsdC9maWxlcy9GSVNDJTIwRklTQ1IlMjBDdXJyZW50JTIwYW5kJTIwUGFzdCUyMEp1ZGdlcyUyME1heSUyMDIwMjIucGRmVwNzcGNCCmMiTp0pYyi_F5NSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~), which examines applications from the U.S. government "requesting warrants for electronic surveillance, physical searches and other investigative efforts related to foreign intelligence." In October 2016, when Dearie was a FISA judge, the court approved a wiretap of a foreign policy adviser on Trump's presidential campaign. The Justice Department requested the surveillance of former Trump adviser Carter Page as part of the FBI's "Crossfire Hurricane" investigation, which looked into ties between Trump's campaign and Russia. Two of the four warrants approved to surveil Page were later deemed invalid after the Justice Department's inspector general found misstatements and omissions in FBI paperwork to get the warrant. Two anonymous sources with direct knowledge of the deliberations [told Axios](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0RIaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYXhpb3MuY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTgvdHJ1bXAtc3BlY2lhbC1tYXN0ZXItZGVhcmllLWZiaS1za2VwdGljVwNzcGNCCmMiTp0pYyi_F5NSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) that lawyers and advisers of Trump believe Dearie's role on the secretive court made him a deep skeptic of the FBI after its surveillance of Page, which influenced Trump's legal team's decision to suggest him. "This experience drove the Trump team's thinking in requesting him," the outlet reported, adding that "Trump's lawyers are betting that has made Dearie more skeptical of the FBI than an average judge — in a way that endures beyond the Page case." [Read more from Areeba Shah.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0R0aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTkvdGVhbS1waWNrZWQtc3BlY2lhbC1tYXN0ZXItdGhleS10aGluay1pcy1hLWRlZXAtc2tlcHRpYy1vZi1mYmktZHVlLXRvLXByb2JlLXJlcG9ydC9XA3NwY0IKYyJOnSljKL8Xk1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Our mailing address: 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, DE 19801 [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmMiTp0pYyi_F5NSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2022 Crash Course, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlDCJKP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgpjIk6dKWMovxeTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)