At last! We find out that Trump is not above the law. I suspect, and agree with, the constitutional scholars that say the Supreme Court won't even take up his last appeal.
But if they do...I'm slightly concerned that the three Trump appointees, and already extreme Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, will let Trump off the hook.
That would be the moment democracy died.
In this age of extremism, it's hard to predict what the judges will do. It should be a slam dunk case, but we shouldn't bet on it.
Meanwhile Trump's team of idiot lawyers will have to file their last-ditch appeal(s) by Monday to block the ruling.
The judges flatly rejected Trump's arguments that he shouldn't have to go on trial on federal election subversion charges.
In a scathing 57-page unanimous opinion the panel of three judges wrote that the public interest in holding a potentially criminal president accountable outweighs any potential "chilling effect" on the presidency.
The judges were clear that the charges against Trump are serious and left no question they believe he can be prosecuted.
It's important to know that Trump's team can also appeal to the full DC Circuit to take up the case en banc, meaning the case would be heard again, but by the full panel of circuit judges.
Because Trump's team is trying to delay every step of the way, I wouldn't be surprised if they try to go this route before settling for the Supreme Court Hail Mary.
There's one paragraph in this new ruling that gives me hope for another ruling Trump faces. The Colorado challenge to keep Trump off the ballot may have gotten an enormous boost.
The court ruling refers to the president as an "officer." Anyone following the 14th Amendment cases revolving around the theory that the president was NOT an "officer" thus he couldn't be banned from the ballot should take note of this paragraph.
There is an open legal question - being argued Thursday before the Supreme Court - over whether the presidency is an "office... under the United States" and whether the presidency is an "officer" as described in the insurrection ban under Section 3.
Turning back to today's ruling, it was a big step in the right direction, but there's more challenges are on the way as Trump tries to delay justice until November when (if elected) he can pardon himself of the numerous felony charges against him.
As it stands, Trump's election subversion case must be tried in advance of the election to give voters second thoughts about re-electing the most corrupt former president in US history. Polls show that 62% of Republicans would shy away from voting for a convicted felon.
