Ankush Khardori writes:

You could be forgiven if you experienced a vague sense of bewilderment after the Trump Organization and Allen Weisselberg were charged, depending on what you were reading and watching in the days that preceded it.

Just that week, some prominent legal commentators had suggested that Trump himself might be charged (despite days of reporting indicating otherwise), that the charges would extend beyond the tax-fraud scheme that is reportedly at issue (and ultimately alleged), or that the Trump Organization would quickly go under if charged (which remains to be seen). In retrospect, this was not all that surprising: Similar claims had been swirling around in the media to varying degrees ever since a series of developments in late May suggested the investigations in New York were picking up steam.

The actual charges filed by the Manhattan district attorney’s office are undoubtedly serious, but it is far from clear what will happen next, which has prompted a range of reactions among the legal commentariat that seem to differ more on points of emphasis, tone, and probability, than on the ultimate danger to Trump. [Continue reading…]