Following his conviction in Manhattan on all 34 felony counts, Donald Trump must have an interview with his New York City probation officer. Interviews are typically scheduled for 10 days after a conviction. That would be Monday, as the 10th day was Sunday.
Trump will likely navigate between the Scylla of wanting to stay out of jail and the Charybdis of performing for his base. He knows the officer’s pre-sentence report to the judge will get out. So here’s an imagined way the conversation might go.
Mr. Trump, my name is ██████ [redacted for safety purposes]. I’m your probation officer.
My job is to ask you questions so I can provide the judge with information for your pre-sentence report. Trump: I can leak it, right? Voters love candidates like me who don’t give a . .
. who hate authority. That’s why I lead in every poll in the universe.
By the way, the country won’t stand for it if I get jail time. Some very good people will go over the edge. ██████ : The purpose of the pre-sentence report is to describe you and your background so Justice Merchan can make a well-informed sentencing decision.
Any questions? Trump: Who did you vote for in the last election? ██████: I ask the questions. They fall into two categories. First, are you likely to be amenable to a probation officer’s supervision and to follow the rules and restrictions? Trump: Rules? I follow every rule that helps me.
The rules that don’t will be disappearing before.
