State Attorney Generals are the chief law enforcement officers of their individual states. We expect them to vigorously prosecute but, above all, considering their power and access to the public ear, be fair. They all want to be Governors, and actually, some of them do make it.
The conduct of one attorney general, Eric Schneiderman, should concern everyone, whether you voted for Donald Trump or not. The State of New York under this attorney General brought a lawsuit against Donald Trump involving Trump University. While the case proceeded, and not by accident, when the election was in full swing, Schneiderman kept up publicity regarding the lawsuit, aimed at embarrassing Mr. Trump. But, most of all, he did it as it suited the political needs of Eric Schneiderman. So be it, and that’s okay too, since politics is a blood sport, and it didn’t seem to hurt Mr. Trump. However, when Trump was elected President, Mr. Trump settled his lawsuit with the State for $25 million dollars of his own money. part of the settlement was that there was no admission of guilt. That’s usual in many of these kinds of lawsuits. What is unusual is that almost instantaneously, after it was settled for $25 million, with the specific proviso that there was no admission of guilt, Mr. Schneiderman issued press releases and gave interviews saying that Trump was indeed guilty. Now that’s dirty pool. We really don’t know, and there has been no legal adjudication, whether Trump was guilty; that would be a reason, and I say this as a former prosecutor, for not commenting generally on such a case before guilt is established. yet, that was what Mr. Schneiderman did, and it was deplorable. After receiving the $25 million, he then announced anyway that Trump was guilty. This probably will haunt Mr. Schneiderman, especially since Mr. Trump is going to be President in two months, and perhaps affect his quest to be Governor.
Everyone, whether a supporter of Mr. Trump or not, or a supporter of Mr. Schneiderman or not, should be embarrassed by the conduct of the Attorney General.