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Former Republican President Donald Trump's indictment on Tuesday has caused quite a stir. While some people believe this is a necessary step towards ensuring justice is served, others have voiced their concerns over the unintended consequences of such an action.
One such person is Gerri Willis, a Fox News contributor, who recently warned Trump's indictment could discourage people from running for higher office.
During a panel discussion on Fox News, Willis suggested indicting Trump could set a bad precedent and discourage potential candidates from running for higher office. She argued the negative consequences of running for office, such as the scrutiny and criticism, far outweighed the possible benefits, such as money and power.
You can hear what she said in the video below.
\u201cFox's Gerri Willis on Trump indictment: "People are not going to want to run for office if this is where it goes... You\u2019re not making a lot of money. The downsides are so much bigger than the possible upsides. We are kind of signing our own death warrant."\u201d— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1680541310
Willis' comments were indicative of a larger problem in American politics, where politicians are more concerned with personal gain than public service.
It also parrots a common refrain from Trump's supporters that indicting him is not necessary to uphold the rule of law.
Willis' comments were met with ridicule on Twitter, with many people questioning her reasoning.
\u201c@justinbaragona won\u2019t somebody please think of the people who go into office to make money!!!\u201d— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1680541310
\u201c@justinbaragona Good idea, Republicans, don\u2019t run for office. Too many downsides.\u201d— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1680541310
\u201c@justinbaragona The \u201caltruism doesn\u2019t exist\u201d argument for public servants sounds very Rupert Murdoch.\u201d— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1680541310
\u201c@justinbaragona If we reduce our pool of potential candidates for office by a number equal to people who have paid off porn stars for silence, I think democracy will be okay.\u201d— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1680541310
\u201c@justinbaragona That\u2019s the point, a regular person, not a wealthy criminal person. It\u2019s called public service.\u201d— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1680541310
\u201c@justinbaragona I would gladly take some that inadequate salary to supplement MY pittance of income\u2026I actually work too!\u201d— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1680541310
\u201c@justinbaragona So if we prosecute the grifters, all will be well ....\u201d— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1680541310
\u201c@justinbaragona Yeah, man... what a world where people would want the job for the interest of actually doing that job...\u201d— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1680541310
Despite the criticism, Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges of falsifying business records.
The charges are related to hush money payments made to two women—including adult film actress Stormy Daniels—during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Legal experts have suggested that even if Trump is convicted of the 34 felony charges related to hush money payments, he is unlikely to face a harsh sentence of up to four years in prison because he is a first-time offender and the charges are non-violent.
Trump's indictment has triggered a legal battle with his team aiming to derail the case, which could potentially impact his 2024 bid for the White House.
While prosecutors have suggested a January 2024 trial date, Trump's attorney believes a more reasonable timeframe would be a spring 2024 trial date. The legal battle is expected to be frenzied and could have significant political implications.