1st Edition
Indicting the 45th President Boss Trump, the GOP, and What We Can Do About the Threat to American Democracy
Indicting the 45th President is a sequel to Criminology on Trump in real time, continuing the criminological investigation into the former US president. Developing and expanding on the themes of family dynamics, deviance, deception, dishonesty, and the weaponization of the law, this book offers the next chapter on the world’s most successful outlaw.
In this new book, Gregg Barak considers the campaigns and policies, the corruption, the state- organized abuses of power and obstructions of justice, the pardons, the failed insurrection, the prosecutions, the indictment of Trump and the politics of punishment as these revolve around the Trumpian character and social structures that encourage such crimes of the powerful. Barak also thoroughly addresses the threat to American Democracy, critiques the current state of the U.S. constitutional system, and proposes reforms to enhance justice for all in the United States.
Another accessible and compelling read, this is essential reading for all those engaged with state and white- collar crime in the context of power and privilege, and those seeking a criminological understanding of Trump’s evasion of law and justice.
Introduction: Defending Crimes, Incendiary Rhetoric, and the Big Lie
PART I
An Absence of Bipartisanism
1 Conspiracy Theories and Mediated Memes in a World of Post- Truth America
2 Scaremongering, Party Politics, and the Crisis in US Democracy
3 Oligarchy, Kleptocracy, and the Maestro of Looting
4 On the Divided House Select Committee Investigation of the Capitol Assault
PART II
Indicting Donald Trump for Vandalizing the Federal Republic
5 The People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump
6 The Mar- a- Lago Classified Documents Caper
7 The People of Fulton County, Georgia v. Donald J. Trump et al.
8 Trump’s Conspiracies to Overturn the 2020 Election that Led to the January 6th Assault on the Capitol
PART III
Liberty, Justice, and American Democracy
9 American Mythology, Bipartisan Alienation, and Partisan Politics
10 Tyranny of a Minority or Tyranny of a Majority
Biography
Gregg Barak is an American criminologist, academic, and author. He is Emeritus Professor of criminology and criminal justice at Eastern Michigan University.
‘Indicting the 45th President is a compelling and incisive examination of the unprecedented crimes of, and threats posed by, Donald Trump. In meticulous detail Gregg Barak explores a multifaceted web of white- collar, corporate, and state crimes and sheds light on the formidable obstacles faced by those seeking to hold Trump and his associates responsible for their actions. With insightful analysis, the book offers a fierce critique of the current state of U.S. constitutional democracy and proposes a vision for a reformed and improved democratic system. This timely and incisive work serves as a clarion call and constitutes a vital contribution to the ongoing discussion on the fragility of democracy in the face of the unscrupulous use of power.’
Isabel Schoultz, Associate Professor in Sociology of Law, Lund University, Sweden
‘Gregg Barak engenders fear, loathing and perhaps hope through his consistent insight via command of detail as he forensically interrogates how Teflon Don and his sycophantic entourage across politics, law, media and militarizing civil society have embraced immorality, duplicity, corruption and naked authoritarianism to plunge the U.S. democratic system into unprecedented crisis. Brilliantly traversing the legal travails of Trump – through the unprecedented lawsuits including “hush money” payments, the mishandling of government documents, obstruction of justice, criminal contempt and, last but hardly least, the January 6th Insurrection – Indicting the 45th President is a must read for scholars and defenders of social justice. It presents the most stark yet thoroughly analytical of warnings about the contours and dimensions of the current and present danger to American democracy – while at the same time provides the reader with the hope of a re- framed democratic vision for all Americans. A monumental achievement.’
Steve Tombs, Emeritus Professor of Criminology, The Open University, UK
‘Criminologist Barak’s previous book detailed the numerous crimes former President Donald Trump committed prior to, during, and after his presidency. This second book confronts Trump’s use of power, privilege, and wealth to evade the law. As an examination of our failure to control crimes of the powerful, this thoroughly researched window into the 45th President’s litany of escapes from justice is ultimately a warning about the weakness of American democracy and the vulnerability of constitutional rights in the face of autocratic tribalist ideology empowered by privilege. His solution is to reform the political system to make America fully democratic. Barak’s political criminology is a must- read expose of what is wrong with power politics and what needs to be done to fix it.’
Stuart Henry, Professor Emeritus, School of Public Affairs, San Diego State University, USA
‘This is yet another compelling book by Gregg Barak, a luminary in our international criminological community. He shows us that our research may not change the world, but it does change the way we look at it. Indicting the 45th President should be required reading for anyone wanting to understand the relationships between law, politics, and criminal justice.’
Vincenzo Ruggiero, Professor of Sociology, Middlesex University, London, England
‘Gregg Barak’s second book on Donald Trump provides an astute analysis of the social, political, mediatic, and judicial contexts that contribute to our understanding of how an ex- president became the defendant in an unprecedented number of lawsuits. With clear, straightforward language, Barak scrutinizes the world of post- truths and conspiratorial theories rooted in the histories of racism, misogyny, and xenophobia. At the same time, he demonstrates why building a better democracy depends on holding Trump accountable for his crimes and establishing social justice for all. I believe Barak’s reflections on democracy are relevant wherever political candidates and “authoritarian strongmen” intend to rise as salvationist alternatives of power. I further believe that Barak’s book not only exposes the weaknesses of American democracy, but it also shares the types of reforms and changes of the law and the U.S. constitution that would ameliorate these adverse conditions.’
Marília de Nardin Budó, Professor of Criminology, Federal University of Santa Catalina, Brazil
‘“The Truth is Stranger than Fiction” is the title of a 1915 short film about fraud and criminal behavior and aptly describes the antics of Donald Trump. Barak’s interdisciplinary venture into the dystopian Trumpian world is a story, like many crime movies and books, that even Lee Child and Tom Clancy would find unbelievable as a plot line. This seminal work offers a sometimes blunt but accurate portrayal of a misogynistic white-collar criminal and notorious mob boss. Barak explores the illegal and unethical behavior of a man who has engaged in misdeeds that stem from narcissistic self- interests. This book, one among thousands, stands out by detailing the unique and insightful criminological, psychological, sociological, legal, and theoretical explanations of an unstable fraudster who attempted to destroy the ideals of democracy.’
Mary Dodge, Professor of Criminology & Criminal Justice, University of Colorado Denver, USA
