UMass Dartmouth Professor: Donald Trump ‘in a World of Trouble’

In case you haven't noticed, there is history happening right in front of our eyes. Former President Donald Trump has been indicted four times, and faces a host of criminal charges.

He's also running for president in 2024, and right now is the front-runner for the Republican nomination.

Yes, it's strange and getting stranger.

This week on Townsquare Sunday, we spoke with Professor Ken Manning, head of the UMass Dartmouth Political Science Department, to help us sort it all out.

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"On the political front, Trump's strength in the polls is quite robust right now, and he's in the pole position to win the nomination," Manning said. "On the legal front, Donald Trump is in a world of trouble and faces some very serious charges, and a conviction in just one of these cases could result in significant jail time."

If you have watched Trump in the past year, you might wonder why any of the judges in the cases haven't found the former President in contempt of court for remarks he's made about prosecutors, judges and others while on the campaign trail.

Manning's explanation: "Trump is a candidate for public office, a public personality, and a former president. He occupies a different space, frankly, than the rest of us. The treatment of speech must always be considered in its context, so I think judges are going to be very careful and cautious about trying to squelch a former president and office-seeker."

Will Donald Trump ever spend time in jail?  Professor Manning says yes.

"I think a conviction is likely. There will be appeals that will play out over a long time, but I do believe Trump will face some incarceration."

The complete interview with Manning can be heard here:

Townsquare Sunday is a weekly community affairs program heard Sunday at 6 and 11 a.m. on 1420 WBSM and 99.5 FM.

The program highlights individuals and organizations seeking to make the Southcoast a better place to live and work.

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