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https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/matt-margolis/2023/03/30/ron-desantis-throws-a-wrench-in-da-braggs-indictment-of-trump-n1683202

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has swiftly responded to the partisan indictment of Donald Trump. In a statement posted to Twitter, DeSantis denounced the weaponization of the legal system to promote political agendas, and called out  Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s soft-on-crime record, contrasting it with his current willingness to stretch the law to target political opponents by stretching the law to its limits.

“The weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda turns the rule of law on its head. It is un-American,” DeSantis tweeted. “The Soros-backed Manhattan District Attorney has consistently bent the law to downgrade felonies and to excuse criminal misconduct. Yet, now he is stretching the law to target a political opponent.”

Governor DeSantis also took the bold stance of refusing to assist in an extradition request due to the blatantly partisan nature of the investigation.

“Florida will not assist in an extradition request given the questionable circumstances at issue with this Soros-backed Manhattan prosecutor and his political agenda,” DeSantis said.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/pandoras-donald-trump-prosecution-e060ceee?mod=opinion_lead_pos1

The news late Thursday that a Manhattan grand jury has indicted former President Donald Trump is a sad day for the country, with political ramifications that are unpredictable and probably destructive. If there was ever a case that opens Pandora’s box, the first indictment of a former President in U.S. history is it.

The indictment itself remains under seal, so we can’t examine the specific charges and evidence. But we know the charges relate to hush-money payments in 2016 to adult film actress Stormy Daniels about her alleged affair with Mr. Trump. Perhaps Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has new evidence that will be compelling.

But nearby, Ethan Greenberg and Sam Braverman offer speculation based on experience about the potential violations and pitfalls of the case in court. Their analysis doesn’t inspire confidence that this will go down well with the country, or even perhaps inside the courtroom.

As these columns have made clear, we believe any prosecution of a former President should involve a serious offense. The evidence should also be solid enough that a reasonable voter would find it persuasive. The last thing a politically polarized America needs is a case in which partisans line up on either side like a political O.J. Simpson trial. The prosecution must be seen by most of the country as an example of fair-minded justice.

That is doubly so when the case involves a former President who is also running again for the same office, as Mr. Trump now is. Add that the prosecutor belongs to the same Democratic Party as the current President whom Mr. Trump is running against, and the suspicion of a political prosecution will be rampant. This is why we urged Mr. Bragg not to revive a seven-year-old case that federal prosecutors declined to act on.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-takes-a-journalist-hostage-evan-gershkovich-wall-street-journal-vladimir-putin-fsb-dc2317a8?mod=opinion_lead_pos2

Russia’s arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich escalates the Kremlin’s habit of taking Americans hostage, and it’s more evidence that Russia is divorcing itself from the community of civilized nations. President Vladimir Putin is now responsible for Mr. Gershkovich’s health and safety, and the Biden Administration has an obligation to press for his release.

Agents of Russia’s notorious Federal Security Bureau snatched Mr. Gershkovich on Wednesday in the city of Yekaterinburg, about 800 miles east of Moscow, where he was on a reporting trip. As of late Thursday, neither the Journal nor the U.S. government had been allowed to contact Mr. Gershkovich.

The FSB is the successor to the Cold War-era KGB, where Mr. Putin learned his brutal methods. An FSB statement on Thursday said the reporter, who is accredited to work in Russia by the country’s foreign ministry, is being charged with espionage.

The Journal denies the allegation, which is dubious on its face. The government closely monitors foreign reporters in Russia, and Mr. Gershkovich has worked there for years. The FSB could have expelled him long ago if it really believed he is a spy.