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The fact that Don Jr. escaped indictment only because Mueller concluded he was too stupid and too ignorant to realize he was breaking the law is a balm in these troubled times.
Since I'm getting on a subway and folks are bound to ask, yes, usually, "ignorance of the law is no excuse." But this particular law doesn't work that way.
What Don Jr. was accused of is a campaign finance violation, and it's only a criminal act—as opposed to a civil violation—if you "knowingly and willfully" violate the provisions of the law. Don was too stupid to know that what he was doing was illegal, so he skates.
Here's a good explainer on this particular situation. If you're interested in a more general treatment of the question of when and how intention factors into illegality, google "mens rea." yalejreg.com/nc/if-trump-jr…
