Thread by @PalmerReport

1) When I say Trump is going to prison, it’s not based on “optimism” or “faith” or any such pollyanna thinking. The Mueller report explicitly states that Trump can be charged as soon as he’s out of office. SDNY has signaled that it will do so. New York State as well...

2) No future president will commit political suicide by pardoning Trump. Even if that did happen, no president can pardon state level charges. And if you think Trump is going to worm his way out of it at trial, go visit Manafort in prison and ask him how that worked for him...

3) Some of the charges Trump will be tried for (obstruction, etc) are complicated and thus more difficult to prove to a jury. But charges like hush money are easy. Trump will he convicted. At his age his prison sentence, regardless of its length, will be a de facto life sentence.

4) Trump knows he’s going to prison in 2021 if he loses in 2020. If you want to understand his actions between now and 2020, you also need to grasp that he’s going to prison once he’s out of office.

5) Trump can’t just magically stay in office if he loses; he’d be physically dragged out. Nor can the Russians magically rig the election for him again, unless key swing states are EXTREMELY close again. Your job is to work hard and make sure the 2020 results aren’t close...

6) When I say Trump is going to prison, it’s not optimism - it’s a fact. And it’s what will drive everything Trump does between now and 2020. If you want to fight him effectively, start with the fact that he knows he’s rubber stamped for prison the minute he’s not president.

7) And no, when Trump goes to prison, it won’t undo what he’s done. Immigrant kids are dead, for God’s sake. Like I said, I’m not an “optimist” about anything. We’re in hell. But yeah, fact is, Trump is going to prison. Defeat him in 2020 so it’ll happen sooner rather than later.

8) Oh, and stop with the nonsense about how wealthy and powerful people never go to prison. Bernie Madoff. Jack Abramoff. Manafort was one of the most powerful politcal operatives in the country. The list goes on.

And the “Teflon Don” himself, John Gotti, died in prison.