CARBONDALE, Ill. — As the nation awaits to see if former President Donald Trump is charged in state court over allegations of hush money to an adult film star, experts from Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute can discuss the political and national implications of an unprecedented indictment of a former president, who is again seeking that office.
John Jackson, Paul Simon Public Policy Institute visiting professor, has more than four decades of political expertise and research in politics, campaigns and elections. He can be reached at 618-303-1240 or jsjacson@siu.edu.
“The indictment of a former president for a felony would be unprecedented in American history; however, Donald Trump’s signature identity has always been to defy the norms and stay in the spotlight. This case involves both the legal issues raised by the Manhattan district attorney and the political issues raised by the former president — and especially by his call for his followers to rise up in protest. It will be important to see just how much the political pressure impinges on the adjudication of the legal case.”
John T. Shaw, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, spent 26 years in Washington, D.C., covering Congress and economic issues for Market News International before his arrival at SIU Carbondale in 2018. He has been a guest on the PBS NewsHour and C-SPAN. He can be reached at 618-453-4009 or shaw@siu.edu.
“The indictment of Donald Trump would combine complex legal proceedings with remarkable political theater. The indictment of a former president is a very serious matter, with potentially far-reaching implications for American politics.”
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