The people around Donald Trump continue to hyperventilate over the fact that after years of close calls, prosecutors will now try to hold him accountable for something. Today, a Trump supporter made an argument that Trump is suffering persecution over and above one of the world’s most notorious murderers.

Marc Thiessen joined a panel on the Fox News program The Story, hosted by Martha MacCallum. Thiessen, a conservative and Trump apologist, asserted that New York Attorney General Letitia James’s civil fraud case against Trump would work to Trump’s advantage because voters, even Trump opponents – will be turned off by an “eviction notice” stamped on the doors of Trump Tower. It will be seen as purely political.

Perhaps. Opinions differ – at least in the ultimate impact on the election.

James didn’t do herself any favors by running for Attorney General on the promise to “get Trump,” and yet the trial court easily found Trump liable for fraud. Now the case will be appealed which should quell any concerns about the case being purely political.

But Theissan saved his real complaints for the looming criminal cases against Trump, stating: “None of this would be happening if Trump wasn’t running for president.”

With respect to the Manhattan case, that argument might hold a lot more water if Michael Cohen wasn’t sentenced to three years in prison for financial crimes associated with co-conspirator “Individual One” and the same basic set of facts. (Along with lying to Congress). To be sure, Cohen was charged and sentenced under federal law, which specifically prohibited the campaign “donation” that went unreported.

Many believe that then Attorney General Bill Barr called off S.D.N.Y. prosecutors from charging Trump in the same matter. Now, Trump will be tried by Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan D.A. on a more tenuous charge –  falsifying business records related arising out of the $160,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 election. It was called “a victimless crime” – though Joe Biden and the victims of falsified business records would beg to differ.

Thiessen then compared the charges against Trump to… those filed against Charles Manson:

“They’ve issued 91 indictments against Donald Trump. Charles Manson faced ten. Ok? They’ve got multiple cases trying to bankrupt him.”

Thiessen may be mixing and matching his civil versus criminal trials in that complaint (“They are trying to bankrupt him” and “Manson”).

But generally speaking, one solid murder count serves the purpose of ten. If Trump is ever found guilty by a jury, he will likely be given the same deal when it comes time to sentence him. He will almost surely be sentenced to one count with a prosecutor’s recommendation.

As for the New York case, Trump likely could have pleaded to a misdemeanor and walked away – everyone knew he paid off Stormy Daniels and he wasn’t hurt at the ballot box.

MacCallum, however, agreed with Thiessen and again mixed her civil case with a criminal case:

“I think that the analogy you make is apt joint when it comes to Charles Manson. A hundred and seventy-five million is still what he has to come up with in 10 days for a victimless crime. And I think about O.J. Simpson in the civil trial, the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. Deaths of two people in the civil trial – $30 million.”

Except that’s not the way one calculates damages in a fraud trial. One calculates the damages by what was gained versus lost in bank loans and insurance rates. Additionally, damages for intentional torts, such as the O.J. case, are meant to punish, and thus, the defendant’s net worth is a consideration. Think about Alex Jones as an apt comparison. He had more money than O.J.

Fraud damages are calculated by the amount defrauded. Civil torts are calculated in a manner that hurts the defendant – punishment.

As I have written before, the New York civil trial is the one that is most ripe for portions to be overturned on appeal. The trial was a circus, much of that due to Trump and his attorneys. There is a chance that the plan to “win” was always to win on appeal. The more bizarre the trial, the more likely mistakes were made.

Ultimately, though – due to Trump’s remarkable gift for finding ways to delay court proceedings, the Manhattan criminal trial may be the only criminal case he faces prior to November. The federal cases continue to be pushed back.

No wonder things are getting a little hot as the pressure rises in New York.

And of course Trump saw this discussion and posted a link to Mediaite’s article about it and the video. Because Trump agrees! He’s been treated worse than Charlies Manson the poor thing!

Watch and laugh: