Much to my regret, I’ve never actually been in France, other than a quick stopover at Charles de Gaulle Airport en route from Washington to Moscow back in the 1990s. (And by the way — apropos of absolutely nothing — the dinner on Air France was the best airline food I’ve ever had.)

But my point is, I have no personal experience of the country; yet I find myself thinking today that I could happily live there, if only because of the ruling of the judge who, in entering a verdict against presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen for embezzlement of EU funds, said that her actions had amounted to a “serious and lasting attack on the rules of democratic life in Europe, but especially in France.” [Todd Symons, CNN, April 4, 2025.]

Then the court sentenced her to a four-year prison term (with two years suspended, the remainder to be served under house arrest), plus a fine of $108,000, and — and this is the best part — blocked her from running for office for five years.

Absolutely proportional to her crime, not “cruel and unusual” by any means, but stern enough to make it quite clear — to Mme. Le Pen and to anyone else contemplating similar actions — that such criminal behavior will not be tolerated.

But who jumped right in to defend her, calling the court’s ruling a “Witch Hunt,” and writing on his own Truth Social account (in all caps, no less): “FREE MARINE LE PEN”?

Anyone care to guess?

Why, it was our very own felon-in-chief, Donald Trump, of course. And why wouldn’t he? After all, this ruling could set a precedent . . . or at least an example . . . for the rest of the world.

So, instead of just keeping his mouth shut for once, he decided to throw his support behind the leader of the far-right National Rally party founded by her own father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, calling the ruling a purely political decision and claiming the “rule of law [had been] completely violated.” [Id.}

Wait . . . what? The rule of law has been violated by upholding the law? That sounds, in all frankness, pretty damned stupid to me . . . even considering the source.

Still, he went on to elaborate:

“I don’t know Marine Le Pen . . .” — and yet he feels qualified to offer a supposedly reasoned opinion! — “ . . . but do appreciate how hard she worked for so many years. She suffered losses, but kept on going, and now, just before what would be a Big Victory, they get her on a minor charge that she probably knew nothing about. Sounds like a ‘bookkeeping’ error to me. It is all so bad for France, and the Great French People, no matter what side they are on.” [Id.]

Now, where have we heard those excuses before?

Sorry about all of this, Great People of France . . . you’re stuck with a judicial system that insists on punishing its convicted criminals — and keeping them out of high office — regardless of their political affiliation.

What is this world coming to?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/5/25