Despite the 34 charges and the lengthy documents, it remains clear that no reasonable District Attorney would have devoted this much time and this many resources to ferreting out records-keeping violations if there had not been a political motive behind it. Bragg’s predecessor had the same evidence and declined to prosecute. So did Bragg at the beginning of his term—a decision which created a backlash and pressure on Bragg to change his mind. Bragg did so, and the result was Trump’s appearance in a Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday.

His appearance marked a sad departure from past precedent and a high likelihood that this deeply flawed indictment will create a new precedent under which elected prosecutors of one party will search for possible crimes against their political opponents.

One remarkable aspect of this indictment is that none of the 34 charges cites any alleged victim of Trump’s crimes. They are the personification of victimless crimes. But there are real victims: the American system of justice and the rule of law.