The key is that they’re part of the corruption and are therefore malleable. Their actual stances don’t matter once they fall in line because their opinions are now given to them.

I get your point, but just because you and your freedom are immune to prosecution doesn’t mean your money and property are safe from seizure. For example, if it’s believed that Mar-a-Lago was used in the process of a crime, like withholding documents or discussing illegal things, then it can be seized in civil asset forfeiture and Trump would have to prove his innocence to get it back. Same with his money. I think it’s possible in the current context to find a judge willing to try this. I have no idea how the execution of such an order would play out. But there are still interesting cards unplayed.

It’s very risky for Zelensky because there’s no good faith in any Trump deal. But, Zelensky really is playing it as smart as he can given the unstable governments he’s being forced to work with and against. He can give the moon to Trump in a string of further offers and promises and bank on either America coming to its senses or something reasonable happening in the future at which point he can renegotiate. He just needs to keep surviving and keeping Russia at bay.

Merrick Garland deferred to decorum at every turn. Knowing full well decorum is not an option in organized crime.

Just because a suspect twisted a political career into his organized crime does not mean it shouldn’t still be treated like organized crime regardless of the political optics.