Is it remotely possible that setting a new trial date for the long and frequently delayed trial of Chuck McCullough might involve just a tiny element of political calculation? And how about the timing of the new trial date announcement just days before the primary voting? The new trial date is set for the week after the November election. If he wins the Republican primary for Chief Executive, the Democrat candidate will have a huge political hammer with which to pummel Mr. McCullough.
What a position for Republicans voters to be in. If they believe the man is innocent and choose him in the primary, they will be setting him up for a Democrat drubbing in the general election, where Democrat voters are far less likely to give him the benefit of any doubt. If Republicans view him as probably guilty and chose the other gentleman and he loses in the fall and Mr. McCullough is vindicated at trial, how can they not feel manipulated?
Of course, the Executive candidate could have prevented the dilemma by not running or asking for an earlier trial date prior to the primary to be vindicated. So, in a sense there is a lot of blame to go around. But, that does not make all of the judge-granted postponements and the new trial date appear any less odd. An interesting little dance to be sure.