My question is, when Trump pleaded not guilty, was he really authenticating that the charges were real charges? After all, I or anybody can make up some charges, and charge you or anybody with them. As long as you don't plead, the charges may be nothing, false charges, trumped up charges (no pun intended), or charges that are things that a law abiding person would do. The question isn't if the charges are charges or not. The question is that if somebody pleads "not guilty" to them, doesn't such validate them as being REAL charges? If the charges are validated as being charges by the plea, Trump (in this case) has jumped right into the lap of the attorneys and the judge, that they are the ones who decide Trumps guilt of innocence.