Subject: Re: Why didn't judge Merchan impose a fine?
The lack of any consequence at all completely sticks in my craw. It's wrong. It doesn't matter if the consequence is meaningless to any particular criminal. It's meaningful to society as a whole. It's meaningful to the concept of equality under the law.

Well, the States can't put the President in jail. Unlike you or me, he wields the entire Executive power under the Constitution - and since that can't be bifurcated from the person who holds the office, he can't be imprisoned. Which throws a spanner in criminal justice proceedings, because they aren't built to account for that type of defendant.