“Attorney General Merrick Garland named a special counsel on Friday to oversee the Justice Department’s investigation into the presence of classified documents at former President Donald Trump’s Florida estate as well as key aspects of a separate probe involving the Jan. 6, 2021, attack and efforts to undo the 2020 election.
The move, which is being announced just three days after Trump formally launched his 2024 candidacy, is a recognition of the unmistakable political implications of two investigations that involve not only a former president but also a current White House hopeful.
“Based on recent developments, including the former president’s announcement that he is a candidate for president in the next election, and the sitting president’s stated intention to be a candidate as well, I have concluded that it is in the public interest to appoint a special counsel,” said Attorney General Garland. “Such an appointment underscores the Department’s commitment to both independence and accountability in particularly sensitive matters. It also allows prosecutors and agents to continue their work expeditiously, and to make decisions indisputably guided only by the facts and the law.”
Comment: It is difficult to see this as other than the most obvious political persecution and use of the police power to control the political process. The emperor Joe said a couple of weeks ago that he would do “everything possible” to keep Trump from office. He was actually dumb enough to say that before a camera.
I don’t want Trump to be the GOP candidate in 2024 because I think he would lose, but the Bedenistas do not seem to share that belief. pl
AG Garland Calls Special Counsel for Trump Probes | Newsmax.com
He thinks, or calculates, that by visibly and strongly opposing Trump he demonstrates to the electorate his virtue and concern for their welfare. As far back as I can recall he likes to present himself as a harsh but concerned opponent of crime and diagnostician of encompassing delinquency and moral bankruptcy who will lock up hundreds of thousands in record setting campaigns against predators whose time is now over. Dick Nixon saw a kindred spirit immediately upon Biden’s arrival.
He’s a throwback. (Not in the fishing warden’s sense. Piltdown Man).
” the Bedenistas do not seem to share that belief”
They believe that by destroying him they will destroy the movement the way the establishment destroyed the Tea Party and the “Occupy” movement on the left.
The cynical view is this is designed to boost Trump’s standing with his base and help Trump win the GOP nomination. Biden calculates the only GOP nominee he can beat is Trump.
Pied Piper Strategy 2.0 ?
I know there are those who find conspiracies everywhere, but they may have to consider that this is just standard operating procedure, except that Mr. Trump is getting special consideration that would not be available to the general population. The DOJ is just trying to remove partisan politics from the matter, but only those who are not supporters of Mr. Trump will accept it.
It is by no means obvious that Joe Biden will run again and regardless of who it will be representing the Democrats, but with Mr. Trump on the ticket, it will be a gift to the Democrat running.
From a Democratic strategist point of view, this is sure to keep Trump in the game for the next two years and sufficiently wound up to inflict the most damage on the rest of the Republican field. This will not stop Trump from running. He could be indicted, tried, convicted, drawn and quartered and his body parts scattered throughout the lands and his loyal base will still write him in in 2024. The Republicans are going to have to find a way to prevent this on their own.
TTG,
“The Republicans are going to have to find a way to prevent this on their own.”
Why should they need to do that when he might win in 2024?
Fred,
He might, but his track record ever since 2016 reeks of losing. If you Republicans want to embrace him, go for it.
Not me. But not a Republican. Paleoconservative.
pl,
When I think of paleoconservatives, I think of Wendell Berry and Eric Sloane. You’re in good company with those two.
TTG: Might I suggest more contemporaneously:
Patrick Buchanan and
the crew at Chronicles Magazine
https://chroniclesmagazine.org/
notably its former, long time, editor Thomas Fleming.
you are sure you want Wendell Berry, e.g. in this context, Twisted?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendell_Berry#Activism
LeaNder,
I’m well aware of Berry’s pacifist activism. He was against our involvement in the Viet Nam War and is very likely against our involvement in the current Russian-Ukraine War. I still admire him and find him worth reading. In his current book, he speaks compassionately of RE Lee’s decision to think and act locally. I look forward to reading this, too.
I veer a little to the right of Attila the Hun with a dash of Patrick Henry thrown in. I guess I lose the “Paleo” title.
TTG,
Yes, losing. Like the Abraham Accords, gas prices, the rising wages, the border, the wars he stayed out of; failures all. Like warning Germany of their dependence on Russian oil: Failure. Trusting Fauci: that was certainly failure; Calling Ukraine to reinstate that prosecutor: Failure. (Didn’t he know that when Ukraine sells investigations for a billion in aid they stay bought? Failure). I could continue listing the failures, like ’emoluments’ and the 25th amendment, but they are all well documented here.
When I read your response a while ago, I wondered if you are a CPAC activist, that’s why you remember Freddy Gray met Joe the plumber?
But then I admittedly seemed to only vaguely recall the contents of a statement about your Republican party membership. Or more your disappointment and estrangement.
Leading up to this: Like warning Germany of their dependence on Russian oil
I followed that US soap in this context for many, many years, decades, if you like. Not just North Stream II but all type of different projects, thus I can assure you, he did not utter an independent idea in that context. And you may well know? But as activist?
Thus …
LeaNder,
Are you the same stream of consciousness German who once corresponded on SST for years? You no longer sound that way, you sound like many Europeans, desperate to deflect blame and make excuses. Enjoy the results of your government’s energy policy. And the UK/PL/UA/neocon destruction of the pipelines to keep your nation in line.
The GOP reckoning is coming. Assume DeSantis defeats Trump for the nomination–who thinks Trump will concede defeat? The GOP’s nightmare scenario is Trump takes a play from Teddy Roosevelt and runs as the MAGA candidate.
Mishkilji,
I think that highly likely as well. Trump has said he knows that if he ever quits fighting his people and donors will abandon him. A tiger he must ride.
The appointment of John L. Smith as a special counsel to handle the two latest lines of attack against Donald Trump (and others) is more than brazen. On 17 May 2017, barely four months after Trump was sworn in as president, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Robert Mueller to be a special counsel to investigate “efforts” by the Russian government to “interfere” in the 2016 presidential election. It was to include “… any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump….” Now, three days after Trump announces as a candidate for the 2024 presidential election, here comes another special counsel, to continue what the Biden Justice Department was already doing.
While Attorney General Merrick Garland was reading his little speech, and before he scurried immediately out of the room when he finished, he said something about Smith that jogged my memory, but I have to check and research to see whether it might be relevant.
Robt,
Mr. Smith was with the “public integrity” secion. He got Virginia governor McDonnell convicted. A conviction which was overturned by a unanimous Supreme Court decision so reminiscent of Anthony Weisman’s Authur Anderson destroying conviction.
https://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/supreme-court-overturns-bob-mcdonnells-corruption-convictions-224833
Trump’s narcissism and out of control mouth got him in this situation.
I liked what he did and would vote for him over ANY Democrat, but if he runs, he WILL lose and America’s death spiral accelerates.
Trump policies without Trump.
“I don’t want Trump to be the GOP candidate in 2024 because I think he would lose…”
IMO, this is a correct analysis as the mid-terms show. Trump is done. The country is moving on and no longer want the 24×7 drama that comes with Trump. The MAGA voters will find someone else in due time.
In any case 2024 is a long ways away and so much can happen from now to then.
Blue peacock,
“the mid-terms show” the true effectiveness of Republic Senator Campaign Committe Chair Rick “Trump’s fault” Scott, RNC Chair Ronna “It’s Trump’s fault” Romney McDaniel, Senate Majority Leader Mitch “It’s Trump’s fault” McConnell, and the rest of the standard GOP leadership.
This special counsel is only partially about Trump. The goal is to continue the J6 “investigation” outside of congress (for obvious reasons) thereby preventing any House investigation of J6 as well as to try to implicate various Republicans as insurrectionists. Thereby nullifying the R majority in the house. Attacking Trump is just the shiny object to get our attention. Just like Mueller was able to prevent any look at DoJ/FBI conduct for Crossfire Hurricane.
This is raw abuse of political power w/o any regard other than keeping Donald Trump’s ideas out of the political arena. It is b/y shameful, it is totalitarian. Let us scout and test the enemies lines. We’ll run a probe, that the ticket, a probe, to see what may be found and then use the DOIJ to destroy a man 2 years removed from the presidency b/c gasp, many would desire his leadership again. Who can fight back? How? Only the states. Socialist in governor ships applaud this dismantling of democracy, only two of fifty have the grit to fight back. How can any red bloodied American, left or right, applaud, or condone this. If the state can do this to one, it can do it to everyone. Isn’t it obvious?
The only thing I find obvious are the two errors in the first sentence. One is about political power and the other one is about ideas. As far as any criminal investigation there appears to be plenty of probable cause. If that ends in indictments is yet to be determined, but I would not be surprised if there are some.
Pls explain the two errors in my first sentence. If you believe its ok for the DOIJ to probe citizens to see if they may have committed some crime then let them probe you.That can b/c sop for all citizens; defend yourselves against probes by the injustice dept.
As it has been said: No person is above the law, but some think Donald Trump should be. As I stated, there appears to be plenty of probable cause to not only investigate, but to prosecute. As far as the other one, please tell us what ideas Donald Trump has and please be detailed and specific. The only obvious one is trying to make money from the presidency and his gullible followers.
I don’t think many others have to fear prosecution, unless they were aiding and abetting Donald Trump.
Mr. Smith goes to Washington. It worked rather well the last time.