The FBI raid on Donald Trump’s Florida house continues to dominate the news. This was an extraordinary abuse of power by the federal government. The fact that it occurred over something so mundane as the Presidential Records Act only reinforces this.
It is obvious that Republicans must draw a line in the sand in the face of a militarized FBI and a larger federal bureaucracy. The spineless GOP establishment is not doing this.
Here’s the “future” of the party, Sen. Tim Scott. He is on CBS News to tell us that we must let things “play out.”
Republican Senator Tim Scott stated that he was shocked by the FBI’s search of former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. This is a significant escalation in the Justice Department’s investigation into the possible mishandling of White House records.
We need to allow this to play out and watch what happens. We should have been shocked, surprised, and shocked by what happened yesterday,” said the South Carolina senator Tuesday on CBS Mornings.
Scott recently endorsed Lisa Murkowski, a left-leaning GOP senator. He called her a “strong leader.” And now he does this? We don’t need to let this happen. There is no reason for raiding the home of a former president under the Presidential Records Act. The President has the power to declassify documents. There have been many debates over the years over what information must be given over. The FBI has never raided a home of a former president, and this is not because it was necessary. The FBI executed a search warrant despite Hillary Clinton not having classified documents on a server for bathroom records.
There are two sets of rules in play. It is amazing to see Republicans still playing “well, we just want more information” as if the FBI’s corrupt past isn’t established. Another establishment figure, Senator John Thune, also had the same response.
The FBI needs to provide answers as to why they raided the home of a former American president.
Full statement ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/dZ1bNoWuAa— Senator John Thune (@SenJohnThune) August 9, 2022
Notice how Thune refuses to mention Trump’s name. It’s as if Trump’s identity isn’t the main focus of government abuse. To suggest that we only need an explanation from the same agency that lies and manufactures evidence against Trump and other Republicans over years is absurd. Thune would be called gullible by me, but he isn’t. He’s a shill for the establishment who isn’t brave enough to expose the FBI for the mess it has become. It’s better to send another strong-worded letter to Christopher Wray and hold another hearing in which he will refuse to answer any crucial questions.
Chris Christie, probably deluded enough that he thinks he can run again for president in 2024, calls the raid “fair play.”
Christie stated that “it’s fair game” and that he had to show probable cause to a federal court that… there were contents in the safe that would help in proving a violation.
It’s not out of bounds to put something in a safe. This happens often in federal law enforcement. To convince a federal judge you need or have the right, you must have the facts.
There’s Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell. He’s refusing to answer to the raid, unlike Scott and Thune who made weak statements.
Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) doesn’t answer the question about the FBI’s search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence. pic.twitter.com/tYjrkLZ2Gl
— The Recount (@therecount) August 9, 2022
This is it for me. While I enjoyed the “Cocaine Mitch” memes as much as the next guy, the last few weeks have shown McConnell to be what many have known: A pathetic, ineffective clown. McConnell is fresh from being played by Senator Joe Manchin, even if he doesn’t want to expose the FBI’s corruption. At what point does the “master parliamentarian” show mastery?
This must stop. These establishment figures cannot continue to control and dominate the Republican Party. Major changes must take place at the top, particularly in Congress. These changes will not happen unless the voters request them. You can help make that happen by voting in November. This will ensure that the anti-establishment GOP candidate (who won the primaries) is elected. McConnell needs to be the one to start a change of guard. McConnell didn’t just get to live on Merrick Garland’s Supreme Court nomination forever. McConnell also voted to confirm him as attorney general. How did that work out?
Scott and the rest of them should stop their grandiose fantasies. They are ineffective if they can’t count upon them on an issue that is as simple as this.
UPDATE:
McConnell made a statement minutes before the piece was due to be published. Surprise, surprise! It’s yet another ridiculous call for an explanation.
New Mitch McConnell statement: “The country deserves a thorough and immediate explanation of what led to the events of Monday. Attorney General Garland and the Department of Justice should already have provided answers to the American people and must do so immediately.”
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) August 9, 2022
