I had planned on doing a post on the hot new genre of "the GOP is abandoning Trump" stories, which long-time readers will recognize as a reboot of the once popular "Trump will never get the nomination" genre. Today's events somehow manage to both undercut and confirm critique I had in mind. On one hand, this could mark the beginning of the end for DJT's political career. On the other, it reminds us that the GOP is still very much Trump's party.Bad night for "Fox is turning on Trump" people. pic.twitter.com/SO5D0cnyOy
— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) August 9, 2022
Here's a good background piece on the story.
And a couple of threads from some excellent legal experts.
THREAD: “What’s the difference between this and Watergate?” Donald Trump raged in a statement Monday night after FBI agents.
— Garrett M. Graff (@vermontgmg) August 8, 2022
Well, as a Watergate and FBI historian, four things stand out to me:
1) The idea the FBI launched a raid on a former president would have been approved and monitored at the highest level of the Justice Department; hard to even imagine how high the bar of probable cause must've been for the Bureau to initiate such a politically sensitive search....
— Garrett M. Graff (@vermontgmg) August 8, 2022
2) A search warrant means an independent federal judge ALSO signed off on the probable cause and, independently, believes evidence there was likely a crime committed AND that more evidence would be found at Mar-a-Lago. That's huge too.
— Garrett M. Graff (@vermontgmg) August 8, 2022
3) The fact the search apparently didn't leak until basically when word came from Donald Trump himself shows the FBI and the Justice Department conducted this search by the book and a high degree of integrity. No leaks? Impressive. Surely only a small team knew inside DOJ....
— Garrett M. Graff (@vermontgmg) August 8, 2022
4) Taken together, this is one of the most significant, sensitive, and politically explosive actions the US Justice Department and FBI has ever taken—one of a tiny handful of times it's ever investigated a president.
— Garrett M. Graff (@vermontgmg) August 8, 2022
Bottom line: The FBI & DOJ must've known they had the goods.
Attorney and legal commentator Ken White takes a much deeper dive and comes to the same conclusion.
Okay. Seems solid that the FBI searched Mar-A-Lago, based on multiple sources, including a very angry shouty man who is liveblogging it.
— DarkTimesHat (@Popehat) August 8, 2022
Let's talk about what they had to do to get that search warrant, what it means, and what we'll be able to find out about the investigation. /1
LATimes Legal Affairs Columnist.
per @marceelias HUGE POINTt:the records provision they're investigating carries the penalty that someone convicted "shall forfeit his office and be disqualified from holding any office under the United States." So this could be the whole enchilada in terms of DOJ resolution.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) August 9, 2022
Or maybe not...
Nope, can't impose qualifications on holding the presidency by statute—the qualifications are set out in the Constitution. The search for "one weird trick" to banish Trump from politics will have to continue. https://t.co/w4x0oswjyW
— Jason Willick (@jawillick) August 9, 2022
Sources confirm to @SaraMurray and @KristenhCNN that the FBI search on Mar a Lago was related to the handling of presidential documents, including classified documents, that may have been brought to MAL.
— Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) August 8, 2022
This will in no way dampen the claims of persecution.
When Trump and his monkeys screech about tonight’s news, somebody should remind them that HE APPOINTED THE FBI DIRECTOR who approved the Mar-a-Lago raid.
— Joe Conason (@JoeConason) August 9, 2022
Yes he was hoodwinked into putting these people into power
— Tishb (@yorkyeddiemom) August 9, 2022
"The mind reels with sarcastic replies" -- Snoopy
Attorney General Garland: preserve your documents and clear your calendar. pic.twitter.com/dStAjnwbAT
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) August 9, 2022
This (below) is an intimidation tactic. They want the name of the person who authorized the FBI raid because they want to send a mob after them as a way of warning other government officials not to go after Trump. pic.twitter.com/ktkFipjPcy
— Caroline Orr Bueno, Ph.D (@RVAwonk) August 9, 2022
Imagine being Don Jr.'s brother and still being considered the Fredo.
''How about the Benghazi scandals? ... you want to talk about scandals that were never investigated?" -- Eric Trump pic.twitter.com/5YAAZVduMi
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 9, 2022
Kari Lake issues a statement that apparently she will have Arizona secede from the Union if elected Governor. pic.twitter.com/ZYBr6s3UUB
— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) August 9, 2022
After todays raid on Mar A Lago what do you think the left plans to use those 87,000 new IRS agents for?
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) August 9, 2022
It’s very easy to avoid breaking the law. pic.twitter.com/CN595ABUiN
— Rachel Vindman 🌻 (@natsechobbyist) August 9, 2022
Miller: This is an abomination pic.twitter.com/LlxKEAHx6f
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 9, 2022
If I'm the regular Fox anchors who are on vacation right now, I'm hiring someone to taste my food as soon as I get back to the office. This young substitute host has a lean and hungry look.
— Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) August 9, 2022
Fox is going full-tilt boogie conspiracy bullshit. And the replacement anchors are grasping for their main chance. Hysteria reigns.
— Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) August 9, 2022
Removing fascists always carries the risk of a violent reaction. This is not an argument for not removing them.
Pretty much every Trump/Q forum I'm on is wishcasting Ron DeSantis sending Florida police to somehow intercept federal law enforcement around Mar a Lago.
— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) August 8, 2022
Others are saying they're waiting for Trump's permission.
"When does the shooting start?" said one TheDonald commenter. pic.twitter.com/aQhn6RYm6X
And who could have seen this coming?
For anyone wondering. https://t.co/MDiAsjNC3c
— Elad Nehorai (@EladNehorai) August 8, 2022
Trump supporters are REALLY excited about the idea of a civil war. Some of the responses to today’s FBI raid:
— Caroline Orr Bueno, Ph.D (@RVAwonk) August 9, 2022
“I already bought my ammo”
“Civil war! Pick up arms, people!”
“Civil War 2.0 just kicked off.”
“Let’s do the war.”
“One step closer to a kinetic civil war.”
And more… pic.twitter.com/cG7NvAz9An
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