Special counsel Jack Smith and the grand jury indicted Trump on thirty-seven counts related to the Espionage Act over his possession of classified documents.
After complaining about the "bogus charges," Republicans now are calling for President Biden to pardon Trump even before any trial!
No president in recent history pardoned more felons linked to his own presidency than Trump. Stephen K. Bannon was federally charged over his "We Build the Wall" scheme. Two of his co-conspirators were found guilty, but Trump pardoned Bannon on his last day in office.
Michael Flynn, Trump's National Security Advisor for less than a month, pleaded guilty to two counts of lying to the FBI and even admitting lying to Mike Pence which was cause for his firing: pardoned by Trump.
Dinesh D'Souza, a man who plead guilty of campaign finance violations: was pardoned by Trump. In response D'Souza immediately put out a film claiming the 2020 election was stolen from Trump after the former president refused to concede.
Republican fundraiser Elliot Broidy was pardoned as well as Albert J. Pirro, who happens to be the ex-husband of Jeanine Pirro, who is a major Trump supporter on Fox News.
Marc A. Thiessen writes in The Washington Post that on the merits of the case, it is damning against Trump. He understands that Trump's problems are of his own making.
Republicans in and out of Congress on television, in print, and online continually attack President Biden's mental acuity, physical fitness, and overall stamina, yet now they insist he act like a "unifier" and pardon Trump?
Theissen argues that the indictments "put this nation in uncharted territory." It was Trump's actions that put this nation in uncharted territory.
Republicans continually claim they are the party of law and order, except when it comes to former president Trump.
Theissen uses polling data as an excuse for a pardon, but laws are not subject to poll numbers in this country.
Theissen also claims a Trump trial would be one of the most divisive events in the history of our Republic, ignoring the insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 which left five law enforcement officials dead and one Trump supporter dead—an act we have not seen in this country since 1812.
A Trump trial would be one of the most divisive events in the history of our republic. It would set a new precedent — and create enormous pressure on the next Republican president to go after President Biden, his family and other Democrats.
House Republicans have been calling for Biden's impeachment over policy differences, as well as offering wild and unsubstantiated claims of bribery. Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado introduced article of impeachment on June 21st. While it was not a popular move at this time for Speaker McCarthy, she is not alone in her sentiment. How would a Trump trial change any of that? How can it be any worse?
For Trump's punishment, Theissen wants Jack Smith to produce a report laying out his findings meticulously, and then let the perpetrator go "for the good of the country"?
Theissen fails to recognize that as soon as that report comes out, House Republicans will demand an investigation into the investigators and try to destroy the credibility of all those that tried to hold Trump accountable. We've already seen that play out with the John Durham investigations which failed to convict anybody of wrongdoing.
Rep. Jim Jordan already wants to see Jack Smith's information.
President Biden will never be seen as a unifying statesman, ever, by this Republican Party.
Right-wing radio host Hugh Hewitt complains that Trump was charged two months before Republican presidential debates began. So, in theory, the day after a president is elected that immediately becomes the next presidential cycle? Trump started his campaign fundraising for 2020 shortly after his 2017 inauguration!
This is ridiculous.
Trump took the unprecedented step of announcing his candidacy over two years before the actual election would take place, knowing full well indictments were on the way. The Trump team figured they could use it to defend themselves against an "overreaching" Justice Department.
Republicans' actions prove that their words have no truth to them. Case in point: When then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell withheld hearings for Merrick Garland after Antonin Scalia passed away, he claimed it was due to the general election being eight months away.
Yet, when Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away two months before a general election, Republicans and McConnell rushed through the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett, during the height of COVID pandemic, ignoring the precedent they set two years prior.
A Biden pardon of Trump would be the real crime because it will justify any future president using his office to commit criminal acts, deploy his supporters as his weapons and face no consequences for their actions.
The Founders of this great nation did not codify the power of the pardon to be wielded by the whims of a narcissistic leader to cement their immoral gains. That is the antithesis of the intent of the act.
No one is above the law.
