Republicans dust off familiar playbook to
weaponise Mar-a-Lago FBI search
Analysis: GOP accusations of ‘deep state’ and
politicization of justice department likely to foment an intense backlash
David Smith
Washington bureau chief
@smithinamerica
Tue 9 Aug
2022 05.34 BST
A bitterly
polarised reaction to an FBI search of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home on Monday
threatened to enflame America’s political divisions.
The former
president said agents “raided” his Florida resort and broke into his safe, a
stunning turn of events apparently linked to a justice department investigation
of his removal of official presidential records.
For
Democrats and other Trump critics, it was a long-overdue step towards justice
and proof that no one – even a former president – is legally untouchable.
Congressman
Eric Swalwell tweeted: “We are witnessing the difference between an honest
system and a corrupt one. In 2020 Donald Trump brought us dangerously close to
a permanently corrupt America. The rule of law is taking shape. And
accountability is coming.”
Ted Lieu,
another Democrat in the House of Representatives, posted on Twitter: “No one is
above the law.”
And the
Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump group, said in a statement: “Never before has a
former President’s home been raided in a criminal probe. While this search
warrant is seemingly for the mishandling of classified material, it is a
serious crime that must be fully investigated.
“Today’s
raid is the first step for law enforcement, or Congress, of holding Donald
Trump accountable for the orchestration of a conspiracy to remain in power that
resulted in the January 6th attack on our nation’s capital.”
But
Republicans responded furiously to the development, following Trump’s lead in
claiming that the search showed the justice department waging a politically
motivated witch-hunt. Their florid rhetoric will do little to assuage fears
that a prosecution of Trump could lead to social unrest and even political
violence.
Ronna
McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, said: “Absolute
power corrupts absolutely. Countless times we have examples of Democrats
flouting the law and abusing power with no recourse.
“Democrats
continually weaponize the bureaucracy against Republicans. This raid is
outrageous. This abuse of power must stop and the only way to do that is to
elect Republicans in November.”
Kevin
McCarthy, the Republican minority leader in the House, claimed in a statement
that the justice department had reached “an intolerable state of weaponized
politicization” and vowed that, when Republicans take back the House, they will
conduct immediate oversight of the department.
He said
ominously: “Attorney General Garland: preserve your documents and clear your
calendar.”
Lindsey
Graham, a US senator for South Carolina and Trump ally, noted that midterm
elections are about a hundred days away and Trump is likely to run for president
again in 2024. “Time will tell regarding this most recent investigation.
However, launching such an investigation of a former President this close to an
election is beyond problematic.”
Bob Good, a
Republican congressman, wrote on Twitter: “The continued weaponization of the
federal government against its citizens and political opponents continues under
the Biden/Garland march toward a police state.”
Congressman
Ronny Jackson added: “Tonight the FBI officially became the enemy of the
people!!!”
Kristi
Noem, the governor of South Dakota, denounced the search as “un-American”,
while Matt Schlapp, chairman of the Conservative Political Action Conference
(CPAC) – which hosted an event in Dallas, Texas, last week with speakers
including Trump and the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán – also joined
the condemnation.
“The Deep
State will do anything in its power to slime President Trump,” Schlapp said.
“Americans need to keep growing the big Red Wave and save the country from
these corrupt fascists.”
Mike
Pompeo, a former secretary of state under Trump, tweeted: “Executing a warrant
against ex-POTUS is dangerous. The apparent political weaponization of DOJ/FBI
is shameful. AG must explain why 250 yrs of practice was upended w/ this raid.”
Biden has
repeatedly stressed his belief that the justice department must work
independently of the White House and that he will not interfere in its
investigations. Merrick Garland, the attorney general, insisted last week that
no one was above the law.
The FBI is
directed by Christopher Wray, a Trump appointee.
The
Republican response on Monday drew from a familiar playbook: Trump has long
maintained that the Russia investigation, for example, was a “hoax” and part of
a “deep state” conspiracy against him. Scrutiny of his removal of presidential
records, or his role in the January 6 insurrection, is likely to produce a
similar backlash.
Joe Walsh,
a Trump critic and former Republican congressman, tweeted: “The Republican
Party has abandoned the rule of law. Just listen to them tonight. They’re at
war with the rule of law.”
David
Axelrod, ex-strategist under Barack Obama, added: “This is why Trump is going
to run. He wants to portray any criminal probe or prosecution as a plot to
prevent him from once again becoming POTUS. Many of his followers will believe
it – as they did his lies about the LAST election.”
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