The GOP Push for Post-Verdict Payback: ‘Fight Fire With Fire’

Jonathan Swan, Maggie Haberman and Charlie Savage

Wed, June 5, 2024 at 7:52 AM EDT·9 min read1/3

Republican allies of Donald Trump are calling for revenge prosecutions and other retaliatory measures against Democrats in response to his felony conviction in New York.

Within hours of a jury finding Trump guilty last week, the anger congealed into demands for action. Since then,prominent GOP leadersin and out of government have demanded that elected Republicans use every available instrument of power against Democrats, includingtargeted investigations and prosecutions.

The intensity of angerand open desire for using the criminal justice system against Democrats after the verdictsurpasses anything seen beforein Trump’s tumultuous years in national politics. What is different now is the range of Republicans who are saying retaliation is necessary and who are no longer cloaking their intent with euphemisms.

Stephen Miller, a former senior adviser to Trump who still helps guide his thinking on policy, blared out a directive on Fox News after a jury found Trump guilty of falsifying financial records to cover up a 2016 campaign hush-money payment to a porn actor. Miller posed a series of questions to Republicans at every level, including local district attorneys.

“Is every House committee controlled by Republicans using its subpoena power in every way it needs to right now?” he demanded. “Is every Republican DA starting every investigation they need to right now?”

“Every facet of Republican Party politics and power has to be used right now to go toe-to-toe with Marxism and beat these communists,” Miller said, using the catchall slurs Trump allies routinely use against Democrats.

Steve Bannon, the former chief strategist to Trump,said in a text message to The New York Timeson Tuesday that now was the moment for obscure Republican prosecutors around the country to make a name for themselves by prosecuting Democrats.“There are dozens of ambitious backbencherstate attorneys general and district attorneys who need to ‘seize the day’ and own this moment in history,” Bannon wrote.

AndSen. Marco Rubioof Florida, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee who is in contention to be Trump’s running mate, wrote on the social platform X that President Joe Biden was “a demented man propped up by wicked & deranged people” and thatit was now time to “fight fire with fire” — using flame emojis to represent the fire.

Officials with the Trump campaign did not respond to requests for comment.

Seeking retribution through the justice system is hardly a new concept for Trump. In 2016, he echoed and encouraged chants of “lock her up” against his opponent, Hillary Clinton, whom authorities had declined to prosecute for using a private email server while she was secretary of state.

While president, Trump repeatedly told aides he wanted the Justice Department to indict his political enemies. The Justice Department opened various investigations of Trump’s adversaries but did not ultimately bring charges — infuriating Trump and contributing to a split in 2020 with his attorney general, Bill Barr. Last year, Trump promised that if elected again, he would appoint a “real special prosecutor” to “go after” Biden and his family.

Now, it remains unclear whether calls for legal retribution will amount to much in the way of actual prosecutions, at least in the short term. Without control of the White House, people close to Trump are urging district attorneys and attorneys general inred states to start aggressively targeting Democrats for unspecified crimes.(They could just make them up like Bragg & Colangelo did)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/gop-push-post-verdict-payback-115256402.html

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A central tenet of their argumentis that the four criminal cases in four different jurisdictions against Trump areillegitimateand nothing more than political weaponization of the justice system. They continue toput forward the theory, without evidence, that all four cases are the result of a conspiracy by Biden — implicitly or explicitly rejecting the notion that Trump has been charged with crimes based on evidence.

But based on their premise that the charges — and now convictions in the fraudulent business records case — are baseless and were invented for political reasons, they are arguing that Republican prosecutors not only should but can do the same thing to Democrats. In short,having accused Democrats of “lawfare” — or using the law to wage war against political opponents —Republicans are saying they should respond in kind. (Maggie seems to be surprise that the Republicans want to fight, and she’s outraged we are using their tactics)

Some veteran Republican lawyers have sought to dress up the need for such retribution as a matter of constitutional principle. Among thosecalling for eye-for-an-eye prosecutions is John C. Yoo, a University of California, Berkeley,“LIBERAL” (Maggie forgot that) law professorbest known as the author of once-secret Bush administration legal memos declaring that the president can lawfully violate legal limits on torturing detainees and wiretapping without warrants.

“In order to prevent the case against Trump from assuming a permanent place in the American political system, Republicans will have to bring charges against Democratic officers, even presidents,” Yoo wrote in an essay published by The National Review.

He added: “Only retaliation in kind can produce the deterrence necessaryto enforce a political version of mutual assured destruction; without the threat of prosecution of their own leaders, Democrats will continue to charge future Republican presidents without restraint.”

Trump’s closest allies on Capitol Hill are less bothered about finding a high-minded constitutional rationale.

“President Biden should just be ready because on Jan. 20 of next year when he’s former PresidentJoe Biden, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander,” Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, a close Trump ally, said in an appearance on the pro-Trump network Newsmax.

Jackson said: “I am going to encourage all of my colleagues and everybody that I have any influence over as a member of Congress to aggressively go after the president and his entire family, his entire crime family, for all of the misdeeds that are out there right now related to this family.”

Some of the rhetoric has gone even further.

“Not just jail, they should get the death penalty,” Laura Loomer (she has got to stop saying that), a far-right and anti-Muslim activist with a history of expressing bigoted views, said in a podcast appearance after the verdict. Loomer, a onetime Republican nominee for a House seat in Florida, is not officially part of the Trump campaign. Trump, however, has praised her as “very special,” invited her to travel with him on his private plane and has met with her at his private clubs.

On social media, there has beenan explosion of violent rhetoric and threatsagainst the judge in the New York criminal case, Juan M. Merchan, and the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, who brought the charges against Trump. (Maggie provides no proof, because if that happened the FBI would be at their door)

Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, a close Trump ally who is chair of the House Judiciary Committee, sent a letter this week demanding testimony by Bragg and one of his top trial lawyers in the case, Matthew Colangelo.

Bragg’s office has not yet responded to the letter, but the demand appears to set the stage for an eventual subpoena and court fight. After the indictment last year, Jordan subpoenaed a former prosecutor in Bragg’s office, Mark Pomerantz, who eventually sat for a deposition about the investigation.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/gop-push-post-verdict-payback-115256402.html

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Jordan this week also proposed barring federal law enforcement grantsfrom going to Bragg’s office and to the office of the district attorney in Fulton County, Georgia, where Trump is facing state charges over attempted subversion of the 2020 election.

House Speaker Mike Johnson went on Fox News and called onthe Supreme Court to “step in” and overturn the Manhattan conviction, granting Trump immunity from prosecution. In the Senate, a group of Trump allies signed a letter declaring that they will oppose major legislation and Biden administration nominees, although they tend not to vote for Biden policies and nominees anyway.

But the more extreme calls for not just oversight scrutiny and political obstructionism but revenge prosecutions are coming from former senior Trump administration officials and people close to the former president who are expected to play even larger roles in a potential second term. Their message is often apocalyptic.

There is no longer any room, they argue, for weaklings who fetishize decency and restraint. (Great statement)

Mike Davis, a former top Senate Judiciary Committee lawyer who is a close associate of Trump, is calling for aninvestigation of the investigators, similar to how the Justice Department under Trump used the special counsel investigation led byJohn Durham in a years long, unsuccessful attemptto find a basis to accuse high-level Obama administration officials of a crime because of the Russia investigation. (Maggie lies again, Durham found it, exposed everyone but didn’t charge them)

“The Republican attorneys general in Georgia and Florida and the county attorney in Maricopa County, Arizona, need to open investigations” into the prosecutors and investigators pursuing the indictments of Trump and his allies, Davis said. He added, “Then on Day 1, when he wins, PresidentTrump needs to open a criminal civil rights investigation.”

Jeff Clark, a former Trump Justice Department official who has been indicted in the Georgia election case for his role in helping Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 vote in that state, has offered another suggestion.He has called for “brave” district attorneys in conservative areas to file lawsuits in federal courtagainst people involved in criminal cases against Trump, under federal laws that allow people to seek monetary damages from government officials who violate their constitutional rights.

His theory is that the cases are a conspiracy to prevent Trump from effectively running for president. It remains unclear, however, why local criminal prosecutors would have legal standing to go into federal court and bring such lawsuits. A spokesperson for Clark’s employer, the Center for Renewing America, a pro-Trump think tank, did not respond to a request for comment.

There is no room on this issue for moderate or traditional Republicans, such as Larry Hogan, a former governor of Maryland and a star GOP recruit to run for the Senate in the blue state. Hogan erred unforgivably in the eyes of the Trump team when he implored Americans “to respect the verdict and the legal process” regardless of the outcome.

Chris LaCivita, a top Trump adviser, addressed Hogan in a post on X: “You just ended your campaign.” And even though a victory by Hogan could make the difference between whether Republicans or Democrats control the Senate next year, Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump, who is also the co-chair of the Republican National Committee, said on CNN that Hogan “doesn’t deserve the respect of anyone in the Republican Party.”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/gop-push-post-verdict-payback-115256402.html

Maggie & the NYTs seem very afraid republicans are finally going to fight back

Here Are The Senate Republicans Who Have Not Endorsed Trump

HENRY RODGERS CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT June 04, 2024

A number of Senate Republicans have continued to hold out on endorsing former President Donald Trump for 2024, after several inquiries from the Daily Caller.

Despite Trump’s positive polling and historic fundraising numbers since a New York City jury found Trump guilty on all 34 counts against him, there are still several Republicans who will not say whether or not they will be supporting Trump in November.

The Caller reached out to every Senate Republican who has yet to endorse Trump, to ask why and if they would be soon.

Here Are The Senate Republicans Who Have Not Endorsed Trump:

• Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy

• Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran

• Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski

• Utah Sen. Mitt Romney

• Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul

• Maine Sen. Susan Collins

• Indiana Sen. Todd Young

• Romney, Young, Collins and Murkowski have all said they would not be voting for Trump in 2024. (Where's McConnell?)

Republican Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford directed the Daily Caller to a tweet to convey his endorsement. (Not an endorsement) “Congratulations to Donald Trump for an overwhelming victory in the Oklahoma Republican primary. Oklahomans want a secure border, a growing economy, lower inflation and a government that does not attack our domestic energy or our values. On to November!” the tweet reads.

The Caller followed up to ask for a stronger and clearer endorsement, but Lankford’s team did not respond.

A Moran spokesperson told the Caller, “Sen. Moran has a long-standing tradition of not endorsing candidates for public office.” (Well the name certainly fits)

Republican Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley endorsed former President Donald Trump’s 2024 bid in late May in a statement to the Daily Caller.

“We need President Trump back in the White House to get our country back on track and correct President Biden’s failures,” Grassley told the Caller. “High costs at the grocery store are hurting Iowa families and Biden’s open border policies are jeopardizing the safety of America’s families. There’s no question who I’ll be supporting in November: Donald J. Trump.” “Every time I get a chance to speak up for Trump at my Iowa meetings and in the press, I take it,” Grassley added.

Grassley’s campaign account previously expressed support for Trump, but came up short of an endorsement.

In March, Grassley told reporters in D.C. he supported Trump but did not formally endorse. “I’m going to assure you that I’m going to support Trump,” he said. “It ought to be so obvious to all you guys that we can’t stand four more years of Biden.”

The Caller contacted the Trump campaign about the Senate Republicans who have yet to endorse him, but they did not immediately respond.

https://dailycaller.com/2024/06/04/senate-republicans-not-endorse-donald-trump/

EXCLUSIVE: House Foreign Affairs Chairman McCaul Warns Jen Psaki — Testify Or Face A Subpoena

HENRY RODGERS, CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, June 05, 2024

(Peppermint Psaki’s Bullshit is not being tolerated)

Republican Texas Rep. Michael McCaul sent a letter Wednesday morning to former White House press secretary Jen Psaki’s lawyer threatening a subpoena after she failed to respond to an original request to appear for a transcribed interview as part of the committee’s probe into the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The Daily Caller first obtained a copy of the letter, which was sent to Psaki’s lawyer, Emily Loeb. In it, McCaul, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, mentions the fact thatPsaki is a private citizen who recently published a bookabout her time in the Biden White House.In her book, she falsely claimed that Biden never looked at his watch during the dignified transfer ceremonyfor American soldiers killed in Kabul in 2021.

“Your client Jen Psaki has failed to adequately respond to my letter dated May 21, 2024, requesting that she appear before the Committee for a transcribed interview relating to my investigation into the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. As you know, I requested a response from Ms. Psaki by May 28, 2024, which has now passed.Your client’s disregard for my request is an affront to this Committee and the U.S. House of Representatives,” McCaul wrote in the letter.

“I have reviewed the email that was addressed to my staff on May 28, 2024.I am troubled by your and Ms. Psaki’s stated ‘deference’ to outdated ‘concerns’ from the White House Counsel’s Office. Further, Ms. Psaki is a private citizen, who haspublishedher insight into the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistanfor public consumption and personal profit. Ms. Psaki’s duty to appear before Congress is manifest, and her former employer’s desire to avoid congressional oversight is not relevant,” McCaul continued.

READ THE LETTER HERE:

https://auth.scribd.com/u/signup?state=hKFo2SByOFg4T0wyOTVTX0ZWc05zY3RaUG81OXZEUHlUUUl3TqFur3VuaXZlcnNhbC1sb2dpbqN0aWTZIDlDNDRFS2VsSzN0d21FVERIU2tDS2RQQTJmYkstaXpTo2NpZNkgZ3ljN3lyZnpzdkpmaXd5bHNlYXU4Y3g5dVZhb2FOU1A&ui_locales=en

This is a part of the committee’sprobe into the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan where 13 U.S. soldiers were killed.

He offered three specific dates for Psaki to come in an testify before the committee, June 26, 2024. July 9, 2024, or July 23, 2024. “I hope Ms. Psaki chooses to appear voluntarily; otherwise I will be forced to turn to compulsory process.”

McCaul called for a response about her availability for a transcribed interview no later than Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at 5:00 pm ET.

Psaki was widely fact-checked for her claim that Biden did not check his watch during the dignified transfer, which was captured on camera and broadly reported at the time.

Despite the investigation from the Foreign Affairs Committee and criticism from all parts of the political spectrum, the Biden administration has stood by its decision to pull out of Afghanistan, which resulted in the killing of 13 U.S. servicemembers when an ISIS-K terrorist detonated a suicide bomb outside the airport in Kabul where evacuations were being conducted. Nearly 200 Afghan civilians were also killed in the attack.

A Pentagon probe into the bombing found thatthe attack was “not preventable,”echoing the claims from the White House that the withdrawal was ultimately a positive success,despite first-hand witness testimony alleging that the attacker could’ve been stopped, but wasn’t.

(I love the fact all these people that get millions to write a book, always lie in the them, Milley, etc. all lie, and they are lies, that can be proven. Wonder what else she lied about in it.)

https://dailycaller.com/2024/06/05/michael-mccaul-foreign-affairs-committee-jen-psaki-testimony-subpoena-afghanistan-withdrawal/