International Courant
Nice information, everyone. It seems Republicans ARE in favor of former President Donald Trump being prosecuted and held accountable!
I by no means thought such a factor potential. When information broke Tuesday that Trump had acquired a goal letter from particular counsel Jack Smith regarding the federal investigation into makes an attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election, most GOP lawmakers parroted the previous president’s conspiratorial rantings.
Home Speaker Kevin McCarthy railed inaccurately: “Should you discover, just lately President Trump went up within the polls and was really surpassing President Biden for reelection. So what do they do now? Weaponize authorities, go after their No. 1 opponent.”
‘Outrageous’ and ‘ridiculous,’ if it is taking place to Donald Trump
Florida Rep. Byron Donalds mentioned, with out providing a touch of proof: “That is outrageous and Jack Smith is uncontrolled.”
And Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene mentioned: “Yeah, it’s absolute bullsh-t. Yeah, that’s my response. That is the one means that the Democrats should beat President Trump is to arrest him, smear him, cost him with ridiculous fees.” (That assertion overlooks the truth that Joe Biden cleanly beat Trump within the 2020 election, and that the fees are coming from grand juries, not Democrats.)
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., addresses the Turning Level Motion convention on July 16, 2023, in West Palm Seashore, Fla.
On Wednesday, throughout a Home Oversight and Accountability Committee listening to relating to the investigation of Hunter Biden, that exact same Marjorie Taylor Greene mentioned: “I’d additionally prefer to say that when proof and proof of against the law is offered, no prosecution must be denied irrespective of who the individual is.”
Thanks for the free marketing campaign advert! Marjorie Taylor Greene compares Biden to FDR, LBJ.
Republicans’ want for accountability could be very case-specific
And Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, the committee head, began the listening to by saying: “This is a crucial joint effort that reveals the American people who accountability issues no matter your final title.”
Story continues
That is two key phrases from two key Republican members of Congress: “irrespective of who the individual is” and “no matter your final title.”
President Joe Biden’s son has been investigated and charged with federal offenses. Final month, Hunter Biden agreed to plead responsible to 2 misdemeanor tax fees and enter a diversion program to keep away from prosecution on a gun cost.
IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley testifies earlier than the Home Committee on Oversight and Accountability on July 19, 2023.
Biden did not name the investigation a witch hunt and did not bellyache concerning the fees. And I and most liberals have lengthy mentioned: If Hunter Biden broke the legislation, prosecute him. Heck, if Joe Biden broke the legislation, prosecute him. That is the way in which it is imagined to work.
Comer and Greene and Co. are free to proceed their hunt for one thing – something – tying Hunter Biden’s crimes to the president, however thus far they lack something near, in Greene’s phrases, “proof and proof of against the law.”
With Trump, how way more proof do you want?
For Trump, alternatively, there was sufficient “proof and proof of against the law” to influence two grand juries to indict him on greater than 70 state and federal fees. There was sufficient “proof and proof of against the law” for a New York jury in Might to search out Trump accountable for sexually abusing and defaming E. Jean Carroll.
Actually, the decide in that case issued an opinion Wednesday clarifying that what the jury discovered was that Trump raped Carroll.
Gone in 60 seconds: At FBI director listening to, Republican conspiracies about Biden go ‘POOF!’
In denying Trump a brand new trial, Decide Lewis Kaplan wrote: “The discovering that Ms. Carroll did not show that she was ‘raped’ throughout the that means of the New York Penal Regulation doesn’t imply that she did not show that Mr. Trump ‘raped’ her as many individuals generally perceive the phrase ‘rape.’ Certainly, because the proof at trial … makes clear, the jury discovered that Mr. Trump the truth is did precisely that.”
So since, as Comer mentioned, accountability issues no matter your final title, he and his congressional colleagues ought to agree that Trump should pay Carroll $5 million, as ordered by the jury.
By Republicans’ personal phrases, Trump have to be prosecuted, proper?
And now, with the goal letter signaling an all-but-certain indictment within the particular counsel’s case, how may somebody like Greene presumably label the prosecution “bullsh-t?
USA TODAY Opinion columnist Rex Huppke.
I imply, in her phrases, not mine, “When proof and proof of against the law is offered, no prosecution must be denied irrespective of who the individual is.”
Glad to see Republicans have come round on this. Let the accountability start.
Comply with USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on Twitter @RexHuppke and Fb fb.com/RexIsAJerk
You possibly can learn numerous opinions from our Board of Contributors and different writers on the Opinion entrance web page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our every day Opinion e-newsletter. To answer a column, submit a remark to [email protected].
This text initially appeared on USA TODAY: Trump’s defenders in GOP say they assist prosecution, simply not his
Republicans (apparently) agree Trump must be prosecuted and held accountable
Asia Area Information ,Subsequent Massive Factor in Public Knowledg
