In a notable statement Tuesday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) put forth his interpretation of the motivation behind the Biden administration’s latest indictment of former President Donald Trump, suggesting a correlation with the ex-president’s climbing poll numbers.
“If you notice recently, President Trump went up in the polls and was actually surpassing President Biden for re-election. So what do they do now? Weaponize government, go after their number one opponent,” McCarthy pointed out.
The Republican leader claimed that this is another instance of the Department of Justice (DOJ) being manipulated for political ends, which he believes is a trend that the American public has grown weary of.
“It’s time and time again, I think the American public is tired of this. They want to have equal justice and the idea that they utilize this to go after those who politically disagree with them is wrong,” McCarthy opined, encapsulating the sentiment of a significant portion of the U.S. electorate that perceives such actions as a threat to democratic principles.
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Critics of the Biden administration, like McCarthy, view these actions as politically motivated attempts to undermine Trump’s increasing popularity and re-election chances.
Legal experts and conservative personalities also took to Twitter to voice their criticism and disapproval over special counsel Jack Smith’s potential indictment of former President Donald Trump. The uproar follows Trump’s disclosure that Smith has informed him of a criminal probe into his actions surrounding the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots, igniting a fresh wave of controversy in the political realm.
Brett L. Tolman, a former U.S. Attorney, was one of the first to express his discontent. He tweeted, “Jack Smith sending President Trump a target letter and then indicating he has to appear in front of the Grand Jury makes no sense. Rarely do you put a target in front of the GJ. They will plead the 5th and you run the risk of compromising your case given Due Process rights.” Tolman proceeded to detail the legal ramifications of compelling a target to appear before a grand jury, explaining how this move could backfire.
In response to an order to appear before the GJ, a target’s lawyers should immediately send a letter to the prosecutor that they intend to exercise their 5th Amendment rights. Once received, the prosecutor must excuse the target from appearing under US Attorneys Manual.
— Brett L. Tolman (@tolmanbrett) July 18, 2023
Other conservative figures, such as Tom Fitton, President of Judicial Watch, shared Tolman’s concerns about the procedural oddities in Smith’s approach. Fitton claims to have endured lengthy and biased questioning from Smith’s team, suggesting that these prosecutors are biased and abusing their power. He concluded that the potential indictment of Trump is not surprising, considering his alleged experiences, stating that these developments pose a “dire threat to the rule of law.”
I was harassed for hours by the Jack Smith grand jury as his anti-Trump prosecutors argued with me about challenges to the 2020 election, including whether or not I watched Trump's election night speech. Having witnessed firsthand their abuse of power, no surprise these partisans…
— Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) July 18, 2023
Further, Julie Kelly, a conservative commentator, expressed her worry over the potential charges against Trump. She suggested that Smith may seek an indictment for seditious conspiracy, adding to the speculation and uncertainty surrounding the scope and focus of the ongoing investigation.
I’ve warned of this for over a year.
I take no pride in being right.
Only question now is what charges Smith will bring (strong possibility he’ll seek indictment on seditious conspiracy) and who is charged with him. (Any conspiracy charge requires at least one conspirator) https://t.co/BeLCpvloeM
— Julie Kelly 🇺🇸 (@julie_kelly2) July 18, 2023
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and conservative radio host Mark Levin also weighed in, expressing their anger over what they perceive as the politicization and weaponization of the Department of Justice (DOJ). Levin wrote, “Conservatives and Republicans everywhere should be furious with the SOB rogue Biden prosecutor, the AG who’s approving this farce, and the undeniable DOJ/FBI campaign to destroy Trump and re-elect Biden.”
Conservatives and Republicans everywhere should be furious with the SOB rogue Biden prosecutor, the AG who’s approving this farce, and the undeniable DOJ/FBI campaign to destroy Trump and re-elect Biden. More on radio this evening.https://t.co/8qNufRvytP
— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) July 18, 2023
Cruz echoed Levin’s sentiments, criticizing the Biden administration for what he views as a partisan misuse of the DOJ. He tweeted, “The continued politicization and weaponization of the Department of Justice has turned our institutions into enforcers for the Biden administration’s partisan priorities. It remains deeply harmful to the rule of law.”
The continued politicization and weaponization of the Department of Justice has turned our institutions into enforcers for the Biden administration’s partisan priorities.
It remains deeply harmful to the rule of law. https://t.co/gs4sszgzr9
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 18, 2023
As these perspectives shape the narrative of suspicion and potential abuse of power within the investigative process, the indictment underlines an increasingly divided nation. The investigation into Trump’s actions on and following January 6 adds another layer of complexity to an already fraught and politically charged day.
The outcome of Smith’s indictment will no doubt have major implications for the perceived “integrity” of the U.S. justice system.