The Trump administration’s politically tone-deaf determination on Tuesday to indict former FBI Director James Comey over an Instagram publish could add to Democrats’ momentum forward of this 12 months’s midterm elections.
Comey was indicted over {a photograph} of seashells he reposted that spelled out the phrase “86 47.” Merriam-Webster notes that the slang “86,” which comes from the restaurant business, means “to throw out” or “to do away with.”
The Division of Justice, presently led by performing Lawyer Common Todd Blanche, is stretching credulity by arguing that Comey’s publish was a risk to assassinate President Donald Trump.
Much more absurdly, the division is claiming the indictment was not an try to make use of the facility of the federal government towards a determine whom Trump has lengthy held a vendetta towards. (Throughout Trump’s first time period, Comey was fired as FBI director after refusing to weaponize the company towards Trump’s political enemies.)
However Trump despatched out a social media publish this previous September demanding that then-Lawyer Common Pam Bondi deliver legal prices towards Comey and New York Lawyer Common Letitia James (one other individual on Trump’s enemies record) as quickly as doable. The smoking gun is in plain sight.
For his half, Comey isn’t backing down. In response to the indictment, he posted a video to his Substack account, through which he mentioned, “I’m nonetheless harmless, I’m nonetheless not afraid, and I nonetheless imagine within the unbiased federal judiciary. So let’s go.”
That is the second time the Trump staff has tried to place Comey behind bars. Their earlier try was thrown out by a federal decide in November due to Division of Justice incompetence.
Utilizing taxpayer funds to pursue Trump’s private vendetta towards Comey runs counter to the highest calls for of the general public. A Reuters/Ipsos ballot launched on Wednesday confirmed Trump’s approval score at a brand new low (34%). Unsurprisingly, a few of the prime issues of voters had been skyrocketing fuel costs and worries in regards to the battle in Iran.
As a substitute of these points and together with the Comey fixation, Trump has led the Republican cost on matters like securing funding for a brand new White Home ballroom, utilizing the federal authorities to censor comic Jimmy Kimmel, and even placing Trump’s face on passports.
The indicators are clear that voters wish to punish Trump and Republicans for his or her coverage failures and for ignoring cost-of-living issues. Democrats have received a string of particular elections and poll measures whereas polling forward of Republicans.
Devoting time and assets to sending the previous FBI director to jail for a light Instagram publish is unlikely to assist the Republicans reverse their slide—and will very properly speed up it.
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