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Trump’s Indictment Shows Republicans Are Now the Party of Chaos and Insurrection [1]

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Date: 2023-06-13

In the wake of Donald Trump’s indictment for mishandling classified information, the naive would have been forgiven for thinking that Trump’s poll numbers would crater. Instead, the embattled former president continues to show strength, with Republicans lining up to defend him and engage in whataboutism. The message is clear for those who have not embraced it: Republicans, once the party of law and order, are now the party of chaos and insurrection. There will be no defeating Trump in Republican primaries, he will be the nominee, and he will run against Biden. The Republican party has been wholly captured by Trumpism and that will not change.

The gravity of the charges against Trump are such that Fox News contributor, Jonathan Turley, has said that they could lead to a “terminal sentence” if he is found guilty of just one of the 37 felony counts, which carry a maximum sentence of 10 to 20 years. The indictment carries such a powerful and well evidenced story that it is hard to see how Trump will not at least be found guilty of obstruction of justice. Yet, Republicans have not shunned Trump, they have not asked him to stand down, they have, instead, either engaged in whataboutism, as is the case with GOP Senators such as Mitch McConnell (R-KY), or, they have vowed a tit-for-tat escalation, as is the case with House members. Trump’s rivals have largely supported him, with tech entrepreneur, Vivek Ramaswamy, vowing to pardon Trump if he is elected. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday went so far as to accuse the Department of Justice (DOJ) of “weaponization of federal law enforcement” and said that, if elected, he would “bring accountability to the DOJ, excise political bias and end weaponization once and for all.” Even former Vice President Mike Pence joined in, saying that Attorney General Merrick Garland should “stop hiding behind the special counsel and stand before the American people” to explain “this unprecedented action.” Whataboutism is perhaps the more mundane response. The vows of revenge are the real stress test for American democracy.

By indicating that they are prepared to avenge Trump by going after President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden, for supposed corruption in Ukraine, and whatever else they can think up, Republicans are showing their contempt for the judicial process. Having spent decades referring to Third World countries in racist language of “banana republics”, Republicans seem keen to turn America into one. Instead of equality before the law, Republicans want to create enormous privileges and space to break the law, for their god, Trump. This is not America. Trump’s indictment is unique, because he is a uniquely corrupt president. Yet, Republicans have convinced half the country that Trump is both uniquely careless, and uniquely innocent. You see, underlying the Republican defense of Trump is the tacit admission that they know he did it, that is guilty. Nobody has risen up to say that the indictment is wrong on its face. Instead, the defense relies on whataboutism and saying that this indictment is dangerous because it will tear up the country, and then doing everything to tear up the country. Republicans know he is guilty, but they are backing their man, and we should expect no different. Once again, Biden will have to beat Trump in an election, so that Trump can’t pardon himself, and so he finally faces justice.

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/6/13/2175228/-Trump-s-Indictment-Shows-Republicans-Are-Now-the-Party-of-Anarchy-and-Insurrection

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