Is anyone keeping count of the many actors – whether low-level or high level, national or international, civil servants or oligarchs – suspected of having conducted, aided, and/or abetted foreign meddling in the 2016 U.S. Presidential elections or the January 6, 2021 insurrection, who have been indicted or whose homes and offices have been raided by the FBI in the last three months alone?
Yesterday, Oleg Deripaska, billionaire tycoon, close friend to Russian President Putin and direct beneficiary of one Mitch McConnell’s political agenda and machinations in the last five years, had his home raided by the FBI. Later in the day, Nebraska Representative Jeff Fortenberry revealed in a pre-taped annoucement that he was about to be indicted on charges of lying to the FBI; however, news broke that the heart of the investigation against him stems from illegal foreign donations to, not just Fortenberry, but multiple congressional Republican campaigns in 2016. On october 11th, the FBI raided the home of the Philadelphia Proud Boys’ Vice President. On October 16th, powerful police union and Qanon propagandist Ed Mullins’s home and office were also raided. Let us not forget that Rudy Giuliani’s, as well as multiple Qanon and MRA extremist leaders’ homes and offices have also been raided in the last three months.
Just a few weeks ago, all 11 Senate Judiciary Democrats called on Attorney General Garland to “release the full OLC memo that purportedly justified Bill Barr’s decision not to charge Trump with criminal obstruction of justice in the Russia scandal — with no redactions“. Despite GOP obstructionism, the House has voted to allow a Commission to fully proceed with an investigation of the January 6th insurrection. The Commission is still in the process of sending subpoenas and questioning multiple players of Trump’s DoJ as well as public figures who have openly encouraged and lead the insurrection. On October 7th, the Senate Judiciary Committee has released a detailed report following an eight-month investigation into Trump’s scheme to pressure the DoJ and overturn the 2020 Elections; the report will be used as the foundation of further investigations and motivation to demand public figures and past civil servants be deposed, under oath.
In the meantime, policitical punditry has been desperately attempting to, once again, sway the narrative, falsely claiming that the SDNY as well as multiple law-enforcement agencies have decided not to prosecute Trump and his cronies. But it has now become clear that they’re making things up because the simple fact is that AG Garland is not revealing his hand, nor is he parading in front of the media lens or abiding by punditry’s fabulated timeline. No one seems to have clear inside information on the Department of Justice’s strategy, and that’s how it should be.
Merrick Garland said not that long ago: “The Justice Department does not file lawsuits based on pressure. We carefully examine facts & the law before we proceed.“
A functioning Department of Justice does not and should not publicize its work. It should lay the ground carefully and meticulously to fight against corruption, abuse of power, to correct wrongs, and hold accountable those who aided and abetted the subversion of Democracy; all should he conducted without fanfare, without flash, or bloviating pompous rhetoric. Period, full stop.
Pay attention to how every step is laid down with care, especially when it doesn’t make flashy headlines or hold Outrage Merchants’ interest. Have a great Wednesday, Politicadoes!
