Opinion | A Defense of G.O.P. Paranoia - The New York Times
By: Rich Lowry (nytimes)
I removed most of this article in order to focus attention on these closing paragraphs.
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
By Rich Lowry
Mr. Lowry is the editor in chief of National Review.
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.....Another obstacle to the widespread acceptance of a potential indictment of Mr. Trump for Jan. 6 is that, absent smoking-gun evidence we aren't aware of, it will be far from a clear-cut case. Mr. Trump did not shoot someone on Fifth Avenue, with the ballistics and witnesses all establishing beyond a doubt that he is guilty of a frequently and properly prosecuted crime. He engaged in a political offense against our constitutional system that criminal statutes are ill suited to address, no matter how infamous the conduct. An indictment on the grounds that he obstructed Congress or defrauded the U.S. government will depend on novel interpretations of the law and present entirely new legal questions that, at best for the prosecution, will take years to settle and, at worst, ultimately lead to a collapse of the case.
A case inherently fraught with politics is the worst testing ground for novel legal arguments and will only heighten suspicions that the law is being twisted into a political tool.
If it is too difficult now for Democrats to imagine how they might react to such a prosecution of one of their own, they might have a clearer sense soon enough. An indictment of Mr. Trump would invite retaliation, and if Republicans retake the White House, a motivated G.O.P.-controlled Justice Department could be expected to aggressively pursue a reason to indict Joe Biden over his son Hunter's business dealings.
In the tumult over a Trump indictment, both sides will accuse the other of violating the country's norms and traditions. But there's no doubt that a fierce Republican response, deeply distrustful of the authorities and openly defiant, would be profoundly American.
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Mr. Lowry is the editor in chief of National Review.
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It is profoundly disturbing that nationally known commentators like Rich Lowry are willing to overlook the immense damage Trump has done and is still doing to our politics and our country in order to promote the bizarre concept that being defiant about a Trump indictment would be "profoundly American". How long is this country going to keep pretending there is "another side" to the Trump criminal behavior?
And its not only conservatives like Lowry who do this constantly, some moderates and mainstream people also promote this sort of "both sidesism". The country will be screwed until we get over this strange compulsion.
There may be a case that can be made that both political parties over reach in their various accusations against the other, but it cant be made using Donald Trump as an example.
Half a brain and common sense, and the Jan 6 evidence, shows us beyond a shadow of a doubt that Trump tried to commit the "crime" of stealing the 2020 presidential election.
Whether or not he serves jail time for it is relatively inconsequential. He needs to be ostracized from American politics forever. Instead our "conservatives" are largely doubling down on support for him. If that doesnt disturb people there is something wrong with them.
I want him out as much as you do....to make room for DeSantis. The radical Dems are destroying our nation.