MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell on Thursday excoriated President Donald Trump as a “madman” over his perceived weaponization of the Division of Justice to focus on his political foes, resulting in indictments of former FBI Director James Comey and New York Legal professional Basic Letitia James.
“Effectively, we’ve got been right here earlier than,” stated the “Final Phrase” host. “And it didn’t finish nicely for the madman on the heart of the plot, the president with an enemies listing.”
O’Donnell went on to check Trump to disgraced former President Richard Nixon, who additionally infamously curated an inventory of his political opponents, however argued that there’s “one huge distinction” — Nixon didn’t spend his life “in a Trumpian jail of stupidity.”
As proof, O’Donnell cited a now-infamous social media put up from the president.
Trump appeared to induce U.S. Legal professional Basic Pam Bondi in a Fact Social rant final month — which was meant as a personal message — to prosecute Comey, James and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). Comey was indicted on costs of mendacity to Congress mere days later and James was indicted Thursday on allegations of financial institution fraud.
James is accused of misrepresenting info on paperwork about her Virginia property. Trump’s handpicked appearing U.S. lawyer for the Jap District of Virginia, Lindsey Halligan, offered the case to a grand jury herself.
The prosecution alleges James secured a good mortgage for the property by claiming it as her secondary residence, solely to lease it out to a household of three. James has beforehand stated she made an error whereas filling out the paperwork, which was then corrected.
She has referred to as the indictment “baseless,” to which O’Donnell staunchly agreed.
He argued that each she and Comey will finally be simply as happy to be on Trump’s listing of enemies as Nixon’s focused opponents had been when he resigned, as a lot of them “didn’t get screwed” by the disgraced administration — however “thrived” within the speedy aftermath.
“And so the badges of honor are being awarded as soon as once more, and it’ll finish the identical means,” stated O’Donnell. “Donald Trump’s enemies listing is the badge of honor of our period. And immediately, New York State Legal professional Basic Letitia James acquired a type of badges.”
The indictment seems to hinge on one thing O’Donnell believes can’t be convincingly confirmed: it alleges James “knowingly” made false statements in her paperwork, and “then knew” whereas making use of for a mortgage in 2020 that her claims had been fraudulent.
“So this complete case comes all the way down to the prosecution having to show what it claims is a truth, that Legal professional Basic James ‘then knew,’ and that she meant to lease out the property,” he stated, including, “You could have to have the ability to learn her mind-set to do that prosecution.”
O’Donnell then outlined the problem for the prosecution in doing that.
“And so, there’s a really robust likelihood that this case, if it makes it to trial, will get a directed verdict from the decide discovering that the prosecution was incapable of proving what it claims in writing within the indictment is a truth — Legal professional Basic James’ mind-set,” he stated.
O’Donnell added, “James might be on her approach to take her place in historical past with former FBI Director James Comey on the prime of the Trump enemies listing, and because the individuals who beat the madman within the White Home in courtroom, as a result of that’s what is prone to occur right here.”