Sen. Grassley demands answers on FBI's Trump Mar-a-Lago raid: 'Transparency brings accountability'
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, emphasized the importance of 'trust' in the FBI, arguing the raid has 'destroyed' confidence in the agency on 'Fox & Friends.'
The Washington Post editorial board wrote Wednesday that the Republican Party's reaction to the FBI raid on former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate "is disturbing and dangerous."
In its latest editorial, the Post argued that the GOP needs to focus on a "prudent reaction to the search" and "await its tangible results," but instead it’s pushing "dangerous" rhetoric about the FBI’s "weaponized politicization."
The outlet also called out Republicans for their aggressive defense of Trump from law enforcement when they wanted Hillary Clinton prosecuted for her mishandling of classified information.
The editorial opened by calling out this double standard. "’Lock her up, lock her up,’" it began, reminding readers of the 2016 chant aimed at Clinton by Trump supporters.
TRUMP ATTORNEY SPEAKS OUT ON MAR-A-LAGO RAID: 'GOVERNMENT SEEMS TO BE OUT OF CONTROL'
The Washington Post argued Wednesday that Republicans denouncing the FBI raid against former President Donald Trump are using "dangerous" rhetoric. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
The Post stated, "Donald Trump’s supporters lobbed this rallying cry at Hillary Clinton in 2016 — hoping for the imprisonment of a political opponent for allegedly mishandling classified material. Now, however, some of the same people appear to believe that even a rule-of-law investigation of Mr. Trump for a possible violation of the same set of rules is out of order."
After labeling Republicans hypocrites for their anger over the first-ever FBI raid of a former president’s home in American history, the Post went on to justify the law enforcement action, or at least admonish those who won’t let it quietly play out.
The paper detailed how "The National Archives discovered about seven months ago that the former president had taken more than a dozen boxes of files with him when he left office, some of them marked ‘top secret’ — and suspected, it seems, that the documents he handed over to investigators this spring represented only a portion of the trove."
It then rebuked Republicans for their "outrage over the search," saying that though they "may be right" that this is an unprecedented move, Trump’s penchant for controversy may warrant it. "But then, no modern president has been the subject of as many and varied investigations as Mr. Trump — who invoked his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination in one of them on Wednesday," The Post observed.
"The improper retention of records is a serious offense that shouldn’t be dismissed," the column added, though it did acknowledge that it is "unclear whether Mr. Trump’s retention of these records constituted a violation of national security, a threat to democracy, or any other grave abuse." The outlet also admitted U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland "finds himself in a tricky position" over the raid.
A Washington Post editorial rebuked Republicans who are outraged that former President Trump's home was raided by the FBI. (Eric Baradat/AFP via Getty Images)
But still, the Post insisted the investigation should be allowed to happen and that "the prudent reaction to the search would be to await its tangible results." It’s Republicans, not Garland or the Justice Department that are being irresponsible, the paper asserted. "Instead, Republicans are behaving with gross irresponsibility: from talk show hosts urging violence that seems all-too-possible after the events of Jan. 6, 2021, to Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and former Trump strategist Stephen K. Bannon comparing the FBI to the Gestapo," the board wrote.
It also criticized House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., for "declaring the Justice Department in ‘an intolerable state of weaponized politicization.’" The editorial proclaimed, "This rhetoric is disturbing and dangerous — not to mention hypocritical."
The opinion piece concluded, "In fact, it is Mr. Trump’s administration and acolytes who sought to weaponize the Justice Department, and it is they who today are attempting to turn what to all appearances is a legitimate inquiry into a political circus."
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A police officer speaks with a woman outside former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home after it was raided, in Palm Beach, Florida, Aug. 8, 2022. (Reuters/Marco Bello)
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