The indictment of former President Donald Trump has already turned into one of the biggest news events in political history. The airwaves are wall-to-wall with liberal and conservative pundits alike spinning their take on this historic decision. Average Americans are taking to social media to show their support for one side or the other. The TV networks are watching Trump’s every move with helicopters, in a manner reminiscent of the O. J. Simpson Bronco chase.
In the midst of this coverage, I believe we are losing sight of a bigger question: Does this prosecution follow the rule of law, or is it the weaponization of our legal system for political gain?
Whatever your opinion of Donald Trump, I would argue the latter.
What we are watching is unprecedented, but it’s also just the latest in a string of similar attacks on political opponents by Democrat officials. Who can forget the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago at the behest of the Biden administration’s Justice Department, not to mention the two Democrat-led impeachment trials?
The political weaponization of our government is nothing new. We’ve seen it from the targeting of conservative organizations by the IRS under the Obama administration, to the Democrat city prosecutors who refused to charge those responsible for leftist mob violence and the burning of whole city blocks just a few years ago.
Now it seems Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is headed down this same path of reckless double standards. The day he took office, Bragg released his so-called “Day One” memo, ordering his staff to downgrade serious felonies like armed robbery and drug dealing to misdemeanor offenses. In his first year, Bragg downgraded 52% of Manhattan felonies. Unsurprisingly, crimes like felony assault, burglary, and robbery are now on the rise.
Yet when it comes to Donald Trump there’s a different standard. Bragg has egregiously and erroneously upgraded charges that are normally misdemeanors – and whose statute of limitations have run out – to felonies. His basis to do this? An alleged federal campaign violation that Bragg actually has no jurisdiction over as a local district attorney, and that federal prosecutors declined to charge Trump with!
When it comes to felonies and his inability to stop crime in Manhattan, Bragg argues he needs to conserve resources. Yet somehow, he magically has the resources to prosecute a former president on charges others have passed on? Something just doesn’t add up, and Bragg’s Manhattan constituents should be outraged by his misplaced priorities.
This double standard within the Democratic political machine – using the power of government to silence their opponents, while turning a blind eye to the crimes of their friends and supporters – is incredibly concerning.
One of the fundamental principles of our country's legal system is equal justice for all, and without that standard we fail every single American. No matter what you may personally think of Donald Trump or this indictment, I hope we all take this issue seriously – not for the circus it’s been turned into by the media, but because of what it means for the future of our country. We must hold our elected officials accountable whatever their political party.
We are the most powerful nation on the face of this planet, not a banana republic. It’s time to return fairness, equal justice, and a respect for the rule of law to our political system. If we don’t, we will lose America as we now know it, and we will watch our politicians spiral out of control with the third-world tactic of using government power to silence political enemies.
This issue is not about Donald Trump. It’s about something much, much bigger.
John Wahl is the Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to Commentary@1819News.com.
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