Adam Kinzinger, the former Republican Congressman from Illinois who when in office was among the only federally serving Republicans willing to go against Trump on key issues, joined those speaking out in recent days in condemnation of a new ploy from Kevin McCarthy.
McCarthy, a California Republican now serving as Speaker of the House, promptly — and predictably — rushed to defend Trump as his arrest — and/or at least criminal charges — possibly loom. McCarthy said he was “directing relevant committees to immediately investigate if federal funds are being used to subvert our democracy by interfering in elections with politically motivated prosecutions,” conflating basic coordination between law enforcement agencies with a conspiracy. What McCarthy was doing in reality was seeking to use federal resources to essentially interfere, or at least try to do so, in an investigation conducted outside the federal government into somebody also outside the federal government.
“The speaker of the house, who supports the Hunter Biden committee, thinks legit crimes not fair game if it’s his people,” Kinzinger said online. “Justice for thee but not for me!” You can’t just get away with doing a crime because you really, really don’t like the investigators — and if a candidate for federal office could evade accountability just because of their ongoing campaign, wouldn’t that be rather counterproductive in upholding the rule of law? Going after a candidate is not somehow more concerning than letting them do whatever.
“If there is violence when Trump is arrested, it will just prove to the skeptics who launched the violence on Jan 6… DJT Himself,” Kinzinger added. Trump has been online, getting mad — really, really, really mad — about his possibly imminent arrest, and he is again using the kind of apocalyptic rhetoric that he has utilized in relation to the 2020 election, obviously therefore mirroring what led up to the deadly Capitol riot. Trump’s continued support for the Capitol rioters, who brutalized police and sought to do more, certainly suggests that violence is explicitly among what he’s hoping his supporters do for him.
“AMERICAN PATRIOTS ARE BEING ARRESTED & HELD IN CAPTIVITY LIKE ANIMALS, WHILE CRIMINALS & LEFTIST THUGS ARE ALLOWED TO ROAM THE STREETS, KILLING & BURNING WITH NO RETRIBUTION,” Trump recently claimed. “MILLIONS ARE FLOODING THROUGH OUR OPEN BOARDERS, MANY FROM PRISONS & MENTAL INSTITUTIONS.” These are delusions that don’t come even close to reflecting reality. Obviously, people aren’t currently being allowed to just kill and burn without any consequences! Apparently, bonkers mania is where he’s going to be sticking as this all rolls forward.
If there is violence when Trump is arrested, it will just prove to the skeptics who launched the violence on Jan 6… DJT Himself
— Adam Kinzinger #fella (@AdamKinzinger) March 18, 2023
The speaker of the house, who supports the Hunter Biden committee, thinks legit crimes not fair game if it’s his people.
Justice for thee but not for me! https://t.co/gcAz8JIWY0
— Adam Kinzinger #fella (@AdamKinzinger) March 18, 2023
