Republicans have been attempting throughout the Biden administration to use the rates of seizure and arrest at and around the southern border as some kind of political cudgel against those in charge… but isn’t stopping an increased amount of drugs before the substances make it near Americans a good thing?
And wouldn’t the same apply to apprehensions of individuals on federal terror watchlists, though such a list isn’t necessarily perfect in terms of accurate inclusions? On X (Twitter), Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) — who presumably wants to move on from his House Speaker losses! — recently posted a comparison of numbers under Biden and Trump for arrests (presumably by border agents) of individuals on that federal watchlist. “Notice the difference between when Trump was in charge vs. when Biden’s in charge?” Jordan asked. (The arrest numbers apparently increased.)
Online and offline rhetoric from Jordan and ideologically similar Republicans is often much more blunt as they try and cast Democratic politicians as harbingers of danger.
“1) You meant to say “thank you to our cops for keeping us safe!” And… 2) You’re still here?” Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), who has been vocal in his support for law enforcement, replied to Jordan’s diatribe.
Republicans — some of them, at least — earlier wanted to use claimed concerns about the border as part of their impeachment efforts against the president. Now, they’ve moved on specifically in the impeachment context to a desperate attempt to find some kind of financial corruption looping in the president and his family. Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), who leads the House Oversight Committee, recently made a big show out of spotlighting a large check from a brother of the president to Biden… but indications are that the money was just repayment for a personal loan. And the now president’s brother transferred the money when Joe wasn’t even in office. There’s no specific evidence indicating any other nature to the funds.
