I want to contrast the “after review from the replay booth” thinking of Paul Mirengoff (updated here on Monday, to echo Lawfare’s correct take), with that — this very morning — of Scott Johnson.
Here on Monday, Johnson largely echoes the nonsense seditionist crap Hinderaker spewed on Aussie Tee-Vee, and in posts over the weekend: both of them continue to bleat on and on — about truly loony non-sequiturs.
Primarily that (somehow!) having immediately returned documents found inadvertently in personal residences, along with certifications that no others exist — are equal in culpability to (i) lying about having them; (ii) willfully moving them (after almost 18 months of denying they exist) to hide them from your own lawyers, AFTER being served a subpoena; (iii) resisting a search warrant, and using a partisan judge to delay things for nine months, only to see her rulings utterly blown out of the water on appeal; (iv) taking an indeterminate number of them on a flight to Bedminster, never to be seen again — in defiance of the subpoena and a search warrant; (v) bragging about Top Secret battle plans, likely with Saudis in the room, on audiotape — and saying both he never declassified them, and that he cannot show them — but then describing their contents, all to settle/vindicate a grudge with a retired US General.
And now, over the weekend, (vi) he’s seen his two lead lawyers quit, over being obviously and repeatedly lied to (and subjected to the Walt Nauta document-hiding “Three Card Monte” shuffle of boxes), by their own client — the former CoC.
By Saturday afternoon, past, Paul Mirengoff had directly said (in an abrupt about-face) this is a proper 37 count speaking indictment, and a series of convictions, on felonies are highly likely. That is a purely pragmatic reality, now. Even if the Powerliners cannot accept it — and even if Paul says it in far gentler terms. [Again — he had long been a little bit more of a realist — about Tangerine.]
Yet and still, Johnson (backed by Hinderaker) continues to FALSELY claim [see (i) through (vi), above] that this is (somehow?!) an unfair, two-tiered criminal selective prosecution being run by Mr. Biden (not an independent Special Counsel).
If anything, the process has been too deferential to Tangerine — for nearly 24 months — given how clearly, jaw-slackingly egregious… his espionage has been. But that time has ended.
And yes, all of these boys are right about this much — Tangerine will fight to the bitter end, and will ultimately run third party, when he doesn’t get the nomination outright.
The only way the overall scenario improves for the GOP, is if Trump’s addiction to fast-food sends him to his Maker before the GOP convention — only if he is already six feet under will he not seek the White House again in 2024. Should he die, holding the nomination, no doubt whomever his running mate is — will be the nominee, by rule. And there is no scenario where that will be any competent human.
Look for Candace Owens, there, as the Veep on Trump-World’s third party ticket.
Again… game / set / match, boys.
H I L A R I O U S.
[Except that the Powerliners, to a person now (and still) openly betray any commitment to law and order.]
D A M N.
This is ultimately… trivial, on a day when his boy is being perp walked for espionage related felonies. His [formerly, purported] leader of the “free” world, that is.
Clearly Steve (simply a bully) has never worked a job where a union saved employees’ lives (I literally have — in the hard rock mines, of my youth, in the high mountains astride the Continental Divide).
In sum — Hayward sneers at honest pay for honest labor.
