A Handy Guide to the Republican Definition of a Crime
By Curt_Anderson June 28, 2023 1:45 pm Category: Politics (0.0 from 0 votes)
Rules of the Post
The following example of what is and isn't considered a crime in Republican circles is from a New York Times opinion piece.
Crime: Any urban disruption that occurred during the protests after George Floyd was killed.
Republicans have long claimed that the federal government turned a blind eye to widespread violence during the 2020 protests, and in 2021 five Republican senators accused the Justice Department of an “apparent unwillingness to punish these individuals.” In fact, though the protests were largely peaceful, The Associated Press found that more than 120 defendants around the country pleaded guilty or were convicted of federal crimes related to the protests, including rioting, arson and conspiracy, and that scores received significant prison terms.
Not a crime: The invasion of the United States Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Many Republicans are brushing aside the insurrection that occurred when hundreds of people, egged on by Mr. Trump, tried to stop the certification of the 2020 electoral votes. “It was not an insurrection,” said Andrew Clyde, a Republican congressman from Georgia, who said many rioters seemed to be on a “normal tourist visit.” Paul Gosar, a Republican congressman from Arizona, described Jan. 6 defendants as “political prisoners” who were being “persecuted” by federal prosecutors. Mr. Trump said he was inclined to pardon many of the more than 600 people convicted, and Mr. DeSantis said he was open to the possibility of pardoning any Jan. 6 defendant who was the victim of a politicized or weaponized prosecution, including Mr. Trump.
Other brief examples of what is and isn't a crime according to Republicans.
Not a crime: Federal crimes.
All federal crimes are charged and prosecuted by the Department of Justice.
Crime: State and local crimes, if they happen in an urban area or in states run by Democrats.
Not a crime: Any crime that happens in rural areas or in states run by Republicans.
Crime: What they imagine Hunter Biden did.
Not a crime: What Hunter Biden will actually plead guilty to.
Specifically: two misdemeanor counts of failing to pay his taxes on time. Because tax crimes are not real crimes to Republicans.
Gun-purchasing crimes are also not considered real crimes.
Also not a crime: What the Trump family did.
There is vast evidence of actual influence-peddling and self-dealing by the Trump family and the Trump Organization during and after Mr. Trump’s presidency, which would seem to violate the emoluments clause of the Constitution and any number of federal ethics guidelines.
Crime: Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while she was secretary of state.
Not a crime: Donald Trump’s mishandling of government secrets.
Crime against children: Abortion and transgender care.
Not a crime against children: The possession of guns that kill them.
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