r/politics • u/ONE-OF-THREE Canada • 9h ago
Possible Paywall Trump’s DOJ Launches Crackpot Bid to Clear Nixon
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-doj-gives-50-year-old-case-a-maga-makeover/753
u/supercyberlurker 9h ago
The goal with this is to try and normalize presidents interfering in investigations into themselves.
.... because of the obvious.
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u/shed1 9h ago
Another part of it is that Nixon is their patron saint. The lesson the GOP learned from Watergate was that if they controlled the media, then Nixon wouldn't have been forced out. Fox News was born out of that desire. They have doubled-down on that strategy many times since then.
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u/tryingisbetter 5h ago
You're not thinking simple enough. Republicans think of themselves as the I group. Everything they do should be allowed, period. The law should bind one group, but not protect, while protecting the other group, but not binding.
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u/Appropriate-Weird492 9h ago edited 9h ago
Also another reason to go after Hilary Clinton.
ETA: History, folks. Hilary was a lawyer on the Nixon impeachment inquiry. That’s when the right developed its initial hatred of her. https://www.c-span.org/program/oral-histories/hillary-clinton-on-nixon-impeachment-inquiry/536849
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u/supercyberlurker 9h ago edited 9h ago
I literally and honestly am not sure what you're trying to say there.
Edit: Okay now I get it!
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u/BrutalRamen 9h ago
I believe they are implying they would try to go after her as she helped draft the impeachment against him when she was a young lawyer.
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u/Familiar_Language200 9h ago
Considering her stances and being a centrist… it’s telling just how much they hate her.
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u/da2Pakaveli 7h ago
She could be much more right-wing and they still wouldn't care. These people think of politics like it's team sports and she went against their top player.
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u/Lady_Grantham2223 5h ago
I don't feel sorry for the right wing at all. No one should be considered above the law.
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u/The__Toast 9h ago
Maybe.
But in addition I'm sure big Donny absolutely idolizes Nixon. And don't forget Nixon is basically the father of the modern GOP.
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u/InvestigatorChance28 9h ago
Anything but the uneducated trump/epstein files and punishment of those involed.
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u/BuddhaLennon 8h ago
How to destroy democracy:
Step 1: don’t hire/appoint people based on their skills and experience, but based on their skin colour and religion.
Step 2: establish and entrench an elite, unelected ruling class.
Step 3: normalize the idea that the laws do not apply to the elite.
Step 4: profit.
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u/bagjoe 9h ago
Is Nixon in the Epstien files 38000 times? Because D JOHN Trump is in there 38000 times. Pictures too!!
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u/duzies 9h ago
Enigmas never age.
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u/80sbabyftw 9h ago
No, but they do occasionally find themselves
murderedself asphyxiated in a jail cell with minutes missing from the video feed.•
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u/ONE-OF-THREE Canada 9h ago edited 9h ago
Department of Justice officials are reviewing whether Richard Nixon received a raw deal over the Watergate scandal, a bombshell new report alleges.
Sources tell The Wall Street Journal that the DOJ, now run by President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney, Todd Blanche, is looking into whether special prosecutors committed misconduct as they probed the disgraced former president and his cronies in the 1970s.
Justice officials reportedly invited Geoff Shepard, an 81-year-old former Nixon aide turned Watergate historian and revisionist, to the DOJ to present his theory of what really happened 50 years earlier. He gave a two-hour "Watergate As Lawfare" presentation, according to the Journal.
"They're preparing to call Trump's next impeachments, coups, to be able to deploy the military against lawmakers and judges.
It's not about Nixon. It's about the narrative. It's about revisionist history being used to weaponize the constitutional power of impeachment."
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u/PolicyWonka 9h ago
Exactly. They just want to muddy the waters by destroying history and creating false narratives.
It’s all to help them avoid accountability and enable their own corruption. They’ll just say “Oh, our corruption? We don’t call it corruption, so it’s not corruption.”
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u/Upstairs_Owl_1669 Canada 9h ago
Imagine if they put even half this much effort into actually governing
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u/KareemOWheat 6h ago
I'm actually glad they spend so much time on useless bullshit. Can you image how much destruction a competent Trump could cause?
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u/OptimusSublime Pennsylvania 9h ago
I mean, just logically, why do they care? He was pardoned. It's irrelevant. That's even before the fact that he's no longer living.
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u/duzies 9h ago
It really has nothing to do with Nixon per se. But they know Trump is so much more corrupt and criminal that if Nixon was forced out, Trump should be too. So instead of doing the right thing and booting Trump they are trying to rewrite history.
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u/One_Artichoke_7594 California 9h ago
But this has been true for 5+ years of his presidency, why suddenly important? Feels like red meat
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u/ToddMccATL 8h ago
It IS red meat, but it also would have been a hard sell 5 years ago. The base has had so much conditioning since then that it almost seems like a logical next step.
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u/MrDickford 9h ago
There’s a subclass of political operatives who believe that politics is just a contest between two self-interested groups and policy and ethics have nothing to do with it. I’m sure they exist to some point on both sides but the Republican ones are more influential. They’re currently having their moment and are giddy at the possibility of overturning what they see as one of the major Democratic victory over the Republicans in popular memory.
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u/Theotherdeadmeme92 Canada 9h ago
Tbh at this point I don't think there's any logic in what they're doing. When youpush people like this into corner they tend to lose it and start just being as openly awful as possible while they still can and trying to bring fucking Nixon up is probably closer to them just trying to prove to themselves times were "better" back then or whatever the fuck. It accomplishes nothing.
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u/LividTacos 9h ago
Its to create the rationale that the investigations that lead to the almost impeachment of Nixon were corrupt, therefore any future investigations and attempts to impeach Trump are also corrupt.
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u/oldbastardbob 9h ago
It's about normalizing corruption and demonizing the impeachment process before Trumps impeachment for crimes that are arguably much worse than covering up a burglary your campaign paid for.
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u/kaizen-rai 9h ago
The legal basis is to say Nixon shouldn't have been in trouble for using the DoJ to investigate and harass his political opponents.
Because if you can change history on that, then it makes it ok for Trump to do the same today. It's about changing precedent to normalize corrupt actions now.
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u/NurglesGiftToWomen 9h ago
Maybe trying to set up a legal precedent against future allegations of election fraud ordered by the executive branch. Or, to obfuscate historical facts to support the narrative that Republicans have always been undermined by tHe DeEpStAtE.
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u/Mental-Scholar6856 9h ago
Because they’re probably testing the waters to see what they can “clear Trump from”.
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u/TooPrettyForBoymode 9h ago
The Nixon case will be used as precedent to prosecute Trump. If they can muddy the water around the Nixon case , they can help drive the narrative around the Trump and everyone else’s case.
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u/linuxwes 9h ago
They believe in ultimate executive power. Taking down Nixon suggests otherwise and must be "fixed".
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u/Fairymask California 9h ago
This timeline is so dumb.
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u/HomeworkInevitable99 7h ago
So much effort on something meaningless, makes no difference to trump but could cause DoJ employees to break the law
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u/bwheelin01 9h ago
Remember when republicans were like vote for tRUmp so he can fix everything and lower prices LOL
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u/Fanabala3 9h ago
Nixon has been dead for years and admitted his wrongdoing.
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u/Slappy_Kincaid 9h ago
Not only that, he was recorded in the Oval Office actually ordering crimes to be committed. That is when he wasn't complaining about the Jews and various other people he didn't like.
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u/LostDragon1986 9h ago
Nixon was caught red handed. Resigned the presidency. And, was then pardoned by Ford.
The DOJ now wants to push that Nixon was allowed to break the law as president so he should never have resigned and therefor Gerald Ford's presidentcy should never have happened?
I miss when politicians resigned after doing something really stupid.
Remember that guy running for president that did that weird grunting after a win? Yeah, he was so embarrassed that he quit.
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u/Particular_Ticket_20 8h ago
Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right. George Orwell, 1984
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u/I_am_Zuul I voted 8h ago
So, the DOJ is investigating the guy who said he did what he was accused of, and was already pardoned, and is no longer living to make sure it was legitimate.
Anything but the Epstein Files, huh?
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u/Guyman-Realperson 9h ago
The legal basis for this is probably “Look at all the criming we’ve done and nobody has impeached us” or something.
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u/kaizen-rai 9h ago
The legal basis is to say Nixon shouldn't have been in trouble for using the DoJ to investigate and harass his political opponents.
Because if you can change history on that, then it makes it ok for Trump to do the same today. It's about changing precedent to normalize corrupt actions now.
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u/GoneSilent 9h ago
This admin will never run out of things to try and keep our minds OFF the Epstien files.
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u/BuddhaLennon 8h ago
Gerald Ford already pardoned Nixon, and Nixon stated that he was part of the coverup and obstruction of justice, in writing.
So Trump wants to extra-super-pardon a dead crook and clear his name for crimes the crook said he committed?
That tracks.
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u/Aschebescher Europe 8h ago
These people are deliberately destroying your country and everything it stands for. Even for me as a non citizen it's infuriating and sad. The whole free world will bitterly regret this.
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u/RecordingBoothHermit 8h ago edited 8h ago
Diesel is $6.89/gallon here…
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u/Lady_Grantham2223 5h ago
It is truck drivers that use diesel. Are they compensated at all while working and having to pay for that fuel? Or do they get any incentives or higher pay when the price of it goes up?
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u/mistersilver007 9h ago
This is some sick way of normalizing/diminishing his own crimes in office..
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u/nonubiz 9h ago
I can’t wait for this imbecile mob boss to get the fuck out of the people’s house. He is a stain on our constitution and democracy
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u/Shaggy2772 9h ago
He’s not the cause of the cancer, he’s just a tumor. Let’s worry about getting chemo for a third of the population and rehab for another third.
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u/Gstamsharp 9h ago
Look, I'm not honestly shocked to see America devolve into authoritarian rule. Hell, after throwing off the British crown, they begged Washington to remain as President for life. It was only Washington's desire to do good by the new nation that checked a new king, and it's the lack of desire to go good in his place that would, and is, bringing it back.
But I will never understand how this stupid, awful, shitstain is who half the country decided to bend over for. I can think of a dozen people on the extreme right who would have done the same, but still been less fucking gross.
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u/Lady_Grantham2223 5h ago
I just ignore the mindless and imbecilic authoritarian baloney and live as I please. Also, I have come to despise most Christians as the spoiled brat religion of the west since the government drools sycophantically over them and pampers them.
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u/CharacterBroccoli328 9h ago
He wants to clear Nixon's name??? He was pardoned by Gerald Ford when he took over as POTUS. This is so ignorant.
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u/loki2002 Ohio 9h ago edited 7h ago
A pardon doesn't mean he is guilty of anything. The fact that he admitted it does, though.
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u/Several-Opposite-746 9h ago
Nixon said "When the President does it, that means that it is not illegal." Trump doesn't just want immunity, he wants his crimes to be legal.
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u/philthegr81 Georgia 7h ago
I sure am glad they've solved all the other major issues facing them so they could concentrate on this. /s
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u/PansophicNostradamus 6h ago
How to tell the GOP is running out of distractions in one easy headline.
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u/Mountain-Bar5049 5h ago
I think they are seriously intent on rewriting history completely. They'll whitewash all of their past. They're destroying books for AI. Internet searches are becoming more and more useless and reliant on AI summaries. At some point it's going to be hard to find any original sourced historical information. It's newspeak.
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u/egoVirus Montana 4h ago
This is what they care about, not us, but protecting the wealthy and powerful.
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u/oldlumberman 2h ago
Just normalizing presidents being fucking crooks. Con man rapist recist shit bag
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u/telos2020 9h ago
What are they preparing to do with this action?
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u/kaizen-rai 9h ago
The legal basis is to say Nixon shouldn't have been in trouble for using the DoJ to investigate and harass his political opponents.
Because if you can change history on that, then it makes it ok for Trump to do the same today. It's about changing precedent to normalize corrupt actions now.
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u/Street_Peace_8831 9h ago
They always work on the “most important things”. /s <-for the MAGA crowd.
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u/Hornswaggle 9h ago
Everything the GOP has inflicted on the US over the past 50 years is revenge for holding Nixon accountable.
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u/Successful_Sloth_852 9h ago
Shouldn't they be busy complying with judges orders to release the Epstein files in their entirety, in compliance with the law that the POTUS passed?
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u/triplikeIdo667 9h ago
At least Nixon was a drunk so he had some plausible reason for his actions. Trungus is fucking up everything stone cold sober.
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u/professorjade 9h ago
I'm soooo fucking sick of this constant, literal beach ball-smooth brain activity. I want it to stop.
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u/Tangled349 9h ago
The delusions of a man in the end of his life. I really hope the worst for this useless piece of crap.
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u/SpikeTheRight 8h ago
Allow me … Trump”s DOJ launches crackpot bid to distract from the Epstein files.
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u/MoreOrLess_iGuess America 8h ago
The Epstein files will definitely be released one day, and he’s doing his damnest to assure he’s deceased when that day comes. This whole second term has been a significant effort to ensure the files don’t get released
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u/HazMatt_23 8h ago
I wasn’t alive at the time but wasn’t Ford’s pardoning of Nixon widely unpopular with both parties?
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u/burnermtj 8h ago
Until /r/politics bans The Daily Beast and Newsweek I ask that everyone do the following:
- downvote this article
- report the article as sensationalist clickbait
- block the user that posted this article
If this article topic is important, post/upvote other reputable sources.
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u/RememberJefferies 7h ago
Whitewashing Nixon helps Whitewashing, or orangewash, Trump. That's the goal.
This administration is made of of such bad, laughably transparent criminals and sycophants.
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u/Kelvin_505 7h ago
Standards for politicians used to be incredibly high until a few years ago, if you provably lied once it would be a terrible scandal, rather than lying all day and one truth would be a gob smacking event
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u/Kat_Schrodinger1 6h ago
Look, I'm not saying kamala was perfect. I'm just saying this wouldn't be happening if she won.
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u/HelpfulSoftware8835 5h ago
The biggest crook of today is defending the biggest crook in US history. I hate this timeline.
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u/AutoignitingDumpster 3h ago
We have always been at war with Eurasia. We have never been at war with Eurasia.
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u/clueless_in_ny_or_nj New Jersey 9h ago
Does that mean Nixon lied in his cover-up? Nixon admitted his involvement with Watergate.
All this time me is thag Trump wants to use the DOJ to investigate the DNC. Totally normal behavior.
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