S.E. Cupp LOSES IT Because Trump Hasn’t Been Indicted

As the January 6 Committee nears its season finale tonight, TV news has been abuzz with pre-game coverage and speculation, especially about whether or not Donald Trump would be indicted by the Justice Department. S.E., a CNN political commentator, was not so lucky. Cupp on Thursday, whose fellow panelists on Neue Day looked on with concern as she ranted in disgust about Trump being “above the law.”

After the panel agreed that the Committee’s work would most likely not prove that Trump did anything illegal, New Day co-host John Berman opined, “It might be that there are other issues here that are just as significant, the political implication, the moral implications of all this that the Committee is laying out…It does bring up Merrick Garland’s decision on what to do with this..”

Berman then played a clip from a press conference on Wednesday, where Attorney General Merrick Garland broke his usual calm demeanor to retort to a reporter, “No person is above the law in this country. I can’t say it any more clearly than that.”

Cupp snapped after Jeffrey Toobin (CNS legal analyst) reminded panel members of the slow pace of DOJ investigation.

Uh — I agree with you and I appreciate all of that and that the DOJ has to take its time to build its case. Merrick Garland deserves all the respect, but that’s not the truth.

Donald Trump, today.. Donald Trump was never charged. One legal watchdog said Donald Trump committed at most 48 crimes during his presidency or campaign. He has not been charged for any allegations of sexual assault — um, using the government to punish his opponents, anything in connection with January 6, meddling in elections.

It is an odd statement, considering Trump seems to be under the juridical eye of the Fulton Country grand jury and the whole January 6 Committee have been working hard to show he failed in his duty.

Trump’s IRS exploitation of his political enemies is a well-known example. Nobody, except for the Obama-era IRS which targeted Tea Party groups.

Cupp tried to salvage an appearance of non-partisanship by saying, “I’ll be super, super, hyper, uber fair, nor has Bill Clinton. He is not alone as being a powerful man who has been thus far above the law.”

But when CNN senior political analyst John Avlon specified, “what he’s thinking is that he can do a brushback pitch if he runs and say, look, I’m — I’m engaged in the political process again, therefore, any — uh, you know, indictments are — are therefore political,” Cupp shouted, “He might be right!”

Cupp finally quieted down when told by CNN White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins that “Lisa Monaco at the Justice Department has tried to push back on that, saying…That’s something that doesn’t factor into our decision making.”

Donald Trump is not like Hunter Biden. There’s no presumption that he is innocent and there aren’t any allowances for fair or thorough investigation. 

TDS-induced hypersteria was possible in this case. Liberty Mutual UPS. The following links provide their contact information.

Click “Expand” to see the relevant transcript.

CNN’s Neue Day
07/21/22
6.05:11 AM ET

JOHN BERMAN – You know what? I’m always asking myself questions about legality. Does this lead to a legal issue? But it could also be the wrong question. The Committee might not be addressing all the issues that you are referring to. So — so I am aware of that.

However, it brings up Merrick Grland’s decision as to what he will do about all this. Merrick Garland was yesterday pressed about it, by the Attorney General of America. Let’s — let’s play a little bit of how he responded to whether or not — or where he is on the possibility of charging Donald Trump.

[Cuts to clip]

MERRICK GARLAND [during press conference, 07/21/22]In this country, no one is above the law. Nothing stops us —

UNIDENTIFIED MALE – Even former president?

GARLAND: No — I don’t know how to — maybe say that again. In this country, no one is above the law. It’s clear as can be.

[End of clip]

KAITLAN COLLINS: That’s a really notable sound bite from him saying — you know, the reporter is, like, trying to follow up. He was like “No, no,” and he said, “Just let me say that and be clear.” You know, I am assuming that he will be closely watching tonight.

JEFFREY TOOBIN will keep an eye on you. It’s important to remember how the Justice Department operates. Merrick Garland won’t wake up six or five months later and declare, “We are going to indict Donald Trump.”

It’s going be a long process. There will be investigators on the line. Donald Trump will be under investigation by the FBI. A review will take place to determine if an indictment should be filed. Then, it will go up the chain until Merrick Garland. This isn’t going to be made in isolation.

Um, the — the question that so many people have is how aggressively are they conducting the investigation now that will lead to that — that — that decision several months from now. This question remains, in my opinion, somewhat mysterious.

S.E. CUPP: Uh — I agree with you and I appreciate all of that and that the DOJ has to take its time to build its case. Merrick Garland deserves all the respect that I can give, but this isn’t true.

Donald Trump is today above the law, right where we are sitting. Donald Trump has not been charged. According to one watchdog, there have been at least 48 crimes that Donald Trump could have committed while he was President or during his campaign. He has not been charged for any allegations of sexual assault — um, using the government to punish his opponents, anything in connection with January 6, meddling in elections.

Um — and, look, I’ll be super, super, hyper, uber fair, nor has Bill Clinton. He’s not the only powerful man to have risen above the law.

I am not a lawyer analyst or scholar. I’m a normal person. And I think if you’re a normal person with — you know, some reason — um, you think, well Donald Trump has been above the law. It has been 18 months since insurrection.

JOHN AVLON: I mean what — what — what Garland was addressing is this idea that had been reported out that somehow the OLC opinion that said a president is beyond prosecution could be extended.

In the scheme of things it may be unsatisfying to some people. However, Merrick Garland should take extra steps to try and depoliticize Justice Department following prior politicization. This is good news for the republic.

The thing that is not right, and I believe he was trying yesterday to make it clear, is equality justice under the law. Ex-Presidents can be treated equally.

CUPP: Right.

This is a rare situation.

CUPP: Right.

AVLON: And I do think the Committee has probably — seems to have urged on and created more urgency around the DOJ. But he was trying to be very clear yesterday with regard to at least criminal liability for over — trying to overturn an election.

CUPP – But Donald Trump already knows. Donald Trump is telling people in his inner circle he wants — 

AVLON: That’s the main point.

CUPP: — to run again —

AVLON: That’s the main point.

CUPP: — Because he knows the presidency will be a shield from indictments and jail time.

AVLON: No — no — what he’s thinking is that he can do a brushback pitch if he runs and say, look, I’m — I’m engaged in the political process again, therefore, any — uh, you know, indictments are — are therefore political.

CUPP: It’s possible he might be correct.

COLLINS: Well Lisa Monaco at the Justice Department has tried to push back on that, saying —

AVLON: Yeah.

COLLINS: — that’s not something that factors into our decision-making. However, it does factor into the decision-making of everyone.

(…)