Former President Trump’s Latest Defense Tactic: Blame the Recorder
Listen to Donald Trump long enough and one of his favorite rhetorical strategies becomes unavoidable. It’s called the I’m-rubber-you’re-glue tactic. As regular readers know, it’s juvenile and ineffective, but the former president has nevertheless relied on this throughout his relatively brief political career.
He’s especially quick to rely on the tactic when pushing back against those who’ve implicated him in wrongdoing.
Trump’s Latest Target: Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger
Earlier this year, for example, as special counsel Jack Smith investigated some of the former president’s alleged crimes, Trump declared that it’s Smith who might “very well turn out to be a criminal.” A couple of months later, the Republican tried the same tack against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, insisting the New York prosecutor is the actual criminal.
On Saturday, the former president spoke at a rally in South Carolina, where he seemed to add Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to the list. Describing the Jan. 2, 2021, phone call in which he told the Georgian he wanted someone to “find” enough votes to flip the state’s election results, Trump told supporters:
“The call was supposedly taped in the state of Florida. And in Florida, you’re not allowed to do, you know, that’s a two-party state. In other words, you’re not allowed to tape phone calls. They taped the phone calls. To show you how nice they are, they taped the phone calls, and you’re not allowed. So that is the real crime here.”
The Damning Phone Call
Remember, as we discussed earlier, after Trump lost in Georgia, the then-president called Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, telling the Georgia Republican he wanted someone to “find” enough votes to flip the state’s election results, even if that meant overturning the will of the voters.
The then-president added, while pressuring Raffensperger, “[T]here’s nothing wrong with saying, you know, um, that you’ve recalculated.”
As regular readers know, Raffensperger recorded the call, offering the public the opportunity to hear Trump explore ways to cheat, begging others to participate in his scheme, and even make some subtle threats toward the state’s top elections official. There’s a very real chance that Trump crossed a legal line with this and related efforts to overturn Georgia’s election results, and he might soon be indicted.
Trump’s Distorted Defense
But as of Saturday, the frontrunner for the GOP’s 2024 nomination said the “real” problem wasn’t his apparent misconduct, but rather, the fact that Raffensperger recorded him engaging in the apparent misconduct.
This is hardly better than Trump’s usual argument that since Raffensperger was polite during their phone meeting, the alleged election interference didn’t really count.
Georgia Secretary of State Meets with Federal Prosecutors
For his part, Georgia’s secretary of state met last week with federal prosecutors examining Trump’s post-election schemes.
We don’t yet have many details about the behind-closed-doors discussion, but Raffensperger’s office released a statement on Wednesday. “Georgia is a national leader in election security, integrity, and access,” it read. “Failed candidates and their enablers have peddled false narratives about our elections for personal gain for a long time and the voters of Georgia aren’t buying it.”
Stay tuned for updates on this ongoing investigation and the potential legal consequences for Donald Trump.
Unveiling Trump’s Latest Addition: Georgia’s Raffensperger Joins the Roster of ‘Real’ Criminals
In the realm of American politics, the term “criminal” is often thrown around loosely, used as a rhetorical weapon to discredit opponents or tarnish their reputation. However, when it comes to former President Donald Trump, the label seems to carry a different weight. Trump has a knack for branding his adversaries as criminals, often without substantial evidence or legal basis. The latest addition to his roster of so-called “real” criminals is Georgia’s Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger.
Raffensperger, a Republican, found himself in the crosshairs of Trump’s ire after the 2020 presidential election. As the state’s top election official, Raffensperger oversaw the certification of Georgia’s election results, which showed Joe Biden as the winner. This outcome did not sit well with Trump, who, despite lacking any concrete evidence, claimed widespread voter fraud had occurred in Georgia and other battleground states.
Trump’s relentless pursuit of overturning the election results led him to engage in a series of unprecedented actions, including a now-infamous phone call with Raffensperger. In this call, Trump pressured Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to overturn the election outcome. The call was recorded and later released to the public, exposing Trump’s desperate attempts to subvert democracy.
Rather than succumbing to Trump’s pressure, Raffensperger stood firm, upholding the integrity of Georgia’s election process. He refused to bend to the former president’s demands, demonstrating a commitment to the rule of law and the democratic principles upon which the United States is built.
Despite Raffensperger’s unwavering dedication to his duty, Trump has relentlessly attacked him, labeling him a criminal and accusing him of participating in a vast conspiracy to steal the election. These baseless claims have been debunked by multiple investigations, including a hand recount of Georgia’s ballots that reaffirmed Biden’s victory.
Trump’s strategy of labeling his opponents as criminals is not new. Throughout his presidency, he employed similar tactics against individuals who dared to challenge him or expose his wrongdoing. From labeling journalists as “enemies of the people” to accusing political opponents of treason, Trump’s rhetoric sought to undermine the credibility of those who stood in his way.
By adding Raffensperger to his roster of “real” criminals, Trump attempts to delegitimize not only the Georgia Secretary of State but also the entire democratic process. His relentless assault on the integrity of the election system undermines public trust and fosters a dangerous environment where baseless claims of fraud can flourish.
It is crucial to recognize Trump’s tactics for what they are: a desperate attempt to cling to power and avoid accountability for his actions. By labeling Raffensperger and others as criminals, Trump seeks to divert attention from his own transgressions and create a narrative that supports his false claims of election fraud.
In a democracy, it is essential to have robust and fair elections, overseen by individuals like Raffensperger, who prioritize the rule of law over personal or political gain. By standing up to Trump’s pressure and ensuring the integrity of Georgia’s election process, Raffensperger has demonstrated his commitment to the democratic ideals that underpin our nation.
As we move forward, it is crucial to reject Trump’s attempts to vilify those who uphold the principles of democracy. We must recognize that the true criminals are those who seek to undermine the very foundations of our democratic system. By standing up against baseless accusations and defending the integrity of our elections, individuals like Brad Raffensperger play a vital role in preserving the democratic fabric of our nation.
