# F Merrick Garland. (He won't be going after anyone) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 19, 2022, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-merrick-garland-he-wont-be-going-after-anyone/968190 "2022-07-19T06:39:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2022, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-merrick-garland-he-wont-be-going-after-anyone/968190/161 "2022-08-05T19:30:56Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > I blame the FBI and that Federalist Society Trump crony Christopher Wray, way more than Garland. They’re supposed to catch them, it’s Garland’s job to cook them. > > Yet Wray has publicly stated that he just doesn’t see a connection between the January 6th riots and Trump’s election loss. > > As for the idea that this is a normal investigation, completely non-partisan and unrigged…….is it normal for the cops to publicly announce halfway through the investigation that there’s no evidence of a crime, even when said evidence is public record? > > [https://www.reuters.com/world/us/exclusive-fbi-finds-scant-evidence-us-capitol-attack-was-coordinated-sources-2021-08-20/](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/exclusive-fbi-finds-scant-evidence-us-capitol-attack-was-coordinated-sources-2021-08-20/) > > I think nothing’s going to happen to Trump or anyone connected with him, and I think that was decided before he left office, probably in exchange for him not pardoning the everyone. They agreed to let the rioters take the heat and protect their pals. I hope I’m wrong, but that’s what it smells like to me. FWIW, Wray testified yesterday and spoke regarding the Kavanaugh investigation, apparently the totally non-partisan procedure they followed was to forward all credible tips to the White House and let them decide which ones merited investigation. I wonder how many women tried to come forward, and if Trump tried to intimidate any of them before throwing their tips in the trash. According to Wray, all the non-partisan shit only applies to criminal investigations so it was totally cool for him to rig the background check. But at least Wray got his Federalist Society buddy on the court. Fuck that corrupt motherfucker. > **[FBI Got 4,500 Kavanaugh Tips—Then Punted Them to Trump Team](https://www.thedailybeast.com/fbi-admits-it-got-4500-tips-on-supreme-court-nominee-brett-kavanaugh-palmed-them-off-to-trump-counsel)** > > “This long-delayed answer confirms how badly we were spun by Director Wray and the FBI in the Kavanaugh background investigation and hearing,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2022, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-merrick-garland-he-wont-be-going-after-anyone/968190/162 "2022-08-05T19:39:59Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > When the DoJ announces the criminal indictment of the major ringleaders, how are you going to walk back all your bullshit statements? Will it be “okay, there was an indictment, but it happened too slowly for me,” or will it be “I don’t believe they’ll follow through,” or will you just shut up and slink away quietly? Are you trying to be even more intolerable than you’ve already been? Or does being an asshole come naturally? I fully expect indictments to come., thanks to the Jan. 6 committee. Yes, clearly way too slow. Pretty sure I’ve made this very clear. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2022, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-merrick-garland-he-wont-be-going-after-anyone/968190/163 "2022-08-05T20:39:43Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > > [@Yookeroo](#): > > > > Jesus christ/ Right away by DoJ standards. Intsead of waiting a year and a half. You apologists really are insufferable. > > When the DoJ announces the criminal indictment of the major ringleaders, how are you going to walk back all your bullshit statements? Will it be “okay, there was an indictment, but it happened too slowly for me,” or will it be “I don’t believe they’ll follow through,” or will you just shut up and slink away quietly? > > Think it through. We’ll revisit this. I’ll say, Wow! I’m so glad I was wrong about this one! Now what will you say in October 2024 if absolutely no one involved in the political side of the plot has been indicted? ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2022, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-merrick-garland-he-wont-be-going-after-anyone/968190/164 "2022-08-06T15:44:51Z")
> **[Alex Jones busted: How the Sandy Hook trial could lead to accountability for...](https://www.salon.com/2022/08/04/alex-jones-busted-how-the-sandy-hook-trial-could-lead-to-accountability-for-donald/)** > > Has a Trump acolyte finally hit a limit to shamelessness as a political strategy? “Alas, Trump’s belief that he will evade political and legal consequences for trying to overthrow democracy has, so far, proven true. Yes, he lost the 2020 election and his coup failed, but the Big Lie has only metastasized since then. Republicans across the country have come to share Trump’s confidence that, as long as they never break character as Big Lie believers, they will eventually build enough power and momentum to finally land the kill shot on American democracy. And they’re not wrong to believe that. Recent[wins by election deniers in Arizona’s Republican primary](https://www.salon.com/2022/08/03/deeply-troubling-backed-conspiracists-just-moved-closer-to-control-of-arizona/) move the GOP closer to a chance to steal that state’s electoral votes for Trump in 2024 — which could be enough to steal the entire presidential election.” So how is it that we have all the time in the world? You have to break the gaslighting as soon as you can or it grows. Garland has not tried to communicate with the public to do this even though there have been many reasonable conscientious public statements he could have made. Meanwhile we are all hostages of this unreality, which goes unanswered, maybe until, now with Alex Jones. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2022, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-merrick-garland-he-wont-be-going-after-anyone/968190/165 "2022-08-06T19:31:21Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Garland has not tried to communicate with the public to do this Garland may be (although I doubt it) running a flawless, albeit slow, investigation. But he clearly doesn’t get/do PR. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-merrick-garland-he-wont-be-going-after-anyone/968190/166 "2022-08-08T23:01:30Z")
Holy shit! Trump is apparently stating that FBI agents are at Mar-A-Lago! ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-merrick-garland-he-wont-be-going-after-anyone/968190/167 "2022-08-08T23:04:41Z")
Here’s a link: > **[FBI executes search warrant at Trump's Mar-a-Lago in document investigation |...](https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/08/politics/mar-a-lago-search-warrant-fbi-donald-trump/index.html)** > > The FBI executed a search warrant Monday at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, as part of an investigation into the handling of presidential documents, including classified documents, that may have been brought there, three... ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-merrick-garland-he-wont-be-going-after-anyone/968190/168 "2022-08-08T23:20:13Z")
> **[FBI executes search warrant at Trump's Mar-a-Lago in document investigation |...](https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/08/politics/mar-a-lago-search-warrant-fbi-donald-trump/index.html)** > > The FBI executed a search warrant Monday at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, as part of an investigation into the handling of presidential documents, including classified documents, that may have been brought there, three... ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-merrick-garland-he-wont-be-going-after-anyone/968190/169 "2022-08-09T00:37:15Z")
Which of the naysayers had “August FBI raid on Mar-A-Lago” on the card, ha-ha-ha! Remember the last time the FBI raided the residence of a former POTUS? Even Nixon doesn’t know about that one. ---
**Author:** ![lum\_s\_husband](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lum_s_husband/32/3698_2.png) [@lum\_s\_husband](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lum_s_husband)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-merrick-garland-he-wont-be-going-after-anyone/968190/170 "2022-08-09T01:26:52Z")
Why do you believe Trump? ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-merrick-garland-he-wont-be-going-after-anyone/968190/171 "2022-08-09T03:52:25Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Which of the naysayers had “August FBI raid on Mar-A-Lago” on the card I have been doubtful of Garland’s ability to close (for half lack of willingness and half Trump just being a slippery MF) but I recall saying in a previous thread that if they couldn’t get Trump for the big stuff (conspiracy to overthrow American democracy, etc) they could always get him on some administrative bullshit. And I think it’s fair to say the FBI would absolutely fuck up anyone else on planet earth who walked out of the White House with classified documents that don’t belong to them so I am really glad they went for it here. No politics need attach. Do you have the document in your possession? If so, you have committed a crime, period, end of story. Multiply by number of documents and you may never actually need to worry about the big case because there could be enough in a single Banker’s Box to put Trump in jail forever plus 11,683 days. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-merrick-garland-he-wont-be-going-after-anyone/968190/172 "2022-08-09T17:03:50Z")
> **[Opinion | The Mar-a-Lago search proves Garland isn’t afraid to investigate Trump](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/08/09/mar-a-lago-raid-garland-investigate-trump/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWJpZCI6IjYyMDc3NTgiLCJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNjYwMDY0NTA5LCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNjYxMjc0MTA5LCJpYXQiOjE2NjAwNjQ1MDksImp0aSI6ImEzYmY2Y2M2LTBiZTUtNDY3YS05YzAwLThhMDcyZDk1ODllYSIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9vcGluaW9ucy8yMDIyLzA4LzA5L21hci1hLWxhZ28tcmFpZC1nYXJsYW5kLWludmVzdGlnYXRlLXRydW1wLyJ9.3NI2Pc-_kO9cEg50j32JU4DdWu2psNVolFA9H9k1vMo&itid=gfta)** > > Things just got very serious. (Gift link) > … > Garland’s well-known caution and determination to play by the book suggest he would not authorize a move this dramatic unless there is a very good reason to seek the evidence. And that’s why I find it hard to believe this has nothing whatsoever to do with the Jan. 6 investigation. Garland surely would not take such a momentous step if he were not looking at a serious crime. > > The warrant’s execution should dispel any doubt that Garland is shying away from a Trump investigation and, if the facts and law indicate, prosecution. In addition, the over-the-top reaction from Trump and the chorus of Republicans expressing horror that a warrant should be served on a former president underscore how anxious Trump must be and how quickly he puts the call out to his docile party members for reinforcement. > … Scoffers gonna scoff, I guess… ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-merrick-garland-he-wont-be-going-after-anyone/968190/173 "2022-08-09T17:59:40Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Scoffers gonna scoff, I guess… The FBI has been to Mar-a-Lago before. There’s no indication this is related to Trump’s coup attempt. However, I’ll give him props for this action if it leads to Trump being prevented from running for president and receiving special protection from having his crimes investigated. They may find some stuff to put pressure of others but I didn’t hear of any potential crime that Trump couldn’t wiggle out of. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-merrick-garland-he-wont-be-going-after-anyone/968190/174 "2022-08-09T21:24:04Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > The FBI has been to Mar-a-Lago before. FBI? Cite? I understood that earlier this year, National Archives and Records Administration retrieved 15 boxes of records from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence. Not sure if the FBI was involved with that. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-merrick-garland-he-wont-be-going-after-anyone/968190/175 "2022-08-09T21:27:55Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I’ll give him props for this action… Don’t hurt yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-merrick-garland-he-wont-be-going-after-anyone/968190/176 "2022-08-10T00:10:47Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > > [@TriPolar](#): > > > > The FBI has been to Mar-a-Lago before. > > FBI? Cite? I understood that earlier this year, National Archives and Records Administration retrieved 15 boxes of records from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence. Not sure if the FBI was involved with that. DOJ investigators\* went to Mar-a-Lago on June 8: > [@](#): > > … In early June, a handful of investigators made a rare visit to the property seeking more information about potentially classified material from Trump’s time in the White House that had been taken to Florida. The four investigators, including Jay Bratt, the chief of the counterintelligence and export control section at the Justice Department, sat down with two of Trump’s attorneys, Bobb and Evan Corcoran, according to a source present for the meeting. > > At the beginning of the meeting, Trump stopped by and greeted the investigators near a dining room. After he left, without answering any questions, the investigators asked the attorneys if they could see where Trump was storing the documents. The attorneys took the investigators to the basement room where the boxes of materials were being stored, and the investigators looked around the room before eventually leaving, according to the source. … \*\* From a transcript of reporting on CNN last night: > [@](#): > > …in the lead-up, to this search warrant that was executed at the former President’s primary residence, today, in Florida. > > And this was a meeting that happened in early June, we are told, when a handful of investigators, went to Palm Beach, Florida. They met with several of the former President’s attorneys, while there. > > [21:30:00] > > We are told that during this meeting that the former President actually stopped by, and greeted these investigators, who were there, meeting with two of his attorneys, at Mar-a-Lago. He did not stay, we are told. He did not answer questions, according to sources, telling me that, and my colleague, Gabby Orr. > > But then, after he left that - the two attorneys that were meeting, with these investigators, at Mar-a-Lago, then took them to a room that is in the basement of Mar-a-Lago, the property, there, and showed them where the boxes of documents that were taken, from Trump’s time, in the White House, were being stored. > > We are told that these investigators looked around the room. Then they left. > > And I am told by a person, who attended that meeting that, five days later, Trump’s attorneys got a letter, from one of those investigators, asking them to further secure the documents, in the room, where these documents were being stored. > > I’m told it was locked. But they asked them to further enhance that security, essentially. And that led Trump’s aides to then put a padlock, on this door, where these documents were being stored. And that really just gives insight into the fact that there have been discussions, between investigators, and the former President’s attorneys, in the lead up to this search warrant being executed. > > Now, of course, June 8th, that was two months ago today. … \*\*\* \*some sources say “FBI” and some don’t, but all say Department of Justice. \*\* [https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/08/politics/mar-a-lago-search-warrant-fbi-donald-trump/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/08/politics/mar-a-lago-search-warrant-fbi-donald-trump/index.html) \*\*\* [CNN.com - Transcripts](https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/se/date/2022-08-08/segment/01) ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-merrick-garland-he-wont-be-going-after-anyone/968190/177 "2022-08-10T00:13:21Z")
There seems to be a massive gulf between “investigators visited and met with Trump’s lawyers who showed them where documents were” and “the FBI raided the place unannounced with a warrant and seized evidence”. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-merrick-garland-he-wont-be-going-after-anyone/968190/178 "2022-08-10T00:18:28Z")
Thanks for the cites. I wonder if the massive gulf was something like: DOJ: “OK, now send us the documents” Trump team: “Nuh un” ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-merrick-garland-he-wont-be-going-after-anyone/968190/179 "2022-08-10T00:29:47Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Scoffers gonna scoff, I guess… With all due respect I have to say that this type of comment stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of those who’ve expressed skepticism that Merrick Garland would actually investigate Trump. It was _never_ about “being right.” It was always about a conviction that keeping silent and merely _hoping_ that the DOJ would act, was an imprudent course of action. It was always about a conviction that making excuses and saying ‘well, it took \_\_ years during Watergate’ was a strategy of attempting to silence debate that was lacking in both relevancy, and awareness of the _very_ different danger the USA has been put in by Trump’s lawless attempts to hold onto power. It was always about a conviction that if someone who was (as has been discussed upthread) fundamentally an institutionalist–Merrick Garland-- were allowed to think that there would be no negative consequences to letting establishment Republicans slide, then indeed those establishment Republicans would be permitted to slide. It could all be rationalized: ‘it’s for the good of the nation that we don’t stir things up’ and similar circular-reasoning justifications for inaction. Many believed that officials and would-be officials attracted to lawless conduct and the prospect of ending democracy have been encouraged by the fact that for long months—more than a year—DOJ attention seemed to be fully taken up by punishing outsiders (Capitol trespassers and their ‘leaders’ in militias and such). It seemed as though those actually part of the Trump Administration, and their associates, were going to get away with unlawful conduct—and that was tremendously exciting and encouraging to those who seek to make the USA a white-supremacist autocracy. This kind of encouragement was seen as Very Bad by many of us who’ve been alarmed by the way DOJ was conducting itself. But now many of us are thrilled and pleased and heartened by this brand-new evidence that Garland is _ **not** _ clinging to a philosophy of ‘we mustn’t go after anyone in or near the Republican Establishment.’ I could not be happier to acknowledge that Garland is now prioritizing rule-of-law. And I’m very, very, very, _very_ happy to have been wrong about him. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-merrick-garland-he-wont-be-going-after-anyone/968190/180 "2022-08-10T00:39:08Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Thanks for the cites. > > I wonder if the massive gulf was something like: > > DOJ: “OK, now send us the documents” > > Trump team: “Nuh un” I’ve heard some discussion of this very point; the prevailing opinion seems to be that the Trump people just baldly lied and said ‘we returned everything that was sensitive/classified’—and some combination of National Archives officials and others in the know took a look at what had been returned, and realized that the Trump people were lying. And that’s why they went with a court-approved search warrant, instead of with subpoenaing the missing (never-returned) documents. They figured that since the Trump people had shown they were willing to lie to the government, they wouldn’t suddenly become cooperative. They were more likely to actually destroy the missing documents—and the search was intended to keep that from happening. > By the way: nearly all the Trump base, and many of those Trumpites getting excited about Civil War, have NO idea that Trump was ever found to have improperly removed classified documents from the White House in the first place. Fox News and the rest of the right-wing bubble have carefully never mentioned it. (Certainly the prime-time hosts have never mentioned anything about this MONTHS-old story.) So the search of Mar-a-Lago came completely out of nowhere for millions of Americans. They have NO idea that this back-and-forth about Trump stealing docs has been a story since March 2021 at least. This permits the violence-inciters free rein to, well, incite violence. The Trumpite masses have NO idea that Trump has been found to have done something illegal. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-merrick-garland-he-wont-be-going-after-anyone/968190.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-merrick-garland-he-wont-be-going-after-anyone/968190.md?page=10)