A growing number of Republicans are erupting over news of an FBI raid of former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence, accusing federal agents of unfairly targeting the ex-president for political purposes, with some suggesting that the law enforcement agency be “defunded.”
Many Republicans also echoed sentiments from Trump’s Monday statement in which he said his home had been raided by the FBI and that agents had opened a safe belonging to him.
“In third world countries and banana republics they prosecute the former presidents/leaders and their staff,” Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) tweeted. “Right now, we look beneath them. We are in a race to the bottom.”
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) took his message one step further, promising that Republicans would investigate Attorney General Merrick Garland should they take back the chamber after the November midterms.
Florida lawmakers also weighed in, mostly notably Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is increasingly seen as a potential GOP presidential candidate who could challenge Trump in 2024 should the former president opt for another run.
“The raid of MAL is another escalation in the weaponization of federal agencies against the Regime’s political opponents, while people like Hunter Biden get treated with kid gloves,” wrote DeSantis. “Now the Regime is getting another 87k IRS agents to wield against its adversaries? Banana Republic.”
In his statement, Trump said that “such an assault could only take place in broken, Third-World countries,” which several Republicans echoed.
“Using government power to persecute political opponents is something we have seen many times from 3rd world Marxist dictatorships,” wrote Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). “But never before in America.”
Former Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), who chaired the House Oversight and Reform Committee during the FBI’s investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s private email server, noted that the bureau never raided Clinton’s home in that probe.
He also called for the firing of FBI Director Christopher Wray, who was nominated by Trump in 2017.
“They didn’t have a single thing on Donald Trump, and they tried every trick in the book,” Chaffetz said in an appearance on Fox News’s “Jesse Watters Primetime.” “But this is a new low, Jesse. This is absolutely unprecedented there. I do not know of any justification that they can possibly do this.”
Like DeSantis, some GOP lawmakers invoked President Biden’s son Hunter Biden, who is under federal investigation by the Justice Department into his worldwide business dealings.
“The FBI just raided Trump’s Mar-a-Lago,” tweeted Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.). “Is this equal application of the law? Or is this a political hit job? #HillaryClinton #WheresHunter”
Other Republicans tied the raid to President Biden himself. The White House said Monday it “did not have notice of the reported action.”
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Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) issued a series of tweets condemning the raid, with one including an image of an upside-down American flag, otherwise known as a distress signal.
She and other Republicans such as Rep. Lauren Boebert (Colo.), both staunch Trump allies, began advocating for defunding the FBI, echoing calls to “defund the police” from progressive Democrats in 2020 in response to several Black people being killed in police custody. At the time, it was a message that Republicans wholly rejected.
- Discussion
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Republicans erupt over FBI’s Mar-a-Lago raid https://t.co/5xr82jd50r pic.twitter.com/9UaJYuomQg
— The Hill (@thehill) August 9, 2022
In third world countries and banana republics they prosecute the former presidents/leaders and their staff. Right now, we look beneath them. We are in a race to the bottom.
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) August 9, 2022
The raid of MAL is another escalation in the weaponization of federal agencies against the Regime’s political opponents, while people like Hunter Biden get treated with kid gloves. Now the Regime is getting another 87k IRS agents to wield against its adversaries? Banana Republic.
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantisFL) August 9, 2022
Using government power to persecute political opponents is something we have seen many times from 3rd world Marxist dictatorships
But never before in America
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) August 9, 2022
Chaffetz is going on about how Trump has a security clearance (he doesn’t) and there was absolutely no reason to raid his house. I guess these guys have all seen the affidavit. Or, and just stay with me here, they’re just making stuff up. pic.twitter.com/sl2ww3ldaE
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 8, 2022
As God is my witness, Jason Chaffetz just said that Trump has been the most open and transparent president he’s ever encountered
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 8, 2022
The FBI just raided Trump’s Mar-a-Lago.
Is this equal application of the law? Or is this a political hit job?#HillaryClinton #WheresHunter
— Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) August 9, 2022
The FBI is raiding President Trump’s home in Maralago!
This is the rogue behavior of communist countries, NOT the United States of America!!!
These are the type of things that happen in countries during civil war.
The political persecution MUST STOP!!! pic.twitter.com/i4DYygLsvj
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) August 8, 2022
DEFUND THE FBI!
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) August 9, 2022🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/zgKmmmdCb3
— SpeakerForTheDead, Evil One (@SpeakerForTheD6) August 9, 2022
This is the Republican nominee for governor in Arizona. Endorsed by the @RGA. She is promising to withdraw from United States if elected. This is why I say that Trump didn’t change the @GOP, he revealed it. https://t.co/6wONNHVql4
— stuart stevens (@stuartpstevens) August 9, 2022
No, but Wee Anthony is an unending source of embarrassment for a state that excels in the art. https://t.co/DmHQRhRTA9
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) August 9, 2022
Come on, Ron. You know how much you love this night.
Your little staffers are working the phones telling the big donor types, "See? This is Ron's shot. He'll say something about it to fool Trump, but this is GREAT for 2024!" https://t.co/HIoHrCdHFn
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) August 9, 2022
Imma let you finish, Eric, but ummm…the Kennedy Family would like a word. https://t.co/HyCY8zT75f
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) August 9, 2022
A lot of words here and yet no mention if he thinks Dear Leader is innocent. https://t.co/vionnPo7OO
— Michelle Kinney (@MichelleKinney) August 9, 2022
This graduate of the University of Mars @SenRickScott took the Fifth 75 times when his company was convicted of largest health care scam in US history. 14 felony convictions, $600 million fine. https://t.co/cDR7AoUEG7
— stuart stevens (@stuartpstevens) August 9, 2022
On behalf of defense lawyers everywhere I really appreciate the clarity with which the GOP is expressing that the role of law enforcement is only to police the powerless and that if it polices them it is so illegitimate it should be dissolved.
— DarkTimesHat (@Popehat) August 9, 2022
PURGE THE APOSTATES! https://t.co/55pE5J9KFu
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) August 9, 2022
All of these people know what they are saying is baloney. They know this search was legitimate. But they are under orders to whip up the lo-fo Trump cult into a frenzy. If Trump is actually arrested and prosecuted.
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