Congressional Republicans have spent years claiming the federal government has been “weaponized” against their side. They’ve regularly done this by making hyperbolic claims that went well beyond the available evidence.
It’s happening yet again.
We learned Monday that special counsel Jack Smith had obtained the phone records of nine congressional Republicans as part of his January 6, 2021, investigation.
Republicans quickly raised this as proof positive of a Watergate-esque conspiracy against them.
A few key points:
The GOP is exaggerating the evidence
The news was greeted almost instantly with Republican claims and suggestions of a vast government conspiracy.
Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa claimed it amounted to the Justice Department under President Joe Biden having “spied” on Republicans.
“BIDEN FBI WEAPONIZATION = WORSE THAN WATERGATE,” Grassley posted on X.
FBI Director Kash Patel declared it “proof” that the records were “seized for political purposes.”
President Donald Trump said Smith “got caught with his hand in the cookie jar.”
And Republicans made it a focal point of a hearing Tuesday featuring Attorney General Pam Bondi. Sen.
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