THE DAILY BS: HOW MUCH CAN YOU HANDLE?
SPARE ME THE BS (I’ve got things to do).
- Sen. Elissa Slotkin wants future prosecutions involving alleged Trump administration misconduct to deter others from taking similar jobs.
- She specifically described young Americans worrying that an administration position could create serious legal problems.
- Her October 13 remarks gained fresh attention over the weekend, igniting a political backlash.
LAY IT ON ME (I’ve got time).
Remember when Democrats insisted that nobody should ever fear political retaliation for serving in government?
Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin apparently has an exception she’d like young Americans to consider before filling out a Trump administration job application.
During an October 13 appearance at the University of Chicago, the Democratic senator discussed the possibility of future prosecutions involving officials who allegedly participated in wrongdoing under President Donald Trump.
But the eye-opening portion wasn’t simply her call for accountability. It was her description of the chilling effect she hoped those prosecutions would produce.
“I want to look at these signature cases and not just focus on the president, but on the people who enabled him,” Slotkin said.
Then she explained how she wanted prospective government employees to think about accepting positions in Trump’s administration.
“I want young people coming out of school to say, should I go work for the Trump administration?” she said.
Slotkin imagined those prospective recruits considering an exciting career opportunity before deciding that the risk of future legal trouble wasn’t worth it.
“I want that deterrence message,” she declared.
Well, there’s a recruiting slogan you probably won’t see printed on a federal employment brochure.
Now, an important distinction: Slotkin was discussing alleged corruption and misconduct, not explicitly proposing that everyone who accepts a Trump administration job should face prosecution. Government officials who break the law are not entitled to immunity because their preferred party occupies the White House.
But that doesn’t make the broader political implications disappear.
Slotkin wasn’t merely describing the importance of prosecuting specific crimes. She was expressing satisfaction at the possibility that young Americans might avoid serving in a particular administration because of what could happen to them later.
And that’s a rather interesting position for members of a party that has spent years warning about the dangers of politicizing federal law enforcement.
The controversy also arrives as Democrats prepare for the November midterms, with candidates trying to persuade voters that they represent a return to responsible government.
Slotkin’s remarks raise a question worth asking: Where exactly is the line between deterring unlawful behavior and discouraging legitimate public service under a political opponent?
Because if every new administration gets to make the other party’s employees nervous about what happens when power changes hands, Washington will eventually become one enormous legal waiting room.
On the bright side, the lawyers should have a terrific decade.
DBS WIRE SOURCES (I’ve got all day).
- Fox News — Slotkin wants threat of prosecutions to deter potential Trump administration hires
- Next News Network — Video remarks and conservative reaction
