Chuck Todd said that he could argue both sides of a Trump criminal referral, but he only argued why Trump should not be referred for prosecution.
Video:
Transcript via Meet The Press:
PREET BHARARA:
Well, look, it is not their role to make a criminal case, although they’re making a referral. And if you look into the debate, what the value and virtue is of making a criminal referral–
CHUCK TODD:
I can argue both sides of that, good or bad.
PREET BHARARA:
I mean, to me, it’s largely symbolic because at the time we first started having this debate about a referral, it wasn’t clear how far along the Justice Department was. Since then, the Justice Department has appointed a special counsel, as we mentioned. And they had a lot of staff they’ve added to the matter. And they’re far along, and they’ve issued subpoenas that we’ve heard reports about. So they’re investigating this thing anyway.
CHUCK TODD:
Do you think that criminal report actually complicates things more than it helps?
PREET BHARARA:
I don’t think it complicates things. I actually don’t think it does anything for the Justice Department. I don’t think it prompts them to do anything more quickly or more aggressively.
CHUCK TODD:
But it doesn’t add negatively to the political stew? The word you don’t want to use.
PREET BHARARA:
You could argue that. I don’t know why they feel the need to do it. I think they want to make a statement for themselves. I think it has no impact on the Justice Department whatsoever.
Donald Trump tried to overthrow the United States government, and Chuck Todd is worried about adding negativity to the ‘stew’ by referring the former president for prosecution.
It is almost like Todd is incapable of seeing that there should be consequences for trying to overthrow the government, and a criminal referral is not the same thing as an attempted coup.
The corporate media chronically fails the nation and the American people on the issue of democracy, but Chuck Todd’s false equivalence is a special level of failure that helps to endanger American democracy.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
