Exposed: Inside the DOJ 'Hit Squad'
As more information comes out, peeling back the onion of the Department of Justice, Republican leaders are becoming increasingly alarmed at the abuse of power there.
Here's what we know: Former Attorney General under Barack Obama, Eric Holder, identified and placed sympathetic ideologues in key departments of the DOJ and FBI. They were also placed in the IRS, the FEC and the IRS. This all combined to form a "Red Team" that would target, isolate and destroy opponents of Obama or his legacy. Reportedly, both Democrats and Republicans were on the list, but the majority were conservative leaders.
They mapped out weak targets, then the IRS, SEC or FEC would research them deeply, looking for any mistakes or missteps. Once information was gathered that would spark interest, it was leaked to friendlies in the press, politicians or sympathetic nonprofits, such as the Sunlight Foundation. By doing, so they covered their tracks to avoid the charge of targeting.
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Multiple sources in Congress have told me that the DOJ would then hijack these administrative agencies' actions, bringing these investigations "in house" and handling them as felony investigations. The targeted list (enemies list) was developed and fleshed out by the Red Team (or "hit squad").
Once the DOJ took a case, it moved without interference, using broad powers to issue subpoenas and charges in federal criminal indictments.
Republicans are treated differently than Democrats. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), an early Trump supporter, received a publicized complaint about a potential FEC problem. When the same thing happened to Obama, he received FEC warning letters and a notice to correct the problem. He was instructed to pay a $375,000 fine and the matter was over. Notably, the money in question was a larger amount than Hunter was accused of.
But Hunter didn't receive warning letters and the opportunity to pay a fine. Instead, the complaint went to the DOJ and Obama sympathizers' Red Team — the "hit squad." The bomb was dropped in a press release right before this year's midterm elections, designed to sink Hunter's campaign and defeat him.
Another early Trump supporter targeted by the DOJ right before the midterm elections was Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY). Normally, letters and other contact from the SEC are initiated regarding perceived violations and a deal is worked out, fine paid, etc., just as happened with Tesla's Elon Musk. Instead, the DOJ initiated an investigation.
To further illustrate the point, take a hypothetical case. If a man walking home from a bar late at night stops and relieves himself in a park or alley, the local police have options. They could warn him and tell him to go home, or issue a ticket for public urination.
If the DOJ steps in, they could charge him with indecent exposure near a church or school, charge him with sexual deviance, or list him as a sexual offender and charge him with 10-15 years in federal prison.
In another example of selective justice, if you steal a credit card and charge over $100,000, and the DOJ handles the case, you can be charged with credit card fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, and theft through deception. You would be facing 50-80 years in federal prison. Or, you can alternatively be given a penalty of community service and two years probation. That's what you get when you are Joe Biden's niece.
See how it works? Being a Democrat gives you special privileges. Just ask Hillary. She was found innocent long before any investigation was over.
On the other hand, look at former Rep. Steve Stockman (R-Texas). The donations at issue in his prosecution case were less than Hillary's travel — a mere $915,000 in four checks written to two nonprofit organizations. Neither of the donors in Stockman's case complained. Instead, the DOJ sought out the donors. If there were really guilt there, such a small case should have taken only about six months to investigate.
Instead, it took DOJ and Lois Lerner's former nonprofit division four years, four grand juries, and an estimated $20 million to create a believable story in order to bring charges against Stockman. They really wanted him. In the 1990s, he served on the Whitewater House committee that investigated Clinton wrongdoing. In his most recent term in Congress, Stockman threatened to consider articles of impeachment against President Obama, called out Hillary Clinton for breaking the Iran sanctions, and busted Obama for giving money to the Haqqani terrorist network. And apparently "the straw that broke the camel's back" was when Stockman filed a House resolution calling for the arrest of Lois Lerner for being in contempt of Congress. He had the audacity to stand up to the same hit team now going after Trump. The government wants life in prison for Stockman.
But that's not all. A congressman in Arizona, a conservative direct mail operator, a young computer programmer in Boston, a film producer and more were all on "the list" and have been in different stages of suffering retribution through the "justice" system.
More and more people want President Trump to clean house. Other investigative bodies have oversight mechanisms to ensure against investigative misconduct. However, the DOJ has had absolute free reign with no restrictions and no repercussions for its deceptive overreaching practices. The DOJ hit squad with their partners in other agencies needs to be shut down, and all those they prosecuted for political differences need to be pardoned.
A poison tree does not bear good fruit. Eric Holder advocated violence against Republicans earlier this month. He is undoubtedly well familiar with the mistreatment of our fellow citizens. Indeed, he instigated much of it.
Lastly, those like Rep. Collins, Rep. Hunter and others need to submit 17(c) requests to the DOJ, FEC, SEC, etc. to subpoena documents for targeting them. Lois Lerner herself said that if her testimony were unsealed and the general public knew what she did, they would want to kill her. Obama should be required to turn over his sealed records at his Presidential library, where many relevant documents are sealed up and hidden, including Benghazi information. Obama in his race for U.S. Senate got his opponent's sealed divorced records released to the public, violating ethical behavior — but it helped him win the election.
Many prominent conservatives are calling for President Trump to pardon Steve Stockman. Not only should Stockman be pardoned, but all of the Red Team targets. Calls are increasing for independent lawyers to investigate the DOJ and the hit squad.
America is best served when the citizens feel justice is for all, not just for a few highly placed, high-minded few. Investigation and the light of day is the only way to clean house. Saving our justice system and restoring fairness would be Trump's greatest triumph.
