It looks like the RNC doesn’t want to Make America Great Again. Isn’t that interesting? They put their foot down, according to ABC News, and told Donald Trump that if he announces he’s running for office before the November midterms that they will stop paying his legal bills. That raises the question of why they are paying his legal bills to begin with.
Indeed, this news actually raises more questions than it answers. It makes some kind of sense that the RNC doesn’t want Trump derailing their November strategy, which is to trash Joe Biden and the economy as much as possible. And Trump announcing pre-election 2022, would do just that. It would become a referendum on him.
The fact is, it may become a referendum on him anyhow, because he’s got so many awful candidates that he’s endorsed and Senate seats may be lost because of it.
Jonathan Karl is reporting that the RNC has already paid $1.7 million in Trump’s personal legal bills, and is threatening to cut him off if he announces that he is running for president before the midterms because they think it would hurt their candidates in 2022. pic.twitter.com/EbrcgjngF5
— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) July 28, 2022
Now the question that leaps to mind, is that if Trump has such a yuge war chest and we are told he does, why does the RNC need to pay his legal bills?
And look at the illogic of this: 1) Trump has some value to the RNC right? That’s why they pay his legal bills in the first place? 2) If he’s so freaking valuable, why tell him to hold off on his announcing his candidacy?
I’ll tell you the only thing that makes sense to me. The RNC wants to see what they can do without Trump in an election cycle. Yes, he’s far from out of the picture and he looms large above the scenes. But they still want him to stay in the background.
Sounds to me like trying to have your cake and eat it, too.
And now parse through this, because this is key:
- Trump has been wanting to declare his candidacy early so that it mutes — or moots, even — the chances of the DOJ indicting him;
- If he holds off the DOJ might very well indict him and he can forget about the distance that the DOJ might normally put between a declared candidate and an indictment. He won’t get that protection;
- The RNC is fine with that, apparently;
- Ergo, the RNC is saying to the DOJ, “do whatever you want. We are. We’re trying to protect the midterms and pick up as many seats as we can, without the distraction of Trump.”
Maybe that’s what is going on. The RNC wants to distance itself, even though Trump is ostensibly the leader of the party and the presumptive nominee in 2024.
Couple this distancing with Fox News backing away and it looks like Trumpty Dumpty is going to get pushed off the GOP wall. And sooner, rather than later.
I don’t think announcing early protects him as much as he thinks it does. Garland is unlikely to announce any new indictments before the mid-terms anyway, at least none of the big fish (Giuliani, Eastman, etc). I also don’t think announcing early is going to effect the mid-terms as much as the RNC fears. They have chosen too many unelectable candidates for them to retake the Senate and if the rethugs do manage to take the House, their majority will be slim (according to Dave Wasserman who now thinks it’s down to 5-10 seats). But I applaud any attempt by the RNC to constrain TFG.
I agree with everything you’ve said and I agree with Dave Wasserman. About a month ago I had a chat with a friend who predicted a “bloodbath” in the House of 40 seats or so. I said, “No way.” I honestly saw all of Trump’s blustering on behalf of crazy candidates as being the GOP’s undoing. I think they may well retake the House but if it’s with a thin majority they’re not going to be impeaching Joe Biden and indicting Hunter Biden and all the nonsense they’ve been spewing. That’s how I think it’s going to work out. That said, it’s not even August and a lot can change in 90 days. A hell of a lot.
You might be correct about former guy’s effect on the mid-terms. Here is one thing however-his announcement could energize magats to vote.
His active campaigning in 2018 for several candidates didn’t help. If he, personally, is not on the ballot, they don’t show up.
He should be paying his own legal bills. None of his criming was part of his official duties.