New York – As president Donald Trump It pushes the historical limits of the Executive Power, some of the central political institutions of the Democratic Party are preparing for the possibility that the federal government can soon launch criminal investigations against it.
The dominant national fundraising platform of the Democrats, Actblue and the largest protest group, indivisible, are working with their lawyers for such scenario, according to officials of both organizations. Trump’s main political allies have suggested that both groups should face prosecution.
Other Democratic allies are also planning legal repressions backed by Trump. Closure to antagonize the president, most prefer to remain anonymous for now.
“Each of our clients is concerned with being arbitrarily attacked by the Trump administration. We are going to do everything possible to help customers prepare or defend themselves,” said Ezra Reese, president of political law of Elias Law Group, which represents democratic groups and candidates and is chaired by Marc Elias, the lawyer who has been a Trump goal.
An FBI spokesman declined to comment when asked about possible research and indivisible investigations. But the White House Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, did not minimize the threat of a possible criminal investigation when asked specifically if Trump wants the FBI, the Treasury Department or any other federal agency to investigate democratic groups.
“Anyone who violated the law should not worry,” Leavitt told The Associated Press. “If you have violated the law and dedicate yourself to the weapon of justice, then you should be worried. It’s that simple.”
In fact, far from distancing themselves from talking about compensation, many key Republicans are adopting it.
Trump’s allies argue that they are justified in the search for revenge due to the four criminal prosecutions against Trump, one of which led to multiple convictions for serious crimes in New York. There is no evidence that former President Joe Biden influenced Trump’s prosecutions in any way.
Matt Schlapp, president of the American Conservative Union, said the Democrats should be taught not to touch a hot stove.
“Someone needs to burn for all this activity or they will simply do it again,” he said. “And that is not hypocrisy; that’s justice.”
Trump has not hidden his plans to use the power of the federal government to address national political adversaries.
During a speech that breaks the norm In the Department of Justice last month, Trump appeared as the “Director of Application of the Law” of the country, a title normally reserved for the Attorney General.
On Wednesday, Trump signed an executive order that told the Department of Justice to investigate Miles Taylor, a former official of the National Security Department who anonymously wrote a highly critical book of his first presidency. Trump said Taylor was probably guilty of betrayal, a crime that can take the death penalty.
Indivisible has perhaps been the most important group in democratic resistance since Trump returned to the White House. The group’s leadership in Washington makes regular calls with state activists and recently launched a detailed protest guide, which offers a specific guide to hundreds of local chapters throughout the country.
Only this year, indivisible groups have organized more than 1,000 protests that cover each state of the nation. The group was a key organizer in recent hands! protests that attracted hundreds of thousands of people throughout the country.
Trump’s advisor and billionaire ELON ALMIZCLE He has publicly sentenced indivisible as “criminals.”
The statement was an apparent reference to violent attacks against concessionaires and Tesla vehicles, which They have shot In recent weeks. Indivisible leadership published a guide at the beginning of the year encouraging protests outside Tesla’s dealers, although the guide instructs protesters to remain peaceful and remain away from private property.
It is not known that charges against indivisible or their leaders have been presented. But the indivisible co -founder Ezra Levin says that it is essential that democratic institutions work together to speak against the threats raised by the Trump administration. His organization has been discussing contingency plans with lawyers and other activists in case he or other indivisible leaders in front of criminal charges.
“They can try to come directly, or it is so likely that their non -state actors are inspired by their lies and propaganda, and try to come to us individually,” Levin said. “And that is a risk at a time when you face anti -democratic threats like us.”
“Our choice is that we can be silent and wait for us not to point us, or we can try to work as a massive opposition,” he continued. “If you are not willing to do that, what are you doing here?”
Musk, backed by several Republican members of Congress, has also asked the FBI to investigate Actblue, claiming that the main fundraising platform of the Democratic Party has bordered the laws of financing campaigns and has allowed foreigners to make illegal contributions to democratic candidates.
“I think the FBI will do something in Actblue soon,” said Charlie Kirk, a Trump key ally that founded the conservative Turning Point USA group, in a political event last month in Wisconsin.
Actblue officials told AP this week that they would continue to cooperate with an investigation of the Congress led by Republicans of the House of Representatives about fraud accusations within the organization. Actblue is preparing a second lot of documents to comply with a new request from the Republicans of the House of Representatives. In addition, two Actblue employees are expected to testify before a closed camera panel at the end of this month.
Multiple Republicans of the House of Representatives in recent weeks have encouraged federal law enforcement agencies to carry out criminal investigations requested in Actblue.
Representative Darrell Issa, Republican of California, has asked the Treasury Department to investigate accusations that the non -profit organization prosecuted payments to “organizations linked to terror.” Separately, the representative Andy Biggs, Republican from Arizona, sent a letter to the FBI last month claiming that Actblue is being used to “avoid the integrity of federal campaign financing laws” by allowing foreigners to contribute to campaigns, among other accusations of criminal injustice.
“It should be emphasized that these accusations, if they would prove to be true, would indicate a serious threat to the integrity of our elections, in addition to the victimization of US citizens,” Biggs wrote.
Actblue said that he is preparing for the possibility of “many different attacks against several fronts”, including FBI investigations or the Treasury department.
Meanwhile, Democratic candidates depend on Actblue to finance their campaigns as never before.
Donors have granted more than $ 400 million to Democratic candidates through Actblue during the first three months of the year, the organization told the AP. The fund collection route represents the greatest amount of money raised in any first quarter in the history of two decades of Actblue.
While Republicans accuse the group of being funded by rich donors, Actblue acts as a step between donors and candidates financed by a processing rate of 3.95% in each donation.
“These unfounded attacks have not shaken us: they have exacerbated our determination to feed the Democratic victories,” said Actblue spokeswoman Megan Hughes. “As evidenced by our collection of funds from the first quarter, democratic base donors are compromised, without flinching and ready to fulfill this moment.”
Leavitt is one of the three administration officials who face a demand for The AP In the first and fifth amendment. The AP says that the three are punishing the news agency for the editorial decisions they oppose. The White House says that the AP does not follow an executive order to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.
