Since the ascension of William Barr to Attorney General, Republicans have dropped all pretense of wanting to limit executive power and declared themselves in favor of an absolute and unaccountable executive. Specifically, a President who may order the investigation of his political opponents any time he wants.
Of course, arguing that the President can order investigations of political rivals at will is a bit awkward, given that up till now Republicans have denounced the Obama Administration for investigating Trump, making clear that it is a serious abuse of power for the President to investigate political rivals. After all, if Trump has absolute and unaccountable power to order investigation of his political rivals, then why doesn't Obama?
Of course, the real answer is obvious. Republican Presidents are legitimate and may order the investigation of any Democrat who presumes to threaten their grip on power. Democrats, by contrast, are usurpers who have no such authority. But, of course, it is not politically acceptable to come right out and say that, so Republican ties themselves into knots to make unconvincing distinctions.
But a few are starting to say the quiet parts out loud. One such Republican is Liz Cheney, who called the investigation not merely an abuse of power but a "coup" against a duly elected President.
Given that Trump had not even been elected when the investigation began, how he be a duly elected President, and how could investigating him be a coup? The only even remotely plausible answer is that as soon as he secured the Republican nomination, he became the duly elected President. The election itself was a mere formality to choose him, and Obama was a mere usurper to be tolerated until the duly elected President assumed power the next January 20.
Stay tuned.
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