The coverage of the doings at DOJ this week has been exhausting. The same pundits who were demanding that Merrick Garland be more transparent on Wednesday were upset that he made a statement on Thursday. Short-term thinking is not only in vogue, it’s the exclusive modus operandi for many, especially political reporters who replace substance with speculation.

The Trumpers claim they’re “winning” because creeps like Pence and DeSantis lined up behind Trump after the search. There’s plenty of time for them to betray him.

Short-term thinking is ruining everything. There’s nobody whose thinking is more short-term than the Impeached Insult Comedian. And he’s doing his best to ruin the country.

Now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, let’s move on to the real point of this post. Merrick Garland’s statement proves that he’s learned lessons from the Mueller probe. I’m sure the AG would rather not talk to the media BUT Bobby Three Sticks allowed himself to be used as a punching bag by Team Trump and the right-wing media. He stayed silent so long that the press lost the thread and bought the GOP spin. Why? Because it was entertaining. In a word: pitiful.

Merrick Garland is a temperate man but he was visibly aggravated by the attacks on the FBI. Who can blame him? Trump and his sycophants are willing to blow up the criminal justice system to benefit one selfish and stupid man. That’s radical, not conservative. Don’t call them conservatives. It helps them.

By moving to make the basis for the search public, Garland in effect told Team Trump to put up or shut up. If you believe anything the Kaiser of Chaos says, they’re putting up:

Trump not opposing warrant release pic.twitter.com/HjlarShXIg

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) August 12, 2022

It’s still possible Trump’s lawyers will pull the plug on whatever this is. I’m not calling it an offer.

Back to the Attorney General’s presser. My favorite part of his statement was this stirring defense of the people at DOJ and the FBI:

Let me address recent unfounded attacks on the professionalism of the F.B.I. and Justice Department agents and prosecutors. I will not stand by silently when their integrity is unfairly attacked. The men and women of the F.B.I. and the Justice Department are dedicated, patriotic public servants. Every day they protect the American people from violent crime, terrorism, and other threats to their safety while safeguarding our civil rights. They do so at great personal sacrifice and risk to themselves. I am honored to work alongside them.

Judge Garland is a careful and methodical man but once he’s in, he’s all in: ask Timothy McVeigh’s apologists. The Trumpist GOP is a criminal enterprise and cult of personality. Loyalty to the leader is everything. If they don’t like the fact that their dear leader is in trouble, tough. He’s a criminal.

I am increasingly annoyed by those who feel the need to make up shit about the criminal former president*. Ever since the WaPo broke the nuclear documents story, wild rumors and conjecture have been flying around. Allow me a Twitter self-quote:

Tom raises a point that concerns me. The truth about Trump is so horrible that making stuff up is counter productive. For example, there's no proof he had anything to do with his First Wife's death. That's some Alex Jones level nonsense, https://t.co/NOahODbqH1

— Shecky (@Adrastosno) August 12, 2022

I’m not sure why I capitalized first wife since Ivana was never First Lady. That was a first for me.

If former President* Pennywise is finally getting his comeuppance, it’s because of the rule of law, not wild rumors about pee tapes and the like. It may be tempting to fight fire with fire, but I’m with Ben Franklin:

I particularly like that quote because of the Impeached Insult Comedian’s notorious hatred of dogs.

Stick to the facts, y’all. Rumors are for schmucks.

The last word goes to The Band: