OPINION:
In America, the rule of law depends upon there being one system of justice for the entire country, but let’s be honest: Until now, that hasn’t been true.
The Washington establishment has operated under a double standard: One for them and another for everyone else. James B. Comey, Letitia “Tish” James and John R. Bolton, all now targeted for or under indictment, are not victims of “retribution,” as the leftist media and Democrats loudly claim. They are facing long-overdue accountability for alleged criminal misconduct tied to abuse of power, deception and the weaponization of government against political opponents and the rule of law itself.
The liberal media’s narrative of “revenge” is a convenient distraction. It ignores the years of documented misconduct that helped erode public trust in our institutions — much of which Judicial Watch exposed through litigation and investigations. These cases aren’t about politics; they are about restoring equal justice and integrity to the system that the political left corrupted.
The indictment of Mr. Comey, a former FBI director, on charges of obstruction of a congressional proceeding and making false statements, should come as no surprise to those who have followed the man’s record. Judicial Watch uncovered evidence that the FBI retrieved personal memos from Mr. Comey after he left office, which he had either leaked or kept without authorization. We obtained documents showing that he coordinated with Robert Mueller’s team before his 2017 testimony and used his office to promote a baseless case against President Trump.
Mr. Comey lied, leaked and obstructed, all to manipulate investigations and preserve the anti-Trump narrative. Now, when he is finally called to answer for those actions, his attorneys accuse Mr. Trump of “personal animus.” That’s nonsense. These charges stem from his own misconduct, not from politics. Accountability isn’t retribution; it’s the law doing what it should have done years ago.
Ms. James made her political career by campaigning on the promise to “get Trump.” She smeared him as an “illegitimate president” and then weaponized her position as New York attorney general to pursue baseless civil charges against Mr. Trump and his company. Even a leftist-dominated appellate court in New York rejected Ms. James’ abuse of Mr. Trump and knocked out the abusive fines she sought.
Now, when Ms. James herself faces charges of bank fraud and lying to a financial institution, the same media that cheered her partisan crusade portray her as a victim. It’s hypocrisy. The rule of law doesn’t stop applying when the accused is a Democrat with elite connections. For now, the courts have shut down the indictments of Mr. Comey and Ms. James for dubious reasons, but the underlying charges are rightly still being pursued.
Then there’s the self-styled “guardian” of national security, Mr. Bolton, who, according to federal prosecutors, mishandled and unlawfully transmitted classified defense information more than a dozen times. More than 1,000 pages of national defense material leaked through his personal accounts, with reckless disregard for security. For years, Mr. Bolton cast himself as a “truth teller” against Mr. Trump. Now, he faces 18 federal counts for behavior that placed real intelligence at risk.
Everyone with a security clearance knows full well the consequences of publicizing classified information. Mr. Bolton apparently thought the law didn’t apply to him. Once again, the “system” is finally holding a powerful insider accountable.
Mr. Trump’s critics, now joined by the same media that cheered lawfare against him for years, claim these indictments mark a dangerous precedent. Yet the real danger lies in pretending that elites such as Messrs. Comey and Bolton and Ms. James are above the law. For years, they targeted citizens and political opponents using the machinery of justice as a weapon. They normalized selective prosecution. The current cases simply return the law to its rightful, impartial place.
Abigail Jackson, spokeswoman for the Trump White House, put it plainly in September: “It is the highest form of hypocrisy for Democrats and the media to falsely claim accountability is ‘political retribution’” after years of weaponizing the entire Biden administration. When one side systematically abuses power, restoring accountability will always look like retribution to those who benefited from corruption.
Sunlight is the best disinfectant. The law must apply equally, whether your name is Donald Trump, James Comey or John Bolton. Mr. Trump’s administration is not seeking revenge; it is repairing justice. That restoration is not tyranny. It is the republic’s renewal.
• Tom Fitton is the president of Judicial Watch.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.