Ohio Republican Senator J.D. Vance has urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate the writings of a Washington Post columnist. The columnist penned an opinion piece encouraging opposition to a potential second term for Donald Trump.
Earlier this week, Senator J.D. Vance expressed his concern in a letter to the Attorney General and the Secretary of State regarding an opinion article by Robert Kagan, an editor at large. Vance claimed that the article endorsed open rebellion to prevent a Trump dictatorship.
Having reviewed public charging materials from the DOJ, Vance believes that the authorities may interpret the piece as an expression of illegal conspiracy, a call for rebellion, or an attempt to incite civil unrest.
Kagan asserted that the United States is at risk of a dictatorship within the coming years, dismissing the notion that a Constitution-committed military could prevent it as wishful thinking. He further contended in the article that a second term for Trump would sanction treason, secession, and likely political violence.
According to Kagan’s theory, Democratic governors in strongly Democrat-leaning states such as New York and California could resist a dictatorial federal government by employing a nullification strategy. In this scenario, even if the central government becomes dictatorial, Democratic-controlled states might refuse to recognize its authority, a possibility that Kagan suggests is inherent in our federal system.
Vance sought clarification on the DOJ’s investigation plans by requesting responses from Garland and Blinken by January 6, 2024. He also inquired about the department’s stance on Kagan’s belief that states can ignore federal regulations if they disagree with them.
The senator proceeded to ask about the DOJ’s procedure for assessing whether Kagan’s statements could be considered a conspiracy to infringe on voters’ rights, an act of rebellion against the U.S., or an attempt to intimidate voters in the upcoming election.
