James Comey indictment is “a show of naked political revenge”

In response to the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, Issue One Vice President of Advocacy Alix Fraser offered the following statement:

“The indictment of James Comey is not a show of justice — it’s a show of naked political revenge. Presidents should never order the prosecutions of their personal or political enemies, nor should prosecutors be punished for refusing to pursue baseless charges. Yet that is exactly what we are witnessing.

“President Trump has spent years calling for Comey’s prosecution, and when career prosecutors concluded the case was meritless, he fired the U.S. attorney who resisted and installed a loyalist to deliver the indictment he wanted. This is not how the rule of law works. It’s how authoritarians operate.

“If a president can use the justice system to settle scores, no American is safe. Our democracy depends on checks and balances, on the impartial administration of justice, and on leaders who respect the limits of their power.

“This is just the latest example of a disturbing pattern we have seen from this administration in recent months to expand executive authority and erode the separation of powers. We urge Congress to take action and rein in executive authority so that no president — no matter their party — can abuse power.

“We cannot allow prosecutions to become tools of personal or political retribution. For the sake of our democracy, the rule of law must be respected and the justice system never weaponized to serve one man’s grievances.”

Background

Earlier this month, Issue One released the We the People Playbook, a new policy platform to address executive overreach and protect our country’s system of checks and balances. The platform is designed to restore congressional authority in key areas rooted in specific constitutional responsibilities outlined in Article I of the Constitution — intended to stand as enduring, nonpartisan principles. The reforms coincided with a new national survey Issue One conducted in partnership with YouGov which found growing voter concern about the concentration of power in the presidency.

The poll and policy platform are both part of Issue One’s Check the Exec campaign — a crosspartisan effort urging members of Congress to defend the Constitution and uphold our system of checks and balances.