'Level of foreboding': Anti-Trump forces working together to 'short-circuit' revenge plans
Donald Trump has stated some plans for retribution against those he feels have wronged him, but once he gets back in office, he will reportedly be facing a defined group that has been building roadblocks.
Trump's nomination of Kash Patel to serve as FBI director has accelerated fears of Trump critics about the potential of revenge-based investigations, in part because of Patel's stated desire to probe Trump's enemies.
As NBC reports, "Lawyers and pro-democracy advocates are in the early stages of building a nationwide network of specialists aimed at defending and protecting people who may be targeted for retribution once President-elect Donald Trump takes office."
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"The sprawling initiative is intended to go far beyond legal assistance for those potentially subjected to criminal or civil investigations in a new Trump administration," the outlet reported, citing people familiar with the protection group planning. "Those working to create the infrastructure said that in addition to lawyers, they are recruiting accountants to help people who may find their taxes under audit, employment experts to advise those who could be fired or reassigned without cause, public relations professionals to assist anyone whose reputations might be tarnished by accusations and even psychologists to help potential targets manage the stress that comes with being in the federal government’s crosshairs."
Those involved in the planning reportedly say the services will be free of charge for those who need the protection.
According to the report, legal expert Norm Eisen, a frequent critic of Trump, is involved. He said, "It’s necessary because we’re seeing threats of the improper use of government and investigative power like we haven’t seen in modern times in our country."
"The pro bono bar and nonprofit legal organizations need to be ready to provide strong support to those who are targeted unfairly," he also said.
The report comes at a time when Republicans are setting their sights on a potential criminal investigation into Liz Cheney, a fellow Republican, for her probe into Trump's January 6 actions.