The attorney general of a deep red state has had enough of what he believes is “lawfare” aimed at President Joe Biden’s political rival, former President Donald Trump. As such, Missouri AG Andrew Bailey has just filed a lawsuit against the Biden Justice Department to find out what role, if any, it has played in what he sees as politically motivated legal cases against the 45th president in New York state, Manhattan, and elsewhere.
“I am filing suit against Joe Biden’s corrupt Department of Justice for stonewalling my demand for transparency and accountability into the illicit prosecutions of President Trump,” Bailey wrote on the X platform. “After evidence came to light that the DOJ is the breeding ground of the unconstitutional lawfare aimed at President Trump, I demanded all communications between the DOJ and Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, NY AG Leticia James, and Fulton County DA Fani Willis. But they refuse to comply.”
In May, Bailey filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with DOJ. In it, he sought to obtain records of any activities or communications involving Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, New York Attorney General Letitia James, Special Prosecutor Jack Smith, and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, as they pertain to investigations or prosecutions of the former president. His action marked the first significant inquiry into the coordination among these legal officials concerning their respective cases.
“Missourians – and all Americans – deserve to know to what extent the prosecutions of a prominent presidential candidate are being coordinated by the federal government, which is currently run by President Trump’s principal political opponent,” he also wrote on X. “Biden’s DOJ owes it to the American people to produce the documents we have demanded. So we’re taking action.”
“The investigations and subsequent prosecutions of former President Donald J. Trump appear to have been conducted in coordination with the United States Department of Justice,” Bailey alleged in May, adding that he believes that allegation is demonstrated in part by the move of the third-highest ranking DOJ official, Matthew Colangelo, to the Manhattan DA’s office to help prosecute the criminal case, N.Y. v. Trump.
Bragg collaborated with James to pursue civil litigation against Trump. He utilized this experience as a foundation to campaign for his current position, as Bailey notes. Both of them campaigned on a platform to ‘get Trump.’ “During that campaign, Bragg promised ‘if elected, [he] would go after Trump.’ Once he won election, he pledged ‘to personally focus on the high-profile probe into former President Donald Trump’s business practices,’” Bailey stated.
Earlier this month, Bailey took additional legal action against the New York state government, arguing that the state’s prosecution of Trump during his hush money trial infringes on Missourians’ First Amendment rights. Bailey’s lawsuit contended that the prosecution and the gag orders imposed on Trump curtailed his ability to campaign for the 2024 election, thereby undermining Missourians’ right to hear from him freely as they prepare for Election Day.
Bailey is petitioning the Supreme Court to declare that New York unlawfully interfered with the presidential election, to delay his upcoming sentencing until after the presidential election, and to eliminate gag orders against him, Just the News reported.
“Right now, Missouri has a huge problem with New York. Instead of letting presidential candidates campaign on their own merits, radical progressives in New York are trying to rig the 2024 election by waging a direct attack on our democratic process,” said Bailey. “I will not sit idly by while Soros-backed prosecutors hold Missouri voters hostage in this presidential election. I am filing suit to ensure every Missourian can exercise their right to hear from and vote for their preferred presidential candidate.”
The lawsuit comes just one month after New York obtained an illicit conviction against President Trump, and alleges three specific violations:
- Count I: Interference with the Presidential Election in other States
- Count II: Violation of Purcell (a federal case prohibiting courts from sowing voter confusion or changing election rules in the months leading up to an election)
- Count III: Violation of the First Amendment rights of voters in other States
“This lawfare is poisonous to American democracy. The American people ought to be able to participate in a presidential election free from New York’s interference. Any gag order and sentence should be stayed until after the election,” Bailey added.
Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.