Topic: Newsmax
The Trump stenographers at Newsmax sprung into action when Donald Trump proclaimed on March 18 (without evidence, of course) that he would be "arrested" the following Tuesday. Eric Mack wrote:
Former President Donald Trump expects to be arrested Tuesday in a case brought by the Manhattan district attorney's office and called on his supporters to protest in a Truth Social post Saturday.
"Illegal leaks from a corrupt & highly political Manhattan district attorney's office, which has allowed records to be set in violent crime & whose leader is funded by George Soros, indicate that, with no crime being able to be proven, and based on an old and fully debunked (by numerous other prosecutors) fairytale, the far & away leading Republican candidate & former president of the United States of America, will be arrested on Tuesday of next week," Trump wrote.
"Protest, take our nation back!" Trump said.
Mack made no effort to try and fact-check Trump's claim beyond noting that the New York Times called it speculation. Nevertheless, Newsmax called onits usual torrent of right-wingers to profess horror over a development they coudln't prove was actually happening over the next day or so:
- Alan Dershowitz to Newsmax: Indictment 'Political Circus' to 'Get Trump'
- Huckabee to Newsmax: Dems Should Object to Trump Charges
- Rep. Comer: Timing of Possible Trump Charges 'Odd'
- Pam Bondi to Newsmax: Statute of Limitations Could Stop Trump Case
- Rep. Fallon to Newsmax: Trump Charges About 'Silencing Dissent'
- Chris Christie: Trump Indictment Doesn't Help Anyone
- Trump: Unprecedented 'Witch-Hunt' Is 'Election Interference'
- Whitaker to Newsmax: Charges Against Trump Will Backfire
- Biggs to Newsmax: Left Tries to 'Disarm MAGA' With Trump Claims
- Grenell to Newsmax: Trump Charges a Distraction for Biden Woes
- Ben Carson to Newsmax: Trump Charges Should Worry Everyone
- Giuliani to Newsmax: I'd Say 'Go to Hell' on Trump Charges
That's 12 attack articles on March 18 and 19. That's comparied with a single March 19 article by Mack on the district attorney who has purportedly issuing that indictment, Alvin Bragg, calling for claim and saying that he works "evenly and fairly"-- though much of it is made up of an attack on Bragg by convicted felon Bernard Kerik.
The right-wing attack articles on any possible Trump indictment (with an added comedian) continued on March 20:
- Blaine Holt to Newsmax: Avoid 'Crazy Protests' If Trump Arrested
- Whitaker to Newsmax: Trump Charges May Be 'Wag the Dog Moment'
- Bernie Kerik to Newsmax: Dem 'Conspiracy' to 'Take Trump Out'
- Parody Site Mocks Manhattan DA's Trump Probe
- Trump Lawyers Attack Georgia Grand Jury
- Rep. Tenney to Newsmax: Trump Prosecution 'Malicious'
- House GOP Chairs Seek Manhattan DA Bragg's Testimony
- DeSantis Denounces 'Manufactured Circus' by Manhattan DA
- Chris Rock: It's 'Stupid' to Arrest Trump
- Pollster McLaughlin to Newsmax: This Is a 'Political Indictment'
- House GOP Chairs Seek Manhattan DA Bragg's Testimony
- Rep. Jordan: Trump's N.Y. Case About a 'Bookkeeping Error'
- Matt Schlapp to Newsmax: Trump an 'Amazing Unifier' for GOP
- Rep. Lesko to Newsmax: Trump Indictment, 'Totally Political'
- Giuliani to Newsmax: Bragg Probe the 'Final Straw' on Dem Corruption
- Dershowitz to Newsmax: In Trump Case We're "Losing Our Rule of Law"
- 'Rob Schmitt Tonight': US Becoming 'Banana Republic' With Trump Case
- Lawyer Tacopina to Newsmax: It's a Dem 'Grandstand' to See Trump in Cuffs
A March 20 column by Jeff Crouere helped Trump play victim:
The vicious political persecution of Trump is akin to what occurs in “banana republics.” No longer is our country too advanced for such shenanigans to occur here. With partisan Democrats prosecuting in “blue states” and in the Department of Justice, there is an ongoing, ruthless campaign to obliterate Trump politically.
Their goals are not only to destroy Trump, but also to destroy what he represents, the “America First” agenda. The political establishment and Deep State do not want the needs of Americans at the forefront. Instead, their priorities include international affairs, global wars, and funding for the military industrial complex.
[...]
His “America First” agenda threatens very powerful interests. Thus, he has become the first American president to endure government surveillance, two impeachments, an FBI raid, and a presumed arrest. The banana republic has arrived.
Um, wouldn't a banana republic actually keep a leader who committed crimes from being held accountable for them?
But Newsmax also ran an unbylined article claiming that "A law enforcement source told Fox News Monday that authorities do not expect former President Donald Trump to face arraignment until next week as a Manhattan grand jury — which has been meeting secretly over allegations of hush money paid to a porn start to silence claims of an affair with Trump years ago — apparently has another witness on Wednesday."
Despite that effectively defusing the story, Newsmax issued more right-wing panic on March 21, the day Trump claimed he would ba arrested:
- Sen. Paul: Jail DA Bragg for 'Abuse of Power'
- Rep. Steil to Newsmax: Trump Probe Should Raise Questions for Everyone
- Sen. Mullin to Newsmax: Bragg Should Defend Findings
- Rep. Tenney to Newsmax: Dems Want Reason to Get Trump
- McCarthy: Trump Case 'Just Political,' Was 'Personal Money'
- Alina Habba to Newsmax: Trump Will Move Forward Unafraid, If Indicted
- Giuliani to Newsmax: DA Bragg Abusing Prosecutorial Powers
- Dershowitz to Newsmax: Cohen Not a 'Star Witness' in Trump Case
That's 38 articles over four days about something that notonly didn't happen but lacked evidence beyond Trump's highly dubious word that it would. That's a lot of airtime and website space for what was iultimately just pro-Trump propaganda masquerading as "news." But it also published a goalpost-moving article on March 21 by Mack, who cited the right-wing Daily Mail to claim that Trump "is likely to be indicted Wednesday, with his surrender and arraignment coming next week." Mack didn't mention Trump's false claim.
That, of course, kept the Trump-defense fires stoked at Newsmax. More on that soon.
