Steve GarfieldJun 20, 2023
Jay Rosen

The Washington Post reports:

"A wariness about appearing partisan, institutional caution, and clashes over how much evidence was sufficient to investigate the actions of Trump and those around him all contributed to the slow pace."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2023/06/19/fbi-resisted-opening-probe-into-trumps-role-jan-6-more-than-year/

That phrase, "a wariness about appearing partisan," stood out for me, because we see the same thing at DOJ, in journalism, and at the tech platforms. All have the same wariness about "appearing partisan."

Why?

#journalismus #uspol #science

FBI resisted opening probe into Trump’s role in Jan. 6 for more than a year

In the DOJ’s investigation of Jan. 6, key Justice officials also quashed an early plan for a task force focused on people in Trump’s orbit.

The Washington Post
Jun 19, 2023 at 8:07pmWeb
Show threadLeisureguyJun 19, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu I think the wariness about "appearing partisan" is in large part explained by the way the Right mobilizes mobs to harass designated targets, including threats to their families — cf. most recently Peter Hotze MD PhD.
Show threadCafePleaseJun 19, 2023
@Leisureguy @jayrosen_nyu By trying to not appear partisan they are, in fact, putting their finger on the scale by letting the rhetoric and actions go with impunity
Show threadGrassroots JoeJun 20, 2023
@GimmeCafe @Leisureguy @jayrosen_nyu
That may be true about the for-profit media, but it's not the job of DOJ.
The problem of Trumpism/MAGA is a political problem, not a legal problem.
Putting Trump away won't do anything to stop Kari Lake or Doug Mastriano or Ron DeSantis, in fact it could make them all more dangerous.
Show threadGeorge DinwiddieJun 19, 2023

@jayrosen_nyu
Why? I think it's the lack of conversation about values, and finding shared values.

I would rather focus on values than on who is a hero or villain, but the latter seems to sell well.

Show threadPensive™️Jun 20, 2023
@gdinwiddie @jayrosen_nyu
You try to share values with NAZIs that worked out so well last time.
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/8201162-nice-people-made-the-best-nazis-my-mom-grew-up
A quote by Naomi Shulman

Nice people made the best Nazis. My mom grew up next to them. They got along, refused to make waves, looked the other way when things got ugly and focuse...

Show threadSean McCabeJun 19, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu Don't want to upset the baby.
Show threadJohn BreenJun 19, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu When I hear that phase, I translate to "a wariness about offending my boss and harming my career advancement plans".
In other words, cowardice. Unreasonable fear of failure.
Show threadGrassroots JoeJun 20, 2023
@jab01701mid @jayrosen_nyu
It's almost certainly a response to the rank partisanship of DOJ under Trump.
Restoring norms of impartiality is hard and arguably more important than putting Trump in jail sooner rather than later.
An imprisoned Trump at best does nothing to stop MAGA writ large, at worst makes him a martyr and supercharges the worst elements of the MAGA movement.
Show threadLouis IngenthronJun 19, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu Seems pretty justified when it comes to enacting justice. "Partisan justice" is inherently unjust.
Show threadJay RosenJun 19, 2023

@LouisIngenthron

The way you framed it suggests that the two options here are 1.) fear of being called partisan, or 2/) Partisan justice.

A third: fearless and fair justice.

Show threadLouis IngenthronJun 19, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu I don't believe there's that much of a gap between *being* partisan and *appearing* partisan, no.
Some things simply have a degree of sensitivity that they need to be done in a manner that's beyond reproach.
The crazy partisans won't care, but the moderates in this country will.
Show threadJay RosenJun 20, 2023

@LouisIngenthron

I'm sorry, I don't understand a word that. Read it three times.

Show thread2xfoJun 19, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu
I think that's code for "my political preference is Republican despite any possible cost" and we shouldn't be surprised when these people have found personal success in law enforcement or media management
Show threadFirefly's GhostJun 19, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu
Tech has to please shareholders, journalism has to sell ads. DOJ is just chickenshit.
Show threadNo One SpecialJun 19, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu Because for some reason, literally everything is now politicized.
Show threadJames Harris - Find my bridged Bluesky accountJun 19, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu it’s all part of the right’s campaign to erode trust in institutions and journalism. They criticized these places to the point they started both-sidesing everything instead of doing their jobs. It became less about the fact that Trump was just committing crimes in broad daylight and more about shooting the messengers for pointing out these crimes.
Show threadreally? why?Jun 19, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu one could observe this is disinfo working. disinfo narratives of partisan witchhunting coyed law enforcement.
Show threadZhi Zhu 🕸️Jun 19, 2023

@jayrosen_nyu

Facts are not always neutral.

Scales are meant to measure the weight of facts, not to be kept in an artificial state of perfect balance.

Facts are used to determine the guilt or innocence of someone in a criminal trail.

Neutral is NOT the same as factual.

The DOJ should NOT strive to be neutral, it should strive to accurately weigh the facts.

Journalism should do the same.

#DOJ #Judiciary #Journalism #News #Media #FactualNotNeutral

Show threadjeSuisatire neindochohh ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷJun 19, 2023

@ZhiZhu

"Neutral" sounds like quiet a relative position in the case of #journalism.

It's nearly impossible and perhaps even not ideal or the point to not be observing any kind of issue without a perspective, there is always a point view from where something is observed. It's way more important to state that position of point of view than pretending to be "neutral".

@jayrosen_nyu

Show threadsneedy maccreedyJun 19, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu reactionary centrism is a helluva drug
Show threadOregon Animal LoverJun 20, 2023

@jayrosen_nyu

I've assumed all along that DOJ was truly afraid of inciting an armed rebellion by all the violent maga lunatics out there. That DOJ seemed afraid made me REALLY afraid.

Show threadmiket330Jun 20, 2023
@jayrosen guilty is guilty for chrissakes, plus election tampering, plus inciting an insurrection
Show threadbusticatedJun 20, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu from the beginning there has been a deeply ridiculous conflation of truth and “partisanship.” “trump is a dumb piece of shit” isn’t a partisan statement, it’s an entirely rational observation akin to “the sky is blue.” sadly everyone who mattered was too scared to point that out.
Show threadErik ConwayJun 20, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu the current and 3 previous FBI directors are republicans. There’s partisan bias all right. But it ain’t towards Democrats.
Show threadStargeezer SmithJul 18, 2023
@jayrosen_nyu
As the problem party exercises NO caution about appearing partisan.