Why Biden must investigate Trump


Joe Biden is wary of investigating Donald Trump's alleged crimes, several of his advisers have told NBC News. "One adviser said Biden has made it clear that he 'just wants to move on,'" the article states, though advisers also insist that, unlike Trump, Biden will not directly interfere with the Department of Justice. Such reticence would have no effect on the legal inquiries happening on the state and local level, though it would potentially let Trump off on many alleged federal offenses.
There are three important things to say about this. First, speaking to the press about how Biden is reluctant to prosecute Trump is itself putting political pressure on the future Department of Justice. No matter their level of professionalism, an administration's lawyers are going to look to the president for their cues.
Second, it is virtually beyond question that the entire Trump administration is riddled with crime. Right out in the open we have seen egregious violations of the Hatch Act, alleged blackmail and illegal coercion, the president running a massive bribery scheme through his business empire, and about a million other things. And that is just what is known publicly.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Third, it follows that the principle Biden is tiptoeing towards amounts to saying "presidents should be allowed to commit crimes with impunity." If a scofflaw so egregious as Trump can skate after he leaves office, then the rule of law is dead.
It is frankly baffling that Democrats are so timid about prosecuting Republican crimes. When Barack Obama took office, his predecessor had created a secret CIA torture program that accomplished nothing and was baldly illegal. Corruption and crime are very unpopular, and one would think that a party would leap at the chance to expose their opponent's criminal acts. But Obama refused to prosecute any of the major architects of the program, and in fact defended them in public. (Now one of the torturers is in charge of the CIA.)
We may have to hope that the legal violations are so enormous that Biden simply can't cover them up. It's a safe bet that if anyone takes even a cursory look into the Trump administration's inner workings, they will find breathtaking lawlessness.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Ryan Cooper is a national correspondent at TheWeek.com. His work has appeared in the Washington Monthly, The New Republic, and the Washington Post.
-
Do student loans affect a credit score?
the explainer Repaying loans on time will strengthen your credit — but paying late will hurt it
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
Cherry blossom season: Washington diners’ happy time
feature The five best spots to enjoy the festivities
By The Week US Published
-
Why is the US bombing Yemen in the first place?
In the Spotlight The Trump administration's snowballing "Signalgate" scandal has helped refocus public attention onto one of the nation's least-understood military entanglements
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarray
In the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?
The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliament
THE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Who is the Hat Man? 'Shadow people' and sleep paralysis
In Depth 'Sleep demons' have plagued our dreams throughout the centuries, but the explanation could be medical
By The Week Staff Published
-
Was Jimmy Carter America's best ex-president?
Today's Big Question Carter's presidency was marred by the Iran hostage crisis, but his work in the decades after leaving office won him global acclaim
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Why Assad fell so fast
The Explainer The newly liberated Syria is in an incredibly precarious position, but it's too soon to succumb to defeatist gloom
By The Week UK Published
-
Romania's election rerun
The Explainer Shock result of presidential election has been annulled following allegations of Russian interference
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Russia's shadow war in Europe
Talking Point Steering clear of open conflict, Moscow is slowly ratcheting up the pressure on Nato rivals to see what it can get away with.
By The Week UK Published