In an attempt by network journalists to console themselves and their liberal viewers over Special Counsel Robert Mueller clearing President Trump of Russian collusion, on Monday, the NBC, ABC, and CBS morning shows eagerly listed “scores” of other investigations Democrats were pursuing against the President, promising that Trump’s “legal problems continue.”
“The Special Counsel’s investigation is now complete and it concluded there was no Trump-Russia conspiracy. But Democrats contend a legal cloud still hangs over this administration,” co-host Savannah Guthrie announced on NBC’s Today show. In the report that followed, correspondent Hallie Jackson proclaimed: “Now, while the Mueller investigation may be over, plenty of others are not.”
The reporter went into detail about the Democrats’ contingency plans to take down Trump: “The President’s facing multiple state and federal investigations, including by the Southern District of New York., federal prosecutors in D.C., and the New York Attorney General’s office, examining the Trump Inaugural Committee, the Trump Organization, and possible campaign finance violations involving former Trump attorney Michael Cohen and hush money payments.”
Jackson added: “On Capitol Hill, there are at least four congressional investigations, including into potential abuses of power by the President and that number is likely to grow.” The headline on screen read: “What’s Next for Trump & Dems?; As POTUS ‘Vindicated,’ Investigations Roll On.”
Responding to Guthrie asking about the dwindling possibility of the President being impeached, Jackson kept hope alive: “Now, that doesn’t mean that you won’t hear some of these more progressive Democrats keep up these calls for impeachment, particularly given these congressional and other federal and state investigations we’re talking about that are still ongoing.”
Wrapping up a report on ABC’s Good Morning America, correspondent Mary Bruce noted that “Republicans are declaring this case closed, they’re saying, Michael, it’s time to move on.” Co-host Michael Strahan responded: “Well, Mary, they may want to move on, but Democrats, they are ramping up their own separate investigations.”
As the on-screen headline announced “Trump Facing More Congressional Investigations,” Bruce touted: “Democrats are not waiting....they are plowing ahead with scores of their own separate investigations, looking into everything from conflicts of interest to abuse of power to the President’s finances.”
“So the fight for the President and administration here on the Hill is certainly far from over,” she concluded.
“And in addition to investigations launched by House Democrats, federal prosecutors in New York are looking into whether the President may have committed any sort of fraud in his business,” correspondent Paula Reid told viewers on CBS This Morning. Like her NBC and ABC colleagues, she provided details of the varying allegations hurled at the President by his political opponents:
They’re also looking into his inaugural committee and potential campaign finance violations. And all of this is in addition into investigations in D.C. and New York into possible tax fraud and questions about whether or not the President may have accepted foreign money through his hotels.
“So while the Russia investigation is over, the President’s legal problems continue,” Reid told co-host Bianna Golodryga. The anchor agreed: “That is clear.”
The headline on screen blared: “President’s Legal Battles; POTUS Facing Other Investigations in NY and Washington, DC.”
Just when you thought the media may have learned a lesson about hyping investigations fueled by partisanship, journalists immediately dive into several other rabbit holes being burrowed by Democrats.
