The raid reportedly concerns classified documents the federal government suspects Trump may have taken with him when he left office. It is not necessarily connected to the investigation into the riot in Washington, D.C. and storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6 of last year.
In a tweet late Monday, Governor Greg Abbott described the news as “next-level Nixonian.”
“Never before has the country seen an Administration go to such extent to use the levers of government to target a former President and political rival,” Abbott wrote. “This weaponizes power to squelch dissent. Such abuses must have limits.”
Trump himself described the raid as “political persecution” in a statement to supporters.
“Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before,” Trump said.
“After working and cooperating with the relevant Government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate. It is prosecutorial misconduct, the weaponization of the Justice System, and an attack by Radical Left Democrats who desperately don’t want me to run for President in 2024.”
Before winning the Republican primary overwhelmingly, Abbott received Trump’s endorsement for reelection as Texas governor.
Characterizing the raid as “corrupt,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) expressed similar thoughts on the FBI’s search of the former president’s home.
“What Nixon tried to do, Biden has now implemented: The Biden Admin has fully weaponized DOJ & FBI to target their political enemies,” Cruz wrote on Twitter. “And with 87K new IRS agents, they’re coming for YOU too.”
Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock), who chairs the special Texas House committee investigating the Uvalde shooting, wrote on social media that the raid “appears politically motivated.”
“We cannot allow the DOJ & FBI to be used like the KGB — we must always distinguish ourselves,” Burrows tweeted.
The offices of Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
Patrick tweeted on Wednesday morning, “If Democrats will weaponize DOJ, FBI, IRS against a former President, they will think nothing of weaponizing them against the American people. That means you! Biden’s wrecking of the economy is nothing compared to the pain of 87,000 new IRS auditors in their new spending bill.”
Editor’s Note: This piece has been updated with a quote from Lt. Governor Patrick.
###
Disclosure: Unlike almost every other media outlet, The Texan is not beholden to any special interests, does not apply for any type of state or federal funding, and relies exclusively on its readers for financial support. If you’d like to become one of the people we’re financially accountable to, click here to subscribe.
Hayden Sparks
Hayden Sparks is a senior reporter for The Texan and a lifelong resident of the Lone Star State. He has coached competitive speech and debate and has been involved in politics since a young age. One of Hayden's favorite quotes is by Sam Houston: "Texas has yet to learn submission to any oppression, come from what source it may."
