George W. Bush’s Attorney General Is Worried About Trump

“Why would anyone think, given his record, that he would not abuse the power of the office?” Gonzales said. “I think everyone should have concerns about possible abuse if he becomes president of the United States again.” We also spoke at length about the implications of Trump returning to power after promising to use the presidency — and the Justice Department — to go after his perceived political enemies, and about how Special Counsel Jack Smith and Attorney General Merrick Garland may be approaching the case against Trump now. | Rebecca Blackwell/AP But if you understand how the White House works, virtually every decision the president’s going to make is going to be supported by a legal opinion — either by the White House counsel’s opinion, a Department of Justice opinion, by agency lawyers. The Supreme Court held that Trump is absolutely immune for this conduct as alleged because the president “may discuss potential investigations and prosecutions with his attorney general and other Justice Department officials.” It doesn’t matter that the alleged investigations were shams or proposed for an improper purpose. If you were the attorney general overseeing the Justice Department’s 2020 election prosecution — trying to move it forward before November in an appropriate way, in a manner consistent with the Supreme Court’s opinion, but also in a manner consistent with that imperative you described to try to present the American public with facts that they deserve before November — what would you be talking about the prosecutors doing?