Quote (Goomshill @ 13 Nov 2021 14:03)
but in terms of realsies- this is probably the single biggest and most precedent setting violation of the constitution in our lifetimes. They just completely threw half the constitution out the window and started sending storm troopers to knock down doors with battering rams, without even a pretense of legally justifiable purpose. This is the new norm, the first amendment doesn't exist at all, the right to privacy doesn't exist, the right to counsel doesn't exist, the government is completely free to work hand in hand with media outlets it will selectively leak your most sensitive and privileged documents to after barging into your house to steal them. They just cranked everything up to 11 and they'll get away with it, and now this will be treated as the example for every further such action to come.
The government might have killed people at Waco and Ruby Ridge, but they started as incidents with plausible justifications before spiraling out of control. There's no excuse for any of this, its just the SDNY deciding it can roleplay as gestapo.
Whats next? Journalist accused of spreading covid disinformation, so the FBI raids his house at 2 AM and shoots and kills him while he's naked, unarmed and handcuffed.
Is this really such a novel development though? Haven't the feds always been getting away with absolutely egregious transgressions as long as the victim's reputation and popularity were low enough?