(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale set out to counter remarks by Sen. JD Vance about President Donald Trump’s record of not prosecuting his political opponents. However, little did Dale realize his write-up inadvertently validated the senator’s assertions.
In a now-viral interview with ABC News host Martha Raddatz on Sunday, Vance dismissed concerns that Trump would target his political foes if re-elected: “Martha, he was president for four years and he didn’t go after his political opponents.”
Dale quickly labeled the claim as “false” in a fact-check published Monday. He claimed that Trump “publicly and privately pressured the Justice Department, and others in his administration, to investigate or prosecute numerous political opponents.”
In an attempt to back his claim up, Dale compiled a list of individuals whom Trump had criticized publicly, asserting that this was evidence of Trump attempting to use the DOJ against them.
Yet here’s where the fact-check fell apart: none of the individuals on Dale’s list faced any criminal charges brought by Trump’s DOJ.
Dale’s list featured notable figures such as Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, Rep. Ilhan Omar, Joe Scarborough and even James Comey.
Dale also included Hunter Biden, who indeed faced criminal charges. But the prosecution was brought forth by federal prosecutors under the presidency of his father, Joe Biden—not Trump.
The prosecutor overseeing Hunter’s case, David Weiss, was appointed with the blessing of Delaware’s two Democratic senators, under the so-called blue-slip policy.
CNN's "fact" "checker" Daniel Dale published a list of people Donald Trump *did not* — I repeat: DID NOT –politically prosecute in order to say Vance lied about whether Trump or Biden's DOJ prosecuted political opponents. (Democrats have prosecuted more than 1K opponents.)
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) October 15, 2024
Trump, by contrast, faced two criminal indictments brought by a special counsel appointed by Biden’s attorney general, Merrick Garland.
Biden himself had privately expressed frustration that Garland wasn’t pursuing Trump aggressively and early enough, the liberal New York Times confirmed in a report.
On top of the federal charges, Trump also faced indictments in Fulton County and Manhattan—both led by Democratic district attorneys.
Trump’s company, the Trump Organization, nearly collapsed after New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, unleashed an unprecedented civil case against it.
On X, many critics swiftly lectured Dale’s failed fact-check.
He absolutely told people on his legal counsel to drop any idea of prosecuting Hillary to focus on more important issues. There is a difference between tweeting at folks and using executive and legal authority at them. #factcheck
— West Village Guy (@VillageWest14) October 15, 2024
“Went after” with mean tweets as opposed to, oh I dunno, weaponizing the DoJ to prosecute his political rivals like we’ve seen over the past 3.5 years.
— Notorious PA-C (@N9830G) October 15, 2024
Can you name one political opponent that Trump’s DOJ went after his first four years?
Just saying, “we were alive…” is literally the stupidest fact check I have ever seen and you should be mocked and ridiculed for such a ridiculous statement.
— Daily Trite 🇺🇸 (@realDailyTrite) October 15, 2024
