Weaponizing government agencies has been tried before

+ massive U.S. aid to Ukraine has limits US Edition - Today's top story: The weaponization of the federal government has a long history [View in browser]( US Edition | 19 January 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( I don’t like the word “weaponization,” largely because it’s a trendy word that gets used too much, and often inaccurately, as is the case with many hip words. But sometimes – rarely – its use is justified. That’s the case with University of Virginia scholar Ken Hughes’ story this week, “[The weaponization of the federal government has a long history](.” Hughes’ piece is a reflection on how President Richard Nixon used the IRS to go after his enemies, encouraging the agency to investigate prominent Democrats. Hughes was prompted to write by two recent developments: the House GOP’s formation of a “Select Subcommittee on Weaponization of the Federal Government” and revelations by former President Donald Trump’s chief of staff, John Kelly, that Trump wanted the IRS to audit his perceived enemies. “Are we looking over the financial contributors of the Democratic National Committee?” Nixon asked his chief of staff on Aug. 3, 1972. “Are we running their income tax returns?” “Not as far as I know,” said H.R. “Bob” Haldeman. “We have all this power and we aren’t using it. Now, what the Christ is the matter?” Nixon asked. Hughes has spent two decades “listening to Nixon abuse power” via his study of the Nixon tapes at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center. His story is lively proof that the, um, weaponization of the federal government does go way back. Naomi Schalit Democracy Editor President Nixon urged the IRS to audit his perceived enemies; Donald Trump wanted to do the same. LPettet/ iStock / Getty Images Plus [The weaponization of the federal government has a long history]( Ken Hughes, University of Virginia The House GOP is scrutinizing federal investigators for alleged abuses of power. But will they probe abuses that may have been committed by members of their own party? Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy went to the White House during a surprise visit to the U.S. in December 2022. Drew Angerer/Getty Images [US military spending in Ukraine reached nearly $50 billion in 2022 – but no amount of money alone is enough to end the war]( Monica Duffy Toft, Tufts University The US is giving record-high amounts of money to Ukraine, signaling it is invested in this war for the long run – a political science scholar explains 3 important things to know. Rep. George Santos leaves the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 12, 2023, followed by reporters. Win McNamee/Getty Images [Voters have few options to remove George Santos from Congress – aside from waiting until the next election]( Jonathan Entin, Case Western Reserve University There is no federal recall law that could lead to another election for Santos’ seat. But Santos’ case presents ethics concerns that the House may review. [Florida Gov. DeSantis leads the GOP’s national charge against public education that includes lessons on race and sexual orientation]( Jonathan Feingold, Boston University The GOP leadership renewed its pledge to resist public education that includes painful discussions on race and racism in America. [Special counsels, like those examining Biden’s and Trump’s handling of classified documents, are intended to be independent – but they aren’t entirely]( Joshua Holzer, Westminster College Special counsels can help administrations avoid the perception of bias, but politics is never fully out of the picture. [How the distortion of Martin Luther King Jr.‘s words enables more, not less, racial division within American society]( Hajar Yazdiha, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Conservatives have a long history of contorting the words of Martin Luther King Jr. to further political goals at odds with King’s vision of a colorblind society. [Fictional newsman Ted Baxter was more invested in fame than in good journalism – but unlike today’s pundits, he didn’t corrupt the news]( Heather Hendershot, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Today’s anchors on politically slanted news programs feed anger and polarization with their wild claims. Their ancestor is a character from ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’ – with one big difference. - [‘The most dangerous Negro’: 3 essential reads on the FBI’s assessment of MLK’s radical views and allies]( Howard Manly, The Conversation As Martin Luther King Jr. gained national prominence, the FBI launched several investigations to prove that King and his radical allies were communist sympathizers and a danger to America. - [New Israeli power broker seeks to rewrite history to justify violence against Palestinians]( Curtis Hutt, University of Nebraska Omaha A claim about how persecuted Jews were freed from the Soviet Union decades ago relates to how Palestinians might be treated today. Like this newsletter? 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