Summary — "After James Comey, Who’s Next on Trump’s Revenge Tour?"

WNYC Studios & The New Yorker

Overview

This episode examines President Trump’s self-described “revenge tour,” focusing on the indictment of former FBI director James Comey as a signal of a broader pattern: the current administration’s apparent use of the Justice Department and other law‑enforcement tools to retaliate against perceived political enemies. Ruth Marcus (The New Yorker) explains why this conduct is dangerous for the rule of law, outlines Comey’s significance in Trump’s grievances, and assesses the legal and political contours of the Comey indictment.

Key points and main takeaways

• Trump’s pursuit of former adversaries is personal, longstanding, and deliberate. Comey has been a target since 2017 because of his role in the Russia probe and for refusing to pledge personal loyalty.
• Even if past prosecutions against Trump (under Biden-era officials) were politically motivated or mistaken, retaliatory prosecutions are not an appropriate response. Two wrongs don’t make a right — weaponizing criminal law in tit‑for‑tat fashion violates DOJ norms.
• The Comey indictment appears rushed: prosecutors and commentators say the charges look flimsy and unclear, and there was a looming statute-of-limitations deadline that likely prompted timing.
• The scale and direction of DOJ actions under this administration — firings, pressure on state attorneys general, and high‑profile indictments of Trump’s foes — are unprecedented in modern DOJ history.
• Comey is an ironic first target: many Democrats blame him for helping elect Trump (the reopened Clinton email matter in 2016), yet Trump blames him for launching the Russia/Mueller inquiry.
• Observers expect more targets in a wider retribution pattern; the legal clarity of these cases will matter for both criminal outcomes and institutional norms.

Notable quotes / insights

• “Two wrongs don’t make a right.” — Ruth Marcus (summarizing the ethical/legal baseline)
• “The degree to which this White House is directing the Justice Department to go after the president’s political enemies... is just beyond anything we have seen before in the 155 year history of the Justice Department.” — Ruth Marcus
• “This is a man who has many grudges, and he holds them, and he does not let go of them.” — Ruth Marcus (on Trump’s personal motivation)

Topics discussed

• Trump’s “revenge tour” and motive for targeting political opponents
• James Comey’s role in the 2016 presidential contest and the Russia investigation
• The Comey indictment: timing, substance, and prosecutor/community reactions
• Norms and independence of the Department of Justice
• Historical comparisons and the unprecedented nature of the current pattern
• Potential future targets and whether indictments are being used as political retaliation

Action items / recommendations (what to watch for)

• Await the arraignment and charging documents for the Comey indictment for clarity on the exact offenses and legal theory.
• Monitor whether DOJ procedures (investigative independence, career prosecutor involvement, supervisory checks) were followed or eroded.
• Track firings, personnel changes, and direct communications between the White House and DOJ that may reveal politicization.
• Watch for additional indictments of former officials and for whether statute‑of‑limitations timing recurs as a factor.
• For readers/observers: prioritize transparency from prosecutors and insist on adherence to legal norms to preserve institutional integrity.

Note on transcript

The provided transcript includes significant repetition and apparent transcription errors around the legal‑charge explanation; key substance is that many experienced prosecutors find Comey’s indictment legally unclear and possibly flimsy — full clarity depends on formal court filings.