Maxine Waters Condemns Indictment of James Comey, Accuses Trump of Authoritarian Abuse of Power
Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43) issued a blistering statement Thursday denouncing the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey by the Department of Justice under President Donald Trump. Waters characterized the action as “payback and retaliation,” warning that it represented an alarming erosion of democratic norms in the United States.
“The indictment of James Comey is not just another headline. This is a five-alarm fire signaling the collapse of American democracy as we know it,” Waters declared. “Donald Trump is dragging the United States down the dark and dangerous path toward dictatorship.”
The Justice Department announced the indictment earlier this week, following Trump’s repeated public demands that Comey be prosecuted. Waters argued that the charges were politically motivated and baseless, describing the process as an example of the administration weaponizing federal power against perceived opponents.
Accusations of Retaliation and Political Targeting:
In her statement, Waters accused Trump of creating and manipulating evidence when existing legal grounds for prosecution were lacking. She claimed that federal prosecutors who resisted bringing charges against Trump’s critics were dismissed from their posts. Waters highlighted Trump’s firing of the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, who had declined to pursue cases against both Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
She also pointed to Trump’s past public clashes with members of Congress and state officials as examples of a broader strategy of political retaliation. “There are no ifs, ands, or buts – let’s call it what it is, Donald Trump is an authoritarian,” Congresswoman Waters said. “He is systematically transforming government into a tool for personal and political revenge on his enemies.”
There Are Broad Concerns Over Executive Power.
Waters expanded her criticism beyond Comey’s indictment, citing a pattern of executive actions she described as unconstitutional. According to her statement, Trump had issued Executive Orders targeting universities with what she called “fabricated violations,” as well as directives aimed at private law firms, restricting the types of cases they could take and compelling them to provide pro bono services in areas favorable to the administration.
She alleged that institutions or firms refusing to comply faced repercussions, including revoked security clearances, canceled federal contracts, and restricted access to government facilities.
In one of her most pointed criticisms, Waters condemned what she described as threats to media freedom. She claimed Trump’s Federal Communications Commission chair pressured Nexstar Media Group to remove late-night host Jimmy Kimmel’s program from its ABC affiliates, allegedly tying compliance to approval of a pending corporate merger.
Silence from Republicans and a Call to Action:
Waters reserved sharp words for congressional Republicans, accusing them of failing to uphold their constitutional responsibilities. “To my surprise, Republicans, the so-called champions of free speech and the party of law and order, have been eerily silent all week as Trump tramples on free speech and breaks the law with impunity,” she said.
She also issued a direct appeal to the private sector, urging corporations not to capitulate to political pressure. “You do not have to cave to his threats. You do not have to be complicit in the silencing of speech, the erosion of law, and the criminalization of dissent,” Waters stated.
Commitment to Resistance
Waters emphasized that Democrats would continue opposing what she described as authoritarian overreach. She encouraged citizens to remain active in public demonstrations and political advocacy. “Democrats will continue fighting to protect American democracy and the rule of law. But we cannot do it alone,” she said. “I continue calling on the American public to keep resisting, keep showing up on the streets, and keep giving them hell.”
The indictment of Comey has sparked intense debate across the political spectrum, with questions mounting over the use of prosecutorial power in cases involving political adversaries. Waters’ statement underscored the concerns of critics who argue that the move sets a dangerous precedent in American governance.
Consensus:
We the people have passed this way before and faced legal Implications of Firing Prosecutors Who Declined Politically Sensitive Cases.
The firing of federal prosecutors has long been a contentious issue in American politics, raising questions about the balance of power between the executive branch and the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The president has constitutional power to appoint and remove U.S. attorneys, who serve at the president’s discretion. While legal, firings tied to political interference in ongoing or potential cases challenge the principle of prosecutorial independence.
Department of Justice norms require the DOJ to traditionally operate with autonomy from the White House. Presidents may set priorities, but specific prosecutions are expected to remain free from political influence. Firings that appear retaliatory risk undermining this independence.
Yet, those norms have faced historical challenges.
The Saturday Night Massacre (1973): President Richard Nixon ordered the dismissal of Watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox, fueling a constitutional crisis.
In 2006 Several prosecutors were dismissed under President George W. Bush, leading to congressional hearings and the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
Here we go again. As a private citizen, this resident was never one to shy away from frivolous or oft times vexatious litigation, even when he was spending his daddy’s money. Now, with the virtually unlimited resources of the taxpayer’s money, the threat of lawsuits and endless appellate actions serve to crush any and all citizen attempts to reign in or challenge his consistent stream of executive orders and personal agendas. Without the partnership of a willing congress, we the people stand alone with only the voice of the minority, to act as our sounding board.
So we stand by watching, while his whimpering demands for Comey’s Prosecution become solidified, as he boldly fires his way through the voices of reason. Finally, the indictment was announced, and the Justice Department brought charges
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Bypassing congressional oversight, he pens Executive Orders Against Universities, issuing directives requiring them to pay millions in penalties over alleged violations.
He scribbles his signature on Executive Orders, Targeting Law Firms that silence their mastery of the law itself. He implemented new rules dictating which cases law firms could take and compelled them to provide pro bono services for administration-backed causes. Firms that refused reportedly lost contracts and security access.
Recent FCC Threats Against Nexstar Media Group effectively turned their business plan sideways. The administration’s FCC chair warned the broadcaster to pull Jimmy Kimmel’s program or risk complications with a pending merger approval. The network had to choose between presidential threats 
to shut them down, and customer threats to cancel their streaming services. At risk – Trumpian ire, if they keep Kimmel’s show on the schedule until May, when his contract sunsets. Whatever mergers they were planning will be delayed at least through the holidays. By then, Don Quixote will undoubtedly be distracted by other giant windmills.