That “drawing into the light” bit can result in public pressure on both the DOJ and the President to pursue prosecutions and indictments where the evidence exists. Especially where a public referral is undertaken by Congress.
And while the Congress does not have prosecution powers. They do have subpoena powers, ones that are currently functioning after Trump’s challenges have finally failed their way through courts.
So they have an ability to find and secure evidence, both documents and through testimony that is admissable at court in a criminal prosection.
These things don’t happen in a vacuum. All these documents they’re pulling don’t go in a box in some closet. They come from or go to the DOJ, among other places.
Like wise you’re assuming that these things can have no long term impact on public opinion or the elections unless they are deliberately timed as “October surprise” late revelations.
My point is if you do this properly. Both in our now functional executive and in these hearings. You don’t need to hold anything back. Because there will be a persistent series of shocking revelations. Right up to the election and continuing after.
This does not need to chase off Trump’s core of voters. Because there aren’t enough of them to reliably give him even the nomination on their own.
If this opens a rift in the GOP, which it seems to be doing.
If this motivates DNC voters, which Roe being over turned seems poised to already.
If this pisses off enough non-voters and independents, which polling seems to show it is doing.
It could have major, major impacts.
These things are not zero sum.
And while horse race election coverage would like you to believe that Americans have short memories, and all that matters is the next scandal. And the few months before a vote.
Long running issues like this tend to stick with people, and show their impact over time. Years (and it has already been years) of escalating, proven revelations on this subject will have fallout.
And it won’t be some no one really expects it sudden reversal by hardcore fascists in any easily marked district for Steve Kornacki to show you on the big board.
Everything you’re saying comes off very much as typical doom saying. And the continual complaints that nothing is being done, as we watch things being done.
That’s all been frustrating and plain wrong for like 7 years now.
As to speculation that they’re scheduling this around elections, or holding back for election impact.
There’s no sign they are.
And they absolutely shouldn’t be doing it. Because that’s how these things fail. Both in the immediate offing, and in long term impacts.
As with absolutely everything else since Trump’s presidential campaign started.
The story is not “will it work” or “will he get away with it” or “what impact on the next election”. It is “what happened”.
