GOP vs. feds on Mar-a-Lago search

The FBI search of former President Donald Trump's Florida estate last week set off an immediate firestorm of criticism from Republican officials and candidates in Kentucky, along with increased concerns about threats to federal agents after a man attacked an FBI office in Cincinnati.

Also in this week's newsletter, a look at the frayed relationship of Kentucky's two GOP senators, the ongoing saga of "liberty" recounts and a brutal legal fight between a Republican candidate for governor and his Trump-connected consultant.

Defund the (federal) police?

The criticism of the search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago property from Kentucky Republicans ranged from demanding details on the action, to suggesting without evidence that the federal government planted evidence to frame the former president of a crime, as Sen. Rand Paul did on cable news and a campaign email.

U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie also suggested Congress use "the power of the purse to rein in the DOJ and FBI," while former federal prosecutor and current candidate for attorney general Russell Coleman said the search appeared to be a "dispute over paperwork, which to many Americans would make a raid seem like politically motivated overkill.”

By Thursday morning, an armed man wearing body armor attempted to breach an FBI office in Cincinnati, all while posting on social media that his attack was motivated by the Mar-a-Lago search, as the FBI and Department of Justice warned about increased threats over the past week.

Paul also called this week for the repeal of the Espionage Act — the FBI search warrant showed its investigation was examining possible violations of the law — with his behavior toward this investigation and that of Hillary Clinton in 2016 looking slightly different.

Paul and McConnell relationship in need of 'repair'

It has now been a month since Paul and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell pointed fingers at each other for the implosion of Chad Meredith's nomination to a lifetime federal judgeship, and apparently there are still some hard feelings.

Paul told The Courier Journal their relationship "is going to require some repair" and that McConnell "needs to pick up the phone, and we need to start a conversation again."

On that same subject, here is our behind-the-scenes timeline of just how the Meredith nomination came to be earlier this year, and how it went kerplunk this summer.

If you want to get all the political news from The Courier Journal and a whole lot more, you'll want to check out this great deal for new subscribers! 

Recount 'madness'

Though several losing GOP candidates from the "liberty" wing of the party still have their recount petitions pending in the courts, the Kentucky State Board of Elections and Secretary of State Michael Adams are ready to move on.

The board voted unanimously Tuesday to certify the victories of six Republicans in those primary races where a recount petition was filed, with Adams saying that "it's time to put an end to this madness and certify these people and let them get on with their fall campaigns."

Only one recount has actually been conducted — that of Jessica Neal, who posted a 57,368 bond in order to initiate it — but a GOP county clerk from the district said it proved the voting machines were "100% accurate."

Deters v. Lewandowski and vice versa

I noted three weeks ago the oddity of GOP gubernatorial candidate Eric Deters reporting to have spent more on his campaign so far than all of his other Republican opponents combined, most of which was paid to former Trump associate Corey Lewandowski.

Well, there appears to have been much, much more behind the story than that, as Deters and Lewandowski sued each other for breach of contract this week — Lewandowski saying he wasn't paid consulting services and Deters alleging he was bad at his job.

Much of the dispute appears to have come down to the endorsement of Trump, as Lewandowski alleges Deters berated him when his former boss instead bequeathed his favor upon Attorney General Daniel Cameron.

In case you missed it...

• In the face of criticism, FEMA announces it is making adjustments in how it will provide aid to Kentucky flood victims, while Gov. Andy Beshear said he expects to call the legislature into a special session to provide financial relief within the next month.

• An independent watchdog group admonished state Rep. Joe Fischer, a Republican running for the nonpartisan Kentucky Supreme Court, for conducting an openly partisan campaign for the seat.

• The board of Jefferson County Public Schools faced increased pressure to drop its mask mandate, including from Attorney General Cameron, but it declined to do so.

• Courts reporter Andy Wolfson talked to the experts to see who is expected to have an edge in the federal trials against three Louisville officers indicted for their roles in the fatal Breonna Taylor raid.

• Is Mitch Daniels going to run for another term as governor of Indiana? A new PAC of former aides is trying to push him into the race.

• Can we just please, please keep politics out of kids' baseball?

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: GOP vs. feds on Mar-a-Lago search