OPINION:
Every good magician knows that the key to a successful display of magical skills involves illusion — in fact, magic is fundamentally a matter of illusion.
One of the most important devices by which magicians create an illusion is misdirecting the audience’s attention. Misdirection simply means that through subterfuge, the magician has the spectators focus on an action or a thing that is merely a distraction causing them to miss the sleight of hand that permits the magical illusion.
Although misdirection can be an essential component of a successful magic trick, it also appears to be a useful tool in other spheres. Recent events tend to establish that.
This month, the nation was treated to several quite extraordinary episodes in our political life. Two of those emanated from Capitol Hill.
First, two IRS whistleblowers testified before a congressional committee respecting the investigation into the misdeeds of the president of the United States and his son. Over the course of several hours, these two men, of seemingly impeccable credentials and careers, spoke compellingly about possible favoritism having been shown to Hunter Biden.
The two men, who have been IRS employees for many years and who appear to have unblemished service records, described the peculiar manner in which the alleged failures by Hunter Biden to pay his taxes were investigated.
(In the interest of full disclosure, I must note that, in my role as a lawyer, I have had exchanges with Gary Shapley while representing a client.)
Subjected to fierce questioning by doubting Democrats, the two men stood their ground. They thereby lent significant credibility to the claims that the Biden family and Hunter in particular have been the beneficiaries of special and gentle treatment from the Biden administration’s Justice Department.
Then, shortly after the whistleblower testimony, Sen. Charles Grassley, the most senior and highly respected Republican senator from Iowa, released an FBI document that strongly suggests that the president may have, directly or indirectly, solicited or even extorted bribes from foreign interests and may have engaged in an influence-peddling scheme.
The document, a Form 1023 in which the FBI records the testimony of an informant who has proved reliable in the past and has actually been solicited for information by the FBI, paints a sordid picture of now-President Biden and his son’s alleged shakedown of foreign interests.
Neither the testimony nor the document is proof of presidential wrongdoing, but they are deeply troubling and merit consideration.
In light of other information that has previously come to light, this new information constitutes a worrisome suggestion that the Bidens may have committed crimes and may have also benefited from leniency from government authorities over a number of years.
In the mainstream press, however, another event far overshadowed the information that emanated from Capitol Hill. The mainstream press featured in its leading stories the fact that former President Donald Trump had let it be known that he had been notified that he was likely to be indicted by agents of the Biden Justice Department on charges stemming from his alleged role in the events of Jan. 6, 2021.
The press was not shy about disseminating information regarding speculation on a possible indictment while simultaneously demonstrating distinct reluctance about reporting on the information regarding the Bidens that had been displayed in the halls of Congress.
The contrast in reporting was startling. On the one hand, credible and extremely serious charges were lodged against the family of the sitting president of the United States — the man with his finger on our nuclear arsenal — and the manner in which the current administration is treating the Bidens, but they were deemed rather inconsequential.
On the other hand, there was endless speculation regarding possible misbehavior by the former president, a man who may or may not resume the office of president.
The charges being contemplated against Mr. Trump appear to be recycled charges that have been reverberating for more than two years and have a distinctly political component to them. The allegations against the sitting president are new, explosive and criminal.
By any objective analysis, the potential charges against the current president should far overshadow those that may be asserted against the former president.
Assuredly, citizens of our nation need to be aware of both sets of facts, but especially of those relating to President Biden, since he is currently in power.
There is little doubt that the press coverage of these events is the reflection of a political agenda and journalistic sleight of hand. The members of the mainstream press are evidently eager to protect the incumbent from potentially very serious matters.
They perceive that the best way to do so is to rely on misdirection. Instead of focusing on the increasing information regarding possible Biden family misdeeds, the mainstream media seem intent on keeping the American people focused on Mr. Trump, diverting them from the Bidens’ mounting troubles.
Whether this misdirection is intended to protect the Bidens or promote Mr. Trump in his quest for the Republican nomination and thus arguably make it easier for Mr. Biden to win reelection, it is indisputably an act of misdirection.
While misdirection is a fully acceptable device in the hands of a magician creating an entertaining illusion, it could be considered an instrument of fraud when exercised by the press, especially if the goal is to make potentially relevant information about a sitting president magically disappear.
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