Georgia’s ‘sprawling,’ ‘sweeping’ Trump indictment
Byron York
GEORGIA’S ‘SPRAWLING,’ ‘SWEEPING’ TRUMP INDICTMENT. We’re beginning to get more considered opinions of Fulton County, Georgia, District Attorney Fani Willis’s massive indictment against former President Donald Trump and 18 — yes, 18 — other defendants. And two words keep popping up again and again. The first word is: “sprawling.”
New York Times: “Trump and 18 of his allies were indicted late Monday in a sprawling racketeering investigation…”
Washington Post: “A sprawling investigation…”
Wall Street Journal: “The sprawling indictment…”
Associated Press: “A sprawling case in Georgia…”
CNN: “A sprawling indictment…”
MSNBC: “The sprawling case…”
And so on and so on. Of course, the indictment was not always “sprawling.” Sometimes the second word was used: “sweeping.”
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New York Times: “The most sweeping of the four criminal cases that Mr. Trump faces…”
Washington Post: “A sweeping criminal indictment…”
Wall Street Journal: “The most ambitious and sweeping case against the former president…”
Associated Press: “A sweeping indictment…”
CNN: “A sweeping Georgia indictment…”
MSNBC: “The sweeping scale and severity of this case…”
This isn’t just a commentary on media cliches, although it would not hurt if journalists found some other words to describe what is happening. For some of the media, it’s more than that. Calling the indictment “sprawling” or “sweeping,” especially doing so over and over, is a way to suggest that Willis has overreached without saying she has overreached.
In general, most big legacy media outfits have given mostly favorable coverage to the prosecutors pursuing Trump. Yes, some have suggested that the Manhattan indictment is weak, which of course it is, while not offering more fundamental criticisms, such as saying it should never have been brought. The two federal indictments from special counsel Jack Smith have received pretty positive treatment. Now comes Willis’s “sprawling” and “sweeping” indictment, which arguably charges at least some defendants who have done nothing wrong.
What to call it? There has long been a term in the legal and media world known as a “kitchen sink” indictment. The meaning is obvious — it’s an indictment in which the prosecutor has thrown every charge and every accusation possible at the defendant, including the kitchen sink. The phrase can be used critically, suggesting prosecutorial overreach and lack of judgment. As such, it applies particularly well to the Georgia charges. The next time you see Willis’s indictment referred to as “sprawling” or “sweeping,” mentally substitute “kitchen sink.” It’s a better description.
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