Deflecting? Trump admin focusing on 2016 election probe rather than Epstein files

Investigation & Justice Department Concerns - The Trump administration is perceived as using the Justice Department to appease supporters who believe crimes were committed by the Biden and Obama administrations [2] - The leaking of a criminal investigation to the press is considered unusual and potentially intended to embarrass individuals and inflict legal costs [3][4][5] - Concerns exist that the Justice Department is becoming a political tool of the presidency, undermining the independence of career prosecutors [12][13] Legality & Timing - The investigation's timing is questioned, particularly in relation to deflecting attention from other issues [8] - Even if a crime had occurred, the statute of limitations (5 years) has likely passed, making an investigation unwarranted [10] - It is considered unprecedented for an attorney general to order prosecutors to open a case without sufficient evidence [11] Russian Interference & Prior Investigations - The intelligence community's assessment of Russian interference in the 2016 election is not considered startling [9] - Previous investigations, including one by Special Counsel John Durham, found no evidence to charge key individuals [5][6] - John Durham's report did not even address the intelligence community's assessment on Russian interference [7]