Sen. Rick Scott Issues Victim Impact Statement on Individual Who Stole Thousands of Tax Returns
Washington, D.C. – Today, Senator Rick Scott attended the sentencing hearing of Charles Littlejohn to deliver a victim impact statement. Littlejohn pled guilty to disclosing tax return information of thousands of Americans, including Senator Rick Scott, President Trump, and Elon Musk. Senator Scott announced last week that he would be attending the hearing and invited Attorney General Garland to attend. Unfortunately, the Attorney General chose not to attend to take responsibility for a completely partisan Justice Department under the Biden Administration.
Sen. Rick Scott Delivers Remarks in front of the U.S. District Court for D.C.
To watch a clip from the remarks, click on the image above.
Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery.
Your Honor, thank you for giving me the opportunity to make these comments to you in open court. What I am about to say means no disrespect to you, or the staff prosecutor in this case.
Your Honor, newspapers have called this a plea deal. It should be called the plea deal of the century.
Mr. Littlejohn abused his position of trust, stole personal financial data, released that data intentionally and with malice to harm Americans – including me and my family –
and clearly violated the law and disclosed the private tax and financial information of THOUSANDS of Americans. THOUSANDS.
Yet today he will escape accountability for his deeds in all but a single case. He is pleading guilty to just one violation out of thousands. And he will be punished for just one violation, not thousands.
The United States Department of Justice acknowledges that I am a victim of Mr. Littlejohn’s actions and generously offered me the opportunity to give a victim impact statement.
Unfortunately, there are more victims of this crime than can fit in the courtroom today.
Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Ken Griffin, the list is long. All attacked for political purposes. Because they are wealthy or Republican or both. All attacked for political purposes that coincide with the political desires of the Biden Administration.
But there are more victims than just those named in this case. In a broad sense, every American is victim here. Why? Because this case is part of the ongoing and dangerous corruption of the justice system at the Federal level.
The ugly truth is Mr. Littlejohn is getting this sweetheart deal because his crimes advanced Joe Biden’s political agenda. This cynical plea deal is further proof that, under Attorney General Merrick Garland, the Biden Justice Department has become politicized to attack the regime’s enemies and protect its friends.
The Attorney General’s message to all Americans in this case is clear and dangerous: Harass the opposition into silence. Embarrass enemies. Provide ammo for campaign attacks. And if you get caught, no problem. The Biden Justice Department takes care of its friends.
The evidence is both individual and widespread.
To pick one specific example, look at Kevin Clinesmith. He is the FBI attorney who admitted falsifying evidence to fuel the bogus Russia election influence investigation against President Trump.
Mr. Clinesmith never saw a day behind bars for his crime.
More generally: How many Defund the Police rioters faced Federal charges from the Biden Justice Department?
So, let’s look a little closer at Mr. Littlejohn’s crimes. In this case, a liberal propaganda operation called ProPublica received stolen goods from Mr. Littlejohn and used those stolen goods for political purposes – – political purposes identical to Joe Biden’s political purposes.
Now, my mom told me growing up that receiving stolen goods was a crime. I guess she missed the political exception to the rule.
If anyone wonders whether the Biden Justice Department is really capable of naked political partisanship, talk to the people at Project Veritas.
In a dispute over reporting on the diary of the President’s daughter, Project Veritas was not only subject to a Biden Justice Department criminal investigation, its leaders were hit with a pre-dawn FBI raid.
How is what Project Veritas is accused of any different than what ProPublica did? Why isn’t ProPublica facing criminal prosecution? Why didn’t they get hit with a pre-dawn FBI raid?
It would be instructive to ask Attorney General Garland that question. But I think we all know the answer.
Joe Biden’s enemies get the SWAT team. His friends get the sweet deal. Afterall, this is a President who just bragged in a major campaign speech that he knows how to “wield power.”
Let me say again, by using this opportunity in open court to makes these comments, I mean no disrespect to you, Your Honor, or the staff prosecutor in this case. A judge can only deal with cases that are brought before the bench.
And responsibility for the corruption of the Biden Justice Department rests far above those sitting at the prosecutor’s table.
That’s why I invited Attorney General Garland to appear in court here today. As we can all see, he declined.
A Gallup poll this month found just 28 percent of Americans are satisfied with how democracy is working. Maybe part of this erosion of faith in our government is the cold recognition that the Biden Administration plays political games with criminal prosecutions. This must stop.
Your Honor, I request that you reject the current plea deal. It does not match the severity of his crimes and appears to be preferential treatment from the Biden Justice Department. If you are unable to do that at this time, I would then urge you to impose the maximum possible sentence on Mr. Littlejohn.
Because of politics, the Biden Justice Department treated him to the lightest possible prosecution, the least he deserves is the heaviest possible sentence. Thank you for giving me the opportunity today to address the court and speak to you on behalf of the thousands of Mr. Littlejohn’s victims.