After special counsel Jack Smith moved to dismiss his case against Donald Trump for attempting to overturn the 2020 election Monday, Trump decided to gloat on X and attack everyone who tried to prosecute him.

Trump made a rare post on his old stomping ground late Monday afternoon blasting Democrats and prosecutors, specifically naming Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, former Fulton County prosecutor Nathan Wade, New York state Attorney General Letitia James, and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. He called every case against him “a political hijacking, and a low point in the History of our Country that such a thing could have happened, and yet, I persevered, against all odds, and WON. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

At least while he’s president, Trump no longer has to worry about facing any charges for his role in the January 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection or mishandling classified documents. His sentence for his felony conviction in his hush-money case has been indefinitely canceled, and his Georgia election interference case was already in limbo.

But now that he’s in the clear, Trump wants revenge. His attacks have an ominous tone, as he repeatedly made threats to take retribution against his enemies while campaigning for his second term as president. He’s promised to take on the “enemy within,” meaning Democrats who have opposed him, and he just put James, Willis, and Bragg firmly in his crosshairs.

Trump will have plenty of help from right-wing foot soldiers in the Justice Department, led by his new handpicked attorney general nominee, Pam Bondi. She already has a record of helping the president-elect with whatever he wants, whether it’s serving as his lawyer during his impeachment or opting not to press charges against his phony university while she was Florida attorney general in exchange for (illegal) campaign donations.

Bondi and the right-wing legal establishment probably will not have any qualms going after whoever Trump has a grudge against, even if they are elected officials and prosecutors. The question is whether any laws or courts will be enough to withstand Trump’s desire for revenge.

Lawyers for Donald Trump investigated allegations of noncriminal influence peddling against one of the president-elect’s top aides, Boris Epshteyn, according to a CNN report published Monday.

Per CNN, the internal review examined “multiple instances of Epshteyn allegedly requesting payment in exchange for promoting candidates for administration positions or offering to connect individuals with people in the upcoming administration relevant to their industry.”

Semafor reported on the inquiry as well, describing it as “closely held and … ongoing, with no findings to date.”

In one alleged instance, Epshteyn requested as much as $100,000 a month for his services, which he has at times attempted “to sell as a type of consulting.” In another, he reportedly suggested that Scott Bessent, whom Trump nominated for treasury secretary on Friday, “pay him to promote his name with Trump and others at Mar-a-Lago”—a proposal that Bessent declined.

“The way I see it is it’s very much a pay-for-play,” a source who had spoken to the investigating team told CNN. The source recounted another instance in which Epshteyn allegedly sought payment for “questionable consulting services”—that is, arranging to connect someone “with incoming administration officials relevant to their industry or lobbying firms that will be the most well-connected to the new administration.”

CNN cited “half a dozen sources” who confirmed the internal investigation. Internal investigators initially recommended that Epshteyn “be removed from Trump’s proximity and that he should not be employed or paid by Trump entities”—which the Trump team seems unlikely to act on at present, according to CNN.

In a statement to CNN, Epshteyn said, “These fake claims are false and defamatory and will not distract us from Making America Great Again.”

President-elect Donald Trump has endorsed Jimmy Patronis, Florida’s chief financial officer, in the special election for Matt Gaetz’s House seat. Just one problem: Patronis doesn’t live in Gaetz’s district.

Trump announced his endorsement via TruthSocial on Monday, writing:

A fourth generation Floridian from the beautiful Panhandle, and owner of an iconic seafood restaurant, Jimmy has been a wonderful friend to me, and to MAGA. As your next Congressman, Jimmy would work tirelessly alongside of me to Grow our Economy, Secure our Border, Stop Migrant Crime, Strengthen our Incredible Military/Vets, Restore American Energy DOMINANCE, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment. Should he decide to enter this Race, Jimmy Patronis has my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, JIMMY, RUN!

Patronis responded dutifully to the endorsement, writing on X, “Put me to work, Mr. President!”

It seems neither Trump nor Patronis is dissuaded by the fact that the candidate doesn’t live in Florida’s 1st congressional district. (Legally, Patronis can still run, though it may be disturbing to constituents who call the district home.)

Patronis has been Florida’s CFO since 2017, appointed by former Governor Rick Scott. He made headlines in January of this year for an attempt to establish a “Freedom Fighters Fund” that would give Trump $5 million in Florida taxpayers’ money to help him with his many legal troubles, a move that was quickly shot down by Republican Governor DeSantis and Florida Democrats alike. Patronis was also one of the earliest Florida Republicans........

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