CNN’s Jim Acosta Corners Andrew Yang Over His Tweets About Mar-a-Lago Raid: ‘Are You Giving Trump a Pass?’

During CNN Newsroom with anchor Jim Acosta, former Democratic candidate for President and founder of the Forward Political Party Andrew Yang was questioned about his Tweets following the FBI raid of Mar-a-Lago last Monday.

Shortly after former President Donald Trump’s Florida estate was raided by federal law enforcement, Yang posted a slew of tweets arguing that this move by the Department of Justice would only motivate Trump’s base further.

The FBI raid of Trump’s home has fired up his base of support in the GOP – and has seemingly increased the odds of his running in ‘24 https://t.co/xMznFPn0UG

— Andrew Yang🧢⬆️🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) August 9, 2022

Yang also expressed that he felt like mishandling information was not cause enough for a raid of the property.

It looks increasingly like the FBI raid was to find mishandled classified documents and not some other DOJ investigation which was my first thought. Mishandling documents doesn’t seem like raid material. It does however seem like excellent campaign material for Trump.

— Andrew Yang🧢⬆️🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) August 9, 2022

It seems like this was authorized by a local judge and a particular FBI office without buy-in or notification of higher levels of government. But literally no one will believe that or make a distinction. It’s probably bureaucratic but it seems political.

— Andrew Yang🧢⬆️🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) August 9, 2022

Yang argued that this raid gave Trump enough material to improve the support stemming from his base. This view is not entirely far off, at least in the short term, as new polling shows that Trump has surged past Gov. Ron Desantis (R-FL) following the raid.

If Trump wasn’t the prohibitive favorite for the Republicans before, he is now.

“It couldn’t be clearer,” he said. “If Trump wants it at this point, I don’t see how it’s not his … It’ll be a coronation at this point, not a primary.” https://t.co/KfoddEFuHc

— Andrew Yang🧢⬆️🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) August 10, 2022

Unfortunately I fear we will look back on this as a day that activated extremism and not the opposite.

— Andrew Yang🧢⬆️🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) August 9, 2022

When Yang appeared on CNN, Acosta pressed him on these tweets. “It sounds like you are letting Trump off the hook here — taking top-secret documents to your mansion is okay with you?” Acosta asked. “Are you giving Trump a pass?”

Yang avoided the question entirely, finding a way to weave his brand new political party into the conversation without being prompted.

Acosta tried again, “I don’t think you answered my question. Are you saying that the Attorney General had political motivations with this search?”

“Oh, I trust that all of the DOJ employees, and particularly the FBI agents, are faithful public servants discharging their duty,” replied Yang.

Acosta was not satisfied with this answer so he attempted to ask again in reference to Yang’s tweets, “you seemed to be suggesting that it was okay for the former president to be bringing top-secret documents to Mar-a-Lago. Is that what you’re saying?”

Yang’s answer was once again too vague for Acosta.

Finally, the anchor posed the question one more time, “Forgive me for trying to pin you down, Andrew,” said Acosta, “Are you okay with Trump taking top-secret documents to Mar-a-Lago? Let’s put it that way.”

“Of course not,” Yang finally replied.

“I’m for anything that enhances our national security and the rule of law,” concluded Yang.

Watch above via CNN.

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