The moment was brief, but its implications were massive. CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings may have pulled off one of the most candid revelations in the network’s history during a Thursday panel segment—when Democratic strategist Lis Smith let slip what millions of Americans have suspected all along: the prosecution of Donald Trump was a political operation disguised as justice.
I can’t believe it. They finally admitted it on live TV:
The prosecution of President Trump was an organized effort by the Democratic Party “resistance.”
Lawfare is real. The justice system was weaponized against President Trump. pic.twitter.com/uvMKTHcA53
— Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) May 15, 2025
During a discussion on CNN’s The Arena with Kasie Hunt, the topic veered toward Democratic voter frustration and the party’s perceived floundering in D.C. politics. But when Lis Smith, former comms advisor to Pete Buttigieg, casually listed off what she considered examples of Democratic “resistance”—including “we impeached the guy. Like, we prosecuted him. Convicted him of 34 felony counts”—it was Jennings’ reaction that made headlines.
With a smirk and a raised brow, Jennings asked the question that hung in the air like a foghorn:
“Wait, are you admitting that the case against Trump in New York was part of the organized Democratic party resistance?”
Smith laughed. “It was a Democratic prosecutor,” she replied, confirming the very thing Democrats and legacy media have spent years denying: that Trump’s legal battles are not incidental—they are intentional.
Jennings, visibly stunned, immediately called out the slip:
“Take it from Lis, this was not a real case. This was a plot to upend the presidential campaign. Which backfired.”
This isn’t just about a gaffe on cable news. This was an unvarnished glimpse into how the political class views the justice system: a means to an end. And in this case, that end was clearly stated—to take down Donald Trump. For years, Democrats and media figures have insisted that the prosecutions Trump faces are impartial, “independent,” and free from political taint. But the mask slipped.
It was never just about the law—it was about stopping Trump.
And this wasn’t a nobody making the comment. Lis Smith is a top-tier Democratic strategist, not a fringe voice. Her words carry weight because they confirm what Trump supporters and swing voters have long suspected: that “lawfare” is real, and it’s being wielded selectively.
Compare Trump’s conviction in New York over business records to Hillary Clinton’s unpunished campaign finance violations—which funded the now-debunked Steele Dossier and helped launch the years-long “Russia hoax.” Same alleged misdemeanor, two completely different outcomes.
Where’s the conviction? Where’s the media frenzy? Where’s the mugshot?
This imbalance confirms what many Americans fear most: we are no longer operating under equal justice. We’re now navigating a two-tiered system, one in which the severity of your legal jeopardy depends on your party affiliation, not your crime.
From a political standpoint, Jennings hit the nail on the head: this strategy has backfired.
Convicting Trump didn’t bury his campaign—it supercharged it. Every time his felon status is mentioned, it’s another opportunity for Trump to frame himself as a political martyr, another reminder to his supporters of how rigged the system is. Swing voters—those elusive middle-ground Americans—are seeing the overreach in real time. The verdict didn’t scare them off; it galvanized them.
And every time Democrats or the media gloat about those 34 felony counts, they validate Trump’s narrative.
