The Washington, D.C. establishment is furious. They want to get revenge against Trump and company.
And now an arrested FBI agent has shocked everyone with this announcement for Congress.
Democrats’ Trump Obsession Fuels Dubious Congressional Bid
The Democratic Party’s fixation on resisting Donald Trump and his allies has reached a new low with the congressional candidacy of Johnathan Buma, a former FBI agent arrested and charged with violating federal law. Buma, who publicly alleged that Trump ally Rudy Giuliani may have been compromised by Russia, is running as a self-proclaimed “Resistance”-style Democrat against Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.) in Arizona’s 6th Congressional District. This move exposes the Democrats’ willingness to embrace questionable figures in their relentless crusade against Trump, prioritizing political vendettas over integrity.
Buma, who handled confidential human sources for the FBI, was arrested last month while attempting to board an international flight. The Justice Department charged him with a misdemeanor count of disclosing confidential information, a violation of 18 U.S.C. 1905, which carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison. “What the Justice Department is charging me with is one misdemeanor count of disclosure… and I’m working on that — to reverse — basically speaking to the AUSA [assistant U.S. attorney] directly,” Buma said. His legal troubles stem from allegedly printing and mishandling sensitive FBI documents, including 130 files, some containing information about a foreign adversary’s weapons program.
The Democrats’ embrace of Buma’s candidacy reveals their desperation to weaponize any anti-Trump narrative, regardless of the source’s credibility. Buma’s campaign, filed with the Federal Elections Commission on Monday, leans heavily on his whistleblower status and his claims of exposing “politically driven manipulation of intelligence within the FBI.” Yet, his arrest and the nature of his charges cast serious doubt on his reliability. The party’s decision to rally behind such a figure suggests a troubling willingness to overlook ethical lapses in pursuit of their anti-Trump agenda.
Buma’s campaign faces logistical hurdles that further question its legitimacy. Released on a $100,000 bond, he is restricted from traveling to Arizona, where he claims to have recently moved. “I also moved to Arizona recently, and I’m in the process of transitioning down to district six — I’ve moved to Prescott, Arizona. And I’m speaking with the judge tomorrow about all that,” Buma stated. He added, “I’m getting that changed,” referring to his travel restrictions, and claimed, “the judge is making that official — that Arizona is my home base.” These assertions, made while under pretrial supervision, raise questions about how he plans to campaign effectively in a state he cannot legally visit.
The Democrats’ support for Buma’s bid is emblematic of their obsession with “The Resistance,” a movement that has often prioritized spectacle over substance. Buma’s campaign rhetoric, posted on ActBlue, a left-wing fundraising platform, is steeped in hyperbolic warnings about authoritarianism. “History has shown us that authoritarian regimes often begin by scapegoating vulnerable populations,” he wrote, suggesting the U.S. is sliding into a “police state or Orwellian surveillance nightmare.” Such alarmist language is designed to inflame partisan passions rather than address substantive policy issues, a tactic Democrats have leaned into since Trump’s rise.
Buma’s decision to align with ActBlue is particularly telling, given recent scrutiny of the platform. Three House committees launched probes into allegations that ActBlue failed to prevent potentially fraudulent political donations, including some from foreign sources. Trump’s recent executive order targeting ActBlue called for investigations into “straw” or “dummy” contributions, yet Buma’s campaign proudly links to the platform. “Let’s test our strength of resistance,” he wrote in a Change.org petition update, urging supporters to “donate anonymously” via ActBlue. This reliance on a controversial fundraising tool further taints his campaign’s legitimacy.
The Democrats’ endorsement of Buma’s narrative ignores the serious allegations against him. Court filings reveal that Buma printed sensitive FBI files, including reports marked with warnings about their confidentiality. “Buma printed approximately 130 files from the FBI’s internal network, several of which summarized information provided to the FBI by CHSs, some of which was clearly marked with warnings that made clear that the information was to be protected,” an FBI affidavit stated. His actions, including emailing supervisors about taking leave without pay before leaving the FBI office, suggest a reckless disregard for protocol, yet Democrats seem unperturbed by these red flags.
Buma’s claims of being a whistleblower are central to his campaign, but they are overshadowed by his legal entanglements. He alleges that his disclosures to Congress and the DOJ Inspector General exposed FBI misconduct, yet the Justice Department’s charges paint a different picture. “On or about November 2, 2023, in Orange County, within the Central District of California, and elsewhere, defendant BUMA knowingly published, divulged, disclosed, and made known in a manner not authorized by law, information obtained by him in the course of his employment and official duties,” the DOJ stated. Democrats’ uncritical acceptance of his whistleblower status reveals their selective outrage, driven by anti-Trump fervor rather than a commitment to truth.
The former agent’s attacks on Giuliani are a cornerstone of his campaign, aligning with the Democrats’ long-standing obsession with Trump-Russia narratives. Buma has repeatedly claimed that his efforts to investigate Giuliani were stymied by the FBI, yet Giuliani has never been charged with any related crimes and has denied being compromised by Russia. “FBI agent who went after my client Rudy Giuliani has been arrested!” Giuliani’s attorney, Joe Cammarata, posted online, calling it a “vindication” for his client. Democrats’ willingness to champion Buma’s unproven allegations against Giuliani demonstrates their prioritization of political point-scoring over factual accountability.
Buma’s campaign also capitalizes on his alleged role in high-profile investigations, including special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into Trump-Russia collusion, which ultimately found no conclusive evidence of coordination. His defense lawyer, Mark Geragos, who also represented Hunter Biden, adds another layer of controversy. Buma’s claim that he resigned from the FBI “under duress” and his assertion that his arrest was an attempt to “interfere” with his meeting a journalist in Mexico feed into a narrative of victimhood that Democrats have eagerly amplified. “This pretrial probation thing is very strange, because I had notified the FBI, according to policy, a month prior that I was going on a trip to the UK — so there were no surprises there,” Buma said.
The Democrats’ fixation on figures like Buma reveals a deeper strategic flaw: their inability to move beyond Trump-centric resistance. By elevating a candidate with a clouded legal history and questionable motives, they risk alienating voters who prioritize competence and integrity. Buma’s campaign, with its reliance on inflammatory rhetoric and dubious claims, is less about policy solutions and more about perpetuating a divisive anti-Trump crusade. His ActBlue pitch, which frames his run as a battle against “Trump’s personal pick,” Ciscomani, is a clear attempt to exploit partisan divisions rather than engage with Arizona’s actual issues.
Buma’s personal conduct further undermines his candidacy. An FBI affidavit cited an email he sent to a personal associate, stating, “I took a halve [sic] a Loraz, two beers, a Cialis, and a Bystolic to get it down.” This admission of mixing prescription medication with alcohol, sent on the day he allegedly mishandled FBI records, raises serious questions about his judgment. Yet, Democrats appear willing to overlook such behavior in their zeal to oppose Trump and his allies, a decision that could backfire with voters seeking principled leadership.
The timeline of Buma’s arrest and legal proceedings adds another layer of skepticism to his campaign. Arrested in New York, his case was transferred to California, where he waived his right to an identity hearing and a preliminary hearing. The DOJ’s April 17 filing detailed his alleged disclosure of confidential information, including the identity of a confidential human source. Despite these serious charges, Buma’s campaign portrays him as a martyr, a narrative that Democrats have uncritically adopted to fuel their resistance agenda.
Buma’s online presence, including his Change.org petition, further illustrates the performative nature of his campaign. Declaring “Victory!” after reaching 300 signatures, he urged supporters to “expand our influence” by donating to his campaign. “I’ve taken the first step and given all I can – finance, career and reputation,” he wrote. This self-aggrandizing rhetoric, coupled with his claim of being “the most significant whistleblower in FBI history,” reeks of opportunism, yet Democrats have embraced it as part of their anti-Trump playbook.
The Democrats’ support for Buma’s candidacy is not just a tactical misstep; it’s a symptom of their failure to articulate a positive vision for the future. By fixating on resistance to Trump and his allies, they have tethered themselves to divisive figures and narratives that may resonate with their base but alienate the wider electorate. Buma’s campaign, with its legal and ethical baggage, is a case study in this flawed approach, offering little beyond recycled grievances and sensational claims.
Ultimately, the rise of candidates like Buma signals a troubling trend within the Democratic Party: a willingness to sacrifice principles for political expediency. By championing a former FBI agent charged with breaking federal law, Democrats are betting that anti-Trump sentiment will outweigh concerns about credibility and accountability. This gamble may energize their base, but it risks reinforcing perceptions of the party as one-dimensional, obsessed with resistance at the expense of governance.
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