In an op-ed published in Politico magazine, editor Michael Schafer raised concerns about the growing trend of “progressive hero worship” surrounding prosecutors involved in cases against former President Donald Trump. Schafer called for liberals to reconsider their admiration for figures like Jack Smith and Tanya Chutkan, warning that it played into Trump’s narrative of a politicized legal system.

Schafer pointed out that this hero worship had reached a new level with the production and sale of merchandise featuring the prosecutors’ names and images. He cited examples of Etsy stores selling shirts proclaiming membership to the “JUDGE CHUTKAN FAN CLUB.” Similar cult-like followings had also developed around other prosecutors, including Alvin Bragg.

According to Schafer, the elevation of prosecutors to pop-culture heroes eroded the impartiality of the legal system. He stressed the importance of treating all citizens and public servants equally, regardless of political affiliations or circumstances. By turning prosecutors into symbols of resistance, Schafer argued, progressives inadvertently played into Trump’s claims of a rigged system.

The editor warned that this trend of idolizing public servants based on their alignment with political factions undermined the legitimacy of institutions, a key aspect of Trump’s rhetoric. Schafer concluded by urging progressives to steer clear of this hero worship, asserting that a healthy democracy could not thrive in a society where public servants were either heroes or villains based on their political affiliations.