the first time political lawfare and corrupt courts were used by an American presidential administration to silence its enemies, was in 1800.

President John Adams had journalist James T. Callender imprisoned by misusing the Alien and Sedition Acts, as payback for things written about him during his run for the presidency.

Thomas Jefferson had secretly funded Callender. Later, when Jefferson screwed Callender over, Callender wrote stories about Jefferson having children with slaves.

Shortly afterward, preparing to testify in a well publicized trial, Callender was suicided.