You misunderstand their intent. Now they are trying to destroy the movement. They don't see him as a threat, it's the movement. They need to make him look like he was some dictatorial loon calling for mass murder. That's why they are putting him into a black hole now.
They are looking at the future and long game of stifling Trump’s movement. Their rationale is if they can make the leader look bad and appear a criminal, they can bully and intimidate the rest to abandon the movement.
The logic is there, you need to view the long term big picture from their perspective.
You misunderstand their intent. Now they are trying to destroy the movement. They don't see him as a threat, it's the movement. They need to make him look like he was some dictatorial loon calling for mass murder. That's why they are putting him into a black hole now.
They are looking at the future and long game of stifling Trump’s movement. Their rationale is if they can make the leader look bad and appear a criminal, they can bully and intimidate the rest to abandon the movement.
The logic is there, you need to view the long term big picture from their perspective.