Back when George W. was President, I suspected him (well, actually, Cheney) of using our intelligence agencies to dig for dirt on those who opposed their war. I don't know that it didn't happen, but as time has passed, I've given that theory less and less credence.
However, when Trump took office, and Republicans who had formerly opposed him and sworn they would never support him, suddenly started licking Trump's boots, I immediately suspected he had dirt on them. Cruz, Graham, Rubio, well, you know the list — turned into worshippers so fast they should have suffered whiplash.
Now we learn Trump was using the DOJ to dig for dirt on Democrats, and presumably anyone and everyone on his enemies list, and I further presume this particular rabbit hole is only going to get deeper.
I feel quite certain Trump used every tool of government he could wrap his cheeseburger greased little hands around to dig for dirt on anyone he felt threatened him, or could be useful to him, and I think we are seeing proof of this starting to trickle in. Soon, I believe it will be a flood, and all of this leverage Trump has over his “allies” (many of whom, it has been widely reported, call him an idiot, and quietly hate him behind his back), is going to come out into the open.
And I believe this is the underlying reason why Republicans don't want January 6th investigated.