Crime Every Mountain
So, let’s check the scorecard.
A little over two weeks ago, Trump fired 18 Inspector Generals, the independent watchdog who conducts investigations to provide oversight and ensure that activities in government offices are free of fraud, and abuse.
Three days ago, Trump’s DOJ closed down the division charged with investigating foreign efforts to influence U.S. elections. (Because, hey, what could go wrong there?)
Also three days ago, Trump's administration -- at the impetus of its shadow president Elon Musk -- announced that they would be shutting down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, whose mission is to protect consumers from financial corporate malfeasance. (Fun Fact: the CFPB was created by Congress, and only Congress can shut it down. Trump/Musk's action is illegal.)
And yes, I know all of that, especially “three days ago”, seems pretty recent. To be clear, however, it was just the set-up.
(SIDE NOTE: And yes, also I wrote this all before Rachel Maddow's opening story last night. I was thinking of suing for copyright infringement...)
It was all just the set-up because --
Just yesterday (which is more recent than a laughable mere “three days ago”), it was reported that Trump is expected to sign an Executive Order this week for the DOJ to pause the 1977 law banning prosecutions of Americans who bribe foreign government officials in order to do business in their countries. (To be fair, with this one, it’s like Trump isn’t even trying to hide his criminal intent and probably just said, “Oh, what the hell, go ahead.”)
Also just yesterday (get used to that phrase…) Trump fired the federal government’s top ethics official, David Huitema, as director of Government Ethics. (No, this isn’t The Onion.) The Senate confirmed the director in December for a five-year term. It turned out to last just a bit over five weeks. At least we now know the shelf-life of government ethics in the Trump administration. For fun, to round out the picture, the Office of Government Ethics is an independent agency whose job is to prevent conflicts of interest within the executive branch. What a quaint concept under Trump.
After New York City Mayor Eric Adams, currently under federal indictment, camped out at Mar-a-Lago and prostrated himself at Trump’s side, now comes the story from -- say it all together -- “just yesterday” (TM) that prosecutors have been ordered to drop the case against Mayor Adams.
And to make it (as they say in figure skating) a quad, what was also reported "just yesterday" is that Trump (who commuted the public corruption sentence against former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich during his first term in office) – has said he will now pardon convicted felon Blagojevich. And reportedly may appoint him ambassador to Serbia. (Hey, he did that with Jared Kushner's father. So, why the heck not. I mean, there's now precedence...)
This is all SO on-brand for Trump.
Man, this isn't even hiding in plain sight. This is prancing around the stage like Mick Jagger preening under the bright lights and crying out loud, "Look at meeeeeee!!!"
But then, keeping in mind that Trump has been convicted of 34 felonies, found liable for rape (twice), found guilty of defamation (twice), and found guilty of business fraud, the only thing surprising is if Trump didn’t push forward all these approvals of criminal activity.
Still, there is no truth to the rumor Trump will change his name to "No One" -- even though he could then insist, "Many people say that No One is above the law." However, it might be his private nickname for himself.
All this said, it was a little unfair of me to start this under the heading of “two weeks ago” when all but the first have been since the weekend – and most are fresh from the oven yesterday. And yes, I know this is only touching the surface of Trump actions that have allowed for corruption. But we have to have limits to stay focused.
And this term even more than before, it's important to say that this is not about Trump, we know who he is -- a convicted felon and adjudicated rapist and business fraud. This is about the elected MAGOPs in Congress who enable him...and who approve of all of this.
Your regular reminder that early voting in the mid-term primaries starts in only 15 months.
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