Faith the Consequences

​For a while now, I’ve been writing that for all the problems Trump has been causing for himself and having to deal with, “It’s only going to worse” because he’s surrounded himself with unqualified incompetents, many of whom have caused the problems, and also because he has dementia."  Fitting into that dynamic, a new problem cropped up for Trump yesterday – though not remotely in a way I was expecting…although oddly, it fit precisely into that reality.  It was caused by someone who Trump did indeed surround himself with – but not in his cabinet, and from his first time in office.
 
Yesterday, MAGA megachurch pastor Robert Morris pled guilty to sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl in the 1980s.  The reason this relates to Trump is because Morris was a "faith advisor" for Trump during his first term.
 
While some may be shocked by this turn of events, it seems to me like exactly who Trump would want as a "faith advisor".  After all, faith has never really been a serious concern to Trump, other than as a slogan he can use to hoodwink others, and he’s still yet to name a favorite Bible passage.  And having someone under the auspices of “God” who has such a flexible concept of morals that he will give religious sanction to Trump’s darkest instincts (something akin to the vacuum at the bottom of a Black Hole) and let his actions slide with a knowing wink is just a perfect fit.
 
The question now is if Trump will condemn Morris, since he's pled guilty, or if (like with Ghislaine Maxwell), Trump will wish him well.
 
I hope a reporter asks.
 
Also, since Morris has pleaded guilty, Trump can't claim this is a hoax, like he's ludicrously (and desperately) trying to convince the public about the Epstein files.  Nor can he say his standard “I hardly knew the guy” line.  Being someone’s spiritual advisor is a really tough connection to jam a wedge between and ratchet yourself away from.  Robert Morris wasn’t the assistant who delivered coffee.
 
The charges surrounding Morris didn’t come to national prominence until more recently, but his church was informed about the family’s charge back in 1987.  And there was a range of letters back and forth with lawyers in 2007, before Trump took office.
 
This is just such a pure Trump thing.  Not just that your faith advisor has pled guilty to sexual abuse of a minor, when you’re being overwhelmed by questions about your involvement with a pedophile.  But the fact that Morris’s past slipped through the crackerjack Trump due diligence squad (if it even did "slip through") is so unsurprising, given that their standard has always been, “If Trump wants him on board, put him on board.”
 
It's what brought us advisor Corey Lewandowsnki, who was later fired for several charges of sexual abuse – only to bring him back in Trump’s second term.  And brought us Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, accused of rape.  And brought us staff secretary Rob Porter who had to resign after charges by two ex-wives of domestic abuse.  And brought us Attorney General-nominee Matt Gaetz who withdrew over investigations of sexual misconduct with minors.  And brought us Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, accused of rape.
 
But then, what do you expect when the person in charge has been adjudicated for what the judge wrote was the equivalent of rape.
 
Of course, it’s not just sexual abusers who get past due diligence, but whoever Trump wants on any level without qualifications that is a standard of his administration.  It’s what also brought us FBI Director Kash Patel, Homeland Security Director Kristi Noem, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Junior, Border Czar Tom Homan (caught on video accepting a $50,000 bribe), Education Secretary Linda McMahon, 22-year-old college grad Thomas Fugate made a senior head of a DHS counterterrorism task force, parking garage lawyer Alina Habba, insurance claim attorney Lindsey Halligan and so many others.  Including, lest we forget Elon Musk and his merry band of college grad hackers.
 
But for now, this isn’t about all the incompetents, sexual abusers and lack of due diligence that Trump has brought into his administration.
 
It’s just about one thing – that goes directly to the core of who Trump is:  his former “faith advisor” pleading guilty of sexual abuse of a minor.
 
It’s just so Trump.  In the midst of the storm engulfing him over his involvement with a sexual predator.
 
This is not normal.

And it must be added -- imagine if this was President Biden.  (We don't have to imagine if it was President Obama, since he did face a situation -- not remotely the same, but a cousin -- where his current pastor made some harsh comments about the U.S.  That's not even in the same category as pleading guilty to sexual abuse by of minor, committed by your former faith advisor.  And yet Obama was attacked and questioned about it for days, and he condemned the comments and regretfully cut his ties.) Yet this galling story with Trump's former faith advisor didn't make a blip on TV news, and almost none elsewhere.  But imagine if this was President Biden.

We don't have to imagine if this was Trump.  It's almost standard operating procedure.  But it's still not normal.
 
And it will get worse.  Because he has surrounded himself with unqualified incompetents, many of whom have caused the problems.  And has dementia, which is degenerative.