Silence is Not Golden

So, during the last couple of days, we've seen the following news stories with one notable thing between them in common.

A domestic terrorist amassed a massive arsenal of weapons with the intent to shoot Democratic officials and members of the press.

A North Carolina election won by the Republican candidate was determined to be a case of fraud, and the results were overturned with a new election to take place.

A federal judge said that prosecutors, including current Labor Secretary Alex Acosta, broke the law in a plea deal for a despicably heinous sex case concerning Jeffrey Epstein.

What all these three stories have in common is the total silence by Trump and the Republican Party.  The party of Law and Order, Family Values and Morals.  Silence.  Crickets chirping.  

If the terrorist had been someone with dark skin or with foreign ancestry, or from another country, I think it likely (based on his history) that Trump would have instantly been sending out tweets about the dangers to America and the need for his wall.  And Republicans would have supported him.  Instead, Trump only finally responded after two full days when asked about it.  And all he said is that it was "a shame."  And that he had no further comments until he had his final briefing on the subject in a couple hours.  Waiting for an initial briefing, let alone a final one two days later, is not part of the Trump DNA or history.  Further, when asked if he felt any responsibility for his language, the man who talks about "shith*les," grabbing "p*ssy," Adam "Sch*tt," "Enemies of the People" and much, much, much more and worse said that he thinks his language has been "nice."

For years now, and especially the past two, Republican officials -- and especially Trump -- have cried about "election fraud" when there have been an almost insignificantly number of cases found.  But here, where there was profound, actual election fraud, not a single word from Republicans.  The only real difference is that was perpetrated by a Republican.  And it was very real and substantial, not just impacting a few meaningless votes, but affecting the result of an election.

For years now -- actually, no, for decades -- Republicans have tried to claim the Crown of Purity and Virtue, and smear Democrats and liberals for wanton immorality.  But when a disgustingly sick case comes along about a Republican and, most especially, that it concerns a member of the Trump cabinet, the most that Trump can say only when asked is that Alex Acosta has done a good job as Labor Secretary, but he doesn't know about what happened before.  Not knowing hasn't stopped him from commenting on horrible news before.  And further, one would think that when vetting his Labor Secretary that this is the sort of thing that should have been deeply investigated (since the plea deal was on the record, in fact Acosta was even asked about it at his confirmation hearing), but perhaps did know. 

And yet for all three of these story -- silence.  By Trump and Republican officials.  Total, deafening silence.  Until questions were imposed on them.  And even then, nothing.  Platitudes.  Gee, I don't know.  Let me wait and see.  Total, unadulterated silence.

All of which speaks disgusting, repulsive volumes.

And all of which, again, points to none of this being about Trump.  We have long known who he is.  Rather, this is about the elected officials of the Republican Party who enable him and allow it to all continue..