By Donald A. Collins | 11 August 2022
Church and State
In 1776 Thomas Paine’s pamphlet “Common Sense” set America on its path to a unique republic. Now many citizens, if they are thinking about the subject at all, are wondering if our republic established in 1791, as Benjamin Franklin warned “if you can keep it”, will continue without veering into authoritarianism.
On August 8, Donald Trump released the news FIRST of the FBI’s raid authorized by a judge to search of former President’s Mar-a-Lago home for documents Trump should have not taken with him after he left the Presidency.
His anguished cry, right out of Trump’s standard play book that this raid was unjust, immediately had his desired effect of getting him cast in the role of victim.
Such worthies as South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, the ex’s frequent golf partner and aspirant House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a main Trump ring kisser both squealed at the injustice of this raid.
McCarthy claimed the Department of Justice had been “weaponized” against Trump.
This victim theme is sure to dominate the Trump GOP’s campaign rhetoric as the midterms loom in November. What will happen to those phony cries about Biden’s high gas prices and inflation?
Read here some of the reactions to the raid from some of Trump’s GOP luminaries.
For 24 hours after the FBI executed a search warrant at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort and residence in South Florida, Republicans of almost every stripe flocked to Trump’s defense. https://t.co/SdMgDV55Hg
— Yahoo News (@YahooNews) August 10, 2022
This article in part says: “For 24 hours after the FBI executed a search warrant at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort and residence in South Florida — the first time FBI agents have raided the home of a former U.S. president — Republicans of almost every stripe flocked to Trump’s defense, all using variations of the long-standing trope that a dark cabal was out to get him.”
Trump loves to be “the victim”, a role he repeated here.
“Former President Donald Trump declined to answer questions on Wednesday during a deposition with the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James, asserting his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.”
"The mob takes the Fifth" – Trump
"If you're innocent, why are you taking the Fifth" – Trump
“Fifth Amendment. Fifth Amendment. Fifth Amendment. Horrible" – Trump
"The Fifth, I think it’s disgraceful" – Trump
Trump takes the Fifth https://t.co/O3cXVlY1Xb
— Kevin Maguire (@Kevin_Maguire) August 11, 2022
Trump, who has long accused James of conducting a politically motivated probe into his family’s real estate business, said in a statement Wednesday that he had “absolutely no choice” but to take the Fifth during his under-oath interview with the attorney general’s office.
James is leading an investigation into Trump Organization business practices, examining allegations that the former president’s company misstated asset values on financial documents.
“I once asked, ‘If you’re innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?’ Now I know the answer to that question,” Trump said in a statement released by his post-presidential office. “When your family, your company, and all the people in your orbit have become the targets of an unfounded, politically motivated Witch Hunt supported by lawyers, prosecutors, and the Fake News Media, you have no choice.”
His constant attacks, based on lies about America’s leading institutions, has had a highly deleterious effect of major consequences on our democracy. Remember “Fake News”?
For example, our voting rights are now in danger.
Read here.
Depending on where you live, the way you vote could change significantly ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.
Republican state legislators have introduced hundreds of bills that would tighten access to voting around the country. https://t.co/p9qDA9MAZj
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) June 6, 2021
The article details how “Texas Democrats have so far blocked proposed voting limits there by leaving the state. But at least 17 other states have enacted laws this year that tighten the rules around casting ballots and running elections.”
Pressure on anyone who dares criticizes Trump can even expect possible violence.
Read an example here.
President Donald Trump's growing call for an "army" of supporters to "monitor" voting has raised concerns about voter intimidation and suppression of minority groups.https://t.co/ugX5lxEbwh
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) October 14, 2020
Of course, the GOP collapse by 70 percent of elected members of Congress to the failure to contest Trump’s outrageous lies has left Liz Chaney and only a few Republicans willing to stop mouthing them.
Then his legacy of appointing religious zealots to the Supreme Court will give our highest court a “stench”, as Justice Sotomayor said, for years.
Breakdown in the American public’s confidence in our main institutions such as the 3 branches of the Federal government as the result of Trump’s lies, especially his lie about the Big Steal have deeply threatened our democracy.
This rogue ex-President needs to be indicted and convicted to restore our belief in how our system of laws works, especially since the lawbreaker is the ex-President of the United States!
Historians privately warn Biden that America’s democracy is teetering https://t.co/cBUl7mqEsN
— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) August 11, 2022
So far Trump has been able to emulate the transitory luck of NYC Mafia boss John Gotti in avoiding conviction for his many criminal acts, especially trying to engineer a coup to prevent Biden from taking office after winning the 2020 election. Gotti was called The Teflon Don by the media, until he was convicted in 1992 and spent the rest of his life in jail where he died in 2002.
My readers may recall my earlier Op Ed on how Mitch McConnell’s stiffing Merrick Garland for a Supreme Court position at the tail end of the Obama Presidency now makes Garland, as Attorney General, Trump’s potential chief prosecutor.
Trump’s chickens may at last be coming home to roost. Perhaps, as he has been urged to do by many of his GOP supporters, Trump may soon announce his intention to run for a second term for President in 2024. By then of course he may be in jail!
Former US Navy officer, banker and venture capitalist, Donald A. Collins, a free lance writer living in Washington, DC, has spent over 50 years working for women’s reproductive health as a board member and/or officer of numerous family planning organizations including Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Guttmacher Institute, Family Health International and Ipas. Yale under graduate, NYU MBA. He is the author of “From the Dissident Left: A Collection of Essays 2004-2013”, “Trump Becoming Macbeth: Will our democracy survive?”, “We Humans Overwhelm Our Earth: 11 or 2 Billion by 2100?”, “What Can Be Done Now to Save Habitable Life on Planet Earth?”, “Vote” and “Can Homo Sapiens Survive?”.“What Can Be Done Now to Save Habitable Life on Planet Earth?”: https://t.co/fHuh0CG6JD
“We Humans Overwhelm Our Earth: 11 or 2 Billion by 2100?”: https://t.co/TA4j7cp1tE
“From the Dissident Left: A Collection of Essays 2004-2013”: https://t.co/lkC2t3E1A9 pic.twitter.com/bQsL2mLBcO— Church and State (@ChurchAndStateN) November 1, 2021
‘Deadly serious matter’: Bernstein on FBI search of Trump home
Lawrence: ‘Trump Knows What The FBI Found’ In Search Of FL Home
Trump takes the Fifth at deposition
GOP ‘Rejected Voting Rights Bill Before Even Reading It’
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