Trump says he hires the “best people.” Let’s see.
Trump appointees/associates who have plead guilty to federal crimes:
Michael Flynn, National Security Advisor
George Papadopoulos, Campaign foreign-policy adviser
Paul Manafort, Campaign Chairman
Rick Gates, Deputy Campaign Chairman
Michael Cohen, Trump’s personal lawyer and fixer
The people he hired/appointed in his first year-and-two-thirds, and have been fired, or forced to resign because of corrupt activities, or because they can’t work with him, or have been convicted of felonies, are too numerous to list here. Let me just say that in all my years of politics-watching I have never seen corruption, chaos, and criminal activity on this scale. Someone pointed out that not even the most famous mob bosses had this many associates convicted of federal and state crimes. And . . . the President himself remains under investigation for possible collusion with a foreign power, obstruction of justice, financial crimes, and conspiracy against the United States. We await Mueller’s report.
Trump calls Mueller’s investigation a “witch hunt.” What is a witch hunt? The dictionary says it refers to:
An intensive effort to discover and expose disloyalty, subversion, dishonesty, or the like, usually based on slight, doubtful, or irrelevant evidence.
I suppose the term originated with the “witches” of Salem, Massachusetts, many of whom were property-owning widows whose trials, convictions, and executions were perpetrated under false pretenses so their properties could be acquired by their accusers (See Carl Sagan’s The Demon-Haunted World).
Have the criminals found by Mueller’s team been wrongly charged and convicted? Have they been made to confess by threat of, or actual, torture? Mueller’s investigation would only be a witch hunt if it found no criminal activity by Team Trump, but that does not appear to be the case.
Bob Moores
Chestertown
Frances Reed says
I would respectfully point out that the comment “Have the criminals found by Mueller’s team been wrongly charged and convicted? Have they been made to confess by threat of, or actual, torture? Mueller’s investigation would only be a witch hunt if it found no criminal activity by Team Trump, but that does not appear to be the case.” isn’t accurate. With the exception of Michael Flynn (his firing occurring before the special council was even in place) and every one of those subsequently charged and/or convicted had NOTHING to do with the investigation into Trump collusion— they were charges based on misbehavior or potential criminal activity that had been going on for years and had nothing to do with Trump’s presidency or “Russian collusion” by Trump and his campaign. Assigning guilt and assuming wrong doing by Trump because you intensely dislike him doesn’t hold up in a court of law without factual evidence pertinent to the Special Council’s original assignment . Let Mueller finish his investigation and present his findings on RUSSIAN COLLUSION and then, if you are right, you can crow about it all you want snd I will cede to your “holier than thou” pre-verdict, verdict.
Bob Moores says
Ms. Reed and Mr. Kirchner:
I didn’t mention the 13 Russian GRU officers and 12 oligarchs Vladimir Putin directed to help Trump’s election who have been indicted by Mueller, or the five others Mueller charged with crimes related to the election. My point was that a witch hunt is supposed to be a hunt for a wrongly accused person, and Mueller has proved that his investigation does not fit that definition.
The five people I mentioned plead guilty to criminal activities either before or during Trump’s presidential campaign. They have plea-bargained with Mueller for reduced sentences in exchange for their cooperation. Yes, Flynn’s crimes occurred before the special counsel was appointed, but it was Mueller who got a guilty plea from Flynn as he was about to be charged for false statements to the FBI. I did not say any of the five were found guilty of COLLUSION, which is not a chargeable crime anyway. However, obstruction of justice, perjury, tax fraud, and conspiracy against the United States are crimes, and whether or not Trump and/or associates engaged in these activities is being investigated by Mueller. The fact that Mueller has not published his report says nothing about Trump’s guilt or innocence. The reason why I assume the worse for Trump is because he has done everything he can to hinder, demean, delegitimize, and quash Mueller’s investigation. He does not act like an innocent man. As for me hoping to “crow” about being right, or that I come off as “holier than thou,” I’m sorry that that is your perception. People who know me don’t view me that way.
As for Mr. Kirchner’s grouping me with “establishment democrats,” I consider myself an independent. In fifteen presidential elections I have voted seven times democratic, seven times republican, and once for an independent. I am an AMERICAN before political affiliation. I vote for the leader I think will do the best job for our country while representing the ideals important to me. Has The Donald drained the swamp? Please. It hurts when I laugh this hard.
Reed says
Mr. Moore—every person has a right to defend themselves. Including Donald Trump. America is supposed to be a country of “Innocent until proven guilty.”
People WANT Donald Trump to be guilty, already judge him to be guilty and insult him at every turn. He cannot be right about anything(even when he is) This seems unhinged and very sad. I don’t know whether he colluded with Russia or not. I happen to believe not, but time will tell. Think about this for a minute; if you were innocent of something you were being vilified for, would you remain silent? (silence can also be interpreted as guilt!) I think not. Defending oneself is not a crime, nor proof of one.
I too am an independent, after being a Democrat for forty five years. I was also in big business for many years at a fairly high level and it has always bugged me that most people in the House and Senate, who are professional politicians have never managed anything and no longer have a clue about the real world (many of them have also made personal fortunes whilst in elected office) Trump is a successful business man who turned a million dollar loan into a multi billion dollar empire. That’s not an easy thing to do.
I always thought Congress should be run by businessmen (as our founding fathers were) they have more knowledge of the real world.
As for all the comments about him not having drained the swamp. Think about this, he is one man. The swamp is many. All determined not to let him. Including many life time politicians who are bought and paid for by lobbyists and big business (by bought and paid for— I mean they “owe” their donors for their contributions.) One of the things I admire about Trump is that he owes no one, because he mostly paid for his campaign himself, AND he was frugal and clever with his money. Hilary (with donors money) spent over a billion dollars. The 2016 election was hers to lose, she did, and she shouldn’t have. Trump has done his best to keep his campaign promises. Given that he is thwarted and vilified at every turn, I think he has done a remarkable job.
By the way, President Obama ridiculed George Romney for saying Russia was our biggest threat, and also said that there was no way Russia could interfere in our elections—and ALL the interference was under his watch. How soon we forget his open mike “Tell Putin I can do more after I am elected.” moment.
Ed Minch says
Ms. Reed
Did you mean this?
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/2/20/17032210/trump-obama-rigged-election-russia
Fred W. J. Kirchner says
Mr. Moores,
It is quite obvious that you have boarded the WRONG train, and you cannot transfer anymore. You are stuck along with the growing number of establishment democrats who excelled to elite in the swamp of REAL collusion and corruption.. It’s not about republicans or democrats, as Teddy Roosevelt also said, it is about AMERICA. The President is doing his job to return the republic to the public! As for the Witches of Salem, the inference was applied to the President as a Witch Hunt, in that most of the “widows” you mention were also children and young women, who suffered mental illness’ such as epilepsy, Autism, schizophrenia, and manic depression.. They were murdered by “Crisis Communication Experts” (FAKE NEWS) of the time. The old “Tammany Hall” is finally gone today after Teddy Roosevelt went after Boss Tweed etc. It seems to me the NEW Tammany Hall may be the Clinton Foundation !! But this is a matter that will be addressed in the president’s second term to “KEEP” America Great Again! The water in the “swamp” is MONEY.. When the Donald drains the money, the creatures (career obstructionist democrats in congress) go bonkers to try to survive, but they eventually evaporate. ALL RINO tickets for the train have been voided!
Deirdre LaMotte says
All you poor people. What would you do without “Clinton” ? It fuels all your resentments and hate, along with minorities, women……
Frances Reed says
We do very well without Clinton, thank you very much. The resentment and hate seem to be at an insane level on the Democrats side, so perhaps you are projecting your own hate and resentment? It certainly seems so.
Deirdre LaMotte says
Any “hate and resentment” on the Democrats side is there because our democracy is being trashed and anyone with an ounce integrity knows that.
Deirdre LaMotte says
I know!! How typical of him to lie to his fellow racists that he’ll only have the best and brightest…and drain the swamp.
He is not fit to shine Robert Mueller’s shoes.
Gren Whitman says
Mr. Moores’ final sentence is key: “Mueller’s investigation would only be a witch hunt if it found no criminal activity by Team Trump, but that does not appear to be the case.”
That’s it, in a nutshell.