Corruption and Consequences
The price paid for Trump’s corruption and Republicans’ refusal to stop it
“The dishonest, fraudulent, or illegal use of entrusted power or authority for private or personal gain.” That’s corruption. It’s not just about self-enrichment, though there’s plenty of that with Donald Trump.
By now you know that Trump is by light years the most corrupt president in US history. What’s hard to keep in focus — in the midst of the constant stream of revelations — is the scope and consequences of all this corruption. We’re becoming numb. Though the announcement of the $1.8 billion personal slush fund of your money may just have broken through.
In the past, we knew there were crooks and conmen among us, but we counted on whistleblowers and investigative reporters to expose them and shame, prosecutions, and resignations to swiftly follow. Not now. The Trump and MAGA rot runs deep.
Corruption
A comprehensive list of Trump’s corruption exceeds the ambition of this post but abbreviated highlights include:
Billions of dollars of crypto and other “investments” given directly to Trump, his inauguration, ballroom, businesses, and his family in return for access and government actions favorable to the givers. Trump’s net worth has more than doubled during Trump II.
A $2 billion investment in the Trump family crypto business and a $500 million deal with the UAE yielded the right to buy American AI computing chips, chips the Biden administration had refused to sell because of fears that some of the chips would end up in China.
The gift of a luxury 747 from Qatar, followed by the announcement of security guarantees and defense deals for Qatar. Taxpayers are investing up to another $1 billion in the plane so it can serve as Air Force One and the plane will become the property of Trump’s post-presidential entity. It will be Trump’s plane.
Lucrative no-bid contracts to Trump allies.
Millions of dollars in insider trading by Trump.
$40 million paid by Amazon for a documentary on First Lady Melania Trump, from which Melania will personally receive more than $28 million.
Frivolous lawsuits to intimidate and gain millions of dollars in “settlements.”
Hundreds of FBI agents, lawyers, Inspectors General, and other key federal employees fired to whitewash Trump’s criminality and exact revenge. The Department of Justice has violated the law, misled judges, and tampered with grand juries to further retribution.
The pardon power used to settle personal scores, reward political allies, and reinforce the Big Lie. People pay millions to buy pardons and millions of dollars owed to victims and the US government are wiped away
Trump’s name and image plastered across Washington. Trump razed the East Wing and erects gaudy monuments to himself in our name.
A bogus lawsuit “settled” to create the $1.8 billion slush fund to pay Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, other J6 convicts, and his friends and allies. This fake “settlement” also absolves him from all past tax liability.
Finally, Trump no longer even needs to threaten many CEOs. They now obey in advance. That’s also corruption.
In the before times, any one of these would have ignited a major scandal. Now they are just another day in Trump’s Oval Office.
Remember, and as I’ve emphasized before, Trump is arguably not the one most to blame here. He is mentally ill and can only do what he’s doing. The majority of Congressional Republicans know better. They could stop all of this tomorrow through impeachment and conviction or, barring that, at least reign in some of it by reasserting their Article I authority.
Consequences for our democracy, the rule of law, government, and society
Corruption undermines trust in our democracy and system of government, trust that decisions will be based on the fair application of the law, trust that we are all equal before the law, and trust that self-government works. Democracy requires trust.
Trust lost now will not soon be restored and we don’t know whether and how well our democratic and legal institutions will regain their credibility after Trump’s gone.
Trump’s corruption and MAGA’s acceptance of it poisons voters’ view of politics and politicians and leads many Americans to throw up their hands and disengage: “they all do it.”
Trump’s corruption turns us against each other. Those who now stand up for democracy and the rule of law blame those who enable the corruption, who resent being accused.
Trump’s weaponization prosecutions encourage his followers to believe he’s just responding in kind to the prior DOJ’s prosecutions of Trump and his cronies. They can’t — or won’t — distinguish between prosecutions with evidence and the law on their side and those without. They conveniently ignore that the prosecutions against Trump et al. were validated by judges and juries while judges and grand juries are now confirming the illegitimacy of Trump’s prosecutions.
The corruption of the legal system and DOJ to exonerate J6 insurrectionists also serves Trump’s purpose of rewriting history and legitimizing his claim that the 2020 election was stolen, all of which undermines faith in elections, a bedrock of democracy.
The failure of our legal and political systems to prevent or stop this corruption points to the importance of democratic norms. We’ve learned that the Constitution and laws are not enough. They are useless unless well-intentioned people — members of Congress, elected officials, office holders, lawyers, judges, and Supreme Court justices — give them force.
This corruption will also discourage young people of integrity from pursuing public service. Though perhaps, once the current corruptors are gone, a new generation may seize the opportunity to build better guardrails to block the next corrupt authoritarian wannabe.
The carnage caused by this administration may take a generation to repair. It’s much easier to tear down than build. Repair in this case can’t just mean replicating the status quo ante. New, stronger legal and political systems and enforcement mechanisms must protect us.
We owe it to our children and grandchildren to clean up this stupendous mess.
Do not vote for anyone who has refused to unequivocally condemn this corruption. None of Iowa’s all-Republican Congressional delegation would qualify.
Excellent commentary again, Jim. I am going to focus most on getting that huge majority of people who didn't vote to vote. Sounds simple, but infusing call-to-action into an inertia-bound group is not. I also continue to believe that the groundswell of understanding is reaching previously unreached populations. Keep on preachin', brother.
Agreeing with 'Culture Buzz.' Every one of your fraud statements should be received like a blow the stomach. I'm standing.