America, we have a problem
During the past week, several bombshell reports have come out in the New York Times and Washington Post about “President” Donald Trump and his interactions and potentially work for Russia. Palmer Report has provided extensive analysis of these developments. Perhaps the term for the important and vital work that the press does in this nation every day, despite being attacked as the “enemy of the people,” is “Faker News.” They are revealing the faker in the White House with each and every article they publish.
What is equally disturbing in the whole Trump acting in concert with Russia story line is how the feckless Republicans in Congress have been in coming to Trump’s defense. Senator Lindsey “Kompromat by the kilogram” Graham’s first reaction to the news that the FBI had started an investigation into possible relationships between Trump and Russia was to attack the messenger, the FBI, stating: “If this really did happen, Congress needs to know about it. How could the FBI do that? What kinds of checks and balances are there?”
Graham also insisted that Congress would not subpoena the interpreter to testify, claiming such action would chill future presidential meetings with foreign nations. However, missing in that analysis is that this “president” is being investigated for committing crimes against the United States, and such meetings of illegality should not be conducted – and if they are, they should see the light of day.
Senator Ted Cruz, not to be outdone, responded to the reports of the FBI’s serious investigation by somehow suggesting Trump was tougher on Russia and Putin than Obama (details apparently still forthcoming, given there is bupkis to support that assertion): “If you compare objectively, President Trump’s policies to Russia compared to President Obama’s policies to Russia — by any measure, President Obama was much easier, was much more gentler on Russia.”
Finally, Representative Jim “Gym” Jordan told 60 Minutes on Sunday night that he has never seen a president attacked more than Trump, ignoring that Congress issued about a hundred subpoenas to President Obama and his administration, and not a single one to Trump in the two years Republicans controlled it. Something is affecting the feckless GOP and it is more than fear of being primaried, or of rebuking Trump. With so many being blind sycophants, one must consider what their exposure is, and from whom they might be exposed.
Daniel is a lawyer writing and teaching about SCOTUS, and is the author of the book “The Chief Justices” about the SCOTUS as seen through the center seat.