Hit the nail on the head, again. There can be no capitulating with those intent on undermining our democracy & rule of law. There’s not a lot of grey area around what Trump did with these extremely sensitive documents. It’s staggering. And God only knows how he’s used them (or the devil). He cannot be coddled, or above the law! His cult already threatened the judge (& family) who signed search warrant. I’m concerned his female FL judge will approve a master to delay for Trump &/or avoid his wrath. And good luck seating a jury who’s not afraid! We cannot have a craven mob boss calling the shots. The best strategy? The power and safety in numbers. Hit Trump and cult with a flurry of actions. Pick up the pace, the goods are there (GA, NY, FL, Jan 6). Get them off balance, w/security in place. Rip off the bandaid! After 7 yrs of this lawless treachery it’s time to end Trump’s corrosive hold and impact on America.
The Justice Department did not mention it in their brief, but the local rules of the Southern District of Florida require that the complaint should have been filed in West Palm Beach rather than Ft. Pierce, and therefore Judge Cannon does not have venue.
BTW she was appointed after Trump lost the election.
JD argues that Trump has no standing. Cited to Thompson where SCOTUS said he has no executive privilege. JD can appeal to ask for a hearing en banc, with a panel of judges in the Southern District or to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeal.
I think that JD had so many other issues to cover and didn't want to offend the judge, hoping she'll dismiss Trump's motion on other grounds. .
Like the deaths of our assets. Three top secret documents were found in Trump's desk along with his passports. I wonder where (Russia) they were headed. How much of it has already been sent out and lets not forget that all he has to do is pick up the phone and call his buddy Putin to tell him what is on the documents. I am hoping his phone has been bugged.
I made some comments below. Quoted from other sources. Trump has a history. When Trump was elected, members of Russian intelligence and Putin’s inner circle were literally partying in Moscow, explicitly celebrating a victory they truly believed they helped make happen.
In his first months in office, Trump outed an Israeli spy to the Russian Ambassador, resulting in MOSAD having to “burn” (relocate, change identity of) that spy. That, in turn, prompted the CIA to worry that a longtime US spy buried deep in the Kremlin was similarly vulnerable to Trump handing him over to Putin.
I speculate that lots of "guests," lobbyists, Mar a Lago members may may/not be foreign agents.
A sharp spike in US agents captured or killed occurred in the year after Trump demanded a list of American agents.
This traitor has done incalculable damage to our national security, & is still a threat. He should be apprehended & imprisoned immediately while awaiting trial for the sake of public & national security as would happen with any other such clear & present danger.
whoa Ms. Judy...unnecessary admonition, don't you think? Sure it's more dignified to refer to him with his proper name but Trump and dignity, integrity and propriety have long since parted company.
Who does Ms. Sheets name calling hurt? It certainly doesn't justify YOU calling her even worse names. I think your post might serve as the definition of hypocrisy.
You know what's truly moronic? To continue to believe the Big Lie after all the evidence that was presented against it. There is NO EVIDENCE supporting the lie and mounds of evidence proving that the election was free and fair.
Sounds like somebody didn't watch the January 6th Committee hearings. After the multitude of evidence presented against Trump's Big Lie, and Trumps painful lack of evidence, it's astonishing that you still believe in him. Please WATCH THE HEARINGS. Trump has been corrupt since long before he was elected and continues to do everything he can to undermine our government in order to promote his own ambitions.
Judy, now you sound like the moron ....... also recommend you read Sara's recommended reading titled Response to Motion for Judicial Oversight and Additional Relief ...... have you failed to watch any of the January 6th hearings? Also recommend you read Daniel Solomon's comments for added clarity about Trump misinformation and the law. Biden may not be FDR but he has given a good account of himself and has done a hell of a job while tolerating deniers like you.
Oh Alice, well-said! I agree with you that we need to stay active in pursuing the Trump cult no matter what they say or how they whine. Trump is a criminal who wants to be a mob boss somehow above the law. I don't understand how it is not possible for those making the threats to be prosecuted. We do end up with a lot of trouble when the threat-makers and those who follow them face no consequences. I would love to see them face 100 hours of supervised community service for each threat. That's my new goal. As long as we let them continue their bad behavior, it will escalate because it usually does. They are always looking for their next risk that will not really put them personally at risk.
Trump has been a mob boss since his New York days. You do not engage in real estate in NYC without brushing up against the mob. He has been a criminal his entire life. The Republican constituency foolishly gave him a world pulpit. They realized that their jobs were being sent to China and their Republican representatives were sending them down the river. They rebelled and that is how we got Trump. Since they can't vote for Democrats nor any other Corporate Republican they can never admit that Trump is a lying crook. The Democrats need to increase the fines on illegal corporations that do the illegal hiring and create a tariff that is flexible and leads to equity in the foreign markets and reduces the incentive to send jobs overseas, Also, change the tax Code to penalize, and while we are at it tax the Christian Church to pay for the necessary adoption agencies, Right now it looks like the Democrats are doing nothing to bring back American jobs or to keep American jobs here and until that is changed we will create more rascists and have to deal with the crazies.
Completely agree with this. Neoliberal economic policies have devastated the middle class, American way of life, most people are struggling and millions don't have health care. It is no wonder this country has morphed into becoming a fascist country, teetering on the edge of authoritarianism. THIS is what the ruling class has imposed on the American people.
The moneyed authoritarianism that we’re having to defeat will do NOTHING to help the middle class. Fraudster Rick Scott (Senator Skeletor) of Florida wants to heavily tax people on the low end of the scale. They will try to stomp on anyone who gets in their way.
Republican representatives fought hard and succeeded in outsourcing U.S. Jobs and fought for tax breaks for the wealthy causing wealth inequality. These were not neoliberal policies. It was voting for "so-called" conservatives that broke the bank. A listing of voting records on offshoring can be found at https://offshoringthecorporateguidempa1984.com.
Thank you Glenn for this clarification. You are right, yeah, the GOP reps did outsource U.S. jobs and fought our tax system. (Jack Welch of GE was a pioneer for this endeavor) I couldn't access the link, didn't work.
I think you need an up to date browser to enter. My old one had the same affect. The newer one obtained entry. The area marked BILLS shows a history of Republican control of offshoring.
I concur with every point in Robert Reich's seminal post. An anti-democratic minority of flavors diverse but common goal is attempting to impose their will on the vast majority of the population. 25% at most in sympathizers, 15% in active supporters, 3-4% in core participants: these constitute a MINORITY completely opposed not only to American systems of government as embodied in the Constitution and the acquis of constitutional law but to the rule of law and the exercise of democracy itself. Bigotry is endemic amongst their numbers, against minorities, immigrants, and above all against women as 'soft targets' whose sacrifice promotes their extreme agenda, a toxic bigotry which veers into fascism for too many involved. Extreme falsification of conspiracies---call these what they are, FAKED and duplicitous claims---and the constant incitement of unstable individuals to massacres of 'them' are simply the most odious and cutting edge of their agenda. These minority extremists all have _always_ been here; they are part of America along with the rest of us. They are not new; their attempt to suborn and intimidate the majority are not new either, except in its open boldness at present. This extreme majority has colonized and zombified one of the two major political parties in the country. Think about it: the Republican caucus in Congress is in its great number entirely unrepresentative of the American public in their extremity, even of the legitimately conservative citizenry of the country who these extremists are indeed purging from that party. This extreme and unrepresentative minority have had to be defeated before, and must and will be defeated again, NOW.
They did not organize themselves this time. A cadre of ultraright billionaires, some not even American citizens, have instigated this extreme minority by ceaseless propaganda for the last 40 years, demonizing the poor, minorities, taxes to pay for common institutions rather than private wealth, and liberal governance; have flooded the electoral system with their dirty money; have bought the appointment of legally corrupt judges to strangle the checks and balances of the present system. These billionaires can at this point only be described as _traitorous_ in that they are actively doing all in their power to suborn the institutions of American governance and the electoral process which supports those, to overthrow the will and welfare of the people, to refuse to pay taxes but in fact to _extract_ enormous concessions and payments to themselves from the public fisc and the American financial system. To defeat the extreme minority of the citizenry while leaving in place the microscopic minority of corrupt wealth, the serpent's head of the rightest oligarchs and their bought and paid for jurists, is for the country to fail, for these crypto-fascist puppet masters, to call them who and what they are, will simply reconstitute a less overtly despicable party to push their toxic agenda into the veins of the body politic again. Red America and the fascist oligarchs who enable it are twin threats to the civil tradition and personal freedom of everyone in the country, and must be engaged and defeated together.
"The essential political choice in America, therefore, is no longer Republican or Democrat, right or left, conservative or liberal. It is democracy or authoritarian fascism. There can be no compromise between these two — no halfway point, no “moderate middle,” no “balance.” To come down squarely on the side of democracy is not to be “partisan.” It is to be patriotic." That is the situation in a nutshell, yes, I agree with that. The large majority of the country have been too slow to act, bamboozled by 'moderate [false] balancing' foisted on them by a rightist and self-dealing media. The Democratic Party has been almost criminally slow to face up to the issues involved, but the realization of the potential for a minority soft coup in this country has come home to them. Democrats win the elections by millions of votes, but find themselves losing offices or crippled in power by structural fetters designed to kneecap majority rule, and increasingly and undemocratically gerrymandered so severely that 'one person, one vote' is a corrupt joke in whole tracts of the country. The current Administration dawdled for 18 months in the face of a blatant seditious conspiracy to subvert the 2020 general election, perhaps to build a stronger case but the effect was only to embolden the extreme minority into outright fascism and attempts to intimidate by threats of violence. Any anti-democratic insurrectionary 'riots in the streets' must be met by the full force of the law. Legitimate dissent and protest must be protected, yes, but those don't included armed mobs and physical threats against officers of the government and the electoral process, at any level. I don't doubt that the institutions of American governance are equal to those extremist threats---if used. Biden's is the hand at present which must direct those institutions. He and the DoJ must take the fight to fascism, and it is a relief that this is finally being done, at least in its first steps.
Actions to oppose anti-democratic initiatives MUST reach the SCOTUS as well, where its current extreme and unrepresentative majority of (In)Justices are doing nothing less than gnawing at the root of the Constitution and American democracy itself. The Court must be expanded or purged, and preferably both: there is no halfway to that essential end. The institution is simply too powerful to leave its cabal of anti-democratic activists in place and unchecked, to continue their grossly anti-lawful attempts to rule the country by whim and decree to their liking.
It goes without saying that, for example, the American government can do nothing to constrain climate change threatening all alike without pushing the fascistic and frankly delusional minority of extremists, who have hollowed out the Republican Party and thereby poisoned public discourse and political negotiation, back under the rocks from which they have crawled to lick crumbs from a billionaire's dirty hands. This fight has fallen to our cohort and we must be equal to the challenge to disperse fascism in our midst. It's past time to start fighting in America _for_ America, but better almost too late than never.
Thank you, Robert Reich, for your voice of reason and clarity. This is the most important battle of our lifetimes. You are 100% correct. We, The People, are with you!
The evidence that history overwhelmingly supports Dr. Reich's assertion: "Not holding a former president accountable for gross acts of criminality will invite ever more criminality from future presidents and lawmakers" is right in front of our eyes. For those of us who are old enough to remember, let's start with the Reagan/HW Bush regime. Neither of them received an iota of accountability for their OBVIOUS neck deep participation in the "Iran/Contra" affair. At the time, it seemed like this was too close to Watergate and America didn't want to go through that again, plus Reagan was showing signs os Alzheimers and HW Bush was very "cunning" as a former CIA chief in avoiding prosecution - while many in their "orbit" were prosecuted. To me, the beginning of "the president is too "important" to be prosecuted.
Of course, HW Bush managed to follow Reagan so he wasn't about to initiate investigations and, ultimately Bush pardoned the "Iran/Contra felons." Then, Bill Clinton "looked forward" as Barack Obama would do 8 years later when he blocked the investigations into GW Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld and others for authorizing TORTURE in Iraq/Afghanistan/Gitmo (and various "dark sites" around the globe). It was about the time Bush/Cheney LIED "we the people" into Iraq when I started writing in my "diary in cyberspace" and predicted this was a TERRIBLE mistatke by Obama. He didn't want the distraction! (And, you can see why as Trump is "hogging" the headlines while Biden is busy legislating) But, the republicans took this to understand democrats don't have the stomach to stop their LAWBREAKING. My prediction (along with millions of other Americans) at the time: "With each successive corrupt administration it will get worse.
Well, along comes Trump. According to the Mueller Report (I read it twice) in volume II there were about 10 instances of OBSTRUCTION of Justice committed by Trump during the inquiry and the ONLY reason he wasn't indicted was the OLC memo stating a "sitting president can't be indicted." It's true that "memo" hasn't been challenged in court, but Mueller - despite taking pains to explain the significance of OBSTRUCTION - clearly was honoring that memo right from the beginning of his investigation. (Mueller "memorialized" the evidence so when out of office Trump could potentially be indicted) During that investigation we learned of the campaign finance violation which was key in sending Michael Cohen to jail (with Trump as "individual 1" an "unindicted co-conspirator") - two more examples of a president "getting off" from crimes which the rest of us would have found ourselves behind bars.
Of course, with Trump, there's always more - so, one day after Mueller testified before Congress and Trump felt he was "totally vindicated" he attempted to EXTORT Ukraine's president Zelensky. Then came January 6th, 2021, and, now, "topsecretgate." (I think I made that up) The point is, since GW Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld got the preverbial "get out of jail free card" - well, it's gotten even more out of hand than I had imagined. The question now, in my mind, is "did Trump lead a SEDITIOUS Conspiracy or did he commit TREASON? Who knows who has seen those documents recovered from Mar a Lago? Do you believe that's it, that he doesn't have more somewhere else? Has me made copies? He's as far from trustworthy as a human can get - yet, republicans believe they can simply threaten more violence and the Justice Department will cower in their boots and stand down.
Some argue, in essence, that, even though Trump is just another "citizen" it would be too "political" to indict him and exacerbate the division in this country. I've been saying all along, NOT indicting Trump will create far more "division" than indicting him. I say, "The sooner the better. Let's get it over with." Allowing him to get away with these crimes would be like flashing a "green light" to all those right wing republicans that make me shudder everytime I force myself to listen to one of them. The bottom line for me here is to emphatically emphasize that Dr. Reich is "right on" (as usual): "Not holding a former president accountable for gross acts of criminality will invite ever more criminality from future presidents and lawmakers." The proof is in our recent American History!
I totally agree. But didn't it really kick off when Ford pardoned Nixon? In an effort to "heal" us Ford set the stage for impunity. Nixon should have been busted and jailed.
I make the case that instead of letting crooks like this off the hook to avoid upsetting their supporters we should be MORE vigilant in prosecuting people "at the top". They are supposed to be role models. If nothing else, they should set a standard for integrity. If they fail in that department, no punishment is too harsh. This is about truth, justice and VALUES.
Bill, you are right about prosecuting those at the top. Because so few corporate players have ever been prosecuted for their bad behavior, the bad behavior has continued and even escalated over time. No one was charged for the 2007-08 recession when it was clear that a lot of guys, mostly white men, caused the disaster which led to untold hardship around the world. They spent no time behind bars and continue to do their dirty work against our economy and our nation, even to the point of influencing our elections, and destroying companies. I would like to see examples set of charging the big guys for a change. Then, we need to encourage the selection and development of better role models for ourselves and our young people.
Thanks for getting me riled up about the 2007 mortgage scam! A lot of people made a lot of money selling and reselling loans that were pure junk - destined to hurt citizens. And nobody paid a price for it. AND the tax payers bailed out the companies responsible for the con! Instead of helping the victims, we rewarded the White collar thugs. Makame crazy.
Bill, this is the best summation I have read. For too long, we, the people, have allowed the "too big to fail" theory to become a rule. We definitely need to seriously prosecute top down, not bottom up.
If a parent doesn’t discipline a child who repeatedly acts up, that child will grow up without a sense of decency. This is exactly what these presidents have enabled. This egregious behavior should stop now.
Garland is not called a STRATEGIST for nothing. All of you naysayers and doom and gloomers want justice NOW! It won't be quick, and it won't be easy. So stay the course, stay calm and focused on the end result. It's coming, layer upon layer. And Donnie is the one who's DOOMED. Maybe not before Nov election, but it will come. DOJ building rock solid case! Stop the whining, please!
If Trump and his minions are to be held accountable, then Garland has to proceed very wisely, carefully and have all of his facts and evidence very clear so no one sane will be running around squeaking that this is all a set-up to get Trump.
Alas, Tom, no matter what A.G. Garland does or does not do, there are going to be a lot of crazies running around claiming this was all political and a "witch hunt" for their Baby Donnie. I don't know how to avoid that because Trump cannot remain unindicted. He already thinks he is god and a bunch of his cult members do too. Trump and Kump have learned well from all the creeps of recent history just how to get away with actions that would have put any ordinary citizen or green card holder in jail. Trump and Kump see themselves as invulnerable. One way Congress could help. They could pass a law that no president can pardon anyone who helped him/her commit a crime that could be seen as helping a president in any way. Trump got to pardon a bunch of men who clearly broke the law, and on Trump's behalf. That might help stop some of the potential future criminal behavior.
Most statutes of limitation are about 3 years. That has not even passed yet for the Capital invasion. I knew Garland would not prosecute until the hearings were over so that some minds might shift and the riots (Civil War) will be smaller in number and frequency (especially as some of the worst offenders are put in jail). That is probably what he is waiting for. It makes sense to lessen the cost for the coming necessary prosecutions. Keep in mind that we will be fighting not only them but FOX news as well. The good news (or bad news depending on how you look at it) is that the latest protest dispute involved liberal counter-protesters toting their own machine guns.
I agree, Ruth, to all of what you've said and the other commentators. AG Garland
is slowly, but surely building as tight and secure a case against *45 as can possibly be built, considering how 'slippery' *45 has shown himself to be - over a long long
period of time and under many circumstances. Slippery as a 'greased PIG at the county fair'. Also, I've begun to think he is NOT the wealthy personage he claims to be - frequently 'borrowing' money form Deutschebank for one until they declined to loan even more - to run his 'country clubs' et al. As for 'witch hunt' -
there is a legend in my family that family members (by marriage I think) were hung as witches in Salem in the 1620's. PBS did a mini-series called: "Two Sovereigns for Sister Sara" about that episode... All in all, history 'does' repeat itself, because over time, humans 'refuse' to 'learn' from past episodes/mistakes.
System won't let me "heart" your comment but totally agree.... and there DO seem to be so MANY hard-core, totally involved accomplices, the DOJ investigations are obviously involved with more "potential" criminals they want to expose / indict at the same time. Complex situation.
Wow David! That is a lot to chew on. I am with you related to past presidential crimes, but I would go all the way back to Nixon and Watergate. Ford's claim of wanting to "heal the nation," meant we the people never actually confronted a criminal president. It did not help heal anything but gave Republicans and others some ideas for future use, and they used them only a dozen years later. Daddy Bush knew exactly what was happening with Iran-Contra and that they were breaking the law, but clearly thought he and Ronnie would gain something important by doing it. A lot of people died in Central America because of that law being broken. Baby Bush knew he would have free rein to do what he wanted because he saw what his daddy got away with. Cheney knew too, but did it anyway, lying about non-existent weapons got things started in Iraq before Afghanistan was settled. Again many lives were lost because of the lying and crimes against humanity related to torture, illegal imprisonment, and more. I, too, read the Mueller Report and was astounded at the evidence of obstruction and deception reported even though we didn't get to see the redacted parts. Mueller was not willing to stand up forcefully for the truth by providing such understated testimony that it looked like he was not in support of his own report. As you lay out here, Trump is clearly guilty of many crimes and still, his lawyers run interference for him, even to the point of signing documents under oath that their boss had no additional secret documents in his possession, when they must have known he did. I do understand that A.G. Garland is trying to cross all t's and dot all i's, but how many more crimes does Trump have to commit before he and other law enforcement say "enough." I am guessing one of those upcoming crimes is extortion or blackmail related to secrets his crew has dug up on Republican members of Congress and others. I am wondering which senator or house member will get courage first and blurt it out for all of us to finally know what Trump and Kump have been doing under the wire.
Right now Trump is above the law and has been for his entire life. He is the Teflon Don. Until he is prosecuted,it is painful to hear people say no one is above the law. They are.
Listen to Justice Matters.com. Glen Kirchner is a professor of law at Georgetown Univ.,a former federal prosecutor for 30 yrs. w/ the Justice Dept. and also supervised 30 prosecutors.I always feel reassured when I listen to him.
Many of the 74 million who voted for our former president drank the Kool-aid that was fortified with brain-eating Amoeba’s!
* First and foremost they don’t see anything wrong with the FACT that the former guy had the audacity to steal top secret, classified documents from the American people and our Government!
* We have to wonder, who else now knows the secrets designed to keep Americans safe? Wether he has shared or is planning to share them with our adversaries.
* We can thank FPOTUS for one thing. He has exposed himself and a lot of other Faux Americans!
* It won’t be easy but worth it to keep trying to convert as many of the 74 million as possible.
* Keep telling the truth about everything based on facts. No mis-information or conspiracy theories!
* And never fall into the same RAT hole they have fallen into!
* We need to keep the faith in and support our constitution and our federal institutions.
And most importantly hold our elected officials accountable! WE DO NOT WORK FOR THEM!! THEY WORK FOR US
Actually, history has shown that Mudd was wrongly maligned. The same definitely will not be true for Trump. But Mudd didn’t deserve the scapegoating he got.
Keith. Your summary was really good. I especially liked your last point, the reminder that they work for us, not the other way around. I think a lot of Trumpers and Trumpettes have forgotten that and feel they belong to their Baby Donnie. They don't! Now, how do we convince them of that?
Sep 1, 2022·edited Sep 1, 2022Liked by Robert Reich
For the midterm elections and for the 2024 elections it is absolutely vital for ALL liberal VOTERS to GET OUT AND VOTE for DEMOCRACY.
This means Democrats and Independents and the liberal third party folks and even the more liberal Republicans must vote for DEMOCRACY.
This is not a time for third party voting to make a political statement, because that will only increase the chances of Trumplicans getting elected. I fully realize that the Democrats aren't the perfect choice, but at least they're for DEMOCRACY rather than fascism or anarchy or whatever.
PLEASE do whatever you can to encourage any reluctant liberals you know to VOTE.
Each of their single votes might be "just one vote," but cumulatively they will hopefully be a decisive majority of sane votes!
sedition definition: conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a state or monarch. RR wrote "photograph of President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker Nancy Pelosi with their faces obscured by the words, “Your enemy is not in Russia.” HOW IS TRUMP NOT IN JAIL RIGHT NOW?
When does trump become prosecutable? Arrestable? HOW is he not in jail right now??? Jan 6. Classified documents at Mara Lago? Everything...EVERYTHING he does defies the law and every authority.
Who will say "No" to trump? Who will hold him accountable?
YES! "the authoritarian fascist demagogue <<pretends>> to be on “their side.”
Mark, I hope you are right that the bubble of lies needs to and can pop. Unfortunately, a whole lot of scared white people like living in a bubble and if that bubble is maintained by lies, well, they are OK with it, in fact, don't even notice the lies anymore, if they ever noticed them. Donald Trump for them, is their savior, the one they think will save them from "replacement" or something worse they can't even imagine. They care nothing for his crimes and are OK with whatever he does if they think he can help them. They don't have a clue that he holds them all in contempt in their neediness. How can we pop their bubble without doing more damage to their fragile egos than has already ben done by those who have used them for their own personal gains, then ignored their real needs like good jobs, help to stand against global warming impacts, good schools, hospitals that will actually treat them with respect, and more?
I pray about this everyday,please give them wisdom and enlightenment to know:HE DUPED THEM! Like George Conway says"he walks them so far over the horizon they can't find their way back."Tough to admit you made a big mistake.
I think Trump stole those classified documents to appease and/or to sell to Putin or sell to other USA enemies. Trump only cares about himself and money. I don't think he stole those documents just as mementos! Note that because of Trump business loans from Russian owned banks in 2013 and later, Putin has Trump under his financial thumb! Those classified documents were most likely Trump's "gift" to Putin and may have already caused the death of US spies in Russia! Remember all the correct intelligence we had on Russia's intent to invade Ukraine. Who was providing the USA that info? I suspect the US intelligence agencies already know what Trump has already done with some of the classified information and when the time his right they will prosecute him as a spy!
"Donald Trump Jr., has appeared to confirm, saying in 2008—after the Trump Organization was prospering again—that “Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets.”
I could spend the rest of the day posting more Trump/Russia stuff. But you get the drift and I need another coffee. Americans have been conned by a business failure bailed out by our arch enemy. Hmmm. Could that be a national security problem?....Hmmm. Gee whiz. No, say it isn't so.
Trump and Kushner already had a history of illegally sharing Top Secret “human intelligence” information with Saudi dictator Mohammed Bin Salman dating back to when MBS staged his own coup/takeover of the Saudi government.
As The Jerusalem Post reported on March 23, 2018:
“Kushner, who is the son-in-law of President Donald Trump, and the crown prince had a late October meeting in Riyadh.
“A week later, Mohammed began what he called an ‘anti-corruption crackdown.’ The Saudi government arrested and jailed dozens of members of the Saudi royal family in a Riyadh hotel – among them Saudi figures named in a daily classified brief read by the president and his closest advisers that Kushner read avidly….
“According to the report, Mohammed told confidants that he and Kushner discussed Saudis identified in the classified brief as disloyal to Mohammed.”
The day before, CBS and The Intercept quoted MBS as gloating that Kushner was “in his pocket.”
The Washington Post noted that:
“Recently ousted Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and national security adviser H.R. McMaster expressed early concern that Kushner was freelancing U.S. foreign policy and might make naive mistakes, according to people familiar with their reactions.
“… [National Security Advisor] McMaster was concerned there were no official records kept of what was said on the calls.
“Tillerson was even more aggrieved, they said, once remarking to staff: ‘Who is secretary of state here?’”
Meanwhile, throughout his presidency, Donald Trump was having secret phone conversations with Russia’s President Putin (over 20 have been identified, including one just days before the 2020 election).
The Moscow Project from the American Progress Action Fund documents more than 270 known contacts between Russia-linked operatives and members of the Trump Campaign and transition team, as well as at least 38 known meetings just leading up to the 2016 election.
The manager of his 2016 campaign, Paul Manafort, who previously worked on behalf of Vladimir Putin, has recently admitted that he was regularly feeding inside campaign information to Russian intelligence. There is no known parallel to this behavior by any president in American history.
The Washington Post, just yesterday, reported that Trump had a habit of carrying top-secret information that could damage our national security, intentionally leaving it in hotel rooms in hostile nations.
....
There are, after all, credible assertions that when Trump was elected, members of Russian intelligence and Putin’s inner circle were literally partying in Moscow, explicitly celebrating a victory they truly believed they helped make happen.
In his first months in office, Trump outed an Israeli spy to the Russian Ambassador, resulting in MOSAD having to “burn” (relocate, change identity of) that spy. That, in turn, prompted the CIA to worry that a longtime US spy buried deep in the Kremlin was similarly vulnerable to Trump handing him over to Putin.
Let's not be shocked if the entire family boards a plane for Saudi Arabia. From there they can try to leverage Saudi money to finally build that Trump property in Moscow.
When you consider that Russia (Putin) bailed out TFG and MSB bailed out Kushner, it almost seems inevitable. As usual, follow the money.
Oh Daniel! I knew some of what you describe here about Kushner, the Saudi Prince, and Russia, but not all of what you present. It is so scary that our nation could elect a traitor to the presidency and let that man have nearly unrestricted access to our nation's security information when he had questionable ties to an adversary, Russia. Then, we learn that former president had top secret documents at his home "cleverly" mixed in with some self-serving personal effects. It is criminal. How do we get him formally charged?
That was an excellent article by Hartmann. He has had some really insightful analysis about Trump's treachery. He & Reich are my favorite political analysts. Mark Sumner & David Korn are a couple of others worth following.
Greg, I am not sure that Trump will ever be accused of spying or anything like it no matter what he has done. There would have to be too much information exposed that the government would never want to expose. I know he took specific documents, probably among a bunch they didn't really need, for some specific purpose. Trump does not read well enough to have selected them on his own, so there is at least one other person who helped with the theft. It would be worth the trouble to find out who that is. The selection from which to find the person or persons is limited. Trump has spent decades figuring out how to know whose loyalty is to death and the person involved would be a person like that. I hope they will get to that aspect soon. The FBI and various intelligence groups have the documents, so it should not matter if a "special master" is required and appointed by the court. They can be working behind the scenes on the documents, analyzing why those particular ones were kept despite the subpoena. Trump and Kump had a reason!
Excellent article Mr. Reich. We must appeal to all who will truly listen, as well as galvanizing women and the LGBTQ community who continue to have their rights stripped away by these fascist lawmakers and the increasingly extremist Supreme Court majority.
Derek, I like your call to galvanize people to the struggle for their rights because Trump and Kump care only about their own rights, and will fight and whine for them. We who are threatened with the loss of our rights need to stand and demand our rights every day as publicly as possible.
Thank you, the need to fight to keep/regain the rights of the people is perhaps the most important thing that will unite those people who usually don’t bother to vote.
The prosecution of Trump would right an historic wrong done nearly half a century ago when Gerald Ford pardoned Tricky Dick. Men served prison sentences ranging from 20 years to 9 months for obeying Nixon’s unlawful orders, yet the Human Edsel went free, apparently never dunned for his delinquent taxes. If Trump were to be tried, convicted and incarcerated for his crimes, it would establish at the very least a strong precedent that no chief executive officer of the United States has license to commit felonies.
If Trump’s taste in “art” didn’t run mainly to life-size portraits of himself, doctored Time magazine “Man of the Year” covers and autographed football helmets, I’d recommend to Attorney General Garland that he send the FBI back to Mar-a-Lago to search for real art looted from Jews by the Nazis during World War II.
If all those Rep. without balls would have impeached him, none of this would be happening. This man is a dangerous threat to our country and the people who are not under his fake Jim jones BS are still kissing his ass instead of sticking up for our country and democracy. The only thing I can think of, that they all trusted him with their secrets and pictures especially of Madame Lindsey Graham thinking he would never use them and have been scared since.
Pam, Correct! Those who are Baby Donnie's sycophants know exactly what he is and cling to him because they can steer him in whatever direction they want and are OK with being steered, believing they are immune to prosecution because Baby Donnie protects them with some kind of imaginary "executive privilege." I hope A.G. Garland can get them all too.
As a former USMC E5 with a top security clearance, I know what treason is as well as appropriate handling of classified documents. Trump is guilty of treason both for the 6 Jan 2021 attack on congress, and taking classified documents. Punishment is deserved Mr. Trump. Prison or firing squad.
One way to build up the coalition in favor of our institutions and the rule of law is to sincerely invite people of conscience, which ever way they voted last time, to join the Democrats in electing a cohort of responsible, serious and honest public officials this November. It's very encouraging to see Kansans reject the attack on reproductive rights. It is super encouraging to see Alaskans reject Sarah Palin. Rejecting Trump's favorite candidates is the necessary thing to do, and it seems to me that most Americans have arrived at that conclusion!
Benjamin Stockton: Yes all those facts that you cited are indeed encouraging. Coalition-building is a noble endeavor worth pursuing. But I am wondering how you feel about the prospect of holding Trump accountable and what that might portend for a reasonable cooperative law-abiding outcome for the country.
dnkarr ; I'm wondering how not confronting criminals who threaten our way of governing and the rule of law will help anyone? President Biden is showing real leadership by calling out our enemies!
@dnkarrr. Absolutely critical, in my view. I have almost stopped worrying though - it appears that old bone spur has trampled into the national defense space where even our "right-infected" law enforcement institutions will take him down.
Benjamin, I think you are right about inviting people into the coalition of folks who want rights for everyone, not just the rich white ones who financially and verbally support Trump and those who would deny rights to everyone they don't like or share beliefs with.
@Ruth. Thank you. The next important thing after deciding on that strategy is to figure out how to reach people. I think Katie Porter here in California 47 has part of the answer - she is now saying she is committed to protecting California tax payers. We all know that tax disgruntlement is part of the Republican shtick, so maybe she reaches some folks who have their antenna up for issues around taxation. I hope so - we only need 1% or 2% cross over from former Trump voters to secure a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives.
"And as Republican lawmakers and candidates exchange their political integrity for power, Fox News and other rightwing outlets continue to exchange their journalistic integrity for money."
Perhaps a message which appeals to integrity (e.g. Fetterman in Pennsylvania Senate race) provides a workable example, if not a model...?
Presumably, but remember that in this plutocracy/corporatocracy, what the billionaires & corporations want (CU) always takes priority over what the public wants (R v. W)
Trump warning that “Things could get out of hand if the Justice Department the heat on him” is no different than a Mafia Don saying “it would be unfortunate if something horrible happened to someone in your family”. Hopefully, Biden and the agencies under his charge that can react to violence in the streets are ready to confront any unlawful civil disobedience that my ensue without fear or favor (to use Merritt Garland’s words).
Hit the nail on the head, again. There can be no capitulating with those intent on undermining our democracy & rule of law. There’s not a lot of grey area around what Trump did with these extremely sensitive documents. It’s staggering. And God only knows how he’s used them (or the devil). He cannot be coddled, or above the law! His cult already threatened the judge (& family) who signed search warrant. I’m concerned his female FL judge will approve a master to delay for Trump &/or avoid his wrath. And good luck seating a jury who’s not afraid! We cannot have a craven mob boss calling the shots. The best strategy? The power and safety in numbers. Hit Trump and cult with a flurry of actions. Pick up the pace, the goods are there (GA, NY, FL, Jan 6). Get them off balance, w/security in place. Rip off the bandaid! After 7 yrs of this lawless treachery it’s time to end Trump’s corrosive hold and impact on America.
The Justice Department did not mention it in their brief, but the local rules of the Southern District of Florida require that the complaint should have been filed in West Palm Beach rather than Ft. Pierce, and therefore Judge Cannon does not have venue.
BTW she was appointed after Trump lost the election.
Ooo! Daniel, is there some way to get that out there so a judge not appointed by Baby Donnie would be on the case?
JD argues that Trump has no standing. Cited to Thompson where SCOTUS said he has no executive privilege. JD can appeal to ask for a hearing en banc, with a panel of judges in the Southern District or to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeal.
I think that JD had so many other issues to cover and didn't want to offend the judge, hoping she'll dismiss Trump's motion on other grounds. .
Like the deaths of our assets. Three top secret documents were found in Trump's desk along with his passports. I wonder where (Russia) they were headed. How much of it has already been sent out and lets not forget that all he has to do is pick up the phone and call his buddy Putin to tell him what is on the documents. I am hoping his phone has been bugged.
I made some comments below. Quoted from other sources. Trump has a history. When Trump was elected, members of Russian intelligence and Putin’s inner circle were literally partying in Moscow, explicitly celebrating a victory they truly believed they helped make happen.
In his first months in office, Trump outed an Israeli spy to the Russian Ambassador, resulting in MOSAD having to “burn” (relocate, change identity of) that spy. That, in turn, prompted the CIA to worry that a longtime US spy buried deep in the Kremlin was similarly vulnerable to Trump handing him over to Putin.
I speculate that lots of "guests," lobbyists, Mar a Lago members may may/not be foreign agents.
A sharp spike in US agents captured or killed occurred in the year after Trump demanded a list of American agents.
This traitor has done incalculable damage to our national security, & is still a threat. He should be apprehended & imprisoned immediately while awaiting trial for the sake of public & national security as would happen with any other such clear & present danger.
To Ruth Baby Donnie??? Idiot Grow up and get a life MORON
whoa Ms. Judy...unnecessary admonition, don't you think? Sure it's more dignified to refer to him with his proper name but Trump and dignity, integrity and propriety have long since parted company.
Who does Ms. Sheets name calling hurt? It certainly doesn't justify YOU calling her even worse names. I think your post might serve as the definition of hypocrisy.
You know what's truly moronic? To continue to believe the Big Lie after all the evidence that was presented against it. There is NO EVIDENCE supporting the lie and mounds of evidence proving that the election was free and fair.
https://www.youtube.com/c/January6thCmte/videos
Whoa Daniel, really? That's fascinating. She was appointed AFTER Trump lost the election, wow. I wonder what the DOJ is thinking....
Trump didnt lose the election...He is still president....That moron in office now is a fake
@ "Judy" robot. the shit you say on here is funny. No one is impressed or persuaded
Sounds like somebody didn't watch the January 6th Committee hearings. After the multitude of evidence presented against Trump's Big Lie, and Trumps painful lack of evidence, it's astonishing that you still believe in him. Please WATCH THE HEARINGS. Trump has been corrupt since long before he was elected and continues to do everything he can to undermine our government in order to promote his own ambitions.
I also highly recommend that you read the United States' Response to Motion for Judicial Oversight and Additional Relief: https://www.npr.org/2022/08/31/1120240781/justice-department-trump-special-master
Judy, now you sound like the moron ....... also recommend you read Sara's recommended reading titled Response to Motion for Judicial Oversight and Additional Relief ...... have you failed to watch any of the January 6th hearings? Also recommend you read Daniel Solomon's comments for added clarity about Trump misinformation and the law. Biden may not be FDR but he has given a good account of himself and has done a hell of a job while tolerating deniers like you.
@Robert Kain. "Judy" isn't a real person - it's a troll constructed by one of those Putin-aligned dis-information groups.
No "likes' for you, perhaps a dunce cap.
Does that mean she has to defer to another court, by law?
Oh Alice, well-said! I agree with you that we need to stay active in pursuing the Trump cult no matter what they say or how they whine. Trump is a criminal who wants to be a mob boss somehow above the law. I don't understand how it is not possible for those making the threats to be prosecuted. We do end up with a lot of trouble when the threat-makers and those who follow them face no consequences. I would love to see them face 100 hours of supervised community service for each threat. That's my new goal. As long as we let them continue their bad behavior, it will escalate because it usually does. They are always looking for their next risk that will not really put them personally at risk.
Trump has been a mob boss since his New York days. You do not engage in real estate in NYC without brushing up against the mob. He has been a criminal his entire life. The Republican constituency foolishly gave him a world pulpit. They realized that their jobs were being sent to China and their Republican representatives were sending them down the river. They rebelled and that is how we got Trump. Since they can't vote for Democrats nor any other Corporate Republican they can never admit that Trump is a lying crook. The Democrats need to increase the fines on illegal corporations that do the illegal hiring and create a tariff that is flexible and leads to equity in the foreign markets and reduces the incentive to send jobs overseas, Also, change the tax Code to penalize, and while we are at it tax the Christian Church to pay for the necessary adoption agencies, Right now it looks like the Democrats are doing nothing to bring back American jobs or to keep American jobs here and until that is changed we will create more rascists and have to deal with the crazies.
Completely agree with this. Neoliberal economic policies have devastated the middle class, American way of life, most people are struggling and millions don't have health care. It is no wonder this country has morphed into becoming a fascist country, teetering on the edge of authoritarianism. THIS is what the ruling class has imposed on the American people.
The moneyed authoritarianism that we’re having to defeat will do NOTHING to help the middle class. Fraudster Rick Scott (Senator Skeletor) of Florida wants to heavily tax people on the low end of the scale. They will try to stomp on anyone who gets in their way.
Republican representatives fought hard and succeeded in outsourcing U.S. Jobs and fought for tax breaks for the wealthy causing wealth inequality. These were not neoliberal policies. It was voting for "so-called" conservatives that broke the bank. A listing of voting records on offshoring can be found at https://offshoringthecorporateguidempa1984.com.
Thank you Glenn for this clarification. You are right, yeah, the GOP reps did outsource U.S. jobs and fought our tax system. (Jack Welch of GE was a pioneer for this endeavor) I couldn't access the link, didn't work.
I think you need an up to date browser to enter. My old one had the same affect. The newer one obtained entry. The area marked BILLS shows a history of Republican control of offshoring.
You’re much more generous than I. I’d like to see them drawn and quartered.
Ruth again...liberal POS You are totally clueless
LMAO. "Clueless," she says. Oh, Judy. I hope you discover maturity and reality at some point in your life.
I concur with every point in Robert Reich's seminal post. An anti-democratic minority of flavors diverse but common goal is attempting to impose their will on the vast majority of the population. 25% at most in sympathizers, 15% in active supporters, 3-4% in core participants: these constitute a MINORITY completely opposed not only to American systems of government as embodied in the Constitution and the acquis of constitutional law but to the rule of law and the exercise of democracy itself. Bigotry is endemic amongst their numbers, against minorities, immigrants, and above all against women as 'soft targets' whose sacrifice promotes their extreme agenda, a toxic bigotry which veers into fascism for too many involved. Extreme falsification of conspiracies---call these what they are, FAKED and duplicitous claims---and the constant incitement of unstable individuals to massacres of 'them' are simply the most odious and cutting edge of their agenda. These minority extremists all have _always_ been here; they are part of America along with the rest of us. They are not new; their attempt to suborn and intimidate the majority are not new either, except in its open boldness at present. This extreme majority has colonized and zombified one of the two major political parties in the country. Think about it: the Republican caucus in Congress is in its great number entirely unrepresentative of the American public in their extremity, even of the legitimately conservative citizenry of the country who these extremists are indeed purging from that party. This extreme and unrepresentative minority have had to be defeated before, and must and will be defeated again, NOW.
They did not organize themselves this time. A cadre of ultraright billionaires, some not even American citizens, have instigated this extreme minority by ceaseless propaganda for the last 40 years, demonizing the poor, minorities, taxes to pay for common institutions rather than private wealth, and liberal governance; have flooded the electoral system with their dirty money; have bought the appointment of legally corrupt judges to strangle the checks and balances of the present system. These billionaires can at this point only be described as _traitorous_ in that they are actively doing all in their power to suborn the institutions of American governance and the electoral process which supports those, to overthrow the will and welfare of the people, to refuse to pay taxes but in fact to _extract_ enormous concessions and payments to themselves from the public fisc and the American financial system. To defeat the extreme minority of the citizenry while leaving in place the microscopic minority of corrupt wealth, the serpent's head of the rightest oligarchs and their bought and paid for jurists, is for the country to fail, for these crypto-fascist puppet masters, to call them who and what they are, will simply reconstitute a less overtly despicable party to push their toxic agenda into the veins of the body politic again. Red America and the fascist oligarchs who enable it are twin threats to the civil tradition and personal freedom of everyone in the country, and must be engaged and defeated together.
"The essential political choice in America, therefore, is no longer Republican or Democrat, right or left, conservative or liberal. It is democracy or authoritarian fascism. There can be no compromise between these two — no halfway point, no “moderate middle,” no “balance.” To come down squarely on the side of democracy is not to be “partisan.” It is to be patriotic." That is the situation in a nutshell, yes, I agree with that. The large majority of the country have been too slow to act, bamboozled by 'moderate [false] balancing' foisted on them by a rightist and self-dealing media. The Democratic Party has been almost criminally slow to face up to the issues involved, but the realization of the potential for a minority soft coup in this country has come home to them. Democrats win the elections by millions of votes, but find themselves losing offices or crippled in power by structural fetters designed to kneecap majority rule, and increasingly and undemocratically gerrymandered so severely that 'one person, one vote' is a corrupt joke in whole tracts of the country. The current Administration dawdled for 18 months in the face of a blatant seditious conspiracy to subvert the 2020 general election, perhaps to build a stronger case but the effect was only to embolden the extreme minority into outright fascism and attempts to intimidate by threats of violence. Any anti-democratic insurrectionary 'riots in the streets' must be met by the full force of the law. Legitimate dissent and protest must be protected, yes, but those don't included armed mobs and physical threats against officers of the government and the electoral process, at any level. I don't doubt that the institutions of American governance are equal to those extremist threats---if used. Biden's is the hand at present which must direct those institutions. He and the DoJ must take the fight to fascism, and it is a relief that this is finally being done, at least in its first steps.
Actions to oppose anti-democratic initiatives MUST reach the SCOTUS as well, where its current extreme and unrepresentative majority of (In)Justices are doing nothing less than gnawing at the root of the Constitution and American democracy itself. The Court must be expanded or purged, and preferably both: there is no halfway to that essential end. The institution is simply too powerful to leave its cabal of anti-democratic activists in place and unchecked, to continue their grossly anti-lawful attempts to rule the country by whim and decree to their liking.
It goes without saying that, for example, the American government can do nothing to constrain climate change threatening all alike without pushing the fascistic and frankly delusional minority of extremists, who have hollowed out the Republican Party and thereby poisoned public discourse and political negotiation, back under the rocks from which they have crawled to lick crumbs from a billionaire's dirty hands. This fight has fallen to our cohort and we must be equal to the challenge to disperse fascism in our midst. It's past time to start fighting in America _for_ America, but better almost too late than never.
https://youtu.be/NO4X29CzTO4
Here's what we're dealing with in politics: https://youtu.be/T7XfKf46iZY
Thank you, Robert Reich, for your voice of reason and clarity. This is the most important battle of our lifetimes. You are 100% correct. We, The People, are with you!
The evidence that history overwhelmingly supports Dr. Reich's assertion: "Not holding a former president accountable for gross acts of criminality will invite ever more criminality from future presidents and lawmakers" is right in front of our eyes. For those of us who are old enough to remember, let's start with the Reagan/HW Bush regime. Neither of them received an iota of accountability for their OBVIOUS neck deep participation in the "Iran/Contra" affair. At the time, it seemed like this was too close to Watergate and America didn't want to go through that again, plus Reagan was showing signs os Alzheimers and HW Bush was very "cunning" as a former CIA chief in avoiding prosecution - while many in their "orbit" were prosecuted. To me, the beginning of "the president is too "important" to be prosecuted.
Of course, HW Bush managed to follow Reagan so he wasn't about to initiate investigations and, ultimately Bush pardoned the "Iran/Contra felons." Then, Bill Clinton "looked forward" as Barack Obama would do 8 years later when he blocked the investigations into GW Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld and others for authorizing TORTURE in Iraq/Afghanistan/Gitmo (and various "dark sites" around the globe). It was about the time Bush/Cheney LIED "we the people" into Iraq when I started writing in my "diary in cyberspace" and predicted this was a TERRIBLE mistatke by Obama. He didn't want the distraction! (And, you can see why as Trump is "hogging" the headlines while Biden is busy legislating) But, the republicans took this to understand democrats don't have the stomach to stop their LAWBREAKING. My prediction (along with millions of other Americans) at the time: "With each successive corrupt administration it will get worse.
Well, along comes Trump. According to the Mueller Report (I read it twice) in volume II there were about 10 instances of OBSTRUCTION of Justice committed by Trump during the inquiry and the ONLY reason he wasn't indicted was the OLC memo stating a "sitting president can't be indicted." It's true that "memo" hasn't been challenged in court, but Mueller - despite taking pains to explain the significance of OBSTRUCTION - clearly was honoring that memo right from the beginning of his investigation. (Mueller "memorialized" the evidence so when out of office Trump could potentially be indicted) During that investigation we learned of the campaign finance violation which was key in sending Michael Cohen to jail (with Trump as "individual 1" an "unindicted co-conspirator") - two more examples of a president "getting off" from crimes which the rest of us would have found ourselves behind bars.
Of course, with Trump, there's always more - so, one day after Mueller testified before Congress and Trump felt he was "totally vindicated" he attempted to EXTORT Ukraine's president Zelensky. Then came January 6th, 2021, and, now, "topsecretgate." (I think I made that up) The point is, since GW Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld got the preverbial "get out of jail free card" - well, it's gotten even more out of hand than I had imagined. The question now, in my mind, is "did Trump lead a SEDITIOUS Conspiracy or did he commit TREASON? Who knows who has seen those documents recovered from Mar a Lago? Do you believe that's it, that he doesn't have more somewhere else? Has me made copies? He's as far from trustworthy as a human can get - yet, republicans believe they can simply threaten more violence and the Justice Department will cower in their boots and stand down.
Some argue, in essence, that, even though Trump is just another "citizen" it would be too "political" to indict him and exacerbate the division in this country. I've been saying all along, NOT indicting Trump will create far more "division" than indicting him. I say, "The sooner the better. Let's get it over with." Allowing him to get away with these crimes would be like flashing a "green light" to all those right wing republicans that make me shudder everytime I force myself to listen to one of them. The bottom line for me here is to emphatically emphasize that Dr. Reich is "right on" (as usual): "Not holding a former president accountable for gross acts of criminality will invite ever more criminality from future presidents and lawmakers." The proof is in our recent American History!
I totally agree. But didn't it really kick off when Ford pardoned Nixon? In an effort to "heal" us Ford set the stage for impunity. Nixon should have been busted and jailed.
I make the case that instead of letting crooks like this off the hook to avoid upsetting their supporters we should be MORE vigilant in prosecuting people "at the top". They are supposed to be role models. If nothing else, they should set a standard for integrity. If they fail in that department, no punishment is too harsh. This is about truth, justice and VALUES.
Bill, you are right about prosecuting those at the top. Because so few corporate players have ever been prosecuted for their bad behavior, the bad behavior has continued and even escalated over time. No one was charged for the 2007-08 recession when it was clear that a lot of guys, mostly white men, caused the disaster which led to untold hardship around the world. They spent no time behind bars and continue to do their dirty work against our economy and our nation, even to the point of influencing our elections, and destroying companies. I would like to see examples set of charging the big guys for a change. Then, we need to encourage the selection and development of better role models for ourselves and our young people.
Thanks for getting me riled up about the 2007 mortgage scam! A lot of people made a lot of money selling and reselling loans that were pure junk - destined to hurt citizens. And nobody paid a price for it. AND the tax payers bailed out the companies responsible for the con! Instead of helping the victims, we rewarded the White collar thugs. Makame crazy.
remember the (huge) bonuses many of them got during our darkest hours of that tragedy? and then they had the gall to publicize/celebrate it it!!!
Bankers in Iceland were jailed. You can see them marching off in Michael Moore’s movie Where to Invade Next.
And Iceland is a much healthier democracy than we are now.
system won't let me "heart" your comment but totally agree!
Nixon was a crook for sure. A slimy, racist, anti-Semitic bastard. Should have gone to prison. Ford was a wimp. The country was a wimp.
Bill, this is the best summation I have read. For too long, we, the people, have allowed the "too big to fail" theory to become a rule. We definitely need to seriously prosecute top down, not bottom up.
If a parent doesn’t discipline a child who repeatedly acts up, that child will grow up without a sense of decency. This is exactly what these presidents have enabled. This egregious behavior should stop now.
Agree 100%. What is AG Garland waiting for?
Garland is not called a STRATEGIST for nothing. All of you naysayers and doom and gloomers want justice NOW! It won't be quick, and it won't be easy. So stay the course, stay calm and focused on the end result. It's coming, layer upon layer. And Donnie is the one who's DOOMED. Maybe not before Nov election, but it will come. DOJ building rock solid case! Stop the whining, please!
If Trump and his minions are to be held accountable, then Garland has to proceed very wisely, carefully and have all of his facts and evidence very clear so no one sane will be running around squeaking that this is all a set-up to get Trump.
Alas, Tom, no matter what A.G. Garland does or does not do, there are going to be a lot of crazies running around claiming this was all political and a "witch hunt" for their Baby Donnie. I don't know how to avoid that because Trump cannot remain unindicted. He already thinks he is god and a bunch of his cult members do too. Trump and Kump have learned well from all the creeps of recent history just how to get away with actions that would have put any ordinary citizen or green card holder in jail. Trump and Kump see themselves as invulnerable. One way Congress could help. They could pass a law that no president can pardon anyone who helped him/her commit a crime that could be seen as helping a president in any way. Trump got to pardon a bunch of men who clearly broke the law, and on Trump's behalf. That might help stop some of the potential future criminal behavior.
Yes. Great idea.
Most statutes of limitation are about 3 years. That has not even passed yet for the Capital invasion. I knew Garland would not prosecute until the hearings were over so that some minds might shift and the riots (Civil War) will be smaller in number and frequency (especially as some of the worst offenders are put in jail). That is probably what he is waiting for. It makes sense to lessen the cost for the coming necessary prosecutions. Keep in mind that we will be fighting not only them but FOX news as well. The good news (or bad news depending on how you look at it) is that the latest protest dispute involved liberal counter-protesters toting their own machine guns.
I agree, Ruth, to all of what you've said and the other commentators. AG Garland
is slowly, but surely building as tight and secure a case against *45 as can possibly be built, considering how 'slippery' *45 has shown himself to be - over a long long
period of time and under many circumstances. Slippery as a 'greased PIG at the county fair'. Also, I've begun to think he is NOT the wealthy personage he claims to be - frequently 'borrowing' money form Deutschebank for one until they declined to loan even more - to run his 'country clubs' et al. As for 'witch hunt' -
there is a legend in my family that family members (by marriage I think) were hung as witches in Salem in the 1620's. PBS did a mini-series called: "Two Sovereigns for Sister Sara" about that episode... All in all, history 'does' repeat itself, because over time, humans 'refuse' to 'learn' from past episodes/mistakes.
System won't let me "heart" your comment but totally agree.... and there DO seem to be so MANY hard-core, totally involved accomplices, the DOJ investigations are obviously involved with more "potential" criminals they want to expose / indict at the same time. Complex situation.
Agree! Excellent summation. Thank you!
Wow David! That is a lot to chew on. I am with you related to past presidential crimes, but I would go all the way back to Nixon and Watergate. Ford's claim of wanting to "heal the nation," meant we the people never actually confronted a criminal president. It did not help heal anything but gave Republicans and others some ideas for future use, and they used them only a dozen years later. Daddy Bush knew exactly what was happening with Iran-Contra and that they were breaking the law, but clearly thought he and Ronnie would gain something important by doing it. A lot of people died in Central America because of that law being broken. Baby Bush knew he would have free rein to do what he wanted because he saw what his daddy got away with. Cheney knew too, but did it anyway, lying about non-existent weapons got things started in Iraq before Afghanistan was settled. Again many lives were lost because of the lying and crimes against humanity related to torture, illegal imprisonment, and more. I, too, read the Mueller Report and was astounded at the evidence of obstruction and deception reported even though we didn't get to see the redacted parts. Mueller was not willing to stand up forcefully for the truth by providing such understated testimony that it looked like he was not in support of his own report. As you lay out here, Trump is clearly guilty of many crimes and still, his lawyers run interference for him, even to the point of signing documents under oath that their boss had no additional secret documents in his possession, when they must have known he did. I do understand that A.G. Garland is trying to cross all t's and dot all i's, but how many more crimes does Trump have to commit before he and other law enforcement say "enough." I am guessing one of those upcoming crimes is extortion or blackmail related to secrets his crew has dug up on Republican members of Congress and others. I am wondering which senator or house member will get courage first and blurt it out for all of us to finally know what Trump and Kump have been doing under the wire.
I have a question. Those documents were classified. Did that lawyer who riffled through them have clearance and if so, why?
Right now Trump is above the law and has been for his entire life. He is the Teflon Don. Until he is prosecuted,it is painful to hear people say no one is above the law. They are.
If trump somehow wiggles out of his DOJ "troubles" we are toast, period.
Listen to Justice Matters.com. Glen Kirchner is a professor of law at Georgetown Univ.,a former federal prosecutor for 30 yrs. w/ the Justice Dept. and also supervised 30 prosecutors.I always feel reassured when I listen to him.
Yes. People should just do their jobs.
Kool-aid Zombies
Many of the 74 million who voted for our former president drank the Kool-aid that was fortified with brain-eating Amoeba’s!
* First and foremost they don’t see anything wrong with the FACT that the former guy had the audacity to steal top secret, classified documents from the American people and our Government!
* We have to wonder, who else now knows the secrets designed to keep Americans safe? Wether he has shared or is planning to share them with our adversaries.
* We can thank FPOTUS for one thing. He has exposed himself and a lot of other Faux Americans!
* It won’t be easy but worth it to keep trying to convert as many of the 74 million as possible.
* Keep telling the truth about everything based on facts. No mis-information or conspiracy theories!
* And never fall into the same RAT hole they have fallen into!
* We need to keep the faith in and support our constitution and our federal institutions.
And most importantly hold our elected officials accountable! WE DO NOT WORK FOR THEM!! THEY WORK FOR US
Racist collective subconscious. Antidote is Trump humiliation.
Treason was personified in the name of Dr. Samuel Mudd, who treated John Wilkes Booth. In this country, any evildoer's name is mud.
From now on, any traitor's name is "Trump."
Traitor Trump? Benedict Donald? The Siberian Candidate?
Daniel, I like that "any traitor's name is 'Trump.'" Just like in 1865 with Dr. Mudd, a bunch of people will consider Trump a hero. How unfortunate!
Actually, history has shown that Mudd was wrongly maligned. The same definitely will not be true for Trump. But Mudd didn’t deserve the scapegoating he got.
AINOs—Americans in name only. Faux patriots.
Can you imagine what they’d be doing if a Democrat had stolen classified documents? What hypocrites.
Keith. Your summary was really good. I especially liked your last point, the reminder that they work for us, not the other way around. I think a lot of Trumpers and Trumpettes have forgotten that and feel they belong to their Baby Donnie. They don't! Now, how do we convince them of that?
For the midterm elections and for the 2024 elections it is absolutely vital for ALL liberal VOTERS to GET OUT AND VOTE for DEMOCRACY.
This means Democrats and Independents and the liberal third party folks and even the more liberal Republicans must vote for DEMOCRACY.
This is not a time for third party voting to make a political statement, because that will only increase the chances of Trumplicans getting elected. I fully realize that the Democrats aren't the perfect choice, but at least they're for DEMOCRACY rather than fascism or anarchy or whatever.
PLEASE do whatever you can to encourage any reluctant liberals you know to VOTE.
Each of their single votes might be "just one vote," but cumulatively they will hopefully be a decisive majority of sane votes!
Still time to register more Democrats. For a database of unregistered women who trend Democrat, contact Mervis Reissig
merv4peace@gmail.com
Field Team Six https://www.fieldteam6.org/
Yes, and please get that across to Andrew Yang so he doesn’t become a Ralph Nader and throw the election to the Republicans.
Yes, Carl, we do need everyone who cares about maintaining our democracy to vote, the "sane." votes.
sedition definition: conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a state or monarch. RR wrote "photograph of President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker Nancy Pelosi with their faces obscured by the words, “Your enemy is not in Russia.” HOW IS TRUMP NOT IN JAIL RIGHT NOW?
When does trump become prosecutable? Arrestable? HOW is he not in jail right now??? Jan 6. Classified documents at Mara Lago? Everything...EVERYTHING he does defies the law and every authority.
Who will say "No" to trump? Who will hold him accountable?
YES! "the authoritarian fascist demagogue <<pretends>> to be on “their side.”
The bubble of lies has got to pop.
Mark, I hope you are right that the bubble of lies needs to and can pop. Unfortunately, a whole lot of scared white people like living in a bubble and if that bubble is maintained by lies, well, they are OK with it, in fact, don't even notice the lies anymore, if they ever noticed them. Donald Trump for them, is their savior, the one they think will save them from "replacement" or something worse they can't even imagine. They care nothing for his crimes and are OK with whatever he does if they think he can help them. They don't have a clue that he holds them all in contempt in their neediness. How can we pop their bubble without doing more damage to their fragile egos than has already ben done by those who have used them for their own personal gains, then ignored their real needs like good jobs, help to stand against global warming impacts, good schools, hospitals that will actually treat them with respect, and more?
I pray about this everyday,please give them wisdom and enlightenment to know:HE DUPED THEM! Like George Conway says"he walks them so far over the horizon they can't find their way back."Tough to admit you made a big mistake.
Excellent points. If these acts aren’t sedition then what is?
I might be wrong but I believe the DOJ will wait until after the election.
I think Trump stole those classified documents to appease and/or to sell to Putin or sell to other USA enemies. Trump only cares about himself and money. I don't think he stole those documents just as mementos! Note that because of Trump business loans from Russian owned banks in 2013 and later, Putin has Trump under his financial thumb! Those classified documents were most likely Trump's "gift" to Putin and may have already caused the death of US spies in Russia! Remember all the correct intelligence we had on Russia's intent to invade Ukraine. Who was providing the USA that info? I suspect the US intelligence agencies already know what Trump has already done with some of the classified information and when the time his right they will prosecute him as a spy!
Eric Trump: “We don’t rely on American banks. We have all the funding we need out of Russia.”
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/05/eric-trump-russia-investment-golf-course
https://www.ft.com/trumptoronto
and...
"Donald Trump Jr., has appeared to confirm, saying in 2008—after the Trump Organization was prospering again—that “Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets.”
https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/12/21/how-russian-money-helped-save-trumps-business/
I could spend the rest of the day posting more Trump/Russia stuff. But you get the drift and I need another coffee. Americans have been conned by a business failure bailed out by our arch enemy. Hmmm. Could that be a national security problem?....Hmmm. Gee whiz. No, say it isn't so.
Got this from Thom Hartmann/Daily Kos.
Trump and Kushner already had a history of illegally sharing Top Secret “human intelligence” information with Saudi dictator Mohammed Bin Salman dating back to when MBS staged his own coup/takeover of the Saudi government.
As The Jerusalem Post reported on March 23, 2018:
“Kushner, who is the son-in-law of President Donald Trump, and the crown prince had a late October meeting in Riyadh.
“A week later, Mohammed began what he called an ‘anti-corruption crackdown.’ The Saudi government arrested and jailed dozens of members of the Saudi royal family in a Riyadh hotel – among them Saudi figures named in a daily classified brief read by the president and his closest advisers that Kushner read avidly….
“According to the report, Mohammed told confidants that he and Kushner discussed Saudis identified in the classified brief as disloyal to Mohammed.”
The day before, CBS and The Intercept quoted MBS as gloating that Kushner was “in his pocket.”
The Washington Post noted that:
“Recently ousted Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and national security adviser H.R. McMaster expressed early concern that Kushner was freelancing U.S. foreign policy and might make naive mistakes, according to people familiar with their reactions.
“… [National Security Advisor] McMaster was concerned there were no official records kept of what was said on the calls.
“Tillerson was even more aggrieved, they said, once remarking to staff: ‘Who is secretary of state here?’”
Meanwhile, throughout his presidency, Donald Trump was having secret phone conversations with Russia’s President Putin (over 20 have been identified, including one just days before the 2020 election).
The Moscow Project from the American Progress Action Fund documents more than 270 known contacts between Russia-linked operatives and members of the Trump Campaign and transition team, as well as at least 38 known meetings just leading up to the 2016 election.
The manager of his 2016 campaign, Paul Manafort, who previously worked on behalf of Vladimir Putin, has recently admitted that he was regularly feeding inside campaign information to Russian intelligence. There is no known parallel to this behavior by any president in American history.
The Washington Post, just yesterday, reported that Trump had a habit of carrying top-secret information that could damage our national security, intentionally leaving it in hotel rooms in hostile nations.
....
There are, after all, credible assertions that when Trump was elected, members of Russian intelligence and Putin’s inner circle were literally partying in Moscow, explicitly celebrating a victory they truly believed they helped make happen.
In his first months in office, Trump outed an Israeli spy to the Russian Ambassador, resulting in MOSAD having to “burn” (relocate, change identity of) that spy. That, in turn, prompted the CIA to worry that a longtime US spy buried deep in the Kremlin was similarly vulnerable to Trump handing him over to Putin.
Wow.
Let's not be shocked if the entire family boards a plane for Saudi Arabia. From there they can try to leverage Saudi money to finally build that Trump property in Moscow.
When you consider that Russia (Putin) bailed out TFG and MSB bailed out Kushner, it almost seems inevitable. As usual, follow the money.
My bet is UAR, where a lot of the Trump gelt has been stashed over the years. Two Trump resorts there.
The King of Spain has been living there after looting the Spanish treasury free from extradition.
Oh Daniel! I knew some of what you describe here about Kushner, the Saudi Prince, and Russia, but not all of what you present. It is so scary that our nation could elect a traitor to the presidency and let that man have nearly unrestricted access to our nation's security information when he had questionable ties to an adversary, Russia. Then, we learn that former president had top secret documents at his home "cleverly" mixed in with some self-serving personal effects. It is criminal. How do we get him formally charged?
This needs to be investigated.
All are entitled to a presumption of innocence.
https://www.alternet.org/2022/08/donald-trump-conspiracy-even-bigger/?share_id=7205089&utm_campaign=RebelMouse&utm_content=AlterNet&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitt&fbclid=IwAR2cpKSVx5W7ofE_UG25tr47jk7ZXW_zDpeiPmbN4a50e9hO2--23V37YPY
If all this is true, does it amount to sedition?
That was an excellent article by Hartmann. He has had some really insightful analysis about Trump's treachery. He & Reich are my favorite political analysts. Mark Sumner & David Korn are a couple of others worth following.
This is nauseating.
Can you imagine what would have happened to them in the fifties?
We would be speaking of Trump & his co-conspirators in the past tense only.
Greg, I am not sure that Trump will ever be accused of spying or anything like it no matter what he has done. There would have to be too much information exposed that the government would never want to expose. I know he took specific documents, probably among a bunch they didn't really need, for some specific purpose. Trump does not read well enough to have selected them on his own, so there is at least one other person who helped with the theft. It would be worth the trouble to find out who that is. The selection from which to find the person or persons is limited. Trump has spent decades figuring out how to know whose loyalty is to death and the person involved would be a person like that. I hope they will get to that aspect soon. The FBI and various intelligence groups have the documents, so it should not matter if a "special master" is required and appointed by the court. They can be working behind the scenes on the documents, analyzing why those particular ones were kept despite the subpoena. Trump and Kump had a reason!
Oooh, you’re right. Very astute. I wonder what the DOJ is making of that.
Agree: did anyone find any mementos - WH ashtrays, etc?
We need to know!
Spikes in US agents captured & killed suggest your conjecture is correct.
Interesting and hopeful.
Excellent article Mr. Reich. We must appeal to all who will truly listen, as well as galvanizing women and the LGBTQ community who continue to have their rights stripped away by these fascist lawmakers and the increasingly extremist Supreme Court majority.
Derek, I like your call to galvanize people to the struggle for their rights because Trump and Kump care only about their own rights, and will fight and whine for them. We who are threatened with the loss of our rights need to stand and demand our rights every day as publicly as possible.
Thank you, the need to fight to keep/regain the rights of the people is perhaps the most important thing that will unite those people who usually don’t bother to vote.
Best we stand our ground now when MAGA fascist are only 30 % of voters before they get stronger.
The prosecution of Trump would right an historic wrong done nearly half a century ago when Gerald Ford pardoned Tricky Dick. Men served prison sentences ranging from 20 years to 9 months for obeying Nixon’s unlawful orders, yet the Human Edsel went free, apparently never dunned for his delinquent taxes. If Trump were to be tried, convicted and incarcerated for his crimes, it would establish at the very least a strong precedent that no chief executive officer of the United States has license to commit felonies.
The human Edsel. That’s hilarious.
If Trump’s taste in “art” didn’t run mainly to life-size portraits of himself, doctored Time magazine “Man of the Year” covers and autographed football helmets, I’d recommend to Attorney General Garland that he send the FBI back to Mar-a-Lago to search for real art looted from Jews by the Nazis during World War II.
Wow. I wonder. Never thought of that.
If all those Rep. without balls would have impeached him, none of this would be happening. This man is a dangerous threat to our country and the people who are not under his fake Jim jones BS are still kissing his ass instead of sticking up for our country and democracy. The only thing I can think of, that they all trusted him with their secrets and pictures especially of Madame Lindsey Graham thinking he would never use them and have been scared since.
They knew who and what Donald is and that is precisely why they shielded and continue to shield him.
Pam, Correct! Those who are Baby Donnie's sycophants know exactly what he is and cling to him because they can steer him in whatever direction they want and are OK with being steered, believing they are immune to prosecution because Baby Donnie protects them with some kind of imaginary "executive privilege." I hope A.G. Garland can get them all too.
Yes Ruth, I agree with you 100%!!!
As a former USMC E5 with a top security clearance, I know what treason is as well as appropriate handling of classified documents. Trump is guilty of treason both for the 6 Jan 2021 attack on congress, and taking classified documents. Punishment is deserved Mr. Trump. Prison or firing squad.
One way to build up the coalition in favor of our institutions and the rule of law is to sincerely invite people of conscience, which ever way they voted last time, to join the Democrats in electing a cohort of responsible, serious and honest public officials this November. It's very encouraging to see Kansans reject the attack on reproductive rights. It is super encouraging to see Alaskans reject Sarah Palin. Rejecting Trump's favorite candidates is the necessary thing to do, and it seems to me that most Americans have arrived at that conclusion!
All politics is local.
This is NOT a national election. Got to beat Gerrymandering. There is hope. Against all odds, Democrat won in Alaska last night.
Independents are breaking Democratic.
In the Senate, only a couple of reasonable members out of 50. In midterms, time is better spent registering new Democrats and voting out Republicans.
Yay Daniel! Spend time in the midterms voting out Republicans. That's a really excellent goal!
Benjamin Stockton: Yes all those facts that you cited are indeed encouraging. Coalition-building is a noble endeavor worth pursuing. But I am wondering how you feel about the prospect of holding Trump accountable and what that might portend for a reasonable cooperative law-abiding outcome for the country.
dnkarr ; I'm wondering how not confronting criminals who threaten our way of governing and the rule of law will help anyone? President Biden is showing real leadership by calling out our enemies!
@dnkarrr. Absolutely critical, in my view. I have almost stopped worrying though - it appears that old bone spur has trampled into the national defense space where even our "right-infected" law enforcement institutions will take him down.
I agree, Benjamin R. Stockton! Well said!
Benjamin, I think you are right about inviting people into the coalition of folks who want rights for everyone, not just the rich white ones who financially and verbally support Trump and those who would deny rights to everyone they don't like or share beliefs with.
@Ruth. Thank you. The next important thing after deciding on that strategy is to figure out how to reach people. I think Katie Porter here in California 47 has part of the answer - she is now saying she is committed to protecting California tax payers. We all know that tax disgruntlement is part of the Republican shtick, so maybe she reaches some folks who have their antenna up for issues around taxation. I hope so - we only need 1% or 2% cross over from former Trump voters to secure a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives.
Katie is a real treasure . She's a gift that keeps on giving.
"And as Republican lawmakers and candidates exchange their political integrity for power, Fox News and other rightwing outlets continue to exchange their journalistic integrity for money."
Perhaps a message which appeals to integrity (e.g. Fetterman in Pennsylvania Senate race) provides a workable example, if not a model...?
If Roe can be reversed so can Citizens United!
Presumably, but remember that in this plutocracy/corporatocracy, what the billionaires & corporations want (CU) always takes priority over what the public wants (R v. W)
Trump warning that “Things could get out of hand if the Justice Department the heat on him” is no different than a Mafia Don saying “it would be unfortunate if something horrible happened to someone in your family”. Hopefully, Biden and the agencies under his charge that can react to violence in the streets are ready to confront any unlawful civil disobedience that my ensue without fear or favor (to use Merritt Garland’s words).