(The headline is my own paraphrase, in case that wasn’t clear.)
The House managers in Donald Trump’s impeachment trial — Adam Schiff, Jerrold Nadler, Zoe Lofgren, Hakeem Jeffries, Val Demings, Sylvia Garcia, and Jason Crow — just wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post in which they point out that Trump is just as lawless and corrupt as the day he was *cough, cough* acquitted following a witness-free Senate trial.
In other words, impeachment (and acquittal) simply taught him that he can be a bigger asshole than ever and Bill Barr will back him 100 percent.
A few excerpts:
The president was not changed by impeachment. He is as lawless and corrupt as ever. But his wrongdoing has far greater consequences given the acute challenges facing the nation, the failure of those around him to curb destructive impulses, and the continued unwillingness of many members of Congress to serve as a meaningful check and balance as the Founders intended.
Come on! That’s not fair. Susan Collins is very concerned.
In just the few months since the impeachment trial, more than 110,000 Americans have perished from a pandemic, tens of millions are unemployed, the world has turned away from America, and protests over police brutality and systemic racism have erupted nationwide. Yet Americans looking for leadership find none in the White House. Instead, this president and his administration take actions that rend the foundation of our democracy.
Oh yeah? But … but ... OBAMAGATE!
After the trial concluded, Trump focused on undermining institutions that could provide accountability and transparency. He fired or removed five inspectors general for simply doing their jobs: including reporting on shortages of personal protective equipment and other gear in hospitals and investigating potential misconduct by the secretary of state.
Okay, now you’re just piling on.
The president has made clear his interest in turning the traditionally independent Justice Department into a political arm that can punish enemies and protect allies. In Attorney General William P. Barr, Trump has an enabler of that corrupt mission. Barr allows the president to intervene in criminal cases with implications for his personal interests, and Barr carries out Trump’s orders in shocking fashion.
Are we still calling Barr an attorney general? Mob consigliere sounds so much cooler.
Meanwhile, Trump has targeted an even more foundational element of democracy: the right to vote. The president has repeatedly sought to discredit voting by mail. Mail-in ballots are a safe and secure way to vote and are necessary during a viral pandemic.
Okay, Trump has already amply demonstrated that he doesn’t care about American lives or the annoying coronavirus. Why would he care about the health of people who will probably vote against him anyway?
In the days since the horrific murder of George Floyd, hundreds of thousands have marched against police brutality and systemic racism, and peacefully protested for justice and change. In response, Trump called in troops and sought to use the military against peaceful Americans, betraying those in uniform and endangering public support for an institution that must be apolitical. His cronies have ordered protesters gassed and targeted with rubber bullets — all for a photo op.
Yeah, that was pretty bad. You might even call it fascist. Trump might even call it fascist. Face it, it was fascist.
The entire takedown is worth a read.
Sadly, the Senate didn’t do its job back in February, so in November we’re going to have do their job for them. And some of them, I suspect, will be fired for their negligence.
Make it so.
"This guy is a natural. Sometimes I laugh so hard I cry." — Bette Midler on Aldous J. Pennyfarthing, via Twitter. Find out what made dear Bette break up. Dear F*cking Lunatic: 101 Obscenely Rude Letters to Donald Trump and its boffo sequels Dear Pr*sident A**clown: 101 More Rude Letters to Donald Trump and Dear F*cking Moron: 101 More Letters to Donald Trump by Aldous J. Pennyfarthing are now available for a song! Click those links, yo!