When Donald Trump campaigned for president he issued so many outrageous statements, be grateful I'm only mentioning a few. Given America's mass shooting epidemic (historically worse under Trump) how could a normal person boast, “I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and not lose any voters?”
Two things come to mind. One, Trump would likely lose the vote of the person he shot. And two, Trump is not only not normal, I've long contended that he's mentally ill. Given his daily outbursts, it seems undeniable that he has a narcissistic personality disorder, is without a conscience and lacks basic human empathy. (Is that all?)
This is why Trump can shamelessly mock the disabled and attack Gold Star families. I admit my theories don't fully explain why he sniffs so much and also why he wears a helmet-head hairdo. (It's documented Trump sees baldness as a weakness.)
I can just hear some of my beleaguered readers, “Jack's writing about Trump again?” Given the president's dangerous meltdowns,worse now than ever, I feel compelled to write about him, but I promise next week I won't. (Unless Trump actually does go out on 5th Avenue with a gun.)
Among Trump's campaign edicts were “I only hire the best people,” and “I alone can fix the problem.” As for “best people,” Michael Cohen, Trump's decade-long personal attorney, is in prison. So is Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign manager who might spend the rest of his life behind bars.
The list continues with retired Lieutenant General, Michael Flynn, Trump's first of four National Security Advisers in less than three years. (Is that a record?) Flynn infamously led the GOP convention chant, “Lock her up” and may himself eventually be locked up after pleading guilty to lying to the FBI. Flynn was lectured by U.S. District Court Judge, Emmet Sullivan, “Arguably, you sold your country out!”
Rounding out the Trump “I only hire the best people,” Hall of Shame are Rick Gates, former Deputy Campaign Manager, and George Papadoupolis, formerly on Trump Foreign Policy Advisory Panel both of whom plead guilty. Last (for now) is Roger Stone, a longtime Trump friend and adviser who was indicted for obstruction of justice, making false statements and witness tampering. (Like Trump, the bombastic Stone was a protegee of the late Roy Cohn, the infamous disbarred attorney who was Senator Joe McCarthy's “red scare” hatchet man.)
That bring us to Rudy Giuliani and his charming-looking associates Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, whom I affectionately refer to as “Mutt and Jeff.” With one-way tickets, the two were the first arrests in the ever burgeoning Ukraine scandal prior to boarding a flight to Vienna taking off from Dulles International Airport. (Reportedly, Rudy was to meet them in Vienna.)
The Soviet-born pair allegedly laundered foreign money through shell companies in order to spend it on Republican campaigns. Reportedly, they were involved with Giuliani, helping Rudy pressure Ukrainian officials to investigate Hunter Biden’s business dealings in their country. (And once again use a foreign country to influence our elections!)
The 21-page indictment also includes various additional allegations. “The defendants further concealed this aspect of the conspiracy by, among other things, making and causing others to make false statements to the [Federal Election Commission].” As they say on late-night infomercials, “And there's more”
Rudy who was known as “America's Mayor,” is now “America's Bagman.” He's acknowledged receiving $500,000 from Parnas and a company named “Fraud Guarantee.” I couldn't make this stuff up, folks.
In fact the allegations are so complicated and the defendants' seemingly so corrupt and sleazy, by comparison, I'm starting to think Watergate was just a 3rd burglary. (Given Trump's historic abuse of power, let us not forget that in the White House Obama once wore a tan suit.)
Another of Trump's infamous campaign claims was, “I alone can fix the problems.” What no one could foresee is that Trump would cause the problems. Take Turkey. (Please.)
Trump was totally played by Turkey's ruthless dictator and thus gave him a green light to attack the Kurds. On Wednesday, Trump wrote Erdoğan a letter that looked like it was written by a 3rd grader, begging the dictator to let Pence and Pompeo meet with him to negotiate a cease fire to a crisis “stable genius” Trump caused.
Meanwhile, the House voted 354-60, including 129 Republicans, rebuking Trump's withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria. In addition to pleasing puppet-master Putin, the impulsive move has already lead to the slaughter of Kurds and likely the escape of 10,000 ISIS prisoners. Remember, it only took 19 Saudis on 9/11.
Rudy is now officially the subject of a counter-intelligence investigation by the Southern District of New York, an office of which he was once in charge. After all, Trump hires “only the best thugs.”
Jack is at: facebook.com/jackneworth, twitter.com/jackneworth and jackdailypress@aol.com
