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from The Washington Post…

The mob-boss presidency

He revels in his abuse of power.

By JENNIFER RUBIN | 2:07PM EDT — Saturday, April 13, 2019

(https://img.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_799w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2019/04/12/National-Politics/Images/Trump_91463.jpg-8d11e.jpg) (https://img.washingtonpost.com/rw/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2019/04/12/National-Politics/Images/Trump_91463.jpg-8d11e.jpg)
President Donald J. Trump said on April 12 there could be plans to release “illegals” into sanctuary cities, adding
he can give states like California an “unlimited supply”. — Photograph: Oliver Contreras/The Washington Post.

A NORMAL PRESIDENT confronted with a news story suggesting he ordered underlings to illegally transport asylum seekers to so-called sanctuary cities (https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/white-house-proposed-releasing-immigrant-detainees-in-sanctuary-cities-targeting-political-foes/2019/04/11/72839bc8-5c68-11e9-9625-01d48d50ef75_story.html) in order to retaliate against political enemies would deny knowledge of such a heinous plot. If need be, he'd make light of it, portray it as if it were idle chatter or a joke. That's what President Trump's devoted prevaricators (White Houses staffers) did following The Washington Post account.

Trump, however, is anything but normal. No, he tweeted (https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump) — of course it was a tweet — that not only was the idea considered but that it is still under consideration (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-says-administration-giving-strong-consideration-to-releasing-immigrant-detainees-in-sanctuary-cities/2019/04/12/5c5f2504-5d2d-11e9-842d-7d3ed7eb3957_story.html). Aides on background hastened to say that nothing was in the works, once more contradicting their boss.

Making matters worse, we learned he allegedly told Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan (https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/kevin-mcaleenan-is-taking-over-dhs-will-he-be-tough-enough-for-trump/2019/04/08/50d7ae22-59a9-11e9-b8e3-b03311fbbbfe_story.html) to close the border despite concerns about the legality of doing so. He allegedly told McAleenan, who is now also acting secretary of homeland security, that he — Trump — would pardon him later if need be (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/04/12/president-trump-offered-pardon-homeland-security-secretary-close-border/3450995002).

What?!? That's the only sensible reaction for someone minimally conversant in the Constitution and the rule of law. This is the conduct of a movie mob boss, not a president. Trump is so brazen he'd rather lie to make himself appear more politically vengeful than tell the truth that his suggestion apparently was rebuffed. Tough guy. Gotta make da Dems quake in their boots, right?

Republicans, as they always do when Trump is shredding democracy, remained silent on Friday. Speaking more generally of Trump's Twitter habits in an interview, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Democrat-California) declared the president to be a “freak” (https://www.recode.net/2019/4/12/18307957/nancy-pelosi-donald-trump-twitter-tweet-cheap-freak-presidency-kara-swisher-decode-podcast-interview). Actually, if the allegations are true, he's much worse than that.

Former federal prosecutor Mimi Rocah (https://twitter.com/Mimirocah1/status/1116874657960009728) acknowledged that, if the allegation about a pardon was true and Trump was serious, Trump then “offered a pardon as a bribe to get a public official to commit an unlawful act.” Referring to Attorney General William P. Barr's exaggerated conception of executive authority, she queried, “Would Barr dare say that's within his executive power?”

Constitutional scholar Laurence H. Tribe tells me, “If carried out, this offer to pardon high immigration officials if they will break the law on his behalf is the most obviously impeachable action President Trump has taken to date: It would mean this president has seized the power to put not just himself but all who do his bidding beyond the reach of law.” He continues, “That doing so is a high crime and misdemeanor is beyond dispute. Any president guilty of such conduct cannot be permitted to remain in office.”

Now, even if the offer of a pardon were not technically a bribe, “this is still an extraordinary and disturbing abuse of presidential power,” says Joshua Matz, co-author with Tribe of “To End A Presidency: The Power of Impeachment” (https://www.amazon.com/dp/1541644883). “Especially if it were repeated in other contexts, such illegality-inducing conduct may well rise to the level of an impeachable offense, though in my view we don't yet know nearly enough about what happened here to reach firm conclusions.”

In this, as in other instances, subordinates' refusal to carry out orders (as former White House counsel Donald McGahn did (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/08/30/did-trump-just-admit-that-he-tried-fire-mueller-sessions) in refusing to fire special counsel Robert S. Mueller III (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/25/us/politics/trump-mueller-special-counsel-russia.html)) provides some protection to Trump from the consequences of his own actions (https://takecareblog.com/blog/insubordination-and-impeachment).

However, neither Trump nor the country can count on employees' continued insubordination, especially in light of Trump's preference for installing “acting” officials, who remain under his thumb. Swift and forceful action to halt his reckless disregard of the law is required.

Tribe argues, “Without doubt, therefore, the House Judiciary Committee needs to include this matter within its investigatory ambit, subpoenaing all those who may have relevant knowledge unless they appear voluntarily.” Normally, if there is a credible allegation of wrong-doing by the president, the attorney general would appoint a special counsel. Don't hold your breath. Tribe observes, “it seems unrealistic to expect the blatantly compromised Attorney General William Barr to appoint a special counsel to pursue the issue even if, as appears to be the case, the president has credibly been charged with promising a pardon as a bribe for illegal conduct.”

We've now come to the point where Trump is bragging about a plot to abuse power, using federal resources to enact political revenge. We have reason to believe he tried to induce wrong-doing with a pardon offer. “One thing everyone who knows the relevant law has agreed about the otherwise sweeping pardon power is that it cannot be used in advance, to license crimes before they have been committed,” Tribe says.

Trump's lawlessness is intensifying. Even those such as Tribe who have opposed impeachment, given “the Senate's fidelity to Trump rather than to the Constitution,” wonder if Trump can be left in office for another year-and-a-half. “I hesitate to say the red line has finally been crossed, but I see no way around that conclusion at this point,” he says.

For now, it's up to the House to send out subpoenas, have all relevant witnesses testify under oath about what is going on at the Department of Homeland Security and reach a factual conclusion as to what occurred. Meanwhile, Congress must speak with one voice: Under no circumstances can the federal government be used as an instrument to exact political revenge.

You'd think the necessity for such a statement would convince Republicans not to support his re-election for four more years, when he would feel entirely unrestrained. You'd be wrong.

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• Jennifer Rubin (https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/jennifer-rubin) writes reported opinion from a center-right perspective for The Washington Post. She covers a range of domestic and foreign policy issues and provides insight into the conservative movement, the Republican Party and threats to Western democracies. Rubin, who is also an MSNBC contributor, came to The Post after three years with Commentary magazine. Prior to her career in journalism, Rubin practiced labor law for two decades, an experience that informs and enriches her work. She is a mother of two sons and lives in Northern Virginia.

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Related to this topic:

• VIDEO: Trump ‘strongly looking at’ releasing immigrant detainees into ‘sancturary cities’ (https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/politics/trump-strongly-looking-at-releasing-immigrant-detainees-into-sanctuary-cities/2019/04/12/84bfc855-31cc-414b-994b-f92cf1504ed3_video.html)

• Trump says he is giving ‘strong considerations’ to releasing immigrant detainees in ‘sanctuary cities’ (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-says-administration-giving-strong-consideration-to-releasing-immigrant-detainees-in-sanctuary-cities/2019/04/12/5c5f2504-5d2d-11e9-842d-7d3ed7eb3957_story.html)

• Jennifer Rubin: A new low: Trump tried to use migrants as cannon fodder against Democrats (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/04/12/new-low-trump-tried-use-migrants-canon-fodder-against-democrats)

• Karen Tumulty: The Trump White House sets a new standard for cynicism and callousness (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/04/12/trump-white-house-sets-new-standard-cynicism-callousness)

• Max Boot: End the charade. Appoint Stephen Miller to run DHS. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/04/08/end-charade-appoint-stephen-miller-run-dhs)

• Greg Sargent: Trump won with illicit help. He abused his power. His AG is blocking a full reckoning. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/03/25/trump-won-with-illicit-help-he-abused-his-power-his-ag-is-blocking-full-reckoning)

• The Washington Post's View: Trump's pardon of Dinesh D'Souza: Another show of disrespect for the justice system (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-celebrity-pardoner/2018/06/02/6a3d4012-65ca-11e8-a768-ed043e33f1dc_story.html)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/04/13/mob-boss-presidency (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/04/13/mob-boss-presidency)

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General Category => General Forum => Topic started by: Kiwithrottlejockey on April 14, 2019, 05:52:09 pm