Odd O'blography

Corruption 'R' Us

Extortion is far more profitable than business, and it's less work too! - The Gospel of Trump


There have been multiple reports of law firms caving in to demands from the Trump administration. Some have promised him free legal services, some have donated to his personal political action committee, and all of them have promised to support his white supremacy agenda. The Trump goons prefer to call it 'anti-diversity' but we all know what they mean (and it is mean). Why this sudden burst of craven cowardice? The president has issued a formal memo to the Justice Department and Homeland Security that directs them to open an investigation into any law firm who brings a civil case against the Trump administration. What might best describe this tactic? To borrow a term from the president himself, this is weaponization of the Justice Department for his own personal benefit.

But that's only one example of blatant corruption in the White House. The Trump criminal organization has also begun selling presidential pardons. Last Friday, Trump signed a pardon for Trevor Milton, founder of an electric vehicle company named Nikola. Milton defrauded investors by showing them a faked video of a Nikola truck. He claimed that the video showed a prototype vehicle in operation when it was actually just coasting downhill. And closer inspection revealed that it was really a GM product disguised with Nikola badging. The video evidence made the case an easy win for the prosecution. Milton was found guilty of fraud and sentenced to four years in prison.

Why would Trump pardon such an obvious con man? Well, Milton is on record as being a staunch Trump supporter and, more importantly, he recently donated $1.8 million to Trump's personal PAC. I don't know if that's a bribe, a quid pro quo, or just a favor. Those terms all seem to be interchangeable in Washington D.C. these days. At any rate, when asked about giving the pardon, Trump said that he didn't actually know the man or the details of the case. He merely 'heard good things about him' from 'a lot of people'. The president also tossed out a conjecture that Milton was prosecuted only because he's a Trump supporter. Why would malicious prosecution spring to mind? I suppose it's kind of like using the Justice Department to prosecute a law firm just because they represent someone who isn't a Trump supporter.

You might also wonder how Trevor Milton gained access to make such a deal. It turns out that he hired Brad Bondi to plead his case. Does that name sound familiar? Yep, Brad is Attorney General Pam Bondi's brother. And he's getting a nice fat fee for using his sister's position in the Trump administration to further the interests of his client. Hmm, isn't that pretty much what Hunter Biden was accused of? Of course, there wasn't ever any real evidence against Hunter Biden. Maybe that was also malicious prosecution, because he wasn't a Trump supporter. Maybe he should have been more open about soliciting bribes. And more forthcoming about giving the Don a taste.