What is it with Republicans?
Why are so many who’ve made it into public office - one way or another -being convicted, going to jail, being sued for something, resigning or otherwise being chased out of office?
Now, before someone gets all lathered up and accuse me of overlooking some Democrat miscreants, there’ve been some. Quite some time ago, if memory is correct. Yes, there were a few.
But, in the last several years, it seems the GOP has had a corner on the “crooked politician market.†They’re all over the place.
We’ve got three here in the desert. One of our public “servants,†Rep. David Schweikert. After several terms, he’s been officially convicted and sentenced in the House. Paid a $50,000 fine. And it’s not over yet. Covering the period 2010-2018, you can count undisclosed - and illegal - loans, misuse of campaign funds, improper spending of congressional office expense funds and using office staff to do political campaign work. Ol’ Dave’s looking at possibly some years in a crossbar hotel.
Public “servant†number two is our own very junior - and temporary - Arizona “Senator†previously rejected by voters in 2018 as she sought a U.S. Senate seat, GOPer Martha McSally. In her legislative days, there was a big kerfuffle over illegal campaign violations. BIG! Got all fixed up though, with some majority party legislative slight-of-hand before our Trump-wannabe governor sent her back to Washington for a few months in office. If the polls are right, she’ll be home soon.
Then there’s Arizona’s own Joe Arpaio - “America’s Toughest Sheriff.†A Republican. Voters tossed him out in 2016 after being twice convicted - twice - of contempt of federal court orders to stop racial profiling when making arrests. He “flipped the bird†to the court and kept doing “business as usual.†For him. Ordered to jail. For unknown â€reasons,†Trump pardoned him, though he’s still a convicted felon. Two times. Now, Arpaio's been running for sheriff. Again. His campaign signs said “Re-elect Sheriff Arpaio.†He hasn’t been sheriff around here for years. “Re-elect?†But, being a two-time convicted felon - pardon or not - he nearly won his primary last week. The real “winner†was Jerry Sheridan - by six-thousand votes. Sheridan was Arpaio’s Chief Deputy for years and was also charged with Arpaio. What do we do now?
Ah, we have GOP Rep. Steve Watson in Kansas. Three felony charges and a misdemeanor. The felonies include interference with a law enforcement officer, providing false information, voting while unqualified, unlawful advance voting. Lost his primary. Now what? Probably a trial. In Kansas.
Also in the news, there’s Republican Larry Householder in the Ohio legislature. Oh, more than that, Larry is Speaker of the House. He’s been nailed on charges of racketeering. And some other, lesser crimes.
During the Trump years, at least three members of the U.S. House have been forced into “retirement†and the private job market for various bad deeds. One that comes quickly to mind is Duncan Hunter, former GOP Rep from California. He’s still in jail, serving out his 11 month conviction for campaign finance fraud. Another Republican “law and/or order†fella.
In Idaho, John Bujak is cooling his heels in the slammer. Stealing from family members this time. Misappropriation by use of false identity. Republican Bujack, former candidate for governor and former Canyon County Prosecutor, stood trial five times on other felony charges from 2012 to 2014. Also pleaded guilty to contempt of court.
What the hell has happened to the GOP?
Oh, I nearly forgot. Trump. And Mike Flynn. And Paul Manafort. And Michael Cowen. And several other “Republicans†from Trump’s White House gang and a few more on his campaign committee and several hires for the skimpy inaugural.
And Trump himself. Though he hasn’t said it out loud, he’s grasping at every “club in the bag†because of just one thing. Because he knows, once he becomes “private citizen†Trump, he’s going to get hit from state and federal prosecutors and a few defense attorneys with multiple charges of a dozen or so crimes. Some
offices have already hinted what’s coming! You’ll need a traffic cop to keep order by February, 2021.
Taxes? Yep. By the time Trump gets back to his Tower in January there’ll be Manhattan District Attorney Vance who already has Donald’s banking records if not the actual tax returns. Several suits are currently pending seeking those same documents - government, corporate and private. Someone else will get ‘em.
Next, the New York Attorney General - the one threatening continued existence of the NRA - who’s hinted she has a large box of documents labeled “TRUMP.†She, too, seems to be awaiting someone’s return to private citizen status.
Also, some leaked clues from the prosecutors of the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the Eastern District. Also the Northern District of Virginia and the DC prosecutor, too.
And don’t forget Rep’s. Adam Schiff, Jerry Nadler and some other committee heads who have their own legal documents and queries. And, those 23 women who’ve filed sexual assault charges awaiting private citizen Trump.
If the U.S. Senate flips in November, you’ll likely see some new hearings, some new investigations, some new indictments. Tain’t over.
Again, yes, there have been some Democrat crooks. Some convictions and some jail terms. But, given the evidence above, Republicans have come screaming back to recapture the national “Political Crook of the Year†crown.
We’re going to have a chance in a few weeks to do some House - and Senate - cleansing. White House, too. Given the current number of Republicans charged, under indictment, convicted and/or jailed, the “broom†will have to be very large. Very. It’ll take a lot of “hands’ on the handle to be effective.
Got your gloves? Better still, got your big black or blue ink pen?