Panic in the hallways of the West Wing

William Barr - Caricature, by DonkeyHotey, CC BY 2.0

Yesterday, Donald Trump's consigliere who is masquerading as the Attorney General of the United States, William P. Barr, made a court filing to drop charges against disgraced Lieutenant General Mike Flynn.

Let's be clear: this is a charge to which Flynn pled guilty. His self-admitted guilt is a matter of public record. The plea deal was approved by the court, the prosecutors, and the (original) defense team, and the only thing which remained was to hand down a sentence.

Much like with Roger Stone, Mauron was signalling that he was going to pardon Flynn. And, much like with Roger Stone, Barr stepped in to relieve his boss of that task.

This is a level of outright corruption at the Department of Justice not seen since J. Edgar Hoover wore frilly frocks to the office (while persecuting gays who weren't him). All in an effort to spare Trump angst, Barr is turning the department into nothing but an arm of the Trump Organization. A second Trump term would see politically motivated prosecutions of his enemies and favors done for his allies. (I hesitate to use the word "friends", because psychopaths can't form friendships worthy of the name.)

But to me, what this indicates is desperation on the part of the Trump regime. So far, with able assists from the loony left, it's been throwing everything it has at the one man it feared facing the most, Vice President Joe Biden, and nothing's stuck. Because here's the thing: They're morons. They literally lucked into power, and had no idea how to cement that power like their authoritarian mentors in Russia, China, and Hungary did. They believed their own propaganda that the American public was an apathetic mess which would roll over and accept any malfeasance so long as their lives weren't inconvenienced.

However, fascists have learned to their terminal peril that Americans are, in fact, made of sterner stuff. Ask Mussolini and Hitler about the paucity of American fortitude.

Dropping the charges on Flynn—and lessening the sentencing recommendation on Stone—is all red meat for the base. It's all part of several Hail Mary passes to rile up the MAGAts to turn out in droves in November.

Of course, we've already had two dry run for this: the 2018 midterms and the 2019 off-year elections. And both instances proved devastating for the regime.

We've seen Democrats turn out in record numbers for Joe Biden when the primaries were still active. The enthusiasm is on our side, not theirs. And no amount of fluffing the base will vitiate the fact that the base isn't enough to win.

Like desperate men and women, they become more outrageous with every affront to our laws and traditions. All they're doing is sealing their fates.

I know it's hard to believe this. I know it's hard to have faith. But take this to the bank: on January 20, 2021, the new Democratic Attorney General will begin a process which has never occurred in this country. That new AG will begin an investigation into prosecuting the former president and his top officials for crimes and conspiracy against the United States.

"But why didn't Obummer haul George W before the dock??" Because that's apples and oranges. George W done fucked up in a major way. But he didn't betray the country. He didn't turn the White House into his own slush fund. He made multifarious mistakes, but we don't prosecute past presidents for errors in judgment. What Trump is doing is orders of magnitude beyond what any president has ever done. As his regime circles the drain, he's no longer trying to hide his utter corruption. This is why this is different. As is the fact that he has an entire political party ensnared in his frauds. Don't think you're getting out of this, Mitch, when Amy beats your ass.

This entire regime, from the so-called president to every Republican backbencher, is mired in a stench and filth which has no parallel in our history. Not Teapot Dome. Not Ulysses S. Grant's crookedness. Not even Watergate. These past almost-four years have been nothing but a replay of the Crisis of 1860. That it hasn't devolved into mass violence is down to the fact that we are, in fact, a federal republic, and governors in blue states would crack down on Trump's minions so hard that it would send his toupee spinning.

They know justice is coming, and thus the gambit today by Barr. This is all they see:

My god.

The entire idea of the rule of law - that thing the Attorney General is supposed to be in charge of upholding - is predicated on the outcome of elections NOT mattering when it comes to the operation of the legal system https://t.co/nFxz0Nf49G

— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) May 8, 2020

He's amoral, if not outright evil. But he's not wrong. Let's make them sure they have no rest after November, and are all put before the dock. Unlike Abraham Lincoln, I have no mercy for them, and will act on my righteous malice.

Pledge Break

¡Oye, mis amigos! Like what Trevor and I are doing on this here joint? Well, this is a pledge drive today, as I release my inner warrior. Contribute here: https://bit.ly/2WfYHS6. You won't regret it. And neither will we, as we drink Manhattans after a good essay written.

And, for a musical break, this is my mood for November:

Eye of the tiger, my babies. Go forth and be fabulous.