The pervasive lying Trump and his team engaged in during the Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election was a precursor to the epic lying he has engaged in since the COVID-19 crisis began. He has lied about its existence ( called it a hoax while it was spreading), said it was just like the flu, promised it would be gone in 2 weeks, said anyone who wanted a test could get a test, and declared it wouldn’t be coming back in the Fall ( Dr. Fauci, the expert, disagrees). These are a few examples of Trump lying his way into his historic incompetent handling of the coronavirus epidemic.His task force briefings have become a national joke as the world watches his pathetic, desperate pursuit for attention and damage control. His advisors have convinced him to cease from doing the briefings as his performances are beginning to hurt his image. His response to their advice is to get rid of the experts but to do a solo performance in the Rose Garden today, declaring his commitment to expanded testing. He is clueless about the fact that taking crucial action months late is not a victory. Many have died because of his denial and ignorance about the coronavirus, and by now, a competent President would have made sure Congress and the private sector made testing its #1 priority after caring for infected patients. He is too incompetent to realize that to get what he wants, which is to re-open the economy, testing is essential to determine when the spreading of infection is decreasing to a manageable level.In addition to lying and bullying people into protecting him, Trump is skilled at appointing people to important positions who will lie, spin the truth, and defend him no matter how egregious his actions are. Mike Pence is Trump’s leading co-conspirator in his approach to managing the virus epidemic. He performs dutifully at the briefings, thanking and admiring the President for his effective leadership in fighting the virus, despite the disastrous rate of infection and death occurring. Pence announces the goals he gives the President credit for setting, and yet goals for testing and PPE never get met.Attorney General William Barr is one of the most blatantly complicit members of the Trump Administration. Barr has spent his career supporting the notion of expanded, absolute power for a president. He clearly recognizes Trump’s hunger to be an autocrat, instead of a president who respects democracy and a government made up of three co-equal branches. Barr sent an audition memo to Trump for the AG position after Jeff Sessions was fired. The addition of Barr to the administration has diminished the DOJ from being an independent office of the government whose objective is to uphold the rule of law to defend the rights of the American people.Barr executes his role in synchronicity with what Trump wants him to do. He interprets the law through the lens of the President having absolute power and being above the law. Trump COVID-19 surrogates are doing the same level of protection. Trump has failed as an effective leader during the epidemic. If it were not for the leadership of state governors, such as New York’s Andrew Cuomo, the curve would not be flattening. If a Mueller-like investigation was conducted on Trump’s handling of the pandemic, he would be found guilty of dereliction of his duty to warn and protect the country from the spread of the virus.Robert Mueller uncovered widespread lying in Trump world. He found Trump committed ten acts of obstruction of justice and cited such actions could be subject to indictment once the President left office. Through the investigation, Mueller and his team found 272 contacts were made with Russia by the Trump team, and 38 meetings were held with Russians by Trump appointees and family members. Trump continued to say neither he or anyone involved in his campaign had contact with Russia. He also said that he was not involved in any business dealings that had anything to do with Russia.However, on October 28, 2015, Trump signed a letter of intent for the Trump Tower Moscow deal addressed to Mr. Andre Rozov and LC Expert. Michael Cohen, Trump’s personal attorney, testified that he mailed the letter back on November 2, 2015.One would have to be stupid to believe Trump, the control freak, had no knowledge of campaign professionals Michael Flynn, Michael Cohen, Paul Manifort, Rick Gate, and others having meetings with Russians government officials and financial professionals. His insistence on NDA’s for everyone who works for him makes him suspect of possibly hiding information related to Russia for reasons other than the interests of the United States of America.Representative Adam Schiff of California has been quoted as saying, “You cannot count on Trump to make decisions that are best for the country, but you can count on Trump to make decisions that are best for Trump.” Within that statement is the reason we cannot trust Trump will preserve democracy, keep America safe, and sustain our solvency. After all, he has called himself “the king of debt.” He has lied his way into creating a debt that may not be able to be paid back by the next several generations. Even more tragic, he lied about Covid-19 until over 50,000 people died, unprotected and unprepared for what he knew was coming.
