Trump has committed himself to follow the Nixon playbook; the strict law and order President who declares “he” is not a crook as he accuses others of criminality. He is also following in Tricky Dicks pattern of lying, denying, and hating the press. Trump, like Nixon, made it to the Presidency despite being an arrogant, criminal liar. Ultimately, Nixon’s tenure as President did not end well. Based on court rulings that frequently have gone against Trump, it appears his ending looks Nixon- bleak.
With unprecedented entitlement, Trump has violated laws about running a university, conducting his presidential campaign, managing a charitable organization, and executing his presidential duties consistent with the Constitution. The undying loyalty shown to Trump by Republicans in Congress has emboldened him to govern as a dictator, not the President in democracy. The far right-wing of the Republican Party now directs the policy-making and character of the entire GOP. Consistent with the narcissistic, sociopathic traits of Donald Trump, Republican elected officials have denied and excused the litany of laws that Trump as violated.
EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE LAWS VIOLATED BY THE “LAW AND ORDER PRESIDENT” as reported in The Intercept, 2019.
U.S. Code s 872: “Extortion by officers or employees of the United States.”
Trump’s offense: The condition that Ukraine cooperates with an investigation into Joe and Hunter Biden to secure a White House visit for President Zelensky and to receive promised U.S. military aid.
18 U.S. Code s 610: “Coercion of political activity
Trump’s offense: The pressuring of Ukraine Ambassador Bill Taylor to convey these illegal conditions to Zelensky to aid Trump in his campaign for re-election.
18 U.S. Code s 595: Abused his authority to “engage in an activity using finances funded by the United States to engage in an activity to interfere with or affect the nomination or the election of any candidate for the office of the President.”
U.S. Code s 607: Place of Solicitation
Trump’s Offense: Illegally trying to solicit contributions to his presidential campaign from the Oval Office.
U.S. Code s 30121: Contributions and Donations From Foreign Nationals
Trump’s offense: Solicitations for campaign donations from representatives from foreign governments.
Since this 2019 article, Trump has continued to violate laws explicitly defined in the U.S. Constitution. For example, he is in court cases where he is being accused of violating The Emoluments Clauses, Article I, Section 9, Clause 8 of the Constitution. On the American Constitution Society website, excerpts from the Impeachment Blog Symposium states, “Trump has been violating the Constitution since he took office in November of 2017.” The article states, “by retaining ownership and control of his businesses while holding office, he was at odds with the Constitution’s original anti-corruption provisions, the so-called Emoluments Clauses.” These clauses prohibit the President from receiving any profit, gain, or advantage from any foreign or domestic government.” The potential for foreign influence on a U.S. President was a fear of the Framers of the Constitution, and such corruption could jeopardize our democracy.
Trump has also violated the ‘power of the purse”, Article I, Section 9, Clause 7, The Appropriations Clause in the Constitution, which gives Congress the power to appropriate funding for specific uses.
Trump’s Offense: Use of military funds for border wall construction found illegal by the 9th Circuit Courts rules.
Additionally, Trump has violated the Constitution by defying congressional subpoenas for oversight purposes. He has violated the free speech of several individuals and groups such as; peaceful protestor’s (by using military force to harm them), Michael Cohen by returning him to prison for announcing he was writing a book about him and attempting to block the release of books by John Bolton and his niece Mary L. Trump.
Trump’s lawlessness preceded his becoming President. His violation of laws that pertain to the running of Trump University and the Trump Charity Organization led to cease and desist orders from the courts as well as millions of dollars in fines. In Mary L. Trump’s books, we learn more details of how Trump and his siblings broke laws to reduce the value of Fred Sr’s estate that was to be shared with Mary and her brother. In addition to breaking actual laws, Trump has had a reputation for unethical practices in businesses by not paying countless contractors for work they did on his casinos and other properties. Also, a President needing to be law-abiding, a President should be ethical and moral. Trust should be built on ethics and morals, not on personality or hyperbolic rhetoric.
Calling himself the “Law and Order President” is one of the most hypocritical, ridiculous claims Trump has made since becoming President. His corruption and cronyism are well-documented and indisputable. His strategy of manufacturing civil unrest by causing violence within peaceful protests by sending military-like militia into American cities will be the next violation of the law that Mr. Law and Order will be slapped down for in the courts. For democracy, as we know it to survive, Americans must join together in support of a U.S. President who is not a serial lawbreaker.
