What do MAGA Republicans mean by “Drain the swamp”? Is Justice Clarence Thomas’ lavish gifts or the huge contributions that candidates take in included? Are the Supreme Court and Sen. Mitch McConnell swamp creatures for encouraging both practices? Republicans oppose the hordes of lobbyists infesting the Capitol, but does the swamp include the corporations and industry groups paying their salaries?
And what about Donald Trump? Did he really “openly challenge this D.C. swamp,” or was he part of the problem? A sweetheart deal gave him the Washington Post Office; he turned it into a hotel and encouraged people to use it as a favor to him while he was president. He charged taxpayers exorbitant rates to house the Secret Service agents protecting him. Fifty million dollars contributed to his inauguration simply disappeared. He still hasn’t revealed his tax returns.
There were scandals involving his secretaries of Commerce, Interior, and Housing and Urban Development. Carl Icahn served several months in his administration then left after getting a regulation passed in his favor worth $200 million. One congressman told a private audience that “my door is always open to whoever has the money.” That was Mick Mulvaney; Trump made him his chief of staff. Trump’s son-in-law left the White House to get a $2 billion gift from the Saudis. Under Trump the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution was turned into confetti.
I agree with MAGA Republicans: we should drain the swamp. But I don’t think we are talking about the same thing.
Robert Supansic
McKeesport