Tag: fraud

Keep Smiling Sucker

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Keep Smiling Sucker

D. S. Mitchell

I started writing the Calamity Politics blog to present the urgent political news of the day. I take pride in presenting current and meaningful issues in the hope of connecting with people that have similar political leanings. There is also a bit of silliness, now and then.

I want to be a supportive voice of the “Resistance”. I, like so many others this political season have become unbelievably energized by the election of Donald Trump. He defines everything I don’t want in a man; much less a president. I have never previously been ashamed of a U.S. president, but knowing that Donald Trump is the “face of America,” truly sickens me.

I am sure we can defeat this megalomaniac and his science rejecting policies and his Fossil Fuel Agenda. None of us can do it alone. We need to bind together. It is together that we can keep the heat on these thugs and hoodlums; by our sheer numbers. Whether by impeachment, implementation of Amendment 25, or some other means Donald J. Trump will be removed from office before the end of his term. That conviction keeps me writing, talking and networking every day. I hope all my readers make that their mission also.

Donald Trump is one of the biggest phonies in U.S. history and he is now President of the United States and I’m worried that he will make as big a mess out of the United States government as he did his own personal finances.

Donald Trump began working for his father’s real estate company in 1972 after graduating from the Wharton School of Business with a degree in Economics. From the beginning Donald was better at self-promoting than actually making any money. It is estimated that when Fred Trump, Sr died in 1999 Donald Trump inherited something in the neighborhood of 100-200 million dollars.

According to the Associated Press, if Donald Trump had done nothing more than place his inheritance into index funds his net worth today would exceed 13 Billion dollars. Estimates project his current net worth is far from that dazzling amount. So, after all the ballyhoo and boasting he is rich because he was born rich. He could have been stratospherically wealthy if he had done nothing. Funny, in a peculiar way.

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Trump Pay-to-Play

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Trump Pay-to-Play

D. S. Mitchell

Story Lines

Sometimes, I don’t find a story that calls to me.  I may wander around after researching all day and still not have a firm story subject. But, Friday, Rachel Maddow reminded me of the Florida Attorney General scandal. And that  story’s lingering entanglement to President Donald Trump.

Campaign Clamor

This is the story of Pam Bondi. Bondi is a Florida Republican politician. In 2013 she accepted a $25,000 donation to one of her campaign support groups, by The Donald J. Trump Foundation.  That year Ms Bondi was running unopposed as incumbent Attorney General.  Then Governor Rick Scott and Bondi had both been clamoring for faster executions in their state.

Campaign Convenience

With that “faster execution policy” ringing in the ears of Floridians, Governor Rick Scott granted a request by Bondi to postpone an execution. The execution of convicted rapist/murderer, Marshall Gore, was postponed to accommodate Bondi’s “long-planned” re-election campaign kick-off. It seems to me and many other commentators, no matter what your stand on the death penalty, it is not okay to postpone executions to accommodate political fund-raising. The reason I bring this up as a preface to the Trump-Bondi story, is that it says something about the character of the people involved. Read on, and decide for yourself.

Trump Thinking

In September 2016, candidate Donald Trump paid an IRS fine of $2,500 for an illegal political donation. That fine was for his foundations donation Bondi’s re-election group. It is illegal for tax exempt charitable groups to make political contributions, thus the fine. Trump earlier in his career talked about political campaign contributions.  He said, “I’m a businessman, and a very substantial donor to very important people.  When you give, they do whatever you want them to do.”

Cynicism In Practice

Pretty cynical, but it fits into this whole scheme of getting your money’s worth. What you give to a candidate, and what you demand from that candidate in exchange for your donation money is  ‘Pay to Play’. Segue back to 2013. In her role as top Florida law enforcement officer, Pam Bondi was deciding whether Florida should join in a multi-state probe into Trump University. Trump University was a bogus program that con man Trump used to scam a bunch of folks out of their money.  It was a real estate seminar program with lots of lies, promises, and no benefit to the consumer.

Expectations

While Bondi’s Justice Department was considering jumping into the Trump University investigation, Pam Bondi called Donald Trump. She introduced herself and asked for Trump to appear at a fund-raising event. She then asked for a campaign donation. From this point I’m going to speculate. Trump, knew  Florida was considering joining the multi-state probe into the Trump University. The cynical Trump promptly turned the phone call to his advantage. Obviously, Bondi knew what Trump wanted in return for the donation.  The Miami Herald commented that “this was not the behavior of an ethical prosecutor.” And continued, “If Ms Bondi promised to back off  a Trump University suit, in exchange for a campaign donation, that could be a crime.”

All The Cases All The Time

Later, Bondi would claim she had “no idea” there was a case being reviewed by her office against Trump University.  Seems damn strange to me.  Before I was a rebel journalist, I was an RN.  I was a Charge Nurse, meaning I ran the unit.   As a  Charge Nurse, I needed to know the condition of ALL of the patients at ALL times. When you head a judicial agency, you should know about every potential case. Especially one involving a high-profile celebrity. So, if I had my Sherlock Holmes cap on, I’d suggest Ms Bondi and President Trump have lied to us, about their actions and their motives.

An Inquiry Long Past Due

The Miami Herald, pushed for an inquiry, which to the best of my knowledge has never happened.  The actions of the Florida Justice Department were vigorously defended by attorney Carlos Muniz, Bondi’s chief of staff. What brings this story back to the forefront is Carlos Muniz. Muniz has now been tapped by President Trump to become General Counsel for the Department of Education. The web of scandal and corruption entangling these people is mind-boggling. I’d say that $25,000 bought more than one politician.

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