Trump’s Treason

First published January 10, 2021

Begging the forgiveness of all, I could no longer forebear to speak on the most momentous event in the life of our great Republic, when our Congress came under attack by a mob of thugs bent on its destruction. This was bad enough. That they did so under the aegis of the president of the United States, with his full support and love, encouraged in their felonies, without even a pretense of condemnation for over a day, is the most abhorrent betrayal I have ever witnessed. September 11 was a vicious, inhuman attack, but this is worse. Having served our country faithfully for over two decades, it would be faithless now to maintain any guise of impartiality toward its burning.

No election is perfect, as Senator McConnell said. It is debatable – and legally challengeable – whether those governors who invoked emergency powers to alter the voting process were right or wrong. But for months, Trump and his harpies have claimed, “I won.” This was no ordinary fib. It is the big lie, the same one Hitler and every would-be tyrant in history fed to their flocks. And on January 6, standing before the White House, Trump sent his supporters to “take back” the Capitol.

Now most Trumpers know not to riot or commit crimes, no matter how much they love Trump. But as with any charismatic movement, the “true believers” are prone to going a step too far. Most American leaders have been able to make clear their condemnation of violence. Not Trump.

After months of stirring his followers to sedition, he sent them to Congress with a wink and a lie. Trump sat while Congress writhed under the occupation of his brown shirts. He dithered while Vice President Pence pleaded for back up. He publicly gave comfort and aid to the insurrectionists while they attacked and killed our police defenders. His sanguinity towards the domestic terrorists he himself radicalized, organized, and sent represents a profound betrayal of his oath to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States."

It was only under extreme and obvious duress – probably under threat of immediate removal – that he even pretended to condemn that which he clearly loved, more than a day after the crime. Mao Zedong is often associated with the phrase “All under heaven is in great chaos. The situation is excellent.” Having lost the presidency, Trump has adopted the same attitude.

I had agreed with the editorialist who said we should avoid investigating Trump if at all possible. It’s only “banana republics” that put their own leadership in jail. To my great despair, I can no longer see a way to avoid it. Even James Buchanan could bring himself to admit that secession was wrong. He didn’t do anything about it, but at least it wasn’t his own people, over whom he had great influence, that were at fault.

I don’t care about your politics, whether you’re liberal or conservative. I've always been more than fair to Trump, as you can read on this blog and elsewhere. There isn’t the faintest residue of partisanship in this assessment. Such disagreements are precisely what we have elections to resolve. Trump and anyone else who attacks them is worthy of the deepest scorn.

The name of Trump will forever be a wretched stain, etched indelibly on the history of our nation, the only president ever to turn traitor.