THE MANY FACES OF FASCISM

 

©Wendell Griffen, 2022

 

There is a popular saying – “Be careful what you pray for, you might get it” – that Donald Trump and his minions are about to see take effect. A federal judge in Florida has ordered the US Justice Department to release a redacted version of the sworn affidavit on which the judge issued a warrant authorizing search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. The redacted affidavit was released at noon on Friday, August 26.

Trump hoped that the affidavit would be released without redactions. Perhaps he thought the judge would deny his motion seeking its disclosure and release. Then Trump could have continued complaining that he was treated unfairly when the FBI executed the search warrant, searched his residence, found government records, artifacts, and classified material, and removed what it found.

However, US Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart’s order that a redacted version of the affidavit be released shows why the FBI sought the search warrant. That affidavit shows that another federal agency told the FBI to look for government records, artifacts, and classified material at Trump's Florida residence. It shows when and why the FBI concluded there was  probable cause to believe that more such material was stored at Trump’s residence. That is probably not what Trump would like the world to know.

Instead, the world now knows that the Justice Department swore, and that Judge Reinhart determined, that there was probable cause to conclude that Trump had no legitimate reason, let alone authority, to possess the government records and material. The affidavit shows that the Justice Department determined that 184 classified files were inexplicably kept at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida after they were finally returned from there to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in January 2022, a year after Trump's presidency ended.  

This demonstrates the fascist aims of Trump and exposes the fascist aims of his diehard followers. They declare that Trump – a civilian – is entitled to keep government records. They declare that Trump is entitled to keep classified material. They declare that Trump is entitled to prevent federal investigators from knowing he was holding the material. The upshot of arguments from Trump's lawyers and his political cronies is that Trump - a former president - cannot be prosecuted for taking government property, including classified documents

News flash! Donald Trump is not the United States. He has no authority to possess property that belongs to the United States. He has no authority to possess classified information.

People do not accidentally come into possession of classified documents. Unauthorized persons do not innocently do so. 

What innocent reason is there for anyone to have 184 classified files in their private residence, let alone refuse for months to return them to the government to which they belong? 

What innocent reason was there for Trump to possess files that contained classified information sensitive to the defense of the United States for months after he was no longer President of the United States?

What innocent purpose could there be for Trump to possess that information? 

For what innocent purposes would such information and material be useful to Donald John Trump in view of his personal and political history of greed, dishonesty, and disregard for justice and democracy? 

Recall now that Donald Trump called an armed mob to attack the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, in a brazen try to prevent the Congress from certifying the Electoral College tally of the 2020 presidential election. 

Recall that the warrant Judge Reinhart issued for Mar-a-Lago on August 5, 2022, was based on the affidavit and information now disclosed.

Donald Trump is a known sociopath who has behaved like a tyrant since he was defeated in 2020. His supporters praised his tyrannical words and deeds before he became president, after his defeat in the November 2020 presidential election, and after he lost presidential authority at noon on January 20, 2021. No matter who they are, those supporters, with Trump, are the faces of fascism in the United States.

Remember who they are. Mark what they say and do. They do not believe in democracy. They do not believe in civil liberty and justice for all. They are fascists. 

Moreover, Trump is looking, acting, and sounding more like a criminal at every turn. Trump and his fascists followers wanted the world to know why the FBI searched Mar-a-Lago. Now that the world knows, Trump and his followers probably don't like what the world learned. Trump is in a deep ditch of his own manure, and doing a great job of digging deeper. 

Be careful what you pray for, Mr. Former President. You are not going to like what you get (indictment, arraignment, and possible trial on multiple felony charges). 

Start practicing your perp walk and booking photo pose. 

Draft your post-indictment social media post. 

Increase the projected size of your criminal defense fund. 

Prepare to hand over your passport.