Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/01/29/q-what-caused-stepford-senato.html
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I don’t really believe that McConnell’s loyalty was bought for a few grand. I’m not saying this wasn’t corrupt. I’m saying that McConnell is clearly more than a few grand in the hole here. I think McConnell is a true believer. Not in Trump, but in fascism and might making right.
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Campaign contributions are not why the GOP are in lockstep. However, it should disqualify anyone who received a contribution from voting on impeachment as that is a conflict of interest. Of course impeachment is a political process so conflict of interest will not apply
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If under $3000-$5000 can get that kind of loyalty - i mean come fucking on - then let’s just kick start a campaign to buy them back. That is chump change. If only it was that simple to match their donations to get them to swing the other way.
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And take a WILD guess as to where his TV lawyers got their donation money…
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$2600? What a bargain! The cheapest senator I could find on eBay was already bid up past $100,000 by someone named vputin69.
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I don’t think McConnell is a “true believer” in the blind Trump-worship we see from the MAGA crowd, I just think he sees uncompromising support for Trump as a means of staying in power. I agree that this is much a bigger strategic consideration than a few measly grand, though.
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This would be interesting. Imagine automatically disqualifying any Senator for voting in the IT if they received any campaign contribution from one one of the attorneys.
I feel like this would most definitely even the field between GOP and Dems.
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How is this not overt fucking corruption? How is this not jury tampering?
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These donations are small potatoes. The real concern is super PACs, for example Parnas and Fruman got their meetings with Trump because they procured six figures for a pro-Trump PAC. Of course PACs are not supposed to have any connection to the candidate, but there it is.
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MILLIONS in PAC money if they get in line. Millions for opponents if they don’t. This is literally the definition of corruption.
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Dang. I guessed “Charity for Children with Cancer”.
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Because it’s an inherently political process by design. This is shady AF, but I don’t think it actually breaks any laws or Senate rules.
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There’s serious money that’s been made by someone in Trump’s inner circle. My suspicion would be it’s coordinated by Trump and his children/Jared. I think it’d be in his character to feel justified in doing it. It may partially explain all his interest in, and bragging over the stock market. With this, they can launder dark money to push elections however they wish.
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I do think it would be worthwhile, in the event that you are hired by an officeholder to defend their conduct in the face of an impeachment inquiry, to be issued refunds of any past donations (with interest) you have made to to any elected officials voting on impeachment or later on removal. (Not that Drumpf hired any lawyerlings to represent his interests in House proceedings, but he could have.) And that these lawyers would pledge not to donate to any current or future campaigns for these officials, either.
Simply to avoid any appearance of impropriety.
When they’re working together, who’s going to prosecute or even question them?
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McConnell has a lot of direct financial ties to Trump via his wife, who is Trump’s secretary of transportation. Elaine Chao also seems to be heavily involved with influence peddling, Trump’s emoluments situation, a fair bit of the same on her Husband’s side. And they’ve both been connected to various other sorts of serious graft in the press.
So a few grand in campaign donations isn’t likely to be what’s at the heart of this. More so access to the free for all of public corruption and self enrichment that a good relationship with Trump allows.
That and self preservation. Any serious attempt at applying scrutiny and consequences to the Trump administration is gonna involve looking at what Chao and McConnell have been up to. Just like we’ve already got evidence that Devin Nunes was directly involved in the acts he was purportedly investigating for the House GOP.
It’s about getting on the gravy train, and covering your ass if it ever comes to light.
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