Trump Is a Cancer in American Politics

Richard Nixon’s presidency was a cancer in our “body politic,” which thanks to his Oval Office tape-recordings and John Dean’s willingness to testify — regarding the break-in at the Watergate — did not metastasize. Donald Trump’s cancer in the body politic has metastasized. Though we have the equivalent of the Watergate Tapes, unless the prosecutors step forward and indict Trump soon, there doesn’t appear to be either a John Dean in the wings or a treatment, other than indictments, that can stop the spread of the disease.

The equivalent of the Watergate Tapes includes his recorded call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and his published written statement saying then-Vice-President Mike Pence had the authority to overturn the 2020 election. In the Raffensperger call he said: “Fellas give me a break. I Just want you to find 11,780 votes.” In his recent written statement, he said former Veep Pence could have “overturned the election.” Both of these patently false statements are the equivalent of the Nixon Tapes. Trump knew he had lost Georgia, a fact Raffensperger states on the call. As a former President of the United States, he either knew or should have known that under the Constitution, the vice president’s Electoral College role is purely ministerial.

Former Vice President Mike Pence’s recent statement that: “President Trump is wrong … I had no right to overturn the election” was the truth, a year overdue. However, neither Pence nor any other member of Trump’s inner circle will become the John Dean equivalent.