President Donald Trump lashed out at Jeff Sessions once again. This time, it wasn’t the Mueller investigation that had Trump so riled up but, instead, charges against two Republican members of the House and the potential implication of those charges on the upcoming election. In tweets over the weekend, President Trump seemed to be suggesting that his politics should take precedence over America’s rule of law. If that’s the case, I’ll have to disagree with the President; rule of law should always come first.
Congressmen Chris Collins of New York and Duncan D. Hunter of California are currently being investigated by the Justice Department. Collins is being investigated for potentially committing insider trading, while Hunter has been accused of misusing campaign funds. Both charges are serious and could result in jail time.
In response to the charges, President Trump tweeted:
Two long running, Obama era, investigations of two very popular Republican Congressmen were brought to a well publicized charge, just ahead of the Mid-Terms, by the Jeff Sessions Justice Department. Two easy wins now in doubt because there is not enough time. Good job Jeff……
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2018
He also sent a sarcastic follow-up, “thanking” Sessions for the Justice Department’s efforts.
Trump is furious over the potential election fallout stemming from the allegations, as they could cost the Republican Party two badly needed seats. But you know what? The law should always trump politics. If the two are found guilty, then they should both be removed from office either by voters or by the Department of Justice.
We the people should not tolerate criminals in our highest offices. If members of Congress are stealing from their campaign funds and are nothing but spendthrifts, can we really trust them with our public finances? If you’ll steal from your campaign, what’s going to stop you from stealing from taxpayers? Likewise with insider trading: If Collins will abuse his position for his own gain, is he morally sound? Is he making decisions based on the interests of the American people, or is he making decisions based on his own interests?
Back on the campaign trail in 2016, Trump promised that if he got to Washington, he’d “drain the swamp.” That’s something many Americans, myself included, can get behind. Corruption seems to be widespread in Washington, D.C. It’s not “just” the misuse of funds and privilege, either. Our politicians often engage in “legal corruption,” exchanging votes for campaign donations and patronage.
The charges originated under Democratic President Barack Obama, and some have alleged that the charges were politically motivated. This can’t be ruled out, at least not by me or you. If anyone is going to rule that out, however, it should be the courts and a jury of peers. If political influence was a factor, it’s likely that Sessions and his team would have been able to sniff it out. Given that the Justice Department is pressing ahead with charges, prosecutors must be confident that they have a case and that the charges are legitimate.
Trump may have reason to complain about the timing as well, but it’s likely that prosecutors simply needed time to make their case. If Trump wanted to order a review of the timing to see if it was politically motivated, that’s his right. If there’s an issue, it should be addressed. However, if elected officials are being accused of serious crimes, voters have a right to know so they can base their decision on those alleged activities.
Elections should never trump our rule of law. Far too often we Americans treat politics like a team sport. We want the other side to lose regardless of the actual policies at stake and the moral worthiness of the individual in question. This is absurd. We need to elect officials to office who adhere to the highest moral standards. After all, how can we trust people to write our laws if they won’t even follow them?
