THE SHAME OF IT ALL
Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman was attacked for telling the truth. Subpoenaed by Congress, his testimony in part, led to the first impeachment of President Donald Trump.
He had listened in on Trump's infamous phone call to the President of Ukraine. In that call, Trump threatened that money funded to help Ukraine deal with Russian intrusions would be with-held unless President Zelensky made-up and published, lies about Joe Biden and his family.
When the unlawful behavior of President Trump came to light, the House of Representatives voted to initiate his removal from office.
Summoned to testify, Alexander Vindman told what he knew, and it was damning. No worries for Trump though, the Republican Senate blew off all the evidence and allowed him to remain in office.
For over 40 years our government has given up punishing any of our leaders for their wrong doings. Starting with Reagan and Iran-Contra, then fast tracking to Trump, our Congress, now almost totally beholden to corporate interests, choses to turn a blind eye to upper-echelon and un-bridled lawbreakers. Unless we get tough and take steps to remove the now entire barrel of rotten apples, we're sunk.
It is not enough to 'be held accountable' if there are no consequences. And if consequences are not severe, our 200-year democratic experiment is doomed.
'No one is above the law', is not some idle saying. A law when broken needs strong enforcement to send a clear message to future wanton elected civil servants.
There needs to be a 'comeuppance'.
The definition of comeuppance is 'a fate that someone deserves, a punishment that fits the crime.' Nothing less than removal from office will halt the rampant disregard for laws that when flouted, paint us as chumps and fools.
Along with our own in-house crooks, other bad actors in the world are currently watching and sizing up our glaring weaknesses.
After being given an impeachment pass, Trump sought vengeance for Colonel Vindman's testimony. So, he polished up his bullying skills, enlisted the help of his supporters and Fox News, and set out to ruin that man's life with career-ending smears to his reputation and threats to him and his family. Trump's actions were in large part successful and sent a clear message to any other person who might testify to truths he didn't want known.
Because the folks elected to protect our citizens from evil doers refuse to do their jobs, a private citizen has been forced to take on the worst gang of reprobates this country has seen since Trigger was a colt.
On February 2, a civil lawsuit was filed by Mr. Vindman, seeking comeuppance for Donald J. Trump and his lackeys.
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