Tony Soprano was more subtle
by digby
There’s been a lot of discussion of Trump’s despicable comments demanding that the judge in his Trump University fraud case recuse himself because he’s Mexican (which he isn’t) and is therefore assumed to have a conflict of interest with Trump because Trump wants to build his silly wall.This was an escalation of his attack on the judge from his 12 minute rant in San Diego earlier in the week. It’s absurd on its face.
Donald Trump said in an interview published Thursday that that a federal judge’s Mexican heritage presents a “absolute conflict” in his fitness to hear lawsuits against Trump University because of the mogul’s hard-line stance on immigration.
While Trump has assailed the judge before with racially imbued language, his comments marked the first time he explicitly said the judge’s ethnicity should have disqualified him for presiding over the cases.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump said that U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel had a conflict in the cases because the judge is “of Mexican heritage” and the mogul is espousing polarizing views on immigration.
“I’m building a wall. It’s an inherent conflict of interest,” Trump told the Journal, referencing his proposal to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border that his supporters have cheered but opponents have sharply criticized.
He didn’t mention it in his red-faced, sweaty, angry over-the-top rambling speech in San Jose last night but he did say something else that should have legal scholars and politicians a little worried. He apparently doesn’t know that presidents aren’t allowed to direct their Justice Department or judges to use their police powers to mete out punishment to his political enemies. He’s basically threatening Hillary Clinton with just that.
First he evokes his most common sexist dog whistle:
When you watched her today, she does not look presidential, that I can tell you, she does not. This is not a president.(11:25) …
I’m going to guess a lot of people agree with that. After all, she looks completely different than any president we’ve ever had.
But this (13:55) is where he really gets wound up:
This is about America first. This is about putting our country first, folks. This is about showing people that we’re not going to be listening to stupid people anymore. That we’re not going to have people making deals like the Iran deal, like the Sergeant Bergdahl deal. I mean, think of it. They get five of the people that they’ve wanted for 8 years and we get Sergeant Bergdahl, a traitor, where five people were killed looking for him. These are the deals. I call him the five for one president. So we’re not going to do this anymore folks. Those days are over. The days of the Iran deal where they get a hundred fifty billion dollars we get nothing in that deal, nothing, except laughed at and scorned.
(For those of you still confused about what Trump means by “America First” I hope that passage clears it up for you. Putting your “country first”means making other countries stop laughing at us. )
And then I watch Hillary Clinton, she started the foundation of that deal and now she’s proud of it. But she’s only proud of it for one reason. You know why? Because Obama wants it. Anything Obama wants, she’s going forward with, because you know why?? She doesn’t wanna go ta jail! That’s why folks!Remember Hillary Clinton used to hate Obama! Bill Clinton hated him! Bill Clinton hated him! Obama called him a racist remember that? Bill Clinton hated him! And now it’s “yessir, Mr President Sir! Yessir! What would you like?! What would you like me to say here sir?!” The only reason she’s behaving like this and the only reason she’s been dragged so far left, believe me, is she doesn’t want to go to jail over the emails, buhleev me, ok? One simple reason.
Because you know what folks? I used to say, leave it up to the lawyers. I have watched so many lawyers on so many different networks. I have read so much about the emails. Folks, honestly, she’s guilty as hell. She’s guilty as hell. And the fact that they even allow her to participate in this race is a disgrace to the United States, it’s a disgrace to our nation. It’s a disgrace.
Sp we’ll see what happens, I don’t know. I’ve always had great confidence in the FBI, I have great respect, I know some FBI folks, I’ve always had great confidence in them. I can’t believe that they would let this go. When you look at General Petraeus, he got the equivalent of two years. He did nothing compared to her. You look at some of these other people, their lives have been destroyed. What she did is 20 times worse. And now her guys are taking the 5th amendment, the whole thing it’s a mess and she keeps running like it’s no problem.
I’m telling you, it’s a great system we have, we have a great country, we’re going to make it a lot greater by the war, we love our country, but look, we love our country and I don’t believe our country can let her get away with this crime, I don’t believe it. So we’ll see. And you know what? If they do let her get away with it, it will be a big topic of conversation on the campaign trail, I can tell you that.
And then if I win (shrugs dramatically like Mussolini, shakes his head) — it’s called a five year statue of limitations. If I win … everything’s going to be fair but I’m sure the Attorney General will take a very good look at it from a fair standpoint, ok? I’m sure. I think it’s disgraceful.
I’m not sure what crime she’s guilty of that has a five year statue of limitations but he’s sure that whatever it is she’s guilty of it.
If you are living your busy life and haven’t had a chance to really listen to Trump in all his glory recently, take the time this week-end to listen to the whole speech. You need to see it. I wish everyone could see it. There’s something mesmerizing about his extreme narcissism that I’ve never seen in any other human being. It’s got a powerful effect.
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