Trump Is Shattering Records For Presidential Corruption – And It Isn’t Even Close

A record-breaking number of close associates and aides to Donald Trump have been indicted over the course of his first term, MSNBC’s Ari Melber pointed out on Thursday.

With Steve Bannon’s arrest earlier in the day, the number of close Trump associates indicted during his first term stands at six – an obscene level of corruption for a man who promised to “drain the swamp.”

“A president breaking records for convictions and arrests of aides, with both of the people who at times held the number one position … in his original election campaign are now indicted,” Melber said.

“And President Trump’s response?” the MSNBC host continued. “Well, it’s been to demand the DOJ spare his indicted friends, to punish his enemies, to investigate people that he disagrees with.”

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Melber said:

The issues tonight go way higher than even Bill Barr. A president breaking records for convictions and arrests of aides, with both of the people who at times held the number one position, Manafort and Bannon, in his original election campaign are now indicted. And President Trump’s response? Well, it’s been to demand the DOJ spare his indicted friends, to punish his enemies, to investigate people that he disagrees with. To punish people for exercising their first amendment rights. And if he fails, Donald Trump has been clear. This may sound like criticism. I’m actually just reporting what he says and does. He says if he fails, he’ll do it himself, which he did. Jail-breaking Roger Stone from his prison sentence – something Nixon never did in Watergate. But also demanding the federal agencies handling your ballots crack down and suppress the vote so Donald Trump can win.

Trump will likely have his day in court

Like he did following the arrest of his other crooked buddies – Rick Gates, Roger Stone, Paul Manafort, Michael Flynn and Michael Cohen – Donald Trump tried to distance himself from Steve Bannon on Thursday, essentially saying he had very little to do with the man who literally ran his 2016 campaign.

But the American people know better. It’s become clear over the past five years that corruption is a feature of the MAGA world Trump has created, not a bug.

And while the presidency may be protecting him for now, Donald Trump will almost certainly be getting a knock on his door once he’s a private citizen again.

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Sean Colarossi

Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.