Persevering with the all-important work of decreasing the Division of Justice to nothing however a automobile for sham prosecutions and petty revenge, federal prosecutors have opened a corruption investigation into Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser over a visit she took together with her workers to Qatar, paid for partially by Qatar.
What’s the corruption? Who can say, actually? Perhaps bribery, possibly marketing campaign finance violations. That half hasn’t fairly been labored out but. There’s the minor sticking level of how there doesn’t appear to be any proof that Bowser truly did something for Qatar, which is form of required for a bribe.
What’s a $400 million present between buddies like President Donald Trump and Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani ?
This nonsense stems from a 2023 journey Bowser took to Dubai with 4 staffers to attend a United Nations convention. Bowser’s workplace initially mentioned the D.C. Chamber of Commerce paid, then that the U.S. Convention of Mayors had lined it, however it turned out that Qatar did pay over $61,000 to carry Bowser and her workers to Doha earlier than the convention in Dubai.
Effectively, that modifications issues. $61,000! Heavens! Why, that’s actually equal to 0.015% of the $400 million aircraft that Qatar gave to President Donald Trump. How dare she!
Whereas it doesn’t seem to be anybody has been in a position to uncover what impermissible goodies Qatar might need gotten from Bowser in change for that $61,000 journey, we’re a bit clearer on what Qatar acquired from Trump for that $400 million “gift.” How a few declaration that the US “shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of the State of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States”?
Effectively, possibly that’s just a few imprecise language, proper? A pleasant, no-strings option to say thanks for a brand new aircraft, as a result of it will be impolite to not present gratitude, proper?
“Within the occasion of such an assault, the US shall take all lawful and acceptable measures — together with diplomatic, financial, and, if vital, navy — to defend the pursuits of the US and of the State of Qatar and to revive peace and stability.”
Nope, not imprecise in any respect. That $400 million appears to have purchased the Qataris the identical kind of dedication to shared protection that we make to NATO nations beneath Article V, which is truthfully just about priceless.
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The place the DOJ hasn’t fairly found out what kind of corruption they will declare Bowser was engaged in, they’ve found out in a short time the right way to say that Trump accepting an enormously costly luxurious aircraft as a present wasn’t corruption.
Per Legal professional Normal Pam Bondi, it’s completely authorized for Trump to take a $400 million present from a international authorities. She even signed an official memo about it. No, you possibly can’t see the memo.
In accordance with Bondi’s workplace, it’s going to take 620 days to answer a FOIA request for a single memo, so the Might request from the Freedom of the Press Basis might be answered by Jan. 25, 2027. However within the meantime, simply keep in mind: completely authorized.
Additionally completely authorized? Getting the US taxpayers to kick in round $1 billion to repair the aircraft up good and fairly in order that Trump can take it with him when he leaves. God, that factor goes to look worse than the Oval Workplace does proper now, isn’t it? Do you suppose the administration has assigned a crack staff to determine should you can drape a whole aircraft in cheesy gold leaf with out compromising security?
Simply as accepting a free aircraft can’t presumably be corruption, having Trump’s massive grownup sons getting huge growth offers in Qatar because of their father having lucked into the presidency is unquestionably not corruption.
It’s cute to see the administration show such tender concern for big-city mayors who abuse the belief of their positions by taking corruption-fueled boondoggle journeys abroad with their workers on one other nation’s dime. By some means, although, that concern was by no means evident when the DOJ rushed to drop expenses in opposition to New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams.
Adams was alleged to have accepted over $100,000 price of luxurious journey from Turkish nationals, and that’s above and past his alleged solicitation of marketing campaign donations from Turkish sources as properly.
Perhaps the DOJ is simply wanting into Bowser for the unforgivable sin of not grifting sufficient? She ought to have held out for some type of free plane, on the very least. Sucker.
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