Another Step Towards the Treich

I was going to begin by saying it's not every day that two absolute essentials of our democracy are simultaneously attacked by the Apprentice Dictator, but then this is 2020, and it does seem to happen every day.  However, recent events surrounding the Roger Stone case present a particular challenge to these essentials: the integrity of the law, and the integrity of elections.

Both may be relative even in the best of times.  But in these dark times, they are being attacked openly by the chief executive of the country and the Justice Department itself in a way that is without precedent in American history.

The relevant context is this: if you are going to create a lasting dictatorship, an autocracy (to use the fancier name), you must above all destroy the impartial rule of law.  That's what's going on at the moment in the Stone case, where four career prosecutors who tried the case have resigned in protest against AG Barr's attempt at the behest of Homegrown Hitler to reduce the sentence the prosecution is recommending, on behalf of the United States.

That's a direct challenge to the impartiality of the law and clear interference by the chief executive to retain his office and his power.  And it may well be just the beginning.

But it's also worth recalling, in the blizzard of these names, what the Stone case was about.  To quote from the original sentencing memo (via Lawfare):

"Investigations into election interference concern our national security, the integrity of our democratic processes, and the enforcement of our nation’s criminal laws …. It is against this backdrop that Stone’s crimes—his obstruction, lies, and witness tampering—must be judged. Stone knew the gravity of the House Intelligence Committee’s investigation when he obstructed it by giving false testimony and tampering with a witness. Indeed, Stone acknowledged as much in his opening statement before the Committee. Stone chose—consciously, repeatedly, and flagrantly—to obstruct and interfere with the search for the truth on an issue of vital importance to all Americans."

Stone's crimes are related to inquiry into interference of the 2016 elections, particularly by Russia.  There has been a war going on between professional, career Justice Department officials and lawyers, as well as professional, career FBI and other agency investigators, and (on the other side) Trump and his political appointees and cronies.  This was a major battle in that war, and the numbers and status of career officials defending the integrity of the law have taken a major hit.

And while it was going on, this regime was openly conducting another purge of insufficiently loyal government officials--people who are supposed to be public servants, but keep their jobs only if they are Homegrown Hitler servants.

We know that the integrity of the 2020 elections is threatened, and this regime has a vested interest in doing nothing about it.  Now it is doing more than nothing, and doing it openly.  So far without consequence.

Now there's been added a major threat to the impartial rule of law.  This is not only essential to our republic but to the entire world, including to the institutions and practice of capitalism--no matter how ironic that sounds.  Everything in the civilized world depends on the presumption of the rule of law.  Otherwise, everything becomes a matter of force and violence.

Governing by force and violence is the next step in solidifying a fascist dictatorship.  But first the conditions for imposing it must be accomplished: the disorder that follows the breakdown in the rule of law.  So many elements of our political culture seem headed in that direction.  This is another very big warning sign, as well as in itself a potential disaster.