The Trump Grifter Family Redux
I wrote the piece below in May, 2018.
~ Things I didn’t realize or anticipate at the time:
* That Trump would actually be the subject of a second impeachment;
* That Eric was by no means stupider than Don Jr. and not any less culpable;
* That Eric was just as likely to get nailed for financial crimes and fraud; and
- That a combination of scandal and a global pandemic would make all the Trump hospitality and rental properties toxic for guests, clients, patrons, investors, business renters — even for money launderers.
“‘The Grifters’ is a 1990 American neo-noir crime drama film directed by Stephen Frears, produced by Martin Scorsese, and starring John Cusack, Anjelica Huston and Annette Bening. It tells the tale of a Grifter family that ends up cannibalizing itself due to inevitable internal betrayals, criminal entanglements, and complicities.
“The Trump Organization is a criminal dynasty, business brand, and family of grifters that has historically prospered through a series of real estate scams, ponzie schemes (like Trump University), fraud, and other elaborate cheats. It continues to do so by criminally manipulating the presidency for business profits and financial gain, in contravention of a plethora of laws, guidelines, protocols and conventions. Like the doomed family in ‘The Grifters’ movie, they will inevitably end up cannibalizing themselves and each other (and in some cases already have), implicating each other in criminal enterprise and various forms of malfeasance.
“They can’t help it. It is their criminal culture, their amoral sense of ensured entitlement, and their ultimately tacky milieu. In their case, however, their mendacity carries the added weight of felony treason and conspiracy charges.
“Donald Trump Jr., in attempting to help his father (and himself), has royally fucked them both. Jared Kushner, in attempting to help his father-in-law, his biological father, Kushner Enterprises, his wife, and himself, has royally fucked all of them to the extent of possible jail time all around. Ivanka Trump, in trying to help herself, her business, her father, and the Trump brand, has irretrievably compromised all of their dynastic holdings across the globe, not to mention her father’s presidency and the Office of the President itself.
“Eric, poor sod, has repeatedly, unwittingly and witlessly testified to his father’s and the family business’ collusion with the government and oligarchs of hostile foreign powers, in Trump Enterprises having accepted money for laundering, illegal loans, dirty finance, and quid pro quo agreements, that have NOTHING to do with golf.
“And Trump Sr. — in his clueless ethical condition, mental and emotional sickness, sociopathy, avariciousness, and amoral estate — has done worse by them than can easily be measured. In ever, EVER having accepting the GOP nomination for, and office of, the presidency, he has royally fucked them all.
“When the slow, thorough millstone of federal justice has ceased to grind, and the threshing wheel of impeachment has finally ceased to turn, these individuals, their businesses, and their personal and collective ‘brands’ will have been utterly rendered, winnowed and shredded — consigned to the chaff of the criminal justice system. Jail time awaits them, with the possible exception of Eric.”
