Cohen and Manafort
Today came two highly anticipated conclusions in the cases of Michael Cohen and Paul Manafort. Both men were investigated and charged as a result of Mueller’s out of control search for collusion between the president and Russia. Cohen reached a plea and Manafort was convicted of only 8 out of 18 charges. The convictions primarily involved tax evasion and other monetary misdeeds by the two individuals. There was nothing even remotely related to Russian collusion. Nonetheless, the media and the Left are going crazy connecting these two men to the president. Their association with the president tainted them and led to their convictions, and now the media attempts to taint the president by his association with men who have been convicted.
Indeed, both men did at one time work for the President. The investigations into them and the resultant charges would likely never have occurred but for a political inquest that is an attempt to unseat the president and in the process gathers up in its net anyone associated with the president. Their homes and offices were raided in ways that were reminiscent of gestapo techniques. This intimidation is an attempt to find some “dirt” on the president and this sort of inquisition is frightening. As Dershowitz previously noted in regard to Manafort, his crime was being associated with the president, and his trial was about getting him “to sing.” (https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2018/08/01/dershowitz_manaforts_crime_is_being_associated_with_donald_trump_trial_is_about_getting_him_to_sing.html).
This is not an argument that these men are innocent. But it is important that these men, and especially Manafort, would likely never have had charges brought against them but for their relationships with Trump. This is a frightening politicization of our justice system. On The Innocence Project’s blog, John Oliver notes: “The truth is, prosecutors have the ability to ruin lives in a second, so we need to find out who our D.A.’s are and get a sense of the policies and priorities that they are carrying out. If we do not decide ourselves what we want our criminal justice system to look like — prosecutors will decide.” (https://www.innocenceproject.org/john-oliver-reminds-us-why-we-should-care-about-prosecutor-accountability/). While written regarding individual prosecutors across the country, it applies equally well to the Mueller and his seemingly out of control inquisition that goes after anyone associated with the target of his hunt, his hope seemingly not justice, but to somehow, someway, destroy the president.
Mollie Tibbetts
Now to the death of Mollie Tibbetts, a young woman with a promising future whose disappearance a little over a month ago captivated the nation. The news of her death is heartbreaking. What adds to the outrage is that the death was apparently at the hands of someone who has been living in the country illegally – but for his ability to carry out that initial illegal entry and then his continuing illegal residence, he would not have been here to commit his illegal act against Mollie Tibbetts.
To point out that her alleged murderer is illegal is not a condemnation of all immigrants as some would suggest. All illegal immigrants are not murderers and the condemnation of one is not a condemnation of all, just as the opposition to illegal immigrants is not an opposition to legal immigration. But, what young Ms. Tibbetts’ death at the hands of an illegal does underscore is that our immigration system is broken if illegals such as the accused can enter and stay rather than being caught at the border and sent home. It also points out that if borders are open as some argue they should be or if there is no enforcement of immigration laws as those who would abolish ICE would have it, then people of bad character or intent will be just as able to enter the country as those with good intent, and, even if the borders are not fully open, without ICE there would be no one to enforce the laws.
Right now thoughts and prayers need to be with Mollie Tibbetts and her family as they remember the joy of her life. But, that life apparently ended at the hands of an illegal alien, and ultimately that part of her life must also be remembered. Those of us who did not know her in life can honor her death by taking a hard look at immigration in this country and working to fix a broken system not based on partisan agendas, but for the good of the country as a whole and all the future Mollies and others who will live in it.
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