"WE FOLLOWED THE PRESIDENT'S ORDERS": DONALD TRUMP SHOULD NO MORE BE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES THAN THE NEW YORK CITY RATS THAT LIVE IN THE SEWERS BENEATH TRUMP TOWER

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SPECIAL NOTE FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:  Seven years ago today - on November 22nd, 2012 - I founded The Controversy and wrote my first column for this publication.  Today's commentary is Number 403.  I thank all my readers - whether you agree with my views or not - for your loyalty and devotion by reading The Controversy.  I hope you will continue to read my editorials and to respond with your own personal remarks.  Thank you again. Gary B. Duglin

This copyrighted column - in part or in its entirety - may be freely shared among individuals, and it may be reprinted, republished, or quoted in any medium, including broadcast, cable, satellite, print, Internet, and other forms of media, but only when crediting Gary B. Duglin and The Controversy.   

     I've been writing for months some of the same words that were uttered on Thursday, November 21st, 2019 by Congressman Adam Schiff of California - Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and the guiding light of the Trump impeachment inquiry - when he closed what may or may not be the final round of hearings on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. When are Republicans going to get off their asses and shove a stake 

through the heart of Donald Trump's presidency?  Although those were not Congressman Schiff's actual words - they're mine - the crux of what I have written is what Mr. Schiff was expressing.  I do ask you to take note and read my aforementioned remark carefully and correctly so that there is no misinterpretation. I said, "through the heart of Donald Trump's presidency," not Donald Trump.  I wish the man no harm whatsoever.  But Trump needs to pay for his crimes against our nation.   

     Where are the John Dean (pictured right) types from the Richard Nixon era in "Trump World?"  Dean was President Nixon's White House Counsel from July 1970 until April 1973.  Dean played a significant role in the cover-up of the Watergate scandal.  But making a deal with prosecutors, Dean accepted a single felony guilty plea in exchange for becoming a key witness against his boss and others.  He had been sentenced to between one and four years in a minimum-security prison, but instead was moved to a special "safe house" for witnesses.  After testifying in the trials of Watergate conspirators, Dean's sentence was reduced to time served, which ended up being four months.  Dean was the first official of the Nixon administration to accuse the 37th President of direct involvement with Watergate and the cover-up.  Dean had suspected that Mr. Nixon was clandestinely tape recording conversations in The Oval Office, and so he tipped off prosecutors, which eventually led to "the smoking gun" audio tape that turned out to be the straw that broke the camel's back and a major factor in ending the Nixon presidency.  

     Is there someone that Donald Trump trusts who is looking over his or her shoulder everyday and wondering, "Is this the day I get handcuffed?"  And if so, will that person trade his or her freedom for a shorter sentence behind bars in order to give Congress more ironclad evidence that Trump has broken the law?  Oh we've had a lot of distinguished diplomats and national security professionals - all dedicated public servants - who should be praised, applauded and saluted for their under oath appearances before the House of Representatives, but where the hell are the people directly in Trump's orbit in The West Wing who are likely to know where all the  

proverbial bodies are buried? And which ones, if any, are also guilty of crimes?  Former White House Counsel Don McGahn (pictured left) and former National Security Adviser John Bolton (pictured above right), among others, each need to step up to the plate and hit grand slam home runs by telling Congress and the American people EVERYTHING THEY KNOW about Trump's illegal activities over the last three years. Are they afraid of incriminating themselves?  If they are innocent, they have nothing to fear.  So they need to totally ignore Trump's orders and, therefore, it is time for them to offer public testimony for all Americans to witness.

     Where is former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders (pictured left)? Where is Counselor to the President, Kellyanne Conway (pictured right)? They - and others - need to put country over party, and country over Trump.  They need to stand tall and show the American people that they won't be intimidated by a man who should no more be President of the United States than the New York City rats that live in the sewers beneath Trump Tower.

     We learned a great deal from the hearings of the last two weeks where much devastating, irrefutable evidence was brought to the surface by credible witnesses.  But perhaps the most important piece of information that was revealed was when the U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland (pictured top left) delivered explosive, bombshell testimony on Wednesday, November 20th, 2019 that the Vice President of the United States Mike Pence (pictured bottom left), the Secretary of State Mike 

Pompeo (pictured lower right), the Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney (left),


and the then-National Security Adviser John Bolton were all "in the 
loop" that 391 million dollars in military aid to Ukraine, approved by Congress, was being withheld,

under orders by Donald Trump, because he, Trump, wanted Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky (pictured left) to launch an investigation in to former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden (pictured right).  That's bribery.  But whether you call it bribery, call it extortion, call it a quid pro quo, or call it whatever you want, the fact of the matter is that Trump's actions were illegal.  He broke the law.

     Mimicking a mob boss, Trump twisted Zelensky's arm to interfere in our upcoming 2020 election.  What Trump did was a classic Mafia-like shakedown.  When Trump said to Zelensky in that now infamous July 25th, 2019 telephone call, "We do a lot for Ukraine" and "spend a lot of effort and a lot of time" to help Ukraine, but that it's not always "reciprocal," so I want you "to do us a favor though," those words equate to Trump committing crimes.  The bottom line is that Trump was pressuring a foreign government to investigate a political rival of the U.S. President.  Vice President Biden is the front-runner in the race for the 2020 Democratic nomination for President, and obviously, Trump is nervous, if not altogether scared, that Mr. Biden can defeat him in the November 3rd, 2020 general election.  Bribery and extortion are always considered crimes, but bribery, specifically, is an impeachable offense that qualifies for the President to be removed from office.  No doubt our Founding Fathers determined bribery to be painted as an elected official's abuse of power.  Article II, Section 4 of the United States Constitution is crystal clear that the President "shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."  That financial assistance to Ukraine had already been authorized and incorporated within the 2019 federal budget.  The money was designated to help Ukraine's armed forces in their effort to protect their nation from Russians who were invading the eastern part of their country.  The funding was to provide military aid including weapons, radar systems and other critical support.

     Ambassador Sondland also made it known during his public, congressional testimony that he and others did not want to, but that they were under "express direction of the President of the United States" to work with Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani on Ukraine policy.  "We did not want to work with Mr. Giuliani.  Simply put, we played the hand we were dealt.  We all understood that if we refused to work with Mr. Giuliani, we would lose an important opportunity to cement relations between the United States and Ukraine.  So we followed the President's orders."  Let me repeat those last five words because they are essential to the entire impeachment proceedings.  "We followed the President's orders."  

     Think about what happens if a person is the mastermind of a bank robbery ring, but he or she doesn't actually rob the banks.  The leader who runs the operation is just as guilty of the crimes as the people who wear the masks and, with guns in hands, raid the vaults.  When Donald Trump issues orders and others follow them, if the orders are to commit crimes, Trump deserves to be just as culpable as those who obeyed his commands.  Rudy Giuliani is not, however, a member of the Trump administration, nor is he employed in any way by the U.S. government.  So Giuliani had no business doing anything with Ukraine policy.  Furthermore, he is not protected by the blanket of White House executive privilege - which I oppose when the guy at the top is the subject of the crimes being investigated - and, therefore, Giuliani too is implicated in numerous felonies and could likely be indicted, convicted and sentenced to prison.

     It was proven long time ago that President Richard Nixon had nothing to do with the planning and execution of the 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, DC.  Mr. Nixon did, however, order and control the cover-up, and in the end, that - and the evidence of the aforementioned audio tape - were what caused his demise; his resignation of the presidency.  But with Donald Trump - although Rudy Giuliani was instrumental in orchestrating the quid pro quo with Ukraine - it was Trump who had the baton in his hand as he conducted and directed the crime.

     It was a whistle-blower's complaint that sparked the congressional impeachment inquiry.  The volcano of proof against Donald Trump erupted after The Washington Post published a story on September 18th, 2019 about a 9-page memo that was filed in August by a U.S. intelligence officer who reported "an urgent concern" about a communication between Trump and a foreign leader.  That leader turned out to be Ukraine's President Zelensky.  The whistle-blower's complaint indicated that the individual was "deeply concerned" that the actions described constitute "a serious or flagrant problem, abuse, or violation of law or Executive Order." 

     The whistle-blower is a courageous person and this individual needs to be rewarded with a standing ovation by each and every American, and protected by the laws of our land.  His or her identity must remain a secret, especially in today's inflammatory and incendiary political climate.  It wasn't until May 31st, 2005 - nearly 33 years after the Watergate break-in - that former FBI Associate Director Mark Felt (pictured left) revealed to the world, at age 91, that it was he who was known as "Deep Throat." Felt had provided Bob Woodward (on the right in the picture above right) and Carl Bernstein (on the left in the picture above right) of The Washington Post with vital information about Watergate that ultimately led to President Nixon's resignation on August 9th, 1974.  Woodward, Bernstein, and The Washington Post's Executive 

Editor Ben Bradlee (pictured left) promised to keep Felt's name classified, and that the mystery would remain until after Felt's death.  But Felt admitted he was Woodward's underground parking garage whisperer after his daughter persuaded him to come forward with the acknowledgment before dying.  Felt lived three-and-a-half more years with his death not coming until December 18th, 2008 at the age of 95.  Time will tell whether the Trump whistle-blower's name remains confidential or not.

     Donald Trump is a clear and present danger to the United States.  He has caused a constitutional crisis in our nation.  Congressional doctors need to administer an antidote to our country for the poison that is Donald Trump.  His toxicity has sickened our national security and infected the liberty and freedom that each American cherishes dearly.  Trump needs to be held accountable - in a legal and constitutional manner - for the crimes he has undoubtedly committed.  You'll notice I have not used the word "allegedly" in this column.  There are no more allegations. The testimony given by each of the congressional witnesses have proven Trump's guilt, and Trump himself has confessed to the crimes in many ways.  Just because he believes he's not guilty because he's President, and because he thinks that he can do whatever he wants while living in The White House, doesn't dismiss the fact that the law is the law, and nobody - not even Trump - is above it.    

     Will Republicans in the U.S. Senate do their duty?  I ask, where are those Senate Republicans - especially the leadership - who should be shouting at the top of their lungs to demand truth and transparency?  They have each taken an oath of office that they will "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic," and that they will "bear true faith and allegiance to the same."  Where is the 2019 version of Senator Howard Baker (pictured above left)?  In June 1973, Baker of Tennessee was the ranking Republican on the special Senate committee that investigated the Watergate scandal.  Baker famously hit the nail on the head when he asked that startling question during the Watergate hearings. "What did the President know, and when did he know it?"  Are there any Republican luminaries in today's Senate who are willing to say, "I don't give a damn whether 'Trumpers' in my state don't vote for me next time. I don't give a damn what my colleagues think of me. I must do what's right and speak out against Donald Trump because no one is above the law."  Republicans in Congress have to stop thinking about themselves and they need to demonstrate moral conscience.  The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives will soon impeach Trump.  But will the Republican-controlled Senate convict and remove him from the presidency? Republicans in both the Senate and the House need to stop protecting an entity of evil who is unfit to sit behind The Oval Office desk. Honorable Republicans can no longer support what's wrong for America.  Instead, they need to do what's right for America.  And what's good for our country.

     And that's The Controversy for today.

     I'm Gary B. Duglin.

     "We'll talk again."

The Controversy is a publication of GBD Productions.  Founder and Editor-In-Chief of The Controversy is Gary B. Duglin.

Please express your personal opinions by following the instructions printed at the top of this column.  And thank you for reading The Controversy.

Photo credits:

1 - Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images (Donald Trump)
2 - Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images (Congressman Adam Schiff)
3 - Bettmann/CORBIS (Former White House Counsel John Dean)
4 - Alex Wong/Getty Images (Former White House Counsel Don McGahn)
5 - Peter Nicholls/Reuters (Former National Security Adviser John Bolton)
6 - Alex Wong/Getty Images (Former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders)
7 - Manuel Balce Ceneta/The Associated Press (Counselor To The President, Kellyanne Conway)
8 - Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Getty Images (Ambassador Gordon Sondland)
9 - Getty Images (Vice President Mike Pence)
10 - Alex Wong/Getty Images (Secretary of State Mike Pompeo)
11 - Alex Brandon/The Associated Press (Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney)
12 - Sean Gallup/Getty Images (Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky)
13 - AFP/Getty Images (Former Vice President Joe Biden and Hunter Biden)
14 - Charles Krupa/The Associated Press (Donald Trump's Personal Lawyer Rudy Giuliani)
15 - Richard Nixon Foundation (Former President Richard Nixon)
16 - Gasper Tringale/Vanity Fair/Conde Nast (Former FBI Associate Director Mark Felt)
17 - The Washington Post (Veteran Journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein)
18 - Chris Felver/Getty Images (Former Executive Editor of The Washington Post Ben Bradlee)
19 - CBS News Screenshot (Former Senator Howard Baker)

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