Donald Trump expects us to believe that his pressuring Ukraine to find dirt on a political opponent was motivated purely by his commitment to fighting corruption.
Let’s review just a few of the mountain of facts available that speak to Trump’s history on the subject of corruption:
He made hush-money payments to keep his affair with an adult film star quiet prior to the 2016 election.
His charity was shut down under court order because of a “shocking pattern of illegality.”
His “university” was found to be a sham, also shut down under court order and forced to pay a $25 million settlement to defrauded students.
Are those the behaviors of someone committed to fighting corruption?
Republicans, I long to again have thoughtful, robust and mutually enlightening arguments with you about the proper roles of government. But first we must agree that no one, including the president, is above the law, that honesty truly is the best policy, and that integrity, transparency and accountability are essential virtues that all public officials are expected to live by, especially the president of the United States.
Seth Jarvis, Salt Lake City