Rachel Maddow On Trump and Spiro Agnew: Politics As Usual
The always invaluable Rachel Maddow last night once again proved her unique ability to link the current news to historical precedent. As Trump's unwavering refusal to even consider a plea deal is accepted as gospel, Rachel takes us back to the wild events surrounding Spiro Agnew almost exactly 60 years ago--November 1963. The Justice Department had incontrovertible evidence of a series of crimes by then VP Agnew--numerous acceptances of bribes and even outright extortion. Three young deputies in the Department confronted him with this evidence, making it clear that he was facing serious prison (not "jail") time if convicted.
These events were coincident with the rapidly-mounting events we now call Watergate, events that made the prospect of Agnew suddenly acceding to the Presidency upon the removal/resignation of Nixon not exactly remote. Even though this evidence included proof of Agnew actually having received envelopes of cash in the White House, he made it clear he had no intention of resigning and would fiercely fight these charges if indicted. He knew that the possibility that he just might suddenly become President as a result of the maelstrom of Watergate greatly strengthened his bargaining position. He also knew that he had a cadre of fervent supporters, ones determined to see him accede to the presidency should Nixon be brought down. Thus he appeared to be convinced that he could weather this storm.
Right now, sixty years on, the idea of Donald Trump copping a plea seems anywhere from remote to non-existent. But should future events make the prospect of an actual stretch in the slammer seem far more possible to TFG, then the self-proclaimed greatest dealmaker in the world just might consider wanting to use his willingness to give up any ability to ever run for--or serve in--Federal office as a bargaining chip.
Rachel's acute knowledge of history led to her citing a long-forgotten (in America at least) incident in French history, one that was more nearly comparable to January 6th than to these more recent events. Below is a link to Wikipedia's coverage of a massive February 1934 right-wing riot in the Place de la Concorde. Of course no Trump supporter should take too much comfort from any comparison, as the riot by the French far right led to the accession to power by France's most left-wing government ever, the Front Populaire under Leon Blum--not merely a leftist, but also a Jew when the echoes of the Dreyfus Affair were still a rallying cry for both the left and the right wings in France.
Read the article linked below, and go on MSNBC.com and find the June 12th episode of Rachel Maddow on MSNBC. It seamlessly links current events re Trump to the past history of both Spiro Agnew and of France in the 1930s.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/6_February_1934_crisis#:~:text=The%206%20February%201934%20crisis,shot%20and%20killed%2015%20demonstrators.
And then read about the Stavisky affair, France's echo of Bernie Madoff. But unlike Bernie, who mostly stole from his landsmen, Alexandre Stavisky stole from thrifty members of the French petite-bourgeoisie and became the underlying cause of a major increase in French anti-Semitism--with tragic results for France's Jews ten years later under the occupation.
The Stavisky Affair was the subject of a fascinating if imperfect Alain Resnais film, starring Jean-Paul Belmondo as the charming crook Stavisky. Here is a link to this fascinating bit of long-past history:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stavisky_affair
It proves the old adage that history doesn't repeat itself but perhaps rhymes--or I would say more accurately echoes. I thank the incomparable Ms. Maddow for reminding this long-ago history major of these fascinating linkages.
Roger
