Trump’s Protection Racket

Jonathan Last: “This week we got word that two of the world’s most consequential billionaires have decided to pay tribute—literally—to Donald Trump. Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg are each gifting $1 million to Trump’s ‘inauguration committee.'”

“A president’s ‘inauguration committee’ or ‘inauguration fund’ is a slush fund, pure and simple. In theory, it is used to cover expenses relating to the inaugural celebrations. In practice, it’s dark money. The inaugural fund is required to disclose who gives money to it, but is not required to disclose what the money is spent on. And in cases where there is a surplus—where it raises more money than it spends on the inauguration festivities—it is not required to refund or dispose of the money in any particular way.”

“In other words: It’s pure tribute. The inauguration fund is a way for rich people to funnel money to the incoming president that he can then use however he sees fit, completely unfettered and under cover of darkness. The inauguration fund is no different than feudal lords approaching the new king with gifts of rubies, or mobsters showering a new mayor with envelopes of cash.”

“It has always been thus. Trump didn’t invent the corruption of the inauguration fund. But he is an innovator and his genius was to turn the inauguration scheme from ritualized tribute from supporters into a protection racket aimed at opponents, too.”