Letter to the editor: Trump helps himself to your money

First published in the Brunswick Beacon, 06.11.26

Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) found Trump “guilty of inciting an insurrection” after 2,500 rioters attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, to overthrow “a free and fair election.”

Over 140 officers were injured. Officer Brian Sicknick (42) died. Officers Howard Liebengood (51), Jeffrey Smith (43), Gunther Hashida (43) and Kyle DeFreytag (26) were so traumatized they committed suicide. Trump tried to reward their attackers with your money.

Trump sued the IRS he runs for $10 billion. “It sort of looks bad,” Trump admitted, ‘I’m suing myself,’ right?” Trump grinned as he told reporters, “I’m supposed to work out a settlement — with myself!”

When a judge questioned Trump’s self-dealing, Trump’s acting Attorney General (and former personal lawyer) Todd Blanche settled the case. Trump got $1.776 billion for rioters he calls “patriots.” Trump, his family and his businesses got $600 million in tax audits dropped.

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who called Trump “practically and morally responsible” for Jan. 6, condemned what he termed Trump’s “slush fund to pay people who assault cops” as “utterly stupid, morally wrong.”

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) said, “People are concerned about making their own ends meet, not putting a slush fund together.”

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) said, “Your taxpayer dollars could compensate someone who assaulted a police officer, admitted their guilt, got convicted, got pardoned and now we’re going to pay them for that? That’s absurd.” Tillis called it a “payout pot for punks” and “the definition of tyranny.”

Public outrage and a federal judge forced Trump to abandon his slush fund, but Blanche told Congress, “Nothing has changed” with the get-out-of-jail-free card Trump gave himself, his family, and his businesses.

Officers Harry Dunn and Daniel Hodges, beaten and bloodied by Trump’s rioters, made clear what Trump tried to do: rewrite history by pretending Jan. 6’s cop beaters were victims and encourage future thugs to do violence for him, knowing he will pardon and reward them — with your money.

Kristine Garrity

Calabash