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Financial Times
Commentary Fariborz S. Fatemi November 17,2017 Former ProfessionalStaff Member House Foreign AffairsCommittee Senate Foreign RelationsCommittee There he goes again, Trump, Putin’s “usefulidiot,” going on another foreign trip and to the delight of Putin, acting ashis lap dog. Then there was the spectacle “love affair” with the Chinesepresident. What an embarrassment. Almost 60 per cent of voters polled think Trump is unfit tobe president. And, he goes on to provetheir judgment by a gloating tweet that some 30 per cent think he’s doingokay. Again Trump shows he knowsnothing, does not know he knows nothing and does not care. Then there is his vice president, Mike Pence, who wasrecruited by the indicted campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Pence is the modern-day example of theproverbial three monkeys: He hears nothing,sees nothing, and knows nothing. Askedover and over again about the Russian collusion, Pence continues to denyeverything despite visual and email evidence and testimony of his campaignassociates. Pencealso had the title of head of transition. He is supposed to be responsible forrecommending and staffing the Trump Administration. How did he come up with the likes of Flynn,Bannon, Gorka, Miller, to name a few? How did he come up with the worst cabinet in manygenerations staffed with people who on a daily basis are using their publicoffice for the benefit of themselves and their wives, ie, Treasury, Interior,Commerce, HHS, etc., etc. Were any of these people vetted? On what basis were people given clearancesand White House access with so many lies and revisions to their disclosureforms? With so many rotten apples, Pence needs to explain, is he complicit orthat incompetent? During the campaign Pence claimed multiple times there wasno Russian contact or collusion with their campaign. But this is contrary toall the information in the public domain. A few examples: In October, 2016, he was asked by Fox &Friends, is “your campaign in cahoots with Wikileaks?” His response, “nothing could be further fromthe truth.” Now we know from Trump Jr.’s emails, that was a lie. As head of transition, Pence denied any contact betweenRussian officials and Trump’s campaign, stating in mid-January 2017, “of coursenot.” In March, Pence told Fox News hedid not know about former National Security Advisor Flynn being a lobbyist forthe Turkish government. In May, the NewYork Times reported, Flynn had told the transition as far back as January. Also in May, Pence claimed that former FBI Director Comeywas not fired because of the Russian collusion investigation, only to becontradicted by Trump who said it was the Russian investigation. Time and time again, Pence is caught denyinghe knew something and the record shows differently. Nothing is normal about this lying, incompetentadministration. Look at the recent testimony of Attorney General Jeff Sessions.Again, like Pence, denying any dealings with the Russians. At his recenttestimony before the House Judiciary Committee, Sessions was asked about thesedealings. “I do now recall the March 2016 meeting at the Trump Hotel that Mr.Papadopoulos attended, but I have no clear recollection of the details of whathe said at the meeting,” Sessions told the lawmakers. “After reading hisaccount, and to the best of my recollection, I believe that I wanted to makeclear to him that he was not authorized to represent the campaign with theRussian government or any other foreign government.” What laughable nonsenseand to think he is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States! Before Trump, you had one of these people in public life.That was normal. Now starting with the top, you have a whole collection inpositions of power making public policy. What an embarrassment and how verysad.