Draining the DC Swamp (or Watching the Snakes Eat Their Own)

Let’s talk about the swamp, as it appears the murkier the waters in Washington, the further detached from reality we all become. Our memories are short, and the right distractions can easily pull our eyes away from what’s right in front of us.

When talking about the most swampy of swamp creatures, why are so many [alleged] conservative voices now willing to treat Representative Devin Nunes (R-CA) as if he’s some warrior for conservatism and the American way?

The answer to that is easy to decipher.

He jumped the Trump Train early and has since become a tireless defender of the president, to the point that Trump loyalists are willing to overlook certain weaknesses of conservative credibility.

Nunes earned the undying devotion of Trump loyalists at the beginning of the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Back in 2017, at the beginning of that investigation, Nunes, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, took it upon himself to act unilaterally, without informing his colleagues on the committee, and to review “evidence” of what he claimed to be illegal surveillance of Trump associates.

His colleagues found out that Nunes had viewed this evidence when he called a snap press conference to announce it – basically declaring there was no need for an investigation, unless it was to investigate the Obama administration for surveillance of Trump’s team.

What was later discovered was that Nunes went to the White House to see this evidence, that it had been given to him by officials with the Trump White House, and that he’d called his press conference to give his “findings,” completely blindsiding the members of the committee – and anyone else looking into Russian interference.

The Ethics Committee called on Nunes to step aside as chairman, while his questionable activities were examined (he was later cleared).

In the meantime, he found favor in the eyes of Trump, who, before this incident, probably wouldn’t have been able to pick Nunes out of a lineup.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, on the other hand, was the first voice from the Senate to give legitimacy to a Trump candidacy. He threw his part in with the reality TV star early, even writing his immigration platform for him.

For his loyalty, he was given the position of attorney general, but he’s paid dearly for it, finding out that there are limits to Trump’s respect, and that reciprocal loyalty is not to be expected. It extends for as long as you are pleasing him, and then you are scapegoated, if not ejected, outright.

Sessions, doing what he thought was the ethical thing, recused himself from the Russia probe, given that there were questions about his contacts with Russian officials, while serving on Trump’s campaign team.

In doing so, he gave authority to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed special counsel Robert Mueller.

President Trump has never forgiven him, and blames him, excoriating Sessions fairly regularly, ever since.

I have very little sympathy for Sessions. He made his bed.

Nunes, however, is the kind of slime-covered weasel that makes my skin crawl.

The latest happenings on Team Trump appear to be a ruthless Devin Nunes targeting the attorney general, perhaps at the behest of Trump, himself.

Nunes called into the Trump Control Center (that would be Fox News, for those not in the know) on Sunday, and announced plans to hold Sessions in contempt of Congress, for failure to comply with subpoenas sent two weeks ago, seeking information about alleged abuses by the Department of Justice and the FBI in acquiring Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants against former Trump campaign aide, Carter Page.

.@DevinNunes: “We have to move quickly to hold the Attorney General of the United States in contempt and that’s what I’m going to press for this week.” pic.twitter.com/9jgKzJcjiT

— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 6, 2018

Those particular warrants came after Page had left Trump’s campaign, but some of the information gathered is rubbing up against the Trump campaign close enough as to cause chaffing, apparently.

Nunes would have the public feel that Sessions and the DOJ are acting suspiciously, or have, somehow, unfairly targeted President Trump.

As it is, when Devin Nunes is involved, you shouldn’t just take things at face value. There’s always more to the story.

Rather than ignore the subpoenas, the Justice Department have concerns, relating to national security and how information is doled out.

On Thursday, BEFORE Nunes’ call-in to Fox, the DOJ responded to his request in a letter:

“After careful evaluation and following consultations with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the White House, the Department has determined that, consistent with applicable law and longstanding Executive Branch policy, it is not in a position to provide information responsive to your request regarding a specific individual,” Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd wrote in the letter.

“Disclosure of responsive information to such requests can risk severe consequences, including potential loss of human lives, damage to relationships with valued international partners, compromise of ongoing criminal investigations, and interfere with intelligence activities,” Boyd added.

The letter went on to suggest that they were open to discussing other ways to work with the House Intelligence Committee.

So why this disingenuous posturing by Nunes?

Could it be that he’s probably going to be looking for a new line of work, soon?

He’s not very popular in his home state of California, and without a lifeline from someone higher up the food chain, he may soon find himself booted from Washington, D.C. by his constituents.

He’s not ready to leave the swamp.

One thing that has become quite clear during this age of Trump is that the fragile ego of the president demands fealty. It demands the kind of worshipful, unquestioning regard usually reserved for messianic figures, and Nunes has emerged as a dutiful zealot.

There is, however, only so much room in Trump’s orbit, and somebody has to go, in order to make room.

Since the age of Trump, I’ve thrown my hands up and walked away from any sense of party loyalty, because I’m not willing to choose any party over my principles. With that in mind, my default mode has been to sit back and watch the snakes eat each other, as they writhe and struggle for position.

You won’t catch me defending Sessions, given he asked for this. I will, however, drop a small reminder for those who consider themselves “conservative,” yet, they’re moving to side with a man like Devin Nunes, simply because of his sniveling acquiescence to the Donald.

During his time in the Senate, Jeff Sessions maintained a fairly strong conservative reputation. He was considered a reliable conservative warrior – right up until he fell down the Trump hole.

What about Devin Nunes?

Conservative Review gives him a Liberty Score of 36 percent. That would be an “F” rating.

He fares a little better with Heritage Action – 46 percent.

Nunes is so bad, he ranks behind Russia-loving Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, for Pete’s sake!

So why is Nunes the darling of the Trump “right,” now?

Because in the age of Trump, actual conservative policies and principles are secondary to defending the throne.

This lack of (or apathy to) knowledge of who we’re sending to Washington is precisely why there is a swamp.

It’s why we have a tax bill that cuts taxes, but does nothing about the runaway spending that is breaking our backs.

It’s why we’re now on the hook for a $1.3 trillion omnibus bill that continues to fund Planned Parenthood, among some of its more loathsome features, and so-called conservatives shrug.

Make no mistake. There’s no swamp draining going on in Washington, and in fact, that cold, black ooze is overtaking Main Street, USA.

And men like Devin Nunes are the swamp things nipping at our heels.