President Donald Trump offers voters bribe to reelect his party
That’s how every news headline should have read this morning after Donald Trump offered yet another “dividend,” this time for keep the House and Senate in GOP hands after the midterm elections.
The offer is a bribe, pure and simple, and against federal election law: “Under 18 U.S.C. § 597, it is a crime to offer, give, solicit, or accept compensation in exchange for voting, withholding a vote, or voting for or against a particular candidate.”
Leaving aside for the moment whether or not Trump’s offer is financially feasible or likely to happen, let us look at how this statement was reported in major US media. Even a cursory review of headlines reveals a neutered press, unable not only to speak truth to power, but unable even to speak truth about power.
Here’s a sampling:
Only AP broke ranks, using the word “dubious” about Trump’s intention, but still avoiding the most accurate word.
The failure of American media to call a bribe a bribe is an institutional failure. And, we are not talking solely about Fox, Newsman, and OANN—mere extensions of the White House press room—these can be expected to carry the president’s water until the end of days. The near entirety of “the liberal media” refused to call Trump’s bribe offer a bribe. Instead, it’s a “pledge,” a “pitch,” an “announcement,” and a “promise.” Newsweek out there practially divying up the funds.
All these terms are interpretations of Trump rather than reporting about him. They falls into the sane-washing category that has befallen the press in front of this president.
If you wonder why Trump is always on about fake news, filing lawsuits against newspapers, and castigating reporters, this is why: the largest media entities in the country self-censor even Trump’s most egregious, and in this case blatantly illegal, actions.
The president of the United States extended the offer of a bribe to the American electorate. The fourth estate should be fearless enough to say it.
fides quaerens intellectum
