Trump Pardons Corrupt Politician: A 'Swamp' Thing?
Remember when Donald Trump vowed to 'drain the swamp'? The Hill reports he's now pardoned Glen Casada, a former Tennessee lawmaker convicted of bribery, wire fraud, and money laundering. Casada used his influence as House Speaker to enrich himself, a classic tale in the annals of American politics. The very system designed to prevent graft seems perfectly capable of absolving it, provided the
right hands are shaken, or the right political debt is owed. This isn't an anomaly, it's a feature. From Nixon's pardon by Ford to the endless parade of politically convenient clemencies, the powerful get a different kind of justice. One might wonder if 'draining the swamp' actually means creating a private access pond for allies. The optics are, shall we say, unswamp-like. How many ordinary
citizens get a presidential pardon after being found guilty of defrauding taxpayers?