Maybe There is Another Reason

By David Glenn Cox

Sometimes, just sometimes, it makes you wonder about who is minding the store.

DATELINE: Palm Beach Post, “Trump codefendants want out of classified documents case,  say they had “No Clue” what was in the boxes. Oh right, I forgot. It’s the Internet that’s killing newspapers. If it were you in this situation or a close personal friend or relative, asking for your advice. What would you tell them? Would you recommend the old Sergeant Schultz routine? You put a confused look on your face and answer promptly, “I know nothing!”

“I know nothing about anything! I can’t remember anything! Who are you people again? Who? Never heard of em. I don’t even know who I am. Is today Tuesday?”

The codefendants had no clue what was in those boxes, but they knew their boss did. They knew their boss was very concerned about moving those old boxes of papers. Then the FBI showed up. Now, you just know, such information as that was bound to make its way around the breakroom chatter. “Hey, did you hear the FBI raided the place? They were looking for those boxes the boss told us to stash in the john.”

There is the official public persona of the boss. Then, there is the persona that only the employees know about. You’re not working for the Friendly Candy Company here. You’re working for Donald Trump! Try to count how many Trump associates and confidants have been sentenced to prison for their various exploits and yet, the boss never goes to jail.  Now, name a fictional character or from real life that exceeds the actual running Trump total.

“Oh heavens, I had no idea working for Donald Trump could be dangerous.”

Sure, I worked for Al Capone and sometimes, he’d have us move these boxes full of glass bottles. But I  never asked what was in them!

Yes, we would fly to Colombia and land in the dark of the night on secret airstrips. Then they would load these packages into the plane, and we’d fly straight back to Miami. Running cocaine? Is that what they were up to? No kidding.

There is a level of culpability, I don’t think the codefendants were in on any planning sessions, but they had to know something was up. Or maybe, they were just used to a former President occupying his free time with the mundane details involved with box moving. Why would their billionaire boss take such a personal interest in moving lowly cardboard boxes?

Why would the boss ask me about erasing the security tapes? Wait a minute, wasn’t there a famous case involving a President asking his underling to erase a tape? I should have paid more attention in High School. This is just the tip of the iceberg; imagine the lurid details we don’t know about yet.

Just innocent hourly workers employed at Club Dread! The asylum and mausoleum for the criminally hair dyed and insane. Working for the notorious yellow-haired orange demon. And there are also some things they don’t tell you about in the employee handbook, like dodging flying ketchup bottles. You’re working for Donald Trump and some things just go without saying. So, you just move the boxes and keep your damn mouth shut.

As an employee, you might from time to time, be asked to perform criminal acts leading to criminal liability or potential incarceration. Conviction on felony charges could lead to a write up or other further disciplinary actions, up to, and including termination. The company will in all cases, declare to be shocked, saddened and unaware of your criminal behavior. In some cases, the employee might be asked to take responsibility for the criminal actions of the company. Herein to be referred to as “The Boss.” In case of such an event, see; HEALTH COVERAGE. “So, you’ve been thrown under the bus.”

But is this real news? “Defendants Declare Themselves Innocent! Dogs Bark Sometimes! Sun Slated to Rise in the East!” They had no clue or hint of impropriety. But what were you thinking when the man asked you to erase the security tapes? “Oh, there is probably a perfectly good reason for that. Oh? You just want me to erase the parts where we moved those boxes? Yes sir.”

Now, this isn’t Joe Schmo from Kokomo asking you to do this, but the former President of the United States. If the manager of the 7/11 wanted you to delete the security tapes, what would you think was up then?

But these aren’t your usual Trump foils, but lower-level employees with hourly sensibilities and loyalties. Singing like a church choir on Sunday. The CEOs and CFOs, lawyers and confidants might all be willing to go to do a stretch in the slammer for Donald Trump. But not so a maintenance man and an IT guy.

Definitely not guilty of the crime, but also not quite as innocent as they would like to let on. Choir boys who didn’t know nothing until the FBI happened to ask them about it. They didn’t come forward with the information but were discovered to have the information.

The picture painted by the employees of Mr. Trump is an unflattering one. Rather than a criminal mastermind, a bumbling stumbling doofus playing hide and seek with boxes and who took two weeks to remember he had security cameras in own house. Doh!

A case colored more by intent than by the outright theft itself. What was the purpose in taking and holding the documents, if not to sell them? If Donald Trump truly believed he had a right to hold on to those documents. Why did he wait until the documents were confiscated to claim they were his to keep? Why was he hiding them? Why didn’t he tell the archives right off the bat, they’re mine and you can’t have them.

Why did Trump so recklessly involve a low-level maintenance man and an IT guy in his scheme? Maybe there is another reason besides the reckless realization of incontrovertible evidence of guilt, but for the life of me. I just can’t think of one.