A law to protect us against White House grifters

When your congressman introduces a large, landmark portion of authorities tackling 1 of the large governmental issues of the day, you’re all: That’s cool! That’s my man! And past you spell backmost to, you know, immoderate — churning the compost heap — due to the fact that you’ve got amended things to bash than reasoning astir the government.

But erstwhile my congressman introduces a portion of large legislation, my antheral is Adam Schiff and, lad howdy, you cognize that small bundle of laws is going to beryllium a winner.

Or astatine slightest I cognize that. In caller years, I person been made alert that determination are galore Americans who unaccountably don’t similar Adam Schiff.

Which is truthful weird. Because astir everyone present successful my vicinity conscionable loves their congressman. We person each known him since helium was a wee bairn good implicit 20 years ago, a first-time authorities Senate campaigner aft a prima tally arsenic a national authoritative for which helium got legally celebrated by successfully prosecuting an FBI cause who had been seduced by a Russian spy.

My congressman nailed the archetypal FBI cause to ever beryllium convicted of espionage.

And it’s been each bully since. First, he’s a full Boy Scout, and second, he’s comic and easygoing successful person. The uncommon person who it’s an grant to beryllium represented by. You’d person to beryllium brainsick to tally against him, and that’s wherefore each 2 years immoderate seed occupation rises to bash so, and gets 20something percent of the vote

Yet arsenic I say, you perceive of these folks who don’t similar him, I conjecture due to the fact that helium turned implicit immoderate Donald Trump rocks and the predictably creepy bugs scampered retired from under. Anyway, their atrocious luck, not to person Adam Schiff arsenic their congressman.

And past this week Adam outdid himself by introducing the Protecting Our Democracy Act, a large honking happening aimed astatine those who would overturn escaped and just elections, wonderfully timed conscionable arsenic atrocious freaks were gathering successful D.C. to observe the treason astatine the Capitol Jan. 6.

It’s aimed astatine putting caller limits connected runaway enforcement powerfulness successful the White House, truthful I can’t for the beingness of maine fig retired wherefore each of our representatives successful some parties successful some houses of Congress wouldn’t beryllium each for it. But don’t clasp your enactment waiting for that.

The enactment would reign successful a president’s powerfulness to bestow pardons, including for himself oregon herself, erstwhile to bash truthful reeks of corruption.

It tells presidents they can’t garbage to respond to subpoenas.

It reminds them successful stronger connection that they can’ either walk oregon secretly frost national monies, due to the fact that appropriations are Congress’s business.

It prohibits them from firing inspectors wide and from retaliating against whistle-blowers, similar the lieutenant colonel who emigrated from the Soviet Union arsenic a kid and got drummed retired of the work helium loved for blowing a whistle connected the president.

It clarifies the connection successful the Constitution that prohibits presidents from taking “emoluments” — payments — portion successful office, arsenic nary president should. Or has, successful a agelong time. Except retrieve backmost successful the modulation play earlier Donald Trump became president, erstwhile helium announced that helium wasn’t going to unbundle himself of his businesses? And however shocking that helium would some beryllium president and past rake it successful erstwhile overseas officials stayed successful his edifice down the thoroughfare from the White House, wherever the “Signature Suites” commencement astatine $1,310 a night?

Yeah, we forgot astir that grifter enactment beauteous rapidly erstwhile helium drove adjacent bigger burning trash trucks down each thoroughfare successful America. So it volition beryllium bully to cognize aboriginal presidents can’t beryllium astatine slightest that benignant of chiseler anymore erstwhile the Protecting Our Democracy Act passes.

Larry Wilson is connected the Southern California News Group editorial board. lwilson@scng.com.