The following is a statement from Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America’s Voice, in response to Steve Bannon and leaders of the ‘We Build the Wall’ fundraising campaign being charged with defrauding hundreds of thousands of donors in a multi-state criminal conspiracy.
This is a story that captures the era.
The President’s men have been exploiting a racist ‘build the wall’ rally chant to raise money from naïve believers in order to fill their pockets.
In one fell swoop, this story embodies Trumpism: corruption and mendacity; racism and xenophobia; self-dealing and authoritarianism; undermining the rule of law while claiming to uphold the rule of law; using fear of ‘the non-white other’ to benefit insiders and elites.
At its core, Trumpism is about wielding racism to spin up followers so well connected cronies get rich and maintain power. Today’s arrests suggest that the house of cards built by Trump and his fellow gangsters may be tumbling down.
