Asleep at the wheel

Peter Navarro

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel reported Monday that White House trade adviser Peter Navarro repeatedly violated a federal law that prohibits certain members of the federal government from engaging in political activity.

But no worry. There will be no consequences for his illegal actions. Under the Hatch Act, violations made by senior officials appointed by the president are referred to the president for disciplinary action. You think that will ever happen?

Many established norms and laws have been shunted aside for the benefit of the current occupant of the White House, from emoluments, nepotism and transparency to sharing personal tax information. I get it. He's draining the swamp, after all. Will there be a future cost to governance with his cavalier disregard for law and propriety? Very good question.

I can't help but think that one day the shoe will be on the other foot and Republicans will be haranguing Democrats about shirking the very same laws they themselves once turned a blind eye to pretending to not exist.

Think they will ever be able to put the genie back in the bottle again? With a straight face anyway? They will certainly try and perhaps even get away with it. Because we Americans are so fucking clueless.