My President - The Criminal

​Down on the street everyone in the neighborhood knows who the criminals are.  We know that Skippy boost cars, Ray-Ray does stick-ups, and Poo robs corner stores.  We know because we always see Skippy driving different cars every week and sometimes ditches them around the hood.  Ray-Ray has pulled a gun on various people in other neighborhoods and taken money, watches and jewelry.  When they see him walking down the street,  they all just get up off the porch and go in the house until they hear the “coast is clear”.  Same thing with Poo, we just get up and clear out of the area to make sure we don’t get caught in the cross fire.
 
There is nothing different when it comes to President Trump.  When most of your friends and associates are walking on the shady side of the street and those that work for you are charged and convicted of crimes, everyone knows that you operate in a universe of criminals and criminal activity.  

AP Photo

Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal lawyer, was the gatekeeper to a barrel of sleazy and despicable transactions and enterprises for almost ten years.  He was the “Executive Vice President” and “Special Counsel” to the owner of a Manhattan real estate company – Donald J. Trump.  Michael Cohen is a lawyer talented in tax evasion, lying, and submitting false documents to various banking entities as stated in his indictment documents.  He also possesses some talent for cover-ups of indiscretions with various women.  Cohen was convicted and is still resolving his jail sentence.

Graphic: Andrew Witherspoon/Axios

Add to Michael Cohen, Paul Manafort, George Papadopolus, Richard Pinedo, Ales va der Zwaan, Roger Stone, and Rick Gates.  Let’s not forget Michael Flynn who avoided prosecution when the US Attorney General William Barr decided not to pursue prosecution when his conviction was thrown out.  Now to be fair, President Trump did not have direct contact with all of these individuals.  When you’re the kingpin, ring leader, and presidential candidate you don’t have time to direct the actions of your entire crew.  I am not a lawyer but this sounds like what is described as a continuing criminal enterprise when the scheme is related to street gangs and cartels.
 
Legal Definition:
Continuing criminal enterprise is a term that is defined under federal law 21 U.S.C. § 848 as follows:
For purposes of subsection (a) of this section, a person is engaged in a continuing criminal
​enterprise if -
(1) he violates any provision of this subchapter or subchapter II of this chapter the punishment for which is a felony, and
(2) such violation is a part of a continuing series of violations of this subchapter or subchapter II of this chapter -
(A) which are undertaken by such person in concert with five or more other persons with respect to whom such person occupies a position of organizer, a supervisory position, or any other position of management, and
(B) from which such person obtains substantial income or resources.

So while I respect the positions of the President and Attorney General of the United States and the power vested in the persons holding these positions, I can only use my understanding of basic street knowledge.  We all know who the criminals are in the neighborhood.  It doesn’t matter if the hood is East Baltimore or the entire United State of America. 
 
To Skippy, Ray-Ray, Poo and DJ Trump, we know who you are and what you do, its just easier to get up and go in the house and wait for the all clear sign.  It happens to be a bit easier to do when the criminal doesn’t hold the position of US President.