She's right. If there are never any real negative, personal consequences for any of Trump's actions, why wouldn't he just ignore laws as it suits him? Trump was basically given a blank check by Senate Republicans earlier this year during their impeachment trial (farce) to do whatever the fuck he feels like doing, and Americans are indeed paying a stiff price for their neglect.
ZERLINA MAXWELL: What is the risk now for corruption as we are dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic?
SARAH KENDZIOR: I mean, everything is a risk but the biggest risk is the threat to human life that is caused by his reaction to the coronavirus. This is an extension of the way he's behaved since he took office. He came in to abuse executive power, to enhance his personal wealth and then he went on to do all the typical things that kleptocratic, authoritarian leader does, which is purge agencies, pack courts, and then bend the law so that, in his view, he is not longer breaking it. That's why he has his henchmen like Bill Barr. And one thing that makes Trump unique because not all kleptocratic, authoritarian leaders are the same is his sadism, you know, which came through in Mary Trump's intreview. But it's also been pointed out on by a number of experts on mental health and authoritarian rule. This is someone whose gut reaction to 9/11 was my buildings look taller. His reaction to financial crisis is this is good for me, this makes me more money. In 2014, he went on Fox News and said "What will make America great again is total economic collapse, complete disaster, riots in the street." There are no limits with him. The only thing that will matter are legal consequences. He does not care if he is caught. He cares if he is punished and we have had four years to do that and people have failed to do that and now we Americans are paying the price.
