Aiding and abetting

This week, it’s SN&R’s annual Grinch issue, a review of people behaving really badly in 2018. Under the reign of President Donald Trump, he could top the list every year. And it’s completely justified to blame our grinch-in-chief for all his despicable deeds, the damage he’s doing to our great nation.

But all those who enable and defend Trump deserve big lumps of coal in their Christmas stockings, too. If they didn’t give him validation—if they instead called him out publicly—who knows, maybe it would change his behavior, at least a little.

It’s a long list of shame, unfortunately. Outgoing interior Secretary Ryan Zinke carried Trump’s water on environmental backsliding and for his nonsense on wildfires. Homeland Security chief Kirstjen Nielsen tries to explain away the cruel policy of separating families at the border. Rep. Devin Nunes, a Republican from Tulare, is Trump’s henchman attacking the FBI.

Even after those close to Trump leave the administration—and a lot of them do—many still won’t be completely honest about how dangerous our president truly is.

Apparently, Trump minions only tell the truth when lying could land them in prison. Sad to say, special counsel Robert Mueller may be our best hope to bring some accountability to this presidency.

But it will be an ugly road to get there—one only the Grinch would enjoy.