Summary
The Justice Department’s decision to dismiss bribery charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams has led to a wave of resignations, tripling those of the 1973 “Saturday Night Massacre.”
Six senior officials, including Manhattan U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon, stepped down in protest, citing concerns over political interference.
Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove ordered the dismissal, arguing the case was “weaponization” of the justice system.
Legal experts see parallels to past executive overreach, raising alarm over the independence of the Southern District of New York.
I find it fascinating that there are still regular references to Watergate in American political reporting/commentary. It just doesn’t seem relevant.
From my contacts with Americans, it seems that anti-trump Americans are in a state of shock (understandable), but still clinging to the hope that their institutions will save them (debatable considering global examples with the rise of authoritarian/corporate regimes in democratic environments; generally a “second term” tends to be a make or break period).
The pro-trump group seems to be doubling down on trump and even low key trying to justify statements like the Gaza annexation proposal by claiming “that’s just Trump, he says things.” Some of the stuff I’ve heard honestly made me a bit uncomfortable (these are people I know well for 15+ years) and I don’t discuss internal US matters with the pro-trump camp.
Watergate is about as far back as the average person can connect the historical dots. My view is that it goes much further back, to slavery itself - but many still view Watergate as some kind of original sin.
Personally, I find it simply amazing that Watergate is thought of as the worst thing in recent memory, when Iran/Contra is right fucking there. I think Iran/Contra is more instructive in how Republicans of today behave.
Basically, no one at the very top paid the price. Ronnie Raygun got to ride off into the sunset, even if he was hated at the time, to have the Strategic Forgettery Crew work in the decades since to resurrect his “memory”, in a very Orwellian fashion.
Even naming shit after that fucker. They still want that criminal on currency. And that’s with him having the most criminal administration in history - at least up until donvict. I don’t know how donvict’s first term or the second stacks up to Ronnie Raygun’s criminal legacy.
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