by Tim Danahey, A special feature for Willies Media LLC
Let me preface this speculation by saying that I am not a fan of Vice President Mike Pence. His policy positions are polar opposites of my positions. His obsequious public behavior with President Trump is akin to fawning “Dear Leader” praise in a totalitarian nation. Who can forget his performances in the Trump-fest preceding a cabinet meeting and his repeated “thank you Mr. President” every twelve seconds for three minutes? It is not pretty and will receive additional mention in this piece.
However, I do believe, in Mike Pence’s rigid worldview, he has a strong adherence to what he believes is right and wrong. We may disagree on social issues but I do believe he is well-intentioned on matters pertaining to love of country and inviolability of the U.S. Constitution. Once again, there may be differences in interpretation but his political karma is well-intentioned.
Which now leads to the discussion of heroism.
The growing drama and investigation into Trump’s 2016 Presidential campaign’s coordination with Russian agents have led to Senator Diane Feinstein’s (D-CA) unilateral release of the transcripts of Glenn Simpson’s questioning by the Senate Judiciary Committee. It was a courageous move by Senator Feinstein and it was criticized by the Committee’s Chairman, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Fox News, and similar partisans.
Many interesting statements were revealed but the most interesting revelation was that the FBI had a “human source from inside the Trump organization” regarding Russian interference as early as the late summer of 2016 leading up to the election in November. The source was not revealed by Glenn Simpson because he said: “people who get in the way of the Russians tend to get hurt”. Nonetheless, information provided by this “human source” independently corroborated the research performed by Christopher Steele and Fusion GPS that Russians were meddling in the US elections.
The FBI acknowledged this source in September 2016. The Republican convention was July 18-21, 2016. Christopher Steele approached the FBI to notify them of the threat to national security in late July 2016.
Could it be that Mike Pence, nominated to be Vice President on July 20th, soon became aware of the Russian entanglements, acted upon his righteousness, and contacted the FBI? Was Mike Pence the only campaign insider who understood that Russian involvement was more than “opposition research” and, instead, as Steve Bannon suggests, “treasonous”? If he did report Russian meddling to the FBI and Trump had lost the campaign, it would be an important footnote in history. Since Trump won the electoral college and election, Pence’s reporting to the FBI becomes consequential on par with the heroism of Smedley Butler notifying Representative John McCormack of the attempted corporatist takeover of government by the American Liberty League in 1933.
Yes, Mike Pence: American Hero.
But why the secrecy? Considering Pence is one of the last insiders remaining from the campaign and the transition teams, why hasn’t Special Counsel Robert Mueller interviewed Pence? Does Mueller already know Pence’s involvement and does he seek to keep him “off the record”? Given Trump’s victory was a total surprise to all concerned, what would happen if it was discovered that a sitting Vice President reported potentially treasonous activity by his President? Is this why Pence behaves like Trump’s number one sycophant and praises Him every twelve seconds?
If this is the case, I suspect an expanding circle of higher-ups in the Republican Party is also becoming aware of the consequences. The consequences could be impeachment of the President, the resignation of Mike Pence to avoid the appearance of initiating a palace coup, the resignation of Speaker of the House Paul Ryan who became complicit during his lavish praise of Trump’s “exquisite” leadership, it explains the efforts by Chuck Grassley to cover the release of the Simpson transcript, it explains the sudden and discrediting reversals by Lindsey Graham, Bob Corker, Deven Nunes, Trey Gowdy and others to protect the President and obfuscate the investigation, and it would result in the complete implosion of the Republican Party and its wealthy benefactors. The Secretary of State would become President. It would explain the mass resignations of Republican legislators who may have been complicit or wish to avoid the impending dishonor.
If Mike Pence is the inside source and, since Donald Trump won, the result would be the greatest Constitutional crisis in United States history. One might say Vladimir Putin had won.
But I don’t believe that. The United States would survive and be stronger than ever. We would return to our true democratic republic system. Ironically, Trump’s promise to “drain the swamp” would be fulfilled. The truth will set us free and we, as a nation, will end our partisanship and unite for a more just society.