Hillary Clinton has slammed the ‘monstrous’ and ‘despicable’ actions of the Trump administration in a savage op-ed.
The former presidential candidate – who lost the White House to Donald Trump in November 2016 despite winning the popular vote – had said Americans owe Trump ‘an open mind and a chance to lead’ in her concession speech.
But now, in a lengthy op-ed titled ‘American Democracy is in Crisis’ in The Atlantic, she said the president has already sunk ‘far below his already-low bar he set for himself in his ugly campaign’ in the 21 months since taking the oath of office.
Clinton cited the ‘unspeakable cruelty’ the Trump administration inflicted on undocumented families arriving at the US-Mexico border as her Exhibit A – including separating children and babies from their parents.
Hillary Clinton (pictured) has slammed the ‘monstrous’ and ‘despicable’ actions of the Trump administration in a savage op-ed
She cited the New York Times’ report that 12,800 children remain detained despite court orders demanding they be reunited with their families.
The former Secretary of State also excoriated Trump’s ‘monstrous neglect’ of Puerto Rico.
She claimed the Trump’s administration ‘barely responded’ after the island was ravaged by Hurricane Maria a year ago.
She also blasted Trump’s denial that 3,000 Americans died as a result of the storm.
Finally, she singled out Trump’s continued dismissal of Russia’s interference in the election as a ‘hoax.’
‘Trump and his cronies do so many despicable things that it can be hard to keep track,’ she wrote.
‘I think that may be the point—to confound us, so it’s harder to keep our eye on the ball.
‘The ball, of course, is protecting American democracy. As citizens, that’s our most important charge. And right now, our democracy is in crisis.’-
Clinton said Donald Trump (pictured) has already sunk ‘far below his already-low bar he set for himself in his ugly campaign’ in the 21 months since taking the oath of office
She added that ‘our democratic institutions and traditions are under siege’ and ‘we need to do everything we can to fight back.’
Clinton goes on to list the five main fronts of the ‘assault’ on American democracy.
First, Trump’s assault on the rule of law.
Clinton cites Trump’s reported comments to White House aides that he expected Attorney General Jeff Sessions to protect him, regardless of the law.
She also notes former FBI Director James Comey’s claim that the president demanded his loyalty.
She also cites a New York Times report that said Trump’s lawyers sent a letter to special counsel Robert Mueller arguing that if Trump interfered with an investigation, it doesn’t amount to obstruction of justice because he is the president.
Clinton lists the second ‘assault’ as the legitimacy of elections being in doubt.
As well as Russia’s ongoing interference and trump’s ‘unwillingness to stop it,’ she cites voter suppression and gerrymandering as taking the country ‘further away from the sacred principle of ‘one person, one vote.’
Third, she says Trump is ‘waging war on truth and reason.’
As well as making 5,000 false or misleading claims while in office, according to the Washington Post, Clinton claims Trump is attacking journalists with ‘greater fervor than before.’
Clinton says when Americans can’t trust what they hear from leaders, experts and news sources, we lose the ability to hold people to account, solve problems, understand threats, judge progress and communicate effectively – all of which are essential to a functioning democracy.
Fourth, she cites Trump’s ‘breathtaking corruption.’
She notes how the president and his Cabinet have racked up conflicts of interest, abuses of power and violations of ethics rules – after promising repeatedly to ‘drain the swamp.’
Clinton also cites a report that said Trump’s lawyers sent a letter to special counsel Robert Mueller (pictured) arguing that if Trump interfered with an investigation, it doesn’t amount to obstruction of justice because he is the president
By refusing to release his tax returns, put his assets in a blind trust or divest himself of properties and businesses, Clinton says Trump has created ‘unprecedented’ conflicts of interests and is ‘profiting off the business of the presidency.’
Finally, Clinton claims Trump undermines the national unity that makes democracy possible.
She says it’s difficult to ignore the racial subtext in Trump’s comments – and notes that sometimes it is not even subtext.
‘Trump doesn’t even try to pretend he’s a president for all Americans,’ she says.
She cites his lack of empathy for the suffering of Puerto Ricans, his lashing out at NFL players protesting systemic racism and his failure to condemn hate crimes against Muslims.
She contrasts that with how he ‘bent over backwards’ to defend white nationalists in Charlottesville, Virginia, as ‘very fine people.’
Clinton notes how the Trump administration has undermined civil rights – such as with the Muslim travel ban and the barring of transgender Americans from serving in the military – from day one.
Finally, she urges Americans to ‘save our democracy’ by mobilizing mass turnout in the 2018 midterms.
‘Democracy may be our birthright as Americans, but it’s not something we can ever take for granted,’ she concludes.
‘Every generation has to fight for it, has to push us closer to that more perfect union. That time has come again.’