When there’s no bigger rats left

The Department of Justice has lots of experience prosecuting mobsters and crooked elected officials. One of the key prosecutorial tactics is to find an underling, convict them, and offer them a lower sentence in exchange for testimony against one or more upper level bosses. Over time, the federal lawyers proceed up the chain, casting their nets until they get the kingpin, or leader of the larger criminal conspiracy.

Over the next six months, I expect that the federal prosecutors will obtain the convictions of many former business associates, lawyers, and various aides of Donald Trump. Like rats fleeing a sinking ship, they will fall all over themselves to offer testimony in exchange for lower prison sentences.

As the noose tightens, it is worth noting that when you are the god father of a criminal organization, you are the last in the chain. You have no one above you to rat upon to obtain a better sentence. The justice system may move slowly, but like a dam breaking, the river of justice will flow inevitably forward, no longer to be delayed toward its inevitable conclusion. Those who are guilty should expect to sleep poorly as they wait for the final gavel to fall.

Douglas Bell, Henderson