Draining the Swamp
My head is spinning!
During the Obama years, the cries from the right about Benghazi, Lois Lerner and the IRS Tea-Party Scandal, the Clinton Foundation alleged improprieties, Hillary Clinton e-mail security violations, funding irregularities with the bailout of General Motors are legendary and consumed the news.
Further screams of coverups under Obama continued with Loretta Lynch meeting with Bill Clinton, James Comey finding that no action would be taken against Hillary Clinton, to massive releases of classified documents, to freeing Bergdahl, and the list goes on.
Nothing happened to bring any clarity to any of these cases and then November 8th happened. The nation was stunned when Donald Trump was elected.
Yet, all the "investigations" seemingly evaporated overnight.
Then during the Trump seconds, minutes, hours, and days literally the litany of cries of scandal from the left were equally as vocal as had been heard from the right only weeks before.
From the allegations about Michal Flynn, to Trump Russian Ties, to cries of Russian interference in the United States elections, to allegations of financial conflicts of interest, these issues consumed the news and cries for special investigations exploded in a flurry of ravenous attacks on the new President.
And now my head just plain hurts!
Enough!
Either all of us have been played by the right and the left or our government is inherently corrupt and the swamp must be drained everywhere.
These allegations of both Obama administration and the Trump administration are so serious that it demands a full and transparent independent prosecution presided over by the Supreme Court.
I originally believed that Trump should not pursue criminal charges against Hillary but I have changed my mind. The nation deserves answers.
I originally believed that Obama should be allowed to retire in "peace" but I have changed my mind. The nation deserves answers.
I supported Donald Trump for President and felt that he should be given a free hand to move our nation forward. While I want him to move forward, I do think charges against him and his team must be investigated. The nation deserves answers.
Our government has become so partisan over the past 20 years that it no longer enjoys the "full faith and confidence" of the American people. Without that full faith and confidence, the nation is ungovernable.
We must demand that the serious allegations against Obama, Clinton, Lynch, Holder, Comey, Trump, Sessions, and Flynn be investigated to the full extent to get to the truth about the corruption in our Federal Government. Once the truth is discovered, then corrective action if warranted must be undertaken. Those guilty of violating the public trust must be held accountable.
The crisis of a lack of trust in government will destroy our Republic if not dealt with immediately.
An Independent Investigation by the Supreme Court must be undertaken immediately. It should encompass the following at a minimum:
1. The Benghazi attack
2. Lois Lerner and the IRS Tea-Party Scandal
3. The Clinton Foundation
4. Hillary Clinton e-mail server and classified documents
5. Funding improprieties with AIG, GM, the bailouts,
6. Loretta Lynch meeting with Bill Clinton
7. James Comey’s actions and interference from the White House
8. Freeing of Bergdahl and the conditions of the release
9. Obama ties to Radical Islam
10. Trump ties to Russia
11. Russian and Chinese interference in US elections
12. Michael Flynn’s actions and resignation
13. Sessions testimony accuracy
14. Conflicts of interest financially with Donald Trump
These investigations will be expensive. They will be time consuming but until our nation finds out the truth and until criminal conduct is prosecuted the very foundation of our nation will be forever shattered and trust will be destroyed.
Our nation is a nation of the people, by the people and for the people. Without full transparency, full accountability and full responsibility be assigned, the bickering of the past 15 years will become the way of the future all the while the critical problems facing our nation will go unresolved.
Time is no longer on our side. To trust government is to have faith in government. Without trust, there is no faith. Without faith and trust, there is no United States.
Col. Frank Ryan, CPA, USMCR (Ret) represents the 101st District in the PA House of Representatives. He is a retired Marine Reserve Colonel and served in Iraq and briefly in Afghanistan and specializes in corporate restructuring. He has served on numerous boards of publicly traded and non-profit organizations. He can be reached at [email protected].