House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is way too smart to be underestimated. She directs the the House of Representatives like a master. As perhaps the most powerful woman in America, she does her politics like a 3-D chess game. One more thing about her.
It became apparent that the Speaker watches movies on Netflix. She spoke before the House on Wednesday and referenced the new hit Scorsese movie The Irishman. She was making a mafia reference.
The movie starred Robert De Niro. It was based upon the book I Heard You Paint Houses: Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran and Closing the Case on Jimmy Hoffa by Charles Brant in 2004.
The term “paint houses” was a reference to the mob term for murder. Blood splattered onto the wall in a pattern when someone was shot at close range.
On the floor of the House prior to had-delivering two articles of impeachment to the Senate, Pelosi said, according to The New York Times.
‘The president of the United States, in using appropriated funds enacted in a bipartisan way by this Congress, funds that were meant to help the Ukraine fight the Russians — the president considered that his private ATM machine, I guess. And said he could say to the president [of Ukraine], he could make — ‘do me a favor.’”
She paused to wonder out loud about a reference to The Irishman:
‘Do me a favor? Do you paint houses too? What is this? Do me a favor?’
Only one Democrat moved over to the Republicans side in the give the articles of impeachment to the Senate. Pelosi knew exactly how to get under Donald Trump’s skin. However, she was not only the person to connect the mafia to Trump.
Former members of the State Department and current pundits on MSNBC have more recently made the same sort of reference. The Speaker was Indicating that Trump runs his operation much like a mob boss. They compared several traditionally mafia-style organization techniques to the Trump family.
For example, Trump trusts primarily his family and imbeds them appropriately. The president shows no empathy for his victims, and he speaks in a vague code, which his employees understand mean commands. Not only that, POTUS apparently feels no compunction about throwing long-time employees or friends under the bus when they are no longer useful or to protect himself. Then, there was the loyalty oath, often a signed oath he has required from those around him.\
“Do me a favor” is a command to commit an act in return for whatever Trump was offering. That sort of speech can provide him with a buffer against prosecution. After drawing people in to him, the president starts asking for small favors. As the dependent relationship grows, so do the asks, until one day they verge on criminal.
Maybe, the Speaker has just given the president an offer he cannot refuse.
The Mueller Report Adventures: In Bite-Sizes on this Facebook page. These quick, two-minute reads interpret the report in normal English for busy people. Mueller Bite-Sizes uncovers what is essentially a compelling spy mystery. Interestingly enough, Mueller Bite-Sizes can be read in any order.
