Every human disaster or catastrophe that strikes within the shores of the United States will inevitably produce a byproduct of corruption and criminal wrongdoing. Inevitably, some Americans will take unfair advantage of other Americans to satisfy their greed for profits at the expense of those feeling panic and fear.

 

The COVID 19 pandemic has produced a wealth of American heroes in the nation’s medical community, the food delivery system, the general population, and, yes, even elected officials such as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

 

But the COVID 19 pandemic has also inflicted upon the nation a president (the commander-in-chief, no less) who has repeatedly lied, misrepresented, and downplayed both the dangerousness and seriousness of the catastrophe. The White House has continuously demonstrated the lack of any semblance of leadership with constant mixed messaging about the crisis, including minimization and falsehood. The Administration’s federal response team has pitted one state against the other, often depending upon the political party of the governor or subservience to the President. Adding insult to injury, on February 7, 2020, the Administration’s State Department donated 17.8 tons of medical supplies to China while this nation faced severe shortages of those supplies. All this occurred while the President was calling the pandemic a “Democratic hoax.”

 

The COVID crisis has also produced the worst in the nation’s system of capitalism.

 

For-Profit Healthcare in Spotlight

 

During the crisis, the American medical delivery system is facing severe shortages of desperately needed supplies. These shortages have cost doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel their lives. Facing this crisis at home, American companies have shipped these badly needed supplies to foreign buyers.

 

Think about it a moment. While the American healthcare system was in crisis, American companies were selling their wares (more than $60 million worth) on the foreign market. Now, these companies will turn to the American market for phase two.  

 

Insider Trading by Elected Officials

 

The COVID crisis has also given the nation at least four U.S. Senators who preemptively sold off millions of dollars in stock to avoid inevitable losses. These sell-offs are now under Justice Department review for possible violations of insider trading laws.

 

President’s Family to Profit on Pandemic 

 

And let’s not forget Jared Kusher and the profits that his family and friends are currently reaping off the COVID crisis. Kushner comes from a bloodline of fraud and corruption and who just happens to be the President’s son-in-law.  

 

Jared’s younger brother, Joshua, is involved in a health insurance company known as Oscar Health. Oscar Health was partially owned or controlled by Jared before he joined the President’s inner White House circle. Oscar Health is now building a government website that would direct people suspected of having the COVID virus to the nearest testing site. Many have complained that this commingling of government position and family business created yet another breach of conflict of interest laws, for which Trump and Kushner have become infamous.

 

America Nepotism

 

Jared Kusher is a perfect portrait of what is known as American “nepotism“—family members of elected officials who feed at the government trough. Family members like Kusher also use the power of government given to elected officials to cajole or threaten others to support or underwrite their business endeavors financially.

 

And what about the President himself?

 

While the financial world of most everyday Americans is collapsing around them, President Trump’s highly suspect business interests, under the control of his sons Eric and Don Jr., are seeking delayed payments on loans by its largest creditor Deutsche Bank. Deutsche Bank is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for massive criminal wrongdoing, including money laundering. Critics have raised concerns the President could interfere with the investigation in exchange for favorable treatment from the bank. 

 

As the President seeks to hold off creditors during this financial crisis, he has refused to say whether he will evict people from his real estate properties if they fail to meet their financial obligations to him.

 

As Brian Beutler, editor of Crooked Mediaput it, “We have to pay Donald J. Trump for the privilege of him getting to play golf during work hours at his own clubs, but he doesn’t have to pay his own bills.’

 

The bottom line:

 

The President, his family, U.S. Senators, American medical supply companies, and a slew of others have taken unfair advantage of the crisis to enrich themselves.  

 

These are not heroes.

 

We have other choice names for them we dare not express here.