Sixteen Tons

The beloved Tennessee Ernie Ford's most popular song was called “Sixteen Tons “ and in it he says, “With one fist of iron, and the other of steel, if the left one don't get you then the right one will.”

I know that Trump must be feeling those lyrics right now because there are more investigative fists coming at him than he can probably count, and Tennessee Ernie's double fists belong to Robert Mueller, who now wants a face-to-face with Trump probably because Trump's written answers to the Special Counsel's questions were all lawyered-up bullshit, and the Southern District of New York, who flipped Michael Cohen and now has access to all the buried bodies he knows about. Mueller and the Southern District are fists of iron and steel and Trump's jutting jaw is oh so inviting.

And that ain't the half of it. New Jersey Attorney General Grewal Gurbir is investigating Trump's National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, for harassment and immigration fraud. Immigration fraud? I thought Trump wants to straighten out immigration and here one of his golf clubs is actually helping undocumented immigrants get phony papers. Naughty, naughty, Donnie.

In New York State, newly elected AG Letitia James has promised to conduct “sweeping investigations” into Trump and his family's business dealings, the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting, emoluments, and to continue the ongoing probe into the Trump Foundation. 

There are some other fists coming for Trump. Federal prosecutors are looking into the possibility of illegal foreign money vis a vis Trump's inaugural committee and a Super Pac. There was $107 million taken in for Trump's smallish inauguration and there seems to be as much as $30 million unaccounted for – so far. It sure didn't go to pay the D-list entertainment that Trump trotted out because A-listers wouldn't touch his inauguration  with an 11-foot pole. He had Jackie Evancho – whoever that is – and the few Rockettes who could stand being around him. Obama had the late Aretha, who detested Trump, Yo-Yo Ma, Beyonce, and Jay Z , among other giant stars. 

And the New Year will bring big New Congressional Problems for Trump when the Demo-controlled House Judiciary Committee under Jerrold Nadler, the House Ethics Committee under Linda Sanchez, and the House Intelligence Committee under Adam Schiff all have the subpoena muscle to haul in Trump flunkies and question them under threat of perjury charges should they continue to lie as many did under the kid glove Republican oversight committees. 

The weight coming down on Trump is going to feel like sixteen tons per square inch, and no less a seasoned observer than Bob Woodward feels that Trump is going to take the gas pipe and fire Robert Mueller, which could very well turn into a 2018 Saturday Night Massacre – and with the same results: the very real beginning of the end. Mueller is no fool and he doubtless has a lot of fail safe stashes for the stuff he has uncovered so far.

As for Trump, like Joe Louis said, “He can run but he can't hide.”