The worst thing about Trump’s presidency isn’t what we learned about him. It’s what we’ve learned about our family and friends. – Facebook

Today’s independent commentary deals with these people/issues:

• Cheaters
• Trump’s Weekend
• One More Thing

CHEATERS:

On Friday the Associated Press (AP) reported that the Montana Republican Party and two minor party qualification committees violated state campaign finance laws in a successful effort to qualify the Green Party of Montana for the primary ballot without the Green Party’s knowledge, the commissioner of political practices said Friday.

Yes, the Montana Republicans wanted to help the Green Party of Montana qualify for the primary ballot.

The AP reported that the violations will likely be settled with fines being paid.

Fines won’t work. Fines are not a deterrent.

Maybe the political parties would try to follow the laws a little more closely if instead of being fined, they would shut the party offices down (phones, internet, and staff) completely for a week or so for every $500 they would be fined.

TRUMP’S WEEKEND:

• President Donald Trump on Sunday tweeted approvingly of a video showing one of his supporters chanting “white power,” a racist slogan associated with white supremacists. He later deleted the tweet and the White House said the president had not heard “the one statement” on the video. (AP)

I think we already knew that Trump was a racist as are many of his followers.

• The New York Times reported that according to U.S. intelligence officials a Russian spy unit secretly offered bounties last year to Taliban-linked militants for the killing of U.S. coalition forces in Afghanistan, including American troops. Per the officials, President Trump was briefed on the intelligence and the U.S. developed a range of possible responses to the significant Russian escalation, including diplomatic efforts and new sanctions, but the White House has not authorized any of them. On Sunday Trump denied he was briefed. (NY Magazine)

He probably did not read the intelligence report.

• A 60 Minutes investigation has found that federal officials knew many COVID-19 antibody testing kits had flaws, but allowed them to enter the U.S. market. (CBS News)

I watched this segment on 60 Minutes. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) screwed up. The President appoints the FDA commissioner.

• President Trump’s reelection campaign removed thousands of stickers from seats intended to encourage social distancing in the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla., where the president held a campaign rally earlier this month, according to multiple reports. (The Hill)

I have heard of at least one person who attended tested positive for the coronavirus. I bet there will be more.

• The Trump administration does not have the authority to use military funding to pay for construction of a border wall, a federal appeals court panel ruled on Friday. (NBC News)

This should have never been allowed to happen.

• In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the Trump administration on Thursday urged the Supreme Court to overturn the Affordable Care Act. (AP)

This is so cold-hearted. Millions could lose their coverage.

• The Rolling Stones are taking “further steps” to prevent Donald Trump from using their music at his rallies after the president’s campaign ignored the previous cease-and-desist letters. (Rolling Stone)

I heard that the family of Tom Petty is doing the same.

• Donald Trump visited one of his own private golf courses in Virginia on Saturday as America continued to see fallout from a rapid surge in coronavirus cases. (The Guardian)

I am hoping that he decides playing golf more is more important than being President and resigns…

ONE MORE THING:

For context: US coronavirus deaths now exceed 125,000. It took the AIDS virus about a decade to claim as many lives. –Shannon Pettypiece (NBC News) (Source)

##END##