Laska and Mr. Jones are sometimes bemused by my conviction that a Trump victory this fall would likely result in a military coup. More likely, it will result in multiple impeachment hearings and constitutional crises. Here’s only one example why.

He’s Taking a Former Campaign Aide to Court

It was reported today that he’s suing a former campaign aide for violating a non-disclosure agreement. As far as I can tell, this has no historical precedent.

The Fox News and AP story reports:

“In a court filing obtained by The Associated Press, Nunberg accused Trump of trying to silence him “in a misguided attempt to cover up media coverage of an apparent affair” between two senior campaign staffers.”

The full article is here.

http://www.fox23.com/news/trump-seeks-10-million-from-former-aide-in-disclosure-case/399547319

Trump is about to step into history next week. Step up and become the Republican nominee for President. Commander in Chief. Leader of the Free World.

And four days before the start of his nominating convention, he’s taking a former staffer to court. And, as the AP story reports, he’s not ruling out requiring White House staffers to sign non-disclosure agreements. I’m pretty sure that White House employees have to sign things a lot more serious than boilerplate non-disclosure forms that give their boss a reason to take them to court if they need it. Anyone who has worked for a publicly traded company has signed one of these. And it’s generally understood that they are mostly unenforceable unless you do something like hand over the new IPhone specs to Samsung.  Unless, of course you work for a jackass like Trump for whom lawsuits are a work-a-day business tactic.

The aide being sued is Sam Nunberg. I know nothing about him. But, unless his family is very, very wealthy, he’s got money problems.  Having to fight in court not only a wealthy, famous man, but the Republican Nominee for President of the United States.

Do you think for one minute that, if he becomes President (!!) Trump, he’s going to stop suing people? Presidents can’t be sued in civil court while they are in office.  I can’t find anything on the internet that explains whether a sitting president can sue a citizen. I would welcome a lawyer’s opinion.

But, if Trump wins, get ready. He’ll either sue someone directly as president. Or, certainly one of his stupid companies will sue contractors or individuals for all manner of perceived or real slights.

And what happens to all of his other current lawsuits? And the rights for a fair hearing in the courts for people who are being sued by the president? A sane, magnanimous new president would just drop all the law suits on favorable terms to the other party. Does anyone think that President Trump won’t try to use the IRS, FBI, HUD, etc., to put the screws to the people he’s fighting in court? And when he does that, will Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell have the moral clarity to move for articles of impeachment?

Trump’s Low Self-Esteem V.P. Candidates

Which brings us to who would be vice president when Trump is impeached. Trump is going to name his choice for vice president on Friday.  I still think he might pick Rick Santorum. He really does want to select Ivanka, to better reinforce his brand. She’ll settle for being the de facto or actual chief of staff. Until she’s in post-coup exile in Macau or the Cayman islands. A leggy version of Madame de Stael.

It’s apparently down to Gingrich, Pence, and Christie.  The first has been retired from politics since Republicans forced him from the Speakership in 1996; the second could well lose re-election in November for governor of Indiana;, the latter has a 26% approval rate in his home state, and still could face criminal charges for Bridgegate. Trump would probably pick Christie, but when he was a prosecutor, Christie put Ivanka’s father-in-law in prison. And, the son-in-law apparently has a problem with that.  So, anyhow, First Family, everyone.

Hubert Humphrey’s greatest misfortune was to give into ambition and become Lyndon Johnson’s vice president.  Early during his vice presidency, Humphrey made a speech asserting some manner of domestic policy position.

Johnson called Humphrey to his office and insisted that Humphrey recant the speech in public. After the meeting with his vice president, Johnson strolled into the press room and told the reporters there, “Well, I guess I’ve got Hubert’s balls in my pocket.”

Robert Caro documents at great length that anyone who worked for Johnson for any extended length of time was generally a weak person, trapped in an abusive work relationship, and who suffered significant emotional damage from the experience.

Trump has all of LBJ’s Shakespearean, Faulknerian, and Hanna-Barbarian flaws with none of Johnson’s counterbalancing sense of history or social justice. And certainly not Johnson’s devotion to using his power to help the powerless.