Mole -- n. "A spy who achieves over a long period an important position within the security defenses of a country."
Even Vladimir Putin's former employer, the KGB, probably never dreamed that it could make a Russian agent president of the United States, but Putin is coming close to achieving that greatest infiltration in the history of espionage.
The evidence is growing by the day that Donald J. Trump is totally beholden to Russia. If elected, he would become the greatest mole in history.
As a piece by David Frum in The Atlantic points out:
For a candidate with few consistent views on anything, this adds up to a very clear picture. Joined with other evidence of Trump's deep personal business obligations to people in the Putin ruling circle, and his campaign leadership's long-standing involvement with the former pro-Putin authoritarian leader of Ukraine, the picture becomes even more troubling--even sinister.
Trump refuses to release his tax returns, using the absurd excuse that he is under audit. There are many possible reasons for why he wants to hide his financial records, such as that he is not worth nearly as much as he claims and that he gives virtually nothing in charitable contributions. But it seems highly likely that the biggest reason why he refuses to release his tax returns is that they show his deep financial ties to Russian oligarchs and Putin cronies.
"I have ZERO investments in Russia," Trump tweeted on July 26. Like most of what comes out of his mouth and from his tiny fingers typing tweets, this is a bold-faced lie. And the flow of money in the other direction--loans from Russians to keep Trump's empire afloat--are likely far greater.
Trump is ready to do Putin's bidding by undermining NATO and virtually inviting him to invade the Baltic nations.
Trump doesn't lie like a rug; he lies like a Russian agent
After asserting in November, "I got to know him [Putin] very well," Trump now says, "I have nothing to do with Russia, nothing to do, I never met Putin, I have nothing to do with Russia whatsoever."
Trump doesn't lie like a rug; he lies like a Russian agent.
In his already-infamous news conference yesterday, Trump said, "I'm not going to tell Putin what to do. Why should I tell Putin what to do?" The real issue is whether Putin is--or will be if the Republican nominee becomes president--telling Trump what to do.
The Deafening Silence of Republican "Patriots"
Imagine what all Republicans would be saying if a Democrat had such a record of allegiance to a foreign power.
Why isn't the party of fear afraid of putting a Russian mole in the White House?
When will Republicans put patriotism above party and denounce this evil and extremely dangerous man? When will they, at the very least, demand that he release his tax returns so we can see if he is a potential Russian agent?
{Robert S. McElvaine, who teaches history at Millsaps College, is the author of ten books and is completing a new book, "The Times They Were a-Changin'--1964: The Year 'The Sixties' Began."}