Jon Stewart demonstrated that Trump’s fraud, along with the fraud by other wealthy individuals, definitely has victims.
Stewart stated, “Why isn’t he as upset about overvaluations in the real world? Because those are not victimless offenses. First, the banks were paid back at lower interest rates. Though, let’s be real, who cares? But second, money is not unlimited. A loan that goes to the liar means it doesn’t go to someone providing a more honest assessment, so the system becomes encouraged for corruption. This relates to a separate Trump fraud case, but avoiding taxes harms everyone. Donald Trump’s deceitful actions cost the city of New York. And if we're being honest, that money could have been used by the city to construct more Walgreens.
Later, Stewart highlighted a significant double standard, “The [bleep] Arrogant entitlement. Most people can’t commit fraud and expect to face no consequences, even if many others are doing it. Try getting a car loan by saying you have ten times more money than you actually do. Or claim 20 dependents when you have none. Or say you earn slightly less to qualify for food assistance. I can assure you, there are not only financial consequences for those lies, but also criminal ones. But don’t mention that to the investment community. Because in their view, in the pursuit of profit, there are no rules that cannot be bent, no principles that cannot be undermined, as long as you and your [bleep] friends make money. And the only immoral practice –apparently, the only immoral practice in the capitalist system is to use that money for people who may need it.”
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Jon Stewart was correct. The notion that Trump’s crimes had no victims is complete nonsense. Trump is alleged to have exaggerated his assets to obtain loans and then reduced the value of those same assets to evade taxes. Fraud is not a victimless crime. When fraud is committed, another party or parties are deceived. In Trump’s situation, the state of New York was deceived, which means every person residing in the state during the decades that Trump cheated was also deceived.
If a low-income individual does odd jobs to earn an extra $100 and is on Social Security disability, Republicans will cry foul about fraud, but they have no problem with someone like Donald Trump defrauding an entire state of hundreds of millions of dollars.
Trump’s crimes had victims, and the mentality among too many entitled conservative elites that it didn’t reveals why Trump needs to be held responsible.
