I recently saw a video news clip where Peter Navarro, now convicted of contempt of Congress, was complaining that he was handcuffed and leg-shackled at some point during his interactions with federal law enforcement. I understand your complaint, Peter, but that’s how they do a brother.
I understand that Mr. Navarro is not, in fact, a brother; he’s more like the furthest thing from it, but just maybe the cuffs and leg irons will bring him a bit more brother-ness, as it were. The same thing, happened to be, Brother Peter, when I was led into the courtroom for my arraignment in federal district court. I understand how you can be angry about it, but, baby, join the club. Peter, if you know anything and how the federal government works — and you should because you were way up in it — you will know that it’s just “policy.” Policy is the catch-all justification federal workers give for anything and everything they do. Let’s say you’re locked up and think you’re dying of COVID and want want some outside medical assistance because the prison medical staff is giving you medical treatment that consists mainly of rolling their eyes. Well, according the bureaucratic rules, you need to meet several criteria for them even to consider that, and if you don’t meet them, you ain’t getting beyond those prison walls, no matter how bad you actually look. Know why? Policy!
Policy is allegedly there to made sure that everyone is treated alike. That fair is fair and favoritism is absent. Now, Brother Peter, as someone who engaged in policy, you might want to consider why you got hit with it, but your boss didn’t? Was Donald Trump treated like every other federal arrestee? No. He didn’t have his mugshot taken. He didn’t get tossed in a cell for an hour or so, while low-level Justice Department mucked around before drug testing him and then taking their ridiculously sweet time to do a pre-trial interview with them that consists of questions like “Do you have any dogs at your home, and if so, what kinds?” I remember that question because the guy assigned to carry out that task in my case couldn’t figure out how to spell “collie.” Donald Trump wasn’t led into his arraignment in shackles. I’m not sure if either of you were asked by the judge if you could read, but I was. You both knew you were going to go home after your arraignment, but most people don’t know that. In fact, their defense attorneys tell them to count on NOT going home. It’s a say-your-good-byes-now-because-this-might-be-it-for-years kinda thing. It’s not personal, just policy. What’s been interesting to see, Brother Peter, is that the closest Trump has come to being treated like everyone else is in Georgia, and that’s still a far cry from how they do an ordinary brother. I did time with a guy who was spending multiple years in federal prison for using social media to intimidate witnesses in a case against his brother. He said he was just posting truths, but that defense didn’t work for a regular brother in regular court. He damn sure didn’t hold a press conference AFTER his conviction, as you did Brother Peter, to talk shit about the justice system; after his conviction he was already under the jail rather than preening for cameras.
So, yes, Brother Peter Navarro, sometimes you get to see policy for what it often is: a process of degrading humiliation. But other times you get to have a little break from policy. Sometimes it’s how they do a brother, and other times it’s just good to be you.