Bribe Bros

Trump pardons a fellow briber

This cartoon was drawn for the FXBG Advance.

Last December, a Culpeper Jury (Trump country) found former Sheriff Scott Jenkins guilty of one count of conspiracy, four counts of honest services fraud, and seven counts of bribery. Fortunately for the corrupt sheriff, he’s a MAGAt.

In fact, Shurf Jenkins is a minor MAGAt celebrity, as he has pro-MAGA views that got him featured on Breitbart multiple times, was a guest on the Daily Signal podcast, and even got him an appearance on Fox & Friends after vowing to “deputize thousands of our law-abiding citizens to protect their constitutional right to own firearms.” This is kinda what got him into trouble.

By the way, nobody’s gun rights are in danger. Republicans use it as a fear tactic to win public office.

Jenkins accepted $75,000 worth of bribes. He took cash and campaign contributions from eight people, including two undercover FBI agents. In return, he gave them badges and made them auxiliary deputy sheriffs, despite not having any training for the position (it’s kind of an honorary position, but it gives them a lot of cop powers). He also pushed officials to restore one bribe-payer's right to possess a gun as a convicted felon. He was also able to give some of his bribers the right to carry concealed weapons without permits.

What’s fucked up about that last part is it’s extremely easy to get a concealed-carry permit in Virginia. About the only thing that could stop a person from getting a concealed-carry permit in Virginia would be if they were a convicted felon or something. For example, Donald Trump would NOT be allowed to carry a concealed weapon in Virginia.

Jenkins took a $25,000 bribe from a Fairfax County businessman whose several non-violent felony convictions prevented him from owning a gun. In return, Jenkins helped to restore the man’s firearm license and later deputized him as an auxiliary sheriff.

Those auxiliary sheriff badges also helped goons get out of traffic tickets.

Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee said at the time that Jenkins violated his oath of office, "And this case proves that when those officials use their authority for unjust personal enrichment, the Department of Justice will hold them accountable.” Yeah, that didn’t work out.

Even though he was found guilty and sentenced to ten years in prison, which was supposed to start last week, he’s not going. Why? Because Donald Trump gave him a pardon even though Jenkins never officially applied for one or went through the legal process for a pardon with the Justice Department.

Trump posted on Shit Social that Jenkins and his family “have been dragged through HELL by a Corrupt and Weaponized Biden DOJ.” Trump did NOT enlighten us as to how Biden’s DOJ was corrupt or weaponized.

He also posted, “This Sheriff is a victim of an overzealous Biden Department of Justice, and doesn't deserve to spend a single day in jail. He is a wonderful person, who was persecuted by the Radical Left ‘monsters,’ and ‘left for dead.’ He will NOT be going to jail tomorrow, but instead will have a wonderful and productive life.”

Trump said Jenkins tried to offer evidence in his defense, but US District Judge Robert Ballou, a Biden appointee, “refused to allow it, shut him down, and then went on a tirade.”

Jenkins can now run for sheriff again and resume taking bribes.

Trump has been pardoning a lot of goons lately, and he promises there are more to come. Trump has also granted clemency to former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, who was convicted of trying to sell Barack Obama's Senate seat he gave up after being elected president, and Michelle Fiore, a Las Vegas politician and loyal Trumper convicted of paying for plastic surgery and other personal expenses with money intended to build a statue for a slain police officer.

And don’t forget about the J6 white nationalist terrorists Trump pardoned on day one of Trump 2.0.

Trump shares a kinship with the corrupt Culpeper sheriff as they both have accepted bribes, except Jenkins probably tried to hide his while Trump is having bribe parties. Trump should not be saving criminals from prison. He should be in prison. Felons should not be in the White House.

Not only is Trump being bribed through his crypto, his Truth Social Stock, the shitty China-made products he sells, and by Qatar with a plane which we will ultimately pay for, he recently pardoned a convicted tax cheat after his mother paid $1 million to be a member of Mar-a-Lago.

What’s the deal with these goons, who are elected to enforce the law but instead use their positions as sheriff or president to break the law? And then, they protect each other when caught.

What happened to the Republican Party being the Law-and-Order Party?

Creative note: The Advance wrote on its website this morning, “We don’t cover Culpeper here at the Advance, so when Clay Jones suggested having some fun with Trump pardoning former Culpeper Sheriff Scott Jenkins, of course we said “Yes!” According to NBC News 4, “Federal prosecutors said Jenkins took more than $75,000 in bribes from people he made auxiliary deputies, claiming their badges would allow them to carry concealed weapons in all 50 states. Donors said they also wanted the badges to help them get out of speeding tickets. Jenkins’ defense said the funds were legal campaign contributions and a “provocative” and “creative response” to defending gun rights by building up the auxiliary program.” As we say in journalism, sometimes, the stories just write themselves. Or, in this case, draw themselves.

But I’ve drawn cartoons on state topics before that weren’t covered by the Advance, so I figured this fell into that category.

I was planning to do this subject all week for the Advance. When my editor proposed something else, I was like, “uh-uh.”
I drew this at Starbucks.

Music note: I listened to the Across the Universe soundtrack while coloring.

Drawn in 30 seconds:

Timelapse (turn up your volume):

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