Kings Are an Obstruction to Justice
This letter to the editor, by Kerry Kittel, appeared in the Hudson Star Observer on November 27, 2025.
Kings are an obstruction to justice In 1776, Americans fought to remove King George III for obstructing the administration of justice.
Today, when reading or hearing “he has obstructed the administration of justice”, most people would immediately think of Donald Trump. Donald Trump has made obstruction of justice his brand. Trump’s use of the president’s pardon power is far less about correcting injustices than about rewarding them handsomely. He pardoned all of the January 6th criminals, leaders of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, and international drug dealer Ross Ulbricht. He pardoned Changpeng Zhao, who’s shady crypto company helped Hamas launder money. He pardoned current and former administration members for trying to overthrow the 2020 election, including 10 Wisconsin Republicans who participated in a fake-electors scheme. And he looked the other way when Border Czar, Tom Homan, was videotaped accepting $50,000 in cash from undercover FBI agents posing as business executives seeking government contracts.
Trump promised a campaign of retribution, and that’s one promise on which he delivered.
He began by dismantling the Public Integrity Section of the Justice Demartment, which was established in 1976 because of President Nixon’s unlawful orders that the Justice Department punish people on his “enemies list”. Trump’s “enemies list” is far broader than Nixon’s ever was – his list includes anyone who has ever opposed or criticized him in any way, no matter how trivial.
The Public Integrity Section fought corruption for over 50 years, until Trump cut the staff from 30 to 5 and stripped it of the authority to review politically motivated prosecutions. Gone are the days when the Justice Department did an investigation and brought charges based on evidence. We live in a world where Trump names a “criminal” then Pam Bondi, Kash Patel, and others bring charges and scurry off to find or invent reasons to support them.
Trump’s message is clear, if you are loyal and useful to him, then he will protect you from investigation or grant a pardon if you are prosecuted and found guilty.
This is obstruction of justice. This is a grave threat to our democracy. Hungary, Poland, and Turkey have demonstrated how control over investigations and prosecutions both defines and cements authoritarian rule. Shielding political allies while prosecuting opponents is a most effective tool for a President who believes that he should be an all-powerful ruler just like old King George.
Liberty-loving Americans must now push for the removal of King Donald I before it is too late.