By John Q. Hosedrinker 
In early January, a Justice Department lawyer informed a Trump transition official, Emil Bove, of an ongoing bribery investigation into Tom Homan. Undercover FBI agents had recorded Homan allegedly accepting $50,000 in exchange for helping contractors secure border enforcement deals. Justice officials worried Homan wouldn’t pass a security clearance. The investigation was subsequently shut down.
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Border czar Tom Homan didn’t receive a normal background check during a bribery probe. Think about that for a second. In the context of the Trump administration, where accusations of corruption were, unfortunately, a dime a dozen, this detail speaks volumes. It’s almost a given, isn’t it? The sheer audacity of it, the almost casual disregard for the usual protocols, it’s just… par for the course. It’s a sad indictment of the era.
The fact is, in a system where loyalty and perceived allegiance to the leader seem to trump everything else, you wouldn’t expect anyone to stick their neck out and potentially derail a career by finding something adverse about someone like Tom Homan. Who in their right mind, trying to keep their job, would dare to deliver a negative finding against someone so close to the power structure? It’s a lose-lose scenario for the person doing the background check.
The whole situation just reinforces a prevailing sense that the rules were bent – or outright broken – to accommodate the whims of the moment. We’re talking about a situation where the former president, and others, appeared to operate with an utter disregard for established norms. The fact that Homan, a figure so central to the administration’s agenda, wasn’t subjected to the usual vetting process is, frankly, not surprising. It’s almost expected, given the context.
That’s where the idea of the “Republican qualifications” comes in. It feels like the bar was set incredibly low. Perhaps the lack of a proper background check was more a matter of administrative convenience, a way to sidestep potential issues that might arise when someone like Homan is under scrutiny. This idea that you don’t really want to look too closely at the details, because you might not like what you find. That feels about right.
And the bribery itself? Well, it’s a grim reminder of how deeply corruption permeated the administration. The fact that Homan allegedly accepted a bribe on film and yet seemingly faced no real consequences is a searing indictment of the Justice Department’s response. The implication is that the focus wasn’t on justice, but on shielding the guilty. It’s not just the crime, it’s how you hide it.
This is why we must also consider the role of Attorney General Merrick Garland. Why would his DOJ allow this investigation to be scuttled? The fact that the investigation seemingly went nowhere, despite having evidence of criminal activity, is deeply troubling. The perception, or reality, that powerful individuals were shielded from accountability erodes public trust in the system and further normalizes this behavior.
The lack of a proper background check in a bribery probe, combined with the apparent failure of the Justice Department to take decisive action, creates the impression of a deeply compromised system. It’s a stark reminder of the corrosive effects of corruption and the importance of holding those in power accountable.
The overall sense is that laws and processes were secondary to political goals. Background checks exist for a reason. Especially when bribery is involved. They were obviously trying to avoid finding something. It’s all just another example of how the Trump administration prioritized power and loyalty over the rule of law.
And let’s not forget the context: the lack of a proper background check on Trump himself before he took office, something that set the tone for the entire administration. How can you be shocked? Pedophiles, alcoholics, and felons running the government. It’s all so disheartening.
It paints a picture of a system where the normal rules don’t apply, where the consequences of corruption are minimized, and where those in power are seemingly above the law. Homan and those around him. It’s a bleak picture, and one that should serve as a cautionary tale for any future administration. This is how the rot sets in.