Michael Cohen, Paul Manafort, and the idiotic corruption of Trump Inc.

In the Trump administration, it's Fredos all the way down

In the early months of the Trump presidency, wags loved to debate which member of the new administration was the "Fredo."

Fredo, if you remember your Godfather movies, was stupid and weak, left behind when his younger brother, Michael, took over the crime family. He was so unaware of his failings that he betrayed his brother in a bid to get a piece of the action, and then bristled like an angry child when caught. "I can handle things! I'm smart, not like everybody says, like dumb," Fredo hotly whined as the plot came crashing down around him. "I'm smart and I want respect!"

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Joel Mathis, The Week US

Joel Mathis is a freelance writer who has spent nine years as a syndicated columnist, co-writing the RedBlueAmerica column as the liberal half of a point-counterpoint duo. His work also regularly appears in National Geographic, The Kansas City Star and Heatmap News. His awards include best online commentary at the Online News Association and (twice) at the City and Regional Magazine Association.