Grifters, also known as con artists or scammers, are people who attempt to gain the confidence of naïve people and play them for fools long enough to get what they want. In other words, they are tricksters. And grifters have been around pretty much forever.
Here is a biblical quote from the Romans 16:17, “I appeal to you brothers, to watch for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.”
Famous grifters that come to mind include Charles Ponzi, Bernie Madoff, Elizabeth Holmes, and Anna Delvey.
Hollywood sometimes portrays grifters in a flattering light. Cases in point include The Sting, Catch Me If You Can, and Oceans 11. I saw The Thomas Crown Affair at the movie theater and remember how happy the audience was that Pierce Brosnan got away with stealing the Monet from the museum. For those of you who have not seen the movie The Grifters, please consider doing so before you vote.
Grifters often intrigue people. We want to see justice done. But at the same time, we are fascinated by the audacity of the grifter who tries to outfox his prey.
The psychology of grifters is interesting. They understand enough about the way the mind works to exploit its vulnerabilities. Psychologists who study grifters say that grifters use distraction, exploit vulnerabilities, practice deception, and leverage need and greed. Let’s take a look at some grifters in the present day.
Clarence Thomas has exploited his Supreme Court Justice position pretty much at every turn. He has accepted luxury vacations, yacht stays, private jet trips, private school tuition gifts for his grandnephew, and payment for his elderly mother’s house. He did not disclose any of these gifts.
Joe Manchin (D-WV) has used his position to gain favors for his family’s coal business, including gains in special tax credits, and holding up bills that promoted investments in renewable energy sources.
Former Senator Bob Menedez (D-NJ) has been accused of receiving cash, gold bars, a Mercedes and more in exchange for intercessions in criminal prosecutions, military aid disbursements, and international negotiations.
Now let’s take a look at the ultimate grifter, Donald J. Trump. Unlike any other American president, Trump did not divest from his businesses before he became President. Members of his own White House staff have confirmed that he did business for the Trump organization while in the Oval Office. (This is in addition to negotiating hush money payments in the Oval Office so that Stormy Daniels did not divulge information about their trysts to the press.)
Trump used tax-payer money to charge exorbitant rates for the Secret Service and diplomats from other countries to stay at his properties. According to documents obtained by Congress, on some occasions, Trump charged the Secret Service guarding him more than five times the government rate to stay at his properties while it was protecting him and his family. He leveraged his status as President to secure a $2 billion Saudi Arabian contract for his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Forbes magazine estimated that the Trump organization brought in more than $2 billion dollars while Trump was in office.
Earlier this year, the Democratic Oversight Committee released a report that indicated that Trump received $8 million from 20 foreign governments, including China and Saudi Arabia, without seeking the required consent of Congress while he was President.
The Constitution’s Emoluments Clauses are designed to prohibit financial conflicts of interest by sitting presidents and other government officials. The framers of the Constitution wanted to be sure that a President’s loyalties would not be compromised by his or her own financial interests. As the Constitution stands today, such actions are prohibited, but the penalty for disregarding these clauses is not clearly spelled out.
Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Bethesda’s Jamie Raskin (D-MD) have introduced a bill which would prohibit presidents and other officials from accepting payments from foreign governments without Congress’s approval while in office and for two years after leaving office.
This legislation would also create criminal penalties for violators of these provisions, including imprisonments and fines. The bill also authorizes the Attorney General to bring civil actions against offending senior federal officials which could result in civil monetary penalties.
Grifters undermine democracy. They cause people to lose faith in all three branches of government—executive, legislative, and judicial. And they cost taxpayers a hell of a lot of money. When someone shows you over and over again what they are willing to do for their own personal gain, believe them. A congenital grifter does not deserve your vote.
America, say it with me and The Who, “We Won’t Be Fooled Again.”
Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.
Bob Rietz says
very sad, but very true
Kay Klepfer says
Thank you Maria, I posted your article on FB . Just maybe one more person will listen.
Kay
Maria Grant says
Kay, thanks so much for posting my article. Here’s hoping it helps.
Charles Barranco says
Excellent article.
Let’s hope undecided voters read your article and vote based on the evidence presented by you.
Michael Davis says
The potential legislation mentioned above will never pass Congress while Republicans are in charge. And, if we have a President Trump, he’d never sign it into law. Republicans blocked ethics legislation for the Supreme Court that would have prevented Justice Thomas from receiving the millions of dollars in cash and benefits he’s received from very rich Republicans. Thomas is probably the most dishonest Justice we’ve had yet Republicans protect him. They certainly will continue to protect Trump.
Trump invents many schemes to bilk people. Trump University comes to mind. He sells Bibles for $60 that cost him $3 to make in China. As he’s running for President, he’s selling Trump coins and Trump watches. He’s the first person in history to run for President and simultaneous market junk for his personal gain.
As for the future, watch out! Trump started a cybercurrency company, partnering with known grifters who have no experience in managing those assets. His sons and other members of his family are key officers in the company. The company is already failing with sales nowhere near estimated value. It’s like Truth Social that has cost investors a ton of money. Trump has said he plans to use his cybercurrency coins to help reduced the national debt after he becomes President. In order to make more money for he and his family, he will destroy our economy by mixing U.S Treasury assets with junk Trump cybercurrency.
Rather than being a good businessman, Trump is a fraud.
Maria Grant says
Michael, thanks for your comments. You make some great points about the whole cybercurrency and Truth Social initiatives. Thanks for writing.
Susie Marlow says
Spot on, once again. Great perspective, Maria.
Rick Megahan says
Why no mention of $ 30M paid to the VP Biden family from foreign interests? Or that President Trump donated (alll of) his presidential salary to various charities and other good causes? Or that the government was billed at cost to utilize Trump properties? Ruth Bader Ginsburg set the pace for Supreme Court gimmees ahead of the other justices.
Portraying Jamie Raskin (red diaper baby on the illegitimate Jan 6 committee) and Richard Blumenthal (stolen Vietnam valor) as moral crusaders in this discussion is pretty lame.
I think the Spy should avoid political columnists. This is getting tiresome. You might get the idea that Talbot County is the final stop for NeverTrumpers.
Maria Grant says
Rick, thanks for writing. I don’t believe the House Oversight Committee ever suggested any illegality about the payments to Hunter Biden from foreign sources. RBG accepted a gift that was a flight to Israel for receiving a lifetime achievement award from the Genesis Foundation. I also believe she donated the prize money to nonprofits that promoted causes she believed in. Also please remember that Republicans refused to put more representatives on the January 6 committee. I hope to stop writing so much about politics after the election.
Deirdre LaMotte says
Please add citations. Otherwise sounds like a lie out of the “make believe this is reality” world. You know, what people
get 24-7 on Fox, etc.
HR Worthington says
Trump is an American huckster in the tradition of Barnum. I cannot say for certain whether the accusations you level here are accurate, but they certainly seem one-sided. Yes, you have mentioned a few Democrats, but this is evident even without engaging in the “both-sidesism” of pointing out that the Bidens haven’t exactly been above board in this regard and Ms. Harris’ rise through the party was, well, unorthodox.
Trump is the first president in a very long time who wasn’t a career politician, lawyer, or full-time trust fund baby. He had a substantial enterprise, whatever you think of it, which makes him unique. Anyway, blind trusts aren’t really that blind. Just ask Paul Pelosi.
On grifting, the point you miss is this: large swaths of the electorate are obviously aware. However, they don’t see Trump as the grifter. Why? Because he doesn’t really pretend to be something he isn’t. On the other hand, for over 30 years they have put both parties in power, all who have promised a myriad of wonderful things and have projected themselves as moral exemplars. Not only have they proven themselves to be degenerates most of the time, but the result of those policies has also disproportionally benefited themselves and a monied “laptop class” of bureaucrats, technocrats, bankers and functionaries who look down on them as uneducated and unenlightened servants. The great unwashed is mainly there to deliver UberEats and fix plumbing problems, while the rest of us go about our important work as Beltway consultants of some flavor or another. They are there to be subsidized and subsequently exploited by their entitled betters. They are a conduit for ever increasing national debt which finds its way somehow into the pockets of the costal elites. Nothing more.
To them, this is the real grift. They have been shouting “We Won’t Be Fooled Again” for some time now. Whether you like Trump or not, whether Trump or Harris prevails or not, it would be a mistake to tune them out. Thus, I am reminded of another passage in Romans 12:16 “Do not be haughty.” Afterall, we are the real grifters my friends.
Maria Grant says
HR, thanks for writing. My issue with your analysis is that I believe many of the MAGA followers receive more benefits from democrats than republicans–lower taxes, better healthcare, better education, more benefits for working parents, etc. The whole argument about lower gas prices when Trump was president–no one was going anywhere during Covid. The supply/demand concept seems to have been forgotten. I agree with you that the so-called “beltway bandits” have benefitted from both administrations.
HR Worthington says
Maria, thank you for your rather considerate response. I actually agree with you that the “MAGA followers” receive more “benefits” from Democrats rather than Republicans. That’s actually my entire point.
The issue is that lower nominal taxes have been more than offset by higher inflation. “Better healthcare” has been offset by reduced access and less personalized care. “Better education,” when Ms. Weingarten wasn’t keeping the schools closed, has come in the form of a crumbling public system and laughably unaffordable college. More benefits for working parents don’t offset the fact that a one-salary home isn’t an option for all but the most fortunate, etc. These “benefits” really aren’t benefits at all, or they certainly don’t feel they are to those who consume them. (If they did, Ms. Harris would be winning by a landslide.)
It works like this: Money goes in one pocket in the form of a benefit or subsidy and right out the other to back the monied classes that “gave it” to them. The rich get richer while the shared national debt increases. Yes, the health insurance companies, teacher’s unions, university administrators, etc. all seem to be doing fine while those they are supposed to help continue to suffer disproportionately. Indeed, the political class has invented a very novel form of modern serfdom. Best encapsulated, in my opinion, by Ms. Obama’s convention speech where she admonished “folks who took more than they needed.” Do the Obama’s really need the house on Martha’s Vineyard or is that also for the “benefit” of the serfs somehow? Grifters abound. Mr. Trump’s magic is that he lacks the pretense. -HR
Maria Grant says
HR, thanks for your response and thanks for mansplaining how the economy works. I also agree with you that Trump lacks pretense. He doesn’t pretend to respect women, injured, killed, or captured veterans, opponents, migrants, the list goes on.
HR Worthington says
I do, indeed, happen to be a man who was attempting to explain his position in a civil manner. As there is no way I can refute that fact, I must concede the argument. Fully convinced, I will run out and vote for Ms. Harris forthwith. Thank you for enlightening me and showing me the error of my ways.
I will always argue my point without regard to my interlocuter’s gender, sexual orientation, race, or creed. I know for certain that we are all equal under God, and I have too much respect for you to presume that I should argue differently simply because you may possess some set of immutable characteristics that I may or may not be aware of. Labeling me a misogynist does not strengthen your argument; it betrays its weakness.
Nonetheless, I will not waste time or risk further injury to you by commenting on these pages any longer. I will leave you to the orthodoxy of the echo chamber you wish to create. I sincerely hope the unchallenged belief that at least half of your fellow citizens are stupid, gullible, irredeemable bigots somehow brings you peace. -HR
Maria Grant says
HR,
I look forward to your comments. I hope you reconsider. I do like reading other points of view. And your comments are interesting. Sorry if I offended you. Perhaps I overreacted to the comment after yours. My apologies.
Jim Bachman says
When faced with the truth about the con artist, the mark often doubles down rather than admit they were taken in by the con-man. We continue to see this today.
Barbara Denton says
Prove it! These are ridiculous made up unproven stories to support a hypothesis that is not true. It is really funny you would quote scripture in your writing considering Kamala told a young man who shouted out “Jesus is Lord” at her Wisconsin rally that he was at the wrong rally. She told him to go to the smaller rally down the street. There was no rally down the street. Your story is fabricated just like Kamala fabricated the rally down the street.
Keep on making the stories up. Your are a day too late and a dollar short. Trump was totally divorced from the running of his businesses while he was President. He donated his salary each year to charity. Only someone who loves his Country and wants to save it from ruin would go through this torture again to become President. He is strong and vibrant and he will Make America Great Again.