"As a former federal prosecutor, I know that prosecutors should be guided by the facts. But in his determination to hound George Soros, Donald Trump wants prosecutors to become agents of his personal vendetta, facts be damned. That is the conclusion to be drawn from the instructions issued by one of Trump's senior justice department officials to a group of US attorney's offices across the country, telling them to investigate Soros's foundation."
"This is the latest step in Trump's implementation of the autocrat's handbook, with the aim of chipping away at the checks and balances on presidential authority. Having already attacked judges, lawyers, media companies and universities, Trump now sets his sights on civil society. Soros, a longtime and extraordinarily generous funder of progressive causes around the world including in the United States, is Target Number 1."
"Trump shares this fixation with the likes of Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban, Europe's most prominent autocrat, who for years has used Soros as a scapegoat for widespread and growing dislike of his corrupt, self-serving rule. As the name of Soros's Open Society Foundations (OSF) suggests, he promotes the free and public exchange of ideas. Soros made his billions by recognizing that markets are fallible."
"He gave away billions based on the insight that human governance is imperfect, too, and that the best way to compensate is with independent voices engaged in free debate. Having survived as a Jewish boy in Hungary under Nazi rule, Soros understands that we are safer when people can contest government dogma."
Donald Trump has directed Justice Department officials to probe George Soros's foundation, pressuring prosecutors toward a politically motivated investigation. The initiative targets civil society and seeks to erode checks and balances after prior attacks on judges, lawyers, media and universities. Soros funds progressive causes worldwide through the Open Society Foundations, backing human rights activists, intellectuals, journalists and organizations addressing injustices. Soros built his fortune recognizing market fallibility and donated billions to bolster independent voices and public debate. Surviving Nazi-era Hungary informed Soros's conviction that contesting government dogma strengthens society. Human Rights Watch is among the major beneficiaries of his philanthropy.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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