Jonathan Chait writes:

The Republican Party is united in its belief that Donald Trump’s court-ordered financial distress is the product of Democratic Party “lawfare.” Liberal prosecutors and courts have set out to persecute an upstanding businessman, hounding him over minor or nonexistent financial discrepancies. He is being forced to liquidate his extremely solid business to pay trumped-up fines.

The conservative talk-show host Mark Levin has absorbed these complaints and earnestly raises a natural follow-up question: Why aren’t any patriotic conservative businesspeople stepping in to rescue Trump with a loan?

Why are there no Republican multi-billionaires offering to lend President Trump the funds to file his appeal in the outrageous case in NY state? Are none of them liquid enough to help or join with others to help? This is an outrage.

— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) March 18, 2024

This is a perfectly natural response to the premise that Trump’s totally legitimate business is facing a sudden cash crunch. And yet, none of the Republican billionaires have stepped forward to loan Trump the funds to get him through this short-term crisis.

Let me propose an alternative explanation for the paradox Levin is observing: Wealthy Republicans are hesitant to extend large loans to Trump because he is, in fact, a crook. [Continue reading…]