Trump's dividend smacks of Copper King's bribe

To the Editor:

When I learned of Donald Trump’s desperate plan to try and hang on to both Houses of Congress by bribing every American adult with a “Trump Dividend,” $5,000 to vote Republican paid for by his “tremendous economic success, (forget the $41 TRILLION deficit and apparently Donny and his Vice-sycophant JD haven’t been to the gas pump or grocery store lately); the first thing that popped in my mind was the legend of Butte’s most nefarious Copper King, William A. Clark.

Trying to flagrantly bribe his way into a vacant Senate seat in 1899, Clark was given the boot by Congress when the scandal erupted. He persevered and actually was elected in 1901 and served a six year term. (At the time, members of the Senate were not elected by the people, but by State Representatives in the Montana Congress.)

In 1907, Mark Twain opined of Clark …” he so sweetened corruption that in Montana it no longer has an offensive smell” … “and is a rotten human being as can be found anywhere under the flag, he is a shame to the American nation and no one has helped send him to the Senate who did not know his proper place was in the penitentiary with a ball and chain on his legs”.

I wonder what Twain would have to say if he were around today?

Tom Horelick, Libby