JOSEPH MUSCAT TAKES A PAGE FROM THE DONALD TRUMP PLAYBOOK: PAID PROTESTERS SCHEDULED TO APPEAR AT HIS UPCOMING FIRST COURT APPEARANCE

 

The Man who Would (Again) be King for a Day

When Malta's former Prime Minister, JOSEPH MUSCAT, recently charged with multiple money laundering and corruption counts in the unfolding hospitals sale scandal, appears in court shortly, he is guaranteed to have a huge crowd of rabid PL supporters cheering him on outside the courthouse, and all of them making a very public scene of their support for what has become a cult political figure in Malta. In many ways, he is the country's equivalent of his also-indicted fellow populist politician, Donald Trump. This is true in more ways than you think.  

You see, the real reason for Muscat's confidence that he will have a major crowd of rabble-rousing supporters at his court appearance is that each and every one of those who will be on hand to clap for the Man Who Would Again Be King (return to the premiership in Malta, to regain immunity from prosecution at home, and extradition to the USA) is seeing that they will receive a payment for appearing, albeit ever so briefly on his behalf, as part of his unfolding propaganda political move toward a Return to Power.

Of course, while those of us who have observed Muscat's Rise to Power through PL, and Fall from Grace due to his connection to elements that were responsible for the only political assassination of an investigative journalist in the EU in recent memory, know about his tactics, it is still upsetting to learn that his fans are fully paid for their trouble. Whether this is just another act of illegal political conduct we leave to the Maltese legal scholars, but, like Trump, Muscat's supporters must be paid in full, in advance, we understand, to turn out with their applause and shouting. Let's make very sure that everyone knows it.