Things public officials do and say

Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell is known to match Trump for his hyperbole, but even for him this was out there.

Public officials are always good entertainment because you never know what they will say or do next. Joe Biden was always good for a couple of “did he really say that?” But since he announced his run for president, his staff has kept him on script most of the time.

But President Donald Trump has more than taken up the slack. He never met a script that wasn’t better if he ignored most of it.

Even though he took an oath to follow the law, he has now told employees to build the wall that separates the United States and Mexico, and if they break the law doing it he will pardon them. Never seen that before.

Remember when the Republicans had control of the presidency and both houses of Congress? They had the power to fund and build the wall, and didn’t. Oh, yes, Mexico was going to pay for it, not taxpayers.

Republicans provide a good balance to Democrats because they could always be counted upon to be tight with the money and call out any Democratic move to have an unbalanced budget. When Trump became president, the debt was $19.1 trillion, and now it is $22 trillion. Who are those guys? And who got the extra $3 trillion?

Trump said, “I have one of the great memories of all time,” maybe the “greatest memory.” But he told prosecutors 30 times he had no recollection of what they were talking about, and 24 times said “I don’t remember” in a 2012 lawsuit on Trump University, and 35 times on another university case. So why was his attorney worried about perjury with Mueller?

Speaking of Trump’s attorney, you might want to skip Rudy Giuliani. He said “there would be nothing wrong with the Russians encouraging interference in our election.” Though it might be against the law?

Another Rudyism was going to Kiev to look for political dirt. “We’re not meddling in an election, we’re meddling in an investigation.” That certainly clears it up.

Sarah Sanders, who wants to be the next governor of Arkansas, said “countless FBI” agents lost confidence in James Comey, claiming at least 50 contacts. But under oath said her comments were “not founded on anything.”

She also said Trump did not dictate a false statement for his son regarding the Russians. Trump’s attorneys said he did. Will those comments come back to Sanders during the election?

Capital cocktail parties are always fun. As the House of Representatives was preparing to hold him in contempt, Attorney General William Barr ran into Speaker Nancy Pelosi and said, “Did you bring your handcuffs?” Fortunately, she had the House Sergeant at Arms close by with handcuffs, just in case.

Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell is known to match Trump for his hyperbole, but even for him this was out there: The Federal Way “Performing Arts and Events Center is reminiscent of the Acropolis of Athens.” Make your own judgment.

Regarding his performance as president, “This is more work than my previous life, I thought it would be easier,” says the man who watches TV most of the time.

“I’d give myself an A+!” Really?

“I have tremendous respect for women.” Again, really?

Federal Way resident Bob Roegner is a former mayor of Auburn. Contact bjroegner@comcast.net.