Is it possible tfg or vlad are blackmailing some of these repuqs?

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10. more likely extortion, but yeah, blackmail is possible too

generally, blackmail takes more effort and is specific to individuals. at this point, they've got the entire party and then some giving them pretty much 100% obedience. that doesn't happen with individual blackmail over and over again.

extortion is more scalable. blackmail one person, and others may think they're immune because they haven't done anything wrong or won't give in even if it's fabricated information. but threaten on person, or their family, and everybody quickly gets the message that they're in danger unless they comply.

this is the undertext of donnie's encouragement of violence. he has his enforcers, just as all fascists do. donnie's may be a phone call away or they may be scattered over the internet, but all republicans know that donnie can effectively sic his dogs on them. i mean, donnie got a mob to try to hang his own chosen running mate, ffs.


besides, republicans can survive financial and sex scandals these days because the media only cares about that if you're a democrat. they don't need putin's spies and information.


on the other hand, it's not like most republicans display much in the way of objecting to going along. they'll be happy to be part of the party that owns the government even if they're lapdogs in it.