The Daily Ardmoreite

Mark Twain is often given credit for saying “history doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes.” Whether Twain actually said those exact words, the phrase expresses an important truth about historical events and figures.

Even casual observers of history can see parallels in the ways constants of the human condition such as war, poverty, greed, and corruption are addressed throughout time.

Much like different words in the lines of a poem, different players through eras of history often sound a lot alike.

For example, it may be difficult to know which historical figure made the following remark.

“I don't give a %@#* what happens. I want you all to stonewall it, let them plead the Fifth Amendment, cover up or anything else, if it'll save it, save this plan. That's the whole point. We're going to protect our people if we can.”

While the quote would fit in well with current news, Richard Nixon made that statement almost 50 years ago while attempting to avoid prosecution for his crimes in the Watergate scandal. Although Nixon claimed executive privilege as a sitting president, those claims were rejected by the Supreme Court.

A similar but more extreme strategy is being used today, as former president Trump pushes his claim of executive privilege in the investigation of the violent January 6 attack on the US Capitol.

That claim was formally rejected December 9 by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

In the ruling, Judge Patricia A....

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