Members of Congress loyal to Trump seem to take notes from mob movies. When former Trump lawyer/fixer Michael Cohen was preparing to testify before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Rep. Matt Gaetz tweeted out a threat: “Hey @MichaelCohen212 — Do your wife & father-in-law know about your girlfriends? Maybe tonight would be a good time for that chat. I wonder if she’ll remain faithful when you’re in prison. She’s about to learn a lot.”

During the president’s impeachment trial, Senator Rand Paul repeatedly attempted to get the chief justice of the United States to read aloud the alleged name of the whistleblower. When Justice Roberts demurred, Rand Paul pronounced it himself on the Senate floor. Whistleblowers are shielded from retaliation by law, and under the circumstances, with death threats flying, revealing his or her identity could be called retaliation. In any case, it’s a thuggish message to any future whistleblowers: Nice career you’ve got there, be a shame if anything were to happen to it.

Never to be outdone, the first son was ready with a cloddish put down of Mitt Romney. Photoshopping the senator in ill-fitting jeans, Donald Trump Jr sneered, “Mom jeans, because you’re a p——.”

Trump Jr. comes by his loutishness honestly. For the rest, it’s a gang symbol.