As the nation prepares for President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House, concerns are growing about his vow to use federal power against political adversaries. Critics warn that Trump’s actions could target prosecutors, members of the January 6 House Committee, and others he perceives as enemies.
Reports suggest his pick for FBI director, MAGA loyalist Kash Patel, is already compiling an “enemies list.” Sid Davidoff, a New York attorney and former administrative assistant to NYC Mayor John Lindsay during the Nixon era, is drawing parallels between Trump’s rhetoric and his own experience. Davidoff, who found himself as No. 12 on Richard Nixon’s infamous “enemies list” during the Watergate scandal, shared his cautionary tale in an op-ed for MSNBC.
“Keep in mind, I am 32 years old at the time, the son of a candy store owner from Queens. And here I am on the enemies list of the president of the United States. It was surreal,” Davidoff recalled. Initially, Davidoff took the notoriety in stride, considering it a “merit of honor.”
He even hosted an “enemies ball” at the bar he owned. However, the experience soon turned darker. “Suddenly, the IRS starts investigating me, claiming I owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes in FICA for employee fees,” he wrote. “Tack on some late fees and penalties and before you knew it, they were claiming I owed close to a million dollars.”
The state of New York, under a Republican governor, accused Davidoff of embezzlement, a charge he says was politically motivated. “My friends in the attorney general’s office told me they had no choice,” he explained. Federal agents even investigated his personal life, questioning the doormen at his girlfriend’s apartment about his whereabouts.
Davidoff described the ordeal as overwhelming. “The force of government coming after an individual like that is not a fun place to be,” he said. Though the indictment against him was dismissed, the experience left a lasting impression.
While Davidoff went on to build a successful career, he warns that modern-day targets of a potential Trump enemies list may not be as fortunate. “I wouldn’t wish that kind of trouble on anybody,” he concluded. “And I’m not sure anyone who finds themselves on Trump’s list will feel as lucky as I do, this many years on.”