Absurd New York #136: Best of the Big Apple Gripe Box

The local Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) lost a member today.

Rather than face punishment for provoking the mob that stormed the Capitol Building last month, His Royal Presidency resigned from the union. And, to memorialize his most splendid decree, he thumbed out a missive to union president Gabrielle Carteris. Now, sure, it was flush with his more signature invectives like “fake news” and you’re a “dying platform,” but His Presidency derived a newer aspersion that really stood out. Can you spot it below?

 


 

 

Absurd New York #136. Trump's letter to SAG-AFTRA.

 


 

Yep, it’s his bellow at the end: “You have done nothing for me.” Oh, really? SAG-AFTRA did nothing for him? Well, that’s not exactly what he told the Feds.

In 2015, when His Presidency first declared himself candidate for national office, he was required to disclose his debt, assets, income, and other financial compensation to the Office of Government Ethics (OGE). The OGE, responsible for weeding out financial conflicts of interest in the executive branch of the federal government, then publicized the information. When His Presidency was elected in 2016, the OGE continued to update and release his portfolio every year until the end of his reign. 

As the filings indicate, His Presidency joined AFTRA in 1989 and SAG in 1992 (the two formerly separate unions merged in 2012). And he began receiving financial compensation — a pension — from SAG in July 2011 and AFTRA in May 2017.

This is what he drew from AFTRA while on the “public” stage:

 


 

Absurd New York #136. AFTRA, 2018.
Absurd New York #136. AFTRA, 2019.
Absurd New York #136. AFTRA, 2020.

 


 

For a fine total of $23,991. The OGE hasn’t released data from his last year in office yet, so his AFTRA haul will probably grow.

Here’s what he received from SAG:

 


 

 


 

For a grand tally of $596,528. Again, the OGE hasn’t posted last year’s pocket, so his SAG return should also increase. 

All told, the union paid His Presidency at least $620,519 during his stay in the White House. Perhaps that’s a paltry sum for so great a personality, but most anyone else from the rank and file would probably disagree. It’s certainly no “Who cares!” payout. After all, who gets an annual hundred thousand dollar pension in this day and age? 

But in all SAG-AFTRA history, it seems no one’s been treated so unfairly. Not even John Wilkes Booth. Instead of giving His Presidency some two-bit pension, they should have re-named the union for him. 

 

 


Screenshot of His Presidency’s letter courtesy of sagaftra.org. February 4, 2021.

Nine screenshots from his annual 278e disclosure forms. Filed with the U.S. Office of Government Ethics. 2015-2020.


 

 

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