Imma up this from a comment because it seems like a useful model for how to think about the evolution of corruption around Trump:
{{{ Tallahassee is a profoundly corrupt city, and most of that corruption centers on the nexus of city, state, and FL’s infamous real-estate sector. Anyone who manages to develop in the “College Town” area — those are scare quotes — is by definition seriously connected. So my guess is that they were, let’s say, “given to understand” it would behoove them not to stand in the way of a raid [ICE, in late May, at major construction sites]. That kind of corruption doesn’t rely on plain statements or ultimatums; it operates on ‘speculation,’ rumors over cocktails, and nuances in how people go about currying favor.
We can see that in how, over time, DeS has modulated the ways he panders to Trump: he gave up that in-your-face attention-seeking style, and is much more low-key about it these days. Partly because I think he understands what most people do not yet: he’ll never get what he wants from Trump, but nor can he afford to alienate him, so his plan now is to present himself as a reliable soldier to Trump’s soon-to-be heir, Vance. }}}
The point being that if corruption is the norm, we need to sharpen our skills in terms of how we read it. Constant, repetitive outrage doesn’t help us to understand it better; if anything, it just deadens us to it.