Having been in the military, and later in a few different government jobs, I've seen the bureaucratic mindset in action, or more properly, in in-action.
If their pay is still getting deposited, they'll still show up. If they're disconnected from the network, they'll play Solitaire all day.
If you move their desk down to Storage Room "B", they'll polish their stapler all day, like Milton. They'll keep showing up until the "glitch in the payroll system" gets fixed.
Now imagine 245,368 federal workers in Washington, DC, who like Milton, seem to have lost their network connections, and someone has made off with their Swingline stapler, and has diverted their stolen Billions.
They only have the "appearance" of influence that the mainstream media gives them. The Office Space is surrounded by security fence with razor wire loops along the top. Keeping them in, or keeping others out, we don't know. Whatever works.
Somehow they are able to keep stealing Billions of dollars, but apparently when they send it out to get laundered in Ukraine, it disappears into a black hole, instead of getting distributed to their family members' bank accounts as arranged.
So Crazy Nancy and Liddle Adam go to Ukraine for a 4-hour meeting, looking frazzled.
Then a week later, Silly Jill goes to Ukraine for a 4-hour meeting, looking frazzled.
Then a week later, the Turtle and his Senate entourage go to Ukraine for a 4-hour meeting, looking frazzled.
Apparently, it takes 4 hours to convince them of "We don't know where the money went."
My President was in Wyoming yesterday, and he didn't look frazzled at all.
And don’t forget the Klintoon years when Hilliary had to make the cultural exchange trip to Switzerland? Had to get that Swiss bank account open. Then a couple months later Chelsea went to get hers. That was the first time the kickback scam got to be way way obvious. Not long after Chelsea got her wine bottle at the NY #1 club?