The 45th POTUS - Donald J. Trump

[tragabigzanda]

And frankly, his move to orchestrate a special prosecutor makes sense given that Sessions left the room with apparent knowledge of what was about to transpire. When the AG is in on the racket, it's time to get some sort of independent council in place.

I'll reiterate that I've really fallen for James Comey today. His prudence and adherence to the rules of his office, the safety of the US from foreign meddling, and his manner of speaking which was never colored by emotion or political persuasion, has given me one righteous boner for a man I hated only recently.

[Strat]

I thought it was pretty incredible when he called them blatant liars.

Ill be curious to find out how it may play out in closed door sessions. it appears there is a lot not many people are willing to speak about in public. That is what feels huge to me.

[Norah]

I think it's time to put this in OB where it belongs.

You're a monster.

[tragabigzanda]

I thought it was pretty incredible when he called them blatant liars.

Ill be curious to find out how it may play out in closed door sessions. it appears there is a lot not many people are willing to speak about in public. That is what feels huge to me.

Right. And I suspect that apart from any legal proceedings that may or may not happen, the political blowback will be difficult to gauge, but certainly difficult to contain for the GOP.

[Strat]

I thought it was pretty incredible when he called them blatant liars.

Ill be curious to find out how it may play out in closed door sessions. it appears there is a lot not many people are willing to speak about in public. That is what feels huge to me.

Right. And I suspect that apart from any legal proceedings that may or may not happen, the political blowback will be difficult to gauge, but certainly difficult to contain for the GOP.

Im hoping that the way this plays out is they want to make sure they actually get him. Dont want to rusht his process or show their cards but rather make sure they have an air tight case before a legit charge.

Thats what im hoping for. Please god. Ill go to church or something.

[tragabigzanda]

I thought it was pretty incredible when he called them blatant liars.

Ill be curious to find out how it may play out in closed door sessions. it appears there is a lot not many people are willing to speak about in public. That is what feels huge to me.

Right. And I suspect that apart from any legal proceedings that may or may not happen, the political blowback will be difficult to gauge, but certainly difficult to contain for the GOP.

Im hoping that the way this plays out is they want to make sure they actually get him. Dont want to rusht his process or show their cards but rather make sure they have an air tight case before a legit charge.

Thats what im hoping for. Please god. Ill go to church or something.

I saw a man with a tshirt the other day that read "I'd rather be in the mountains thinking about God than sitting in church thinking about the mountains," and I thought of you.

[Strat]

I thought it was pretty incredible when he called them blatant liars.

Ill be curious to find out how it may play out in closed door sessions. it appears there is a lot not many people are willing to speak about in public. That is what feels huge to me.

Right. And I suspect that apart from any legal proceedings that may or may not happen, the political blowback will be difficult to gauge, but certainly difficult to contain for the GOP.

Im hoping that the way this plays out is they want to make sure they actually get him. Dont want to rusht his process or show their cards but rather make sure they have an air tight case before a legit charge.

Thats what im hoping for. Please god. Ill go to church or something.

I saw a man with a tshirt the other day that read "I'd rather be in the mountains thinking about God than sitting in church thinking about the mountains," and I thought of you.

Great, now im horny.

[tragabigzanda]

I thought it was pretty incredible when he called them blatant liars.

Ill be curious to find out how it may play out in closed door sessions. it appears there is a lot not many people are willing to speak about in public. That is what feels huge to me.

Right. And I suspect that apart from any legal proceedings that may or may not happen, the political blowback will be difficult to gauge, but certainly difficult to contain for the GOP.

Im hoping that the way this plays out is they want to make sure they actually get him. Dont want to rusht his process or show their cards but rather make sure they have an air tight case before a legit charge.

Thats what im hoping for. Please god. Ill go to church or something.

I saw a man with a tshirt the other day that read "I'd rather be in the mountains thinking about God than sitting in church thinking about the mountains," and I thought of you.

Great, now im horny.

Great, now chud's horny.

[Bi_3]

In his testimony, Comey confirmed media reports that Trump had asked him if he could drop the FBI investigation into Flynn and that the president had asked for his "loyalty." But Comey also asserted that he had told Trump that he was not personally under any investigation and that the president had encouraged the Russia investigation, even if it implicated any of his associates.

From the wash examiner. Is this accurate?

[bune]

The weirdest thing about McCain's questioning is the fact that it is the most discussed part of the hearing on this message board.

[tragabigzanda]

In his testimony, Comey confirmed media reports that Trump had asked him if he could drop the FBI investigation into Flynn and that the president had asked for his "loyalty." But Comey also asserted that he had told Trump that he was not personally under any investigation and that the president had encouraged the Russia investigation, even if it implicated any of his associates.

From the wash examiner. Is this accurate?

It's accurate insofar as it's what Comey said happened. He also elaborated that technically speaking, Trump was not under investigation at the time; and that had he been more clear -- that the FBI were in fact "looking into" Trump's possible connection with the ongoing investigation into Russian election meddling -- it could have created a scenario in which the FBI would then be obligated to report any pursuant changes (i.e. if the investigation ever officially shifted from "Russian influence" to "Trump and Russia collaborating," the FBI would be required to announce this change as a matter of record as it related to the previously confirmed Russian investigation).

[digster]

It's funny; if you had asked me beforehand, I would have guessed that the "thanks for telling me three times I'm not being investigated" was a crock of shit, and the Flynn conversation was overblown. Turns out that the three times thing was accurate, and the Flynn conversation, at least on paper, was way seedier and closer to obstructing than I would have thought.

[run2death]

I've never liked McCain, but appreciated his moderate/maverick Republican stances in the early and middle part of his career.

That was depressing to watch.

[Bi_3]

In his testimony, Comey confirmed media reports that Trump had asked him if he could drop the FBI investigation into Flynn and that the president had asked for his "loyalty." But Comey also asserted that he had told Trump that he was not personally under any investigation and that the president had encouraged the Russia investigation, even if it implicated any of his associates.

From the wash examiner. Is this accurate?

It's accurate insofar as it's what Comey said happened. He also elaborated that technically speaking, Trump was not under investigation at the time; and that had he been more clear -- that the FBI were in fact "looking into" Trump's possible connection with the ongoing investigation into Russian election meddling -- it could have created a scenario in which the FBI would then be obligated to report any pursuant changes (i.e. if the investigation ever officially shifted from "Russian influence" to "Trump and Russia collaborating," the FBI would be required to announce this change as a matter of record as it related to the previously confirmed Russian investigation).

Hmm. Does this make the Russia collusion thing DOA? Seems like digster is correct, that the obstruction charge might have real legs to it.

[tragabigzanda]

In his testimony, Comey confirmed media reports that Trump had asked him if he could drop the FBI investigation into Flynn and that the president had asked for his "loyalty." But Comey also asserted that he had told Trump that he was not personally under any investigation and that the president had encouraged the Russia investigation, even if it implicated any of his associates.

From the wash examiner. Is this accurate?

It's accurate insofar as it's what Comey said happened. He also elaborated that technically speaking, Trump was not under investigation at the time; and that had he been more clear -- that the FBI were in fact "looking into" Trump's possible connection with the ongoing investigation into Russian election meddling -- it could have created a scenario in which the FBI would then be obligated to report any pursuant changes (i.e. if the investigation ever officially shifted from "Russian influence" to "Trump and Russia collaborating," the FBI would be required to announce this change as a matter of record as it related to the previously confirmed Russian investigation).

Hmm. Does this make the Russia collusion thing DOA? Seems like digster is correct, that the obstruction charge might have real legs to it.

I don't know that one impacts the other, apart from the ability to share information between two separate investigations. But if Trump were to be found to have colluded with Russia, I guess that could possible lead to a treason charge -- which I'd say is still highly unlikely. But an obstruction charge could certainly lead to impeachment. Based on Comey's testimony alone, I'd say they'd have to get some more evidence to overcome the tricky problem of Trump's choice of words ("I hope you can let this thing go," rather than "I am ordering you to..."). Has there been any announcement or serious speculation as to who might get called next? I'm most eager for Jeff Sessions -- Why did he choose to leave the office before Trump and Comey met that day?

[Bi_3]

Dershowitz seems to think that obstruction is a non-starter:

Dershowitz: Comey confirms that I'm right - and all the Democratic commentators are wrong

By Alan Dershowitz
Published June 08, 2017
Fox News

During former FBI Director James Comey's opening statement to the Senate Intelligence Committee, he blamed the Trump administration for defaming him and the FBI and spreading lies


In his testimony former FBI director James Comey echoed a view that I alone have been expressing for several weeks, and that has been attacked by nearly every Democratic pundit.

Comey confirmed that under our Constitution, the president has the authority to direct the FBI to stop investigating any individual. I paraphrase, because the transcript is not yet available: the president can, in theory, decide who to investigate, who to stop investigating, who to prosecute and who not to prosecute. The president is the head of the unified executive branch of government, and the Justice Department and the FBI work under him and he may order them to do what he wishes.

As a matter of law, Comey is 100 percent correct. As I have long argued, and as Comey confirmed in his written statement, our history shows that many presidents—from Adams to Jefferson, to Lincoln, to Roosevelt, to Kennedy, to Bush 1, and to Obama – have directed the Justice Department with regard to ongoing investigations. The history is clear, the precedents are clear, the constitutional structure is clear, and common sense is clear.

Yet virtually every Democratic pundit, in their haste to “get” President Trump, has willfully ignored these realities. In doing so they have endangered our civil liberties and constitutional rights.

Now that even former Director Comey has acknowledged that the Constitution would permit the president to direct the Justice Department and the FBI in this matter, let us put the issue of obstruction of justice behind us once and for all and focus on the political, moral, and other non-criminal aspects of President Trump’s conduct.

Comey’s testimony was devastating with regard to President Trump’s credibility – at least as Comey sees it. He was also critical of President Trump’s failure to observe the recent tradition of FBI independence from presidential influence. These are issues worth discussing but they have been distorted by the insistence of Democratic pundits that Trump must have committed a crime because they disagree with what he did politically.

Director Comey’s testimony was thoughtful, coherent and balanced. He is obviously angry with President Trump, and his anger has influenced his assessment of the president and his actions. But even putting that aside, Comey has provided useful insights into the ongoing investigations.

I was disappointed to learn that Comey used a Columbia law professor as a go-between to provide information to the media. He should have has the courage to do it himself. Senators must insist that he disclose the name of his go-between so that they can subpoena his memos and perhaps subpoena the professor-friend to provide further information.

I write this short op-ed as Comey finishes his testimony. I think it is important to put to rest the notion that there was anything criminal about the president exercising his constitutional power to fire Comey and to request – “hope” – that he let go the investigation of General Flynn. Just as the president would have had the constitutional power to pardon Flynn and thus end the criminal investigation of him, he certainly had the authority to request the director of the FBI to end his investigation of Flynn.

So let’s move on and learn all the facts regarding the Russian efforts to intrude on American elections without that investigation being impeded by frivolous efforts to accuse President Trump of committing a crime by exercising his constitutional authority.

Alan M. Dershowitz, Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law, Emeritus and author of Taking the Stand: My Life in the Law and Electile Dysfunction.

[Simple Torture]

In his testimony, Comey confirmed media reports that Trump had asked him if he could drop the FBI investigation into Flynn and that the president had asked for his "loyalty." But Comey also asserted that he had told Trump that he was not personally under any investigation and that the president had encouraged the Russia investigation, even if it implicated any of his associates.

From the wash examiner. Is this accurate?

Just a bit more context from Comey's written statement vis a vis whom Trump said he should investigate:

The President went on to say that if there were some "satellite" associates of his who did something wrong, it would be good to find that out, but that he hadn't done anything wrong and hoped I would find a way to get it out that we weren't investigating him.

I think Comey highlighted the word "satellite" (he made clear today that anything in quotes in his statements were words Trump definitively used) to emphasize that the Trump administration has already started, publicly, to try and distance themselves from people who have the greatest chance of being implicated in some type of scandal. See, for instance, Paul Manafort, whom Sean Spicer said "played a very limited role for a very limited amount of time" in the campaign, even though he was in the central brain trust from March until August 2016--the period where Trump locked up the nomination. I don't necessarily think it's a dig, but maybe just a reminder about how the Trump camp is spinning this sort of stuff.

[Simple Torture]

Dershowitz isn't necessarily wrong there, but, boy, does he not know how to use "whom" correctly.

[tragabigzanda]

All this "loyalty" and "satellite" talk, and the Politico piece on Trump's "lifelong pattern" of being very slippery with his words, and by extension, his ability to be perceived as simultaneously bullying and covering his own ass...It's all going to come down to battle of specific words used in conversations. So hopefully we'll start hearing about more conversations from other people.

[Strat]

and comey indicated in closed door session that....sessions also had a third non disclosed meeting with the russian ambassador.

At some point this guy has got to step down.

So at this point, due to the above missteps by Sessions, he had to recuse himself from the investigation, on top of that he was also one who suggested to trump to dump comey - even though trump later "corrected" that and said it had to do with the Russian Investigation.

Sessions absolutely has to go. It will be absolutely incredible if these things do not add up to collusion at the highest level. This is such a fascinating movie!