22 thoughts on “Obstruction Of Justice

  1. If you look at the very limited history of presidential indictments (2), or throw in Nixon for a close third, you’ll find that no president has ever been indicted by a House of Representatives where his party held the majority. History also shows 0/2 on convictions in the Senate, despite majorities of the opposing party in each case. My point is that this is an arguable and borderline case of a notoriously hard-to-prove crime, namely obstruction of justice. The chances of a successful indictment and conviction are essentially nil, so people should stop getting excited about it.

    I don’t like Trump and I didn’t vote for him, but I don’t think that indulging in indictment fantasies is a particularly constructive way to oppose him. It’s deeply unlikely to happen, and essentially impossible without big democratic victories in the 2018 congressional elections.

  2. I anticipate Articles of Impeachment to be presented shortly, listing as justification: That Donald Trump has Committed a High Crime and Misdemeanor Sufficient to Warrant Removal from Office; to wit; Not Being Hillary Clinton.

    It’s a slam-dunk that every Democrat would vote to impeach on those grounds. Who on the Republican side of the House would vote to impeach?

  3. Speaking of crimes, how about Comey’s claim that he released the memos because of a Trump tweet a day after the memos were leaked. Was he under oath?

  4. The indictment/impeachment talk is nonsense.
    The Democrats had a chance to present their case against Trump before the election. They did so. They outspent Trump 2:1. All of the Democrats and half of the Republicans forcefully presented the case that Trump was not just the wrong candidate, but an unacceptable candidate. Their arguments were detailed and forceful, and were given wide exposure.
    They lost.
    Both the never-Trump Dems are the never-Trump Republicans are acting foolishly. There was a reason Trump won, and it had nothing to do with the Russians. Even had trump lost the electoral vote, the fact that he got 46% of the popular vote — when the Dems and the never-Trumpers thought a sane nation would have given him 0% — should have been seen as a call for radically different policy priorities for both parties, as they both sought the “popular middle.”
    This is how things are supposed to work in a representative republic.

  5. I happened to participate on one of Erik Paulsen’s “Telephone Town Halls” a couple of weeks ago. He does these once per month from the District of Crooks. The prevailing discussion was to R&R Obamacare, with some very informed people telling him that one they are pushing is not acceptable and the Russian witch hunt. At least 10 different people literally implored Paulsen to tell his colleagues to grow some balls, blast the Dems for wasting so much of our money chasing bogey men, get united behind Trump and get things done.

    We’ll see how it goes, but I’m not holding my breath.

    Speaking of Paulsen, I see that another limousine liberal millionaire, “appalled by Paulsen’s support of the new healthcare bill,” announced that he’s running against him in 2018. It’s Dean Phillips of Phillips liquor. I guess that Obamacare hasn’t affected him yet.

  6. BB: I find it mildly amusing when people claim Comey should be prosecuted for “leaking” his memo. Were the memos considered “classified” ? Did Trump claim the memos were under “executive privilege”? Clearly Trump himself publicly has referred to his communications with Comey.

    Serious question: If it is your own document, that you choose to release publicly, is that actually a leak? It’s not surprising that Trump’s lawyer doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Comey could have held a news conference at the end of his driveway and recounted the dinner conversation if he wanted to.

  7. “Serious question: If it is your own document, that you choose to release publicly, is that actually a leak?”
    Absolutely. Ever hear of a “gag order”? An NDA? It’s not the creator of the info, it is the nature of the info, and the legal and/or moral regimes that cover it. This is elementary, Emery.

  8. Where on God’s green earth did you receive your JD? Trump University? A leak is not any conversation. There is no such thing as privileged information. There is such a thing as “executive privilege” Both you and Kasowitz are making a political argument, not a legal argument. Trump waived any claim to executive privilege when he referred publicly to their conversations. Furthermore, Trump did not invoke the privilege before today. It’s not only a practical problem, it’s also a legal problem. Courts are not going to take this claim seriously when the president had notice of the testimony and did nothing at the appropriate time.

  9. ” A leak is not any conversation………. It’s not only a practical problem, it’s also a legal problem.”

    Yet to be determined. Comey is toast!!!

  10. What’s sad is not that Trump would accuse Comey of lying, but that it doesn’t surprise anyone.

    Scott: A leak is not any conversation. It specifically means the release of secret or classified information. None of this material was classified.

  11. You aren’t allowed, Emery, to define “leak” to mean what you need it to mean to condemn Trump.
    Leak meant whatever Trump meant when he said it. I assume he meant that Comey leaked the details of a conversation Trump intended to remain private, and that Comey knew that Trump intended to keep the conversation private.
    Why did Comey stay when Trump cleared the room? His explanation does not make him (Comey) look good. Comey used a third party to pass on the info to the press. Sounds like a leak to me.
    He wasn’t willing to go public, though he could have, and did — after he got fired.
    I assume you can’t dispute any of this, you are simply not inclined to treat Trump fairly.

  12. What you’re suggesting is really an attack on private free speech by stretching the word leak to cover any conversation by a former government official about non-classified information and events. In any event, the whole issue is largely irrelevant. Comey already testified. And also note, back to the legal issue, that Trump did not assert executive privilege against Comey, so it is a non-issue even if Trump could have.

    Look, squirrel…..

  13. What you’re suggesting is really an attack on private free speech by stretching the word leak to cover any conversation by a former government official about non-classified information and events.
    No. I really don’t understand your use of the word “leak.” A leak isn’t necessarily illegal. Comey intentionally leaked the details of a private conversation with Trump to the press. If that isn’t a leak, what do you call it? Tattling?

  14. Mammy, you are arguing with an idiot. Do not stoop to his level. No matter how you try, you will not fix his stupidity.

  15. Hinderaker notes that Comey described a meeting with GW Bush using very similar language to the language he used to describe his meeting with Trump.
    Interesting.
    http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2017/06/proof-that-james-comey-misled-the-senate-intelligence-committee.php
    When information is contradictory, you can sometimes come to reasonable conclusion using metainformation.
    If Trump is dishonest it does not mean that you can conclude that Comey is honest.

  16. Let.me be the first to go onto record as supporting articles of impeachment for Trump. If successful, I have Pence…he will suffice. If it fails, I will laugh, and laugh loud for the next 8 years.

  17. Pence is like one of those drugs advertised on TV. He’d cure our Trump disease, but his side effects would be devastating.

  18. “. . . but his side effects would be devastating.”
    Worse than Hillary?
    Your thoughts run faster than your reason, Emery.
    How deep is your hatred of the people who voted for Trump?
    Remember back when Hillary & the MSM criticized Trump for hinting he may not honor the election results if Hillary won? The Trump haters are becoming the thing that they fear the most in others.

  19. Pence would lead competently, but he wouldn’t have reprobate leftists weighing the side effects of medications like Trump does.

    Sorry about your ED Dunning_Kruger, but Im sure the neighborhood kids appreciate the break.

  20. Emery, what I was getting at is that the reason Comey gave for releasing his memo, a tweet by Trump, came after he released the memo. That is called perjury.

    Moreover, Comey’s notes from his time on the job are government records, and are governed by the laws concerning the same. So he could indeed be prosecuted for wrongly releasing his own memo.

  21. Isn’t Pence disqualified by his inability to be in a room alone with Teresa May or Angela Merkel? What would mother say?

    Tom: When BMW opened their plant in South Carolina they had to train some of the workers using picture books because of the low level of literacy, perhaps Trump could address that?

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