James Comey testimony: Trump asked me to let Flynn investigation go

[CaliCat 3,957]

4 minutes ago, Mr&Mrs G. said:

The Republican Senators seemed better prepared, and the Democrats fishing for something that wasn't there.

 

 

 

The Republicans are scared, because Trump may bring the whole party down, so they were really not more prepared - they went with easier questions. For the democrats the implications are much higher, so as expected they were more refined and probing in their questions. With these hearings, you must pay attention on what's not being said, and that's what the dems were doing. They were not letting Comey off easy, and they surely weren't giving him a pass, as the other side. 

[Mr&Mrs G. 903]

Just now, CaliCat said:

 

It was not an easy ride for him. In this country it's never good to be on the business end of a charge of obstruction of justice, and that is very much what the testimony accounts to.

 

 

If he was legally allowed tell Comey to stop the investigation how can asking him get him an obstruction of justice charge?

[Jacque67 7,328]

Oh and in November the Committee to defend the president domain bought/set up ...Donnie getting others to pay Kasowitz's $1533/hour...

[CaliCat 3,957]

3 minutes ago, Mr&Mrs G. said:

If he was legally allowed tell Comey to stop the investigation how can asking him get him an obstruction of justice charge?

 

Because legally he coldn't tell Comey to stop an investigation in which he was the subject. That is what obstruction of justice is!

 

Ask yourself, if the so-called president's hands are clean, what's up with all the lawyering up beforehand?

Edited June 9, 2017 by CaliCat

[CaliCat 3,957]

3 minutes ago, Jacque67 said:

Oh and in November the Committee to defend the president domain bought/set up ...Donnie getting others to pay Kasowitz's $1533/hour...

 

And you know in the end the American people will end up with the bill. 

[Mr&Mrs G. 903]

Just now, CaliCat said:

 

The Republicans are scared, because Trump may bring the whole party down, so they were really not more prepared - they went with easier questions. For the democrats the implications are much higher, so as expected they were more refined and probing in their questions. With these hearings, you must pay attention on what's not being said, and that's what the dems were doing. They were not letting Comey off easy, and they surely weren't giving him a pass, as the other side. 

Bear with me a little on this one please. 

 

I don't believe that Trump effects the Republican party in the way Clinton effects the Democratic party. The GOP only half heartedly  backed Trump but the Dems put all their eggs in Hilary's basket which is much more damaging. It's an outsiders view and that's why I started with bear with me.  

[Mr&Mrs G. 903]

3 minutes ago, CaliCat said:

 

Because legally he coldn't tell Comey to stop an investigation in which he was the subject. That is what obstruction of justice is!

 

Ask yourself, if the so-called president's hands are clean, what's up with all the lawyering up beforehand?

Comey said Trump wasn't a subject didn't he?

[CaliCat 3,957]

2 minutes ago, Mr&Mrs G. said:

Bear with me a little on this one please. 

 

I don't believe that Trump effects the Republican party in the way Clinton effects the Democratic party. The GOP only half heartedly  backed Trump but the Dems put all their eggs in Hilary's basket which is much more damaging. It's an outsiders view and that's why I started with bear with me.  

 

The difference is that the occupant of the Oval is normally considered the leader of the party. Regardless of the support he received, he is now the leader of the party, and his actions carry all the weight of his office. 

 

When he goes down, the party goes with him. It's one large ship. 

[CaliCat 3,957]

4 minutes ago, Mr&Mrs G. said:

Comey said Trump wasn't a subject didn't he?

 

For charges of obstruction of justice you need not be the subject. If Trump had asked him to stop the investigation of Putin meddling with the ballots, or paying off one of his campaign members, it would be considered obstruction of justice. Obstruction of justice means just that: a deliberate attempt to impede an investigation. 

 

Comey's testimony doesn't put matters to rest. On the contrary it raises more questions as to why Trump would have attempted to interfere, and if that is to be accepted in this country. 

[Mr&Mrs G. 903]

Just now, CaliCat said:

When he goes down, the party goes with him. It's one large ship. 

But I think if need be the GOP will throw Trump under the bus when the time comes if need be and they will come away smelling clean. The wider Republican party does not seem to be getting caught up in the "Russia Affair" and  twitter is all on Donald. Whilst he is "Republican" I would guess most see him as a strange independent guy trying to stick it to both parties (the establishment)

[Jacque67 7,328]

14 minutes ago, CaliCat said:

 

Because legally he coldn't tell Comey to stop an investigation in which he was the subject. That is what obstruction of justice is!

 

Ask yourself, if the so-called president's hands are clean, what's up with all the lawyering up beforehand?

Yeah Dershowitz trying to say prez has authority to tell FBI director to stop investigation...oopsie..even Trump, his lawyer, and WH don't make this claim!!!

[Mr&Mrs G. 903]

2 minutes ago, CaliCat said:

 

For charges of obstruction of justice you need not be the subject. If Trump had asked him to stop the investigation of Putin meddling with the ballots, or paying off one of his campaign members, it would be considered obstruction of justice. Obstruction of justice means just that: a deliberate attempt to impede an investigation. 

But there was none of that talk today nor any implications of it.  

 

No accusation of obstruction of justice was made, I think Comey was asked something similar and he said not in his opinion.   

[CaliCat 3,957]

Just now, Mr&Mrs G. said:

But I think if need be the GOP will throw Trump under the bus when the time comes if need be and they will come away smelling clean. The wider Republican party does not seem to be getting caught up in the "Russia Affair" and  twitter is all on Donald. Whilst he is "Republican" I would guess most see him as a strange independent guy trying to stick it to both parties (the establishment)

 

Oh, absolutely. They'd all disavow him in a heartbeat if they had to. You know a ship is sinking when the rats come rushing up on deck.

 

Even the atty general Jeff Sessions, who sucked up to Trump from the beginning of the campaign, has indicated he may resign. 

[Jacque67 7,328]

Interesting take:

 

Yet at the end of the day, these responses don’t remotely address the problem we face as as a society. Talking about Comey and his choices won’t change the fundamental problem, which is about the Trump presidency, not about the former FBI director. And infantilizing the President won’t help either, because the office is no place for infants.

At the end of the day, the problem we face is stark. It is not okay to have a president who—as Jack Goldsmith put it last night—”does not remotely understand his role, status, and duties as President and Chief Executive” and for whom “this failure infects or undermines just about everything he does.” It is not okay to have a President who has so little regard for his oath of office that he cannot appreciate his deficiencies, has no desire to remedy them, and is thus prone consistently to behave in fashions repugnant to the very nature of the presidency. Comey said in his testimony today that he began taking notes immediately after meeting privately with Trump for the first time because of the “nature of the person” he was speaking to. It is not okay to have a president whose FBI director so mistrusts his “nature” on first meeting him that he feels compelled immediately to begin writing memos to file to have a permanent record of his interactions with the man.

In the coming weeks, we’re going to see the question at hand—what to do about the fact that the presidency is warped and malfunctioning in the hands of Donald Trump—filtered through a number of different lenses. There’s the political lens, of course, and that is a lens about which I have limited confidence in my own analytical prowess. Trump’s popularity is declining right now, at an all-time low of 38.2 percent according to FiveThirtyEight’s weighted polling average. This sounds really bad, but it’s actually consistent with Bill Clinton’s polling levels at the same time in his presidency—and Clinton went on to comfortable reelection. 

https://lawfareblog.com/nature-person-initial-thoughts-james-comeys-testimony

 

also, marco Rubio seems to be afraid to be seen pro-trump atm...

Edited June 9, 2017 by Jacque67

[CaliCat 3,957]

1 minute ago, Mr&Mrs G. said:

But there was none of that talk today nor any implications of it.  

 

No accusation of obstruction of justice was made, I think Comey was asked something similar and he said not in his opinion.   

 

And none will be made until all the facts are known and a suit can be put together. This is just the beginning. Comey's kept his opinions as such, as he should. He's a private citizen now. It's no longer his fight. 

Edited June 9, 2017 by CaliCat