I have bad news. Trump has figured something out.

[shockey80]

Trump now knows he is above the law. I hate posting depressing news but this is what I am seeing. The Democrats may have to do something drastic to fix this mess.

Trump now knows if you claim executive privilege, charging people with contempt is pretty much worthless. You can ignore subpoenas, refuse to turn over documents. If you take it to court it can take years. The democrats could try something drastic like inherent contempt, we will have to wait and see. That hasn't happened in about a hundred years.

Mueller set precedent that a sitting president cannot be indicted. There is no law that says a president cannot be indicted. There was no set precedent. There is now.

Right now it doesn't look like Mueller wants to testify.

Trump has total and complete control of the Republicans in congress. They are terrified of him. Trump knows he can get them to block impeachment. The democrats would have to find a smoking gun in order to get the Republicans to impeach. Will the Democrats impeach? No one knows. Right now it doesn't look that way.

That's pretty much where we stand right now. I have been hoping something would happen that would show me that we can stop this lunatic. I'm not seeing it. I see Trump getting stronger by the day. and it is depressing. Something could happen that could change what is happening, but I would not bet on it.

[RKP5637]

1. Hmmmm ... yep, I was thinking similar earlier today, basically tRump does what he damn well pleases

and there do not seem to be any short term remedies. He could care less about the country, the people or the presidency. To him, it's all a reality show and he's the leading star. I do wonder just how far, how much longer this nonsense is going to continue. If the economy bottoms out the republicans will turn on him like a pit of snakes.

[shockey80]

2. I forgot something that is important.

Trump has also found an AG who has pretty much admitted he will risk everything to protect Trump. Trump knows he is above the law.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

29. Yep. During Mueller period he placed his chess

Blockers where they mattered, AG, Head of IRS too. He replaced any potential free thinkers in cabinet. Hired conniving Gulliani. Handpicked SDNY crony. Bet Christopher Wray out next.

[Hortensis]

86. Actually, many report he's terrified. Pelosi wanting him in prison,

not just impeached, isn't exactly going to activate his nonexistent sense of humor.

That said, of course, the various techniques involving smashing the law by elected officials (including election theft) takes up all of chapters 3-6, 11-18, and 21-34, finishing up with 43-46 in How to Become a Fascist Dictator for Dummies.

With Republicans in control of the senate, he's not without hope.

[Still In Wisconsin]

3. Well USA, it was a great run but all great things end eventually.

Welcome to Trumpmerica. Enjoy your stay, work hard, watch Fox News, and don't complain.

[anarch]

16. hey, on the bright side, it won't last long

these bastards seem determined to hasten the effects of climate change, which are probably already unavoidable...so how about a nice fascist dictatorship to oversee the collapse of society? That ought to work out well, I'm sure....

[Still In Wisconsin]

17. Honestly I think they believe that they could just buy their way out of the effects of CC.

Wait until they realize there will be literally NOTHING to eat. No, Donnie, not even KFC.

[erronis]

19. Even the bodies of the dead, the soylent green sources, will run out.

Then they turn to their parents, rich relatives, maybe siblings.

Still the hunger and deprivation persists.

Then the children, especially the others' children.

The famine sets in.

Then they try to survive on the remaining body guards.

Then.

[NewJeffCT]

4. Hicks is turning over documents to Congress

Link to tweet

?s=19

[shockey80]

5. Will she testify?

I need good news.

[Grasswire2]

8. SOME documents.

And refusing to provide others.

[Celerity]

14. +1

[Laura PourMeADrink]

32. He allowed her to turn over campaign docs

[Eyeball_Kid]

6. It's otherwise called a Dictatorship.

The entire nation is in serious denial. Trumpy is now our Dictator. He’s proving it every day. He is ignoring subpoenas and Court orders, thus SHOWING that he is superior to both the Legislative and Judicial Branches. Neither branch is asserting its authority. The functional result is that both are acquiescing their authority to Trumpy.

So the game is over. Or so it appears.

Every hour that passes in which Trumpy is not successfully challenged is an hour that this Dictatorship is alive and prospering. And every hour that passes with no direct challenge is an hour of weakening power of both Congress and the Courts. Time is of the essence. But neither the Legislative nor the Judicial branches seem to be up to the task of re-taking their power.

[DemocracyMouse]

62. The Democrats have scads of investigations, but no major Democrat is

...giving the play by play. We have no mouthpiece.

Impeach now. Impeach now.

Ok, how's this:
Please, Nancy.

[sop]

66. It doesn't help that both Nadler and Cummings are not in the best of health

Maybe it's affecting the process, I don't know.

[Grasswire2]

7. It doesn't have to be this way.

Stopping Trump from garnering more power right now, every day unto himself, is MORE IMPORTANT than the political considerations for 2020.

Because, like a juggernaut, the more norms that are broken; the more setbacks to the Rule of Law and the Separation of Powers, the less likely we are able to save ourselves in an election.

Pelosi is wrong to let this dither.

[Kitchari]

58. Agree

It doesn't have to be this way, if people of conscience do their part.

[uponit7771]

80. +1, there's no reason to think 2020 election will be more free and fair than 2016

[Vinca]

9. I think you're right and he's being aided and abetted by Barr.

It's time to pursue the requests in court and start locking people up for contempt.

[BigmanPigman]

39. Yes, we must get rid of him someway and FAST!

Next he is going to kill the ACA...he already is planning it and can do it.

[Chin music]

76. America isn't going down. No way.

Like my forefathers, I'd die before I'd turn this country over to dictator don, to destroy the lives of my family. I'm sure I'm not the only one. The most dangerous people, are those with nothing left to lose. Key is to make red dons actions, hurt repubs. dons reign would end real quick.

[pangaia]

73. WHO is going to lock them up???

[msongs]

10. trump has learned NOBODY is gonna stop him so why not do what he wants? nt

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

13. This answers the question, "What does a narcissistic sociopath with unrestrained power do?"

Answer: Anything he wants.

Remember, this is the man who asked, "If we have nukes, why don't we use them?"

Be afraid, Iran.

[erronis]

21. Or "if I can kill one person in NYC" why can't I kill a million wherever I want?

Iran will be harder to handle than some areas of the US. RW death squads?

If it works here, why not in Europe?

Bravo, poutine.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

50. I was thinking of the effect of one nuke in downtown Teheran

https://nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/

Here's how it works:

1. Select Tehran from the city pulldown list

2. Choose a yield (I used the W87 Minuteman III warhead - 300 kilotons)

3. Detonate!

Here's the result:



The key is on the right side of the page.

Shhh! Don't tell Fat Donnie!

[asiliveandbreathe]

11. I will celebrate D-Day early by reading quotes - DDE and Franklin D Roosevelt....

From Roosevelt -

“With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace -- a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.”
― Franklin D. Roosevelt

We should never forget those who fought and served and died for their country..WW11

We are in a battle for democracy..again!!!!!!

[shockey80]

12. Amen.

[Thekaspervote]

40. Here's a great interview of DDE 20 years later if you haven't seen it, really worth watching

It has been posted here on DU several times. Good words for the struggles we are facing from a great leader

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/eisenhower-recalls-sacrifices-of-d-day-20-years-later/

[asiliveandbreathe]

49. Thank you for that - I will watch ..

[Blue Owl]

15. "They let me do anything..."

How I wish something would change this bullshit...

Seriously?! Why is this big dumb idiot allowed to prance around above the law???

[Bernardo de La Paz]

18. No, you haven't.

tRump does not know he is above the law. He might wish it so, and he has a compliant AG and has a turtle puppet-master in the Senate. He's hoping he can skate through like he has so many times before. He can hope all he wants but that doesn't make it true.

But he is not above the law. It will take time.

The judiciary and the Intelligence Community and Democrats are fighting back. They will fight harder if he escalates.

Total negativity does not correspond with reality and leads to self-defeatism. It is not useful.

[Ilsa]

22. And we may find that justice happens after we vote his ass out

of the White House. There is crap hanging over his head in NY.

[erronis]

24. I sincerely hope you are right. It might be an epic struggle, however.

The worms that the RW/anti-democracy groups have inserted into the government are deep.

But the worms are not particularly intelligent and the career personnel know a lot more about government than the whole of the executive branch/appointees.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

25. Yup. . . . nt

[Thekaspervote]

27. Thank you!

[Bettie]

47. As near as I can tell

all of the actual enforcement comes from the DOJ.

Our DOJ is entirely corrupted at this point.

Who will force him to, say, turn over documents if (when) the courts rule against him? I truly do want to know, because from what I've read, the Marshall service would normally be the agency to deal with such things, but they are led by presidential appointees and governed by the DOJ. Barr can and will simply stop any enforcement action.

Unfortunately, it appears that our system is largely predicated on all branches having at least some decent humans who believe that laws are real and need to be followed. Right now, the executive branch has none.

[anarch]

53. nor a significant portion of the legislative branch

and unfortunately their main project right now is packing the judiciary with right-wing ideologues and corporate cronies. It is pretty seriously FUBAR; these assholes have subverted and coopted our entire political system.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

54. At many critical junctures, it requires true educated-in-civics citizens to do the right thing

Otherwise the corruption spreads a bit more and gets harder to fight.

[Bettie]

57. I was hoping someone would tell me that I was wrong

and there is someone who has the power to make them comply.

[TwilightZone]

20. Nothing new. He's believed that for decades.

Doesn't mean it's true.

"Mueller set precedent that a sitting president cannot be indicted."

False.

[Auggie]

23. Wrong - Mueller DID NOT set a precedent

He was following instructions from the acting Attorney General.

If you want to blame someone, blame Rod Rosenstein.

[shockey80]

28. Yes he did.

[Auggie]

33. It was never his order or job to indict. You are dead wrong.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

41. Wrong. Sessions set it. Barr upholds it. It is a RULE. Rules can be changed.

In this case it will take changing the government and then some legislation.

[former9thward]

74. You are wrong.

The Nixon and Clinton DOJs both said it. That is where the rule came from -- not Sessions or Barr.

From Janet Reno's DOJ:

https://www.justice.gov/olc/opinion/sitting-president%E2%80%99s-amenability-indictment-and-criminal-prosecution

[mr_lebowski]

77. The fact that it's only a rule is still a good point ...

It's not a 'legal precedent', therefore no future prosecutors is ever going to go 'Well, Bob Mueller said XYZ, so I have to adhere to that'. A prosecutor's actions don't have that sort of legal weight.

Thus, it's wrong to refer to what Mueller did as 'setting a precedent'. He can't, really.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

88. Thanks. Great summary of the point. . . . nt

[Laura PourMeADrink]

34. Don't think it was meant in the legal sense

[world wide wally]

26. Trump proves over and over that he does not like American or our way of government.

Go for impeachment and then vote his ass out. There are more of us... Period

[SCVDem]

30. The orange ass is not who we are.

Better Presidents than him were removed from office.
Resign asshole!

[mgardener]

31. Trump always knew he was above the law, why do you think he is acting this way????

He doesn't even think about it. He has had lawyers, money and knew the right people.
He has been doing this for YEARS.

The only difference is that he is doing it in front of the nation and the world and the Republicans are cowards.

[FiveGoodMen]

42. "the Republicans are cowards"

The republicans are co-conspirators.

[sop]

69. Michael Wolff said Trump's been in litigation for the last 45 years

Wolff: "And Trump brags a lot about how long he's been in - how many times he's been in court. He's basically been in litigation for 45 years."

[Laura PourMeADrink]

35. Secure 2020 election!!!

[LiberalLovinLug]

36. "I see Trump getting stronger by the day."

Especially if we do not impeach. He is well on his way to increasing his popularity. Because many Americans are conditioned, in part by movies and TV shows (ironically probably most all the actors were liberals) . Where its not about how "bad" you are, its how entertaining, how dominant, how successful, you are as a character. Case in point: Tony Soprano, Walter White, Don Draper, on and on...

And so it will be seen that he is a strong survivor who outlived his enemies. Survivors may not be the best character, (look at the original Survivor in the show of the same name) But they are always respected more than the second place person. Democrats will be painted as cowards, whether THEY think they are doing the 'right' thing by being prudently conservative, or not. They will lose votes from their own base, and they will not gain any new votes from those just outside the party waiting for a reason to vote Democratic.

[Locrian]

84. good points

Too many people don't understand that, and how conditioned people are by the US culture. It changes where the battle is being fought (and won).

This is less a legal fight than a culture fight - and all the political calculations, keep your powder dry, behind closed doors strategizing etc isn't going to change that.

[Tarc]

37. Your "concern" is noted

[ancianita]

38. His is false knowing. The Law is being adhered to while he sings like the grasshopper he is.

He has false temporary leverage.

He's weaker by the day as the process of following The Law continues.

This process of The Law is the Democrats' leverage. The only true, not false, political leverage will be the political leverage given the public when it witnesses the evidence and story of his corruption.

They will then have THE political leverage, and will make it known in 2020.

That's how I see his "above the law" posing.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

43. This isn't on Mueller

This is on Congress, which means it's on us. Hold your congress person's feet to the fire. Hold them accountable for holding 45 accountable.

[Evergreen Emerald]

44. He has spent his life getting away with criminal activity

And the thugs he put in the White House (Barr, etc) are assisting him in his continued criminal enterprise.

They are now openly, and brazenly ignoring the rule of law.

They are equating themselves with royalty. And they expect to replace Orange Trump with a successor from his family. Like Kim does, like the Monarchy does.

It is way past time for us to stand up.

[struggle4progress]

45. Gloom, despair, and resistance is futile!

[CaptainTruth]

46. He's not above the law, as the recent decisions on Mazars & Deutsche Bank subpoenas show.

Yes, he's going to fight everything in court but I can guarantee you judges aren't going to just throw up their hands & say "golly gee I can't do anything, he's above the law."

Hell no. Think about how the judiciary branch regards & guards its power. You think they're going to roll over & be lap dogs for the executive branch? You think they're just going to give up the co-equal status of their branch of government?

I have not seen a single thing that makes me believe that will happen, & in fact, I've seen things (the Mazars & Deutsche Bank rulings) that show me it WON'T happen.

[watoos]

48. I see that the federal judge who

ordered the Flynn conversation with the Russian ambassador released, just changed his mind, did a 180. The DOJ doesn't have to release it now, Constitutional crisis averted because they weren't going to release that conversation anyway.

[Turin_C3PO]

59. That was disappointing news.

I was hoping Judge Sullivan would at least attempt to send US Marshalls to arrest someone. There was questions of whether the Marshalls would back the Court or the DOJ but I wish he had at least tried to enforce it.

[The Wizard]

51. Pray for lightening

[Ohioboy]

52. The founding fathers thought of everything but Trump

They designed a lot of checks and balances, but I think they were counting on future presidents to at least be honorable men ( I'm using "men" because I think that's what they would have said). Apparently the system has flaws when it comes to a complete egotistical con- artist with no character or morals like Trump.

[stillcool]

63. it's not Trump...

it's the GOP. They've been cooking up this brew for a long time now, and are one election away from a permanent majority.

[Ohioboy]

72. I agree.

But Trump is one of their main tools, and they need a tool like him to help do what they are doing.

[The Wizard]

55. The way to make liars reveal themselves is to lie to them

They expect all others to tell the truth. Lying to them gums up their story line. Make them deny the lies by revealing the truth which may not be as bad as the lies, but nonetheless still damning. Once you get them talking / denying, anything can happen. Lack of ethics and morals does not constitute intelligence.

[VOX]

56. More than 45, this insanity rests *entirely* on the Republican Party.

It was the GOP that wanted him, and they defend him to the hilt, even in the face of overt law-breaking, and a general attitude of lawlessness.

Republicans have put party over country, and they’d be happy as pigs in shit if their one-party rule never ended. THEY ARE THE ENEMIES OF DEMOCRACY, and need to be voted OUT.

It will take some time and serious resolve, as Republicans have never taken a break from their compulsive power accumulation, in small offices and large. They’ve been chipping away at bedrock American principles since Richard Nixon’s presidency.

I’ve been a proud Democrat since age 21 (couldn’t vote in a general election until age 23), and in all that time, I’ve realized that Democrats’ major weakness is long-standing: EXPECTATIONS.

Expectations of fair play, transparency, adherence to the law, truthfulness, inclusion, mutual cooperation, etc. Conversely, Republicans want none of this, It’s all-or-nothing with them. There is no gambit, no ploy, no smear, no false accusation that’s too low for them. They are long-standing, masterful practitioners of garbage politics. And sadly, it’s often effective.

Republicans in 2019 are to America as the Nazis were to Germany in 1933; sad to say, there’s no hyperbole in that statement. And that’s why impeachment proceedings NOW are a must, as a free and fair 2020 election (and its aftermath) isn’t a sure thing with the current configuration of power in Washington and Moscow.

[Turin_C3PO]

61. Great post.

We have to get Republicans out of power in all three government branches as well as remove them from power in individual states. It will take a lot of hard work but Democrats are an absolute majority and demographics are such that our power will only increase with time.

Now, of course, we’ll never get Dems in office if we don’t deal with the GOP’s treason. We must impeach.

Hopefully, best case scenario, is that we elect a Dem President and flip the Senate in 2020. It could be our last chance to save the country.

[VOX]

64. Republicans control 30 state legislatures and Democrats control 18...

Compared to 31 and 14 before the 2018 election.

In 21 states, there are both Republican governors and Republican majority legislatures. Democrats have full state control in 14 states.

However, Democrats did gain majorities in six state legislatures/houses: Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, New York, Minnesota and New Hampshire.

https://www.axios.com/midterms-2018-state-legislatures-chambers-democrats-18570e5e-7f5c-4fe3-a4ed-1d14fbd9b5c8.html

[Turin_C3PO]

65. We have our work cut out for us.

Some of those states would be Democratic controlled but for gerrymandering.

[VOX]

71. Very true!

Unfortunately, the SCOTUS recently punted on the crucial issue of gerrymandering.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna987516
Supreme Court appears likely to leave issue of partisan gerrymandering to states
The court heard challenges to congressional maps that locked in an advantage for Republicans in North Carolina and that gave an extra seat to Democrats in Maryland.
NBC News
March 26, 2019, 12:56 PM ET
By Pete Williams
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court appeared unlikely Tuesday to rule that federal courts have a role in deciding how much partisanship is too much when state legislatures draw the maps for voting districts.

In the past, the court has said that because redistricting is essentially a partisan political act, it would be impossible to determine when partisan gerrymandering became unconstitutional. Based on Tuesday's courtroom argument, a majority of the justices have not been persuaded that there's a way around that problem.
<snip>

[Buckeyeblue]

85. I'm sure we'll get a fabled state's rights opinion

The problem is that these districts impact not just state legislators but the the House as well. So wouldn't state A which is gerrymandered to elect Republicans impact the rights of state B which is not? You can flip the argument for either party. But the only recourse state B has over state A is federal court.

Anyway, I'm tired of the states rights argument. That argument should have been put to bed with the civil war.

[Poiuyt]

67. This is a GREAT post!

[sprinkleeninow]

75. A passionate Yes! to this post of yours. Outstanding. And I concur. n/t

[uponit7771]

81. So correct about 1933, people think it's hyperbole ... It's not and it can happen here

[Kitchari]

60. We need some of our Democratic candidates

who want to run for the presidential nomination to run for Senate seats instead -- & get rid of the Republican enablers

[Turin_C3PO]

68. I'm sure he does believe that.

But he’s terribly mistaken. I firmly believe he will face justice one way or another.

[Ferrets are Cool]

70. 100% agree

[cstanleytech]

78. All Mueller said was that his hands were currently tied by the DOJ which is led by Low Barr

currently.
As for Trump I think legally he had better worry about NY and other states that are investigating him as his pardon power wont help him against state charges unless the state itself acknowledges federal pardons as pardoning for state crimes at the same time.

[uponit7771]

82. He also said he wouldn't testify outside of the report to congress

[cstanleytech]

83. I thought Trump blocked that by ordering Low Barr to refuse to comply with anything from Congress

and thus Mueller could not testify for that reason?

[sarabelle]

79. We put more hope in Mueller than we should have. Now he is the only hope to save the Republic if

the Democrats will not. He must testify. He must speak to and for the American people. If he does not, it now becomes Mueller whose legacy will bear the brunt of helping Trump to destroy US democracy. Mueller's testimony is so necessary.

FOX and the GOP will bear the label of enablers of the destruction of US democracy.

[hlthe2b]

87. These daily "sky is falling" posts really need at least ONE sentence of positivity. Is that too much

to ask? Honestly, you are demoralizing the very DUers we need to take action. I'm no advocate of self-delusion but you daily go too far in the opposite direction.

Do your paragraphs of "all hope is lost" but kindly find ONE thing, just ONE thing to halt a stampede for the proverbial cliff.

[shockey80]

89. Tomorrow, the sun will come out and the flowers will bloom.

Trump will be impeached and all the Republicans in the Senate will come to their senses and convict Trump. Barr and all of Trumps band of crooks will all be convicted and sent to prison. How's that , better?