Trump seeks to bend the executive branch as part of impeachment vendetta

[Dennis Donovan]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-seeks-to-bend-the-executive-branch-as-part-of-impeachment-vendetta/2020/02/12/8b712e18-4dc9-11ea-9b5c-eac5b16dafaa_story.html

By Philip Rucker, Robert Costa and Josh Dawsey

Feb. 12, 2020 at 8:29 p.m. EST

President Trump is testing the rule of law one week after his acquittal in his Senate impeachment trial, seeking to bend the executive branch into an instrument for his personal and political vendetta against perceived enemies.

And Trump — simmering with rage, fixated on exacting revenge against those he feels betrayed him and insulated by a compliant Republican Party — is increasingly comfortable doing so to the point of feeling untouchable, according to the president’s advisers and allies.

In the span of 48 hours this week, the president has sought to protect his friends and punish his foes, even at the risk of compromising the Justice Department’s independence and integrity — a stance that his defenders see as entirely justified.

Trump complained publicly about federal prosecutors’ recommended prison sentence for one of his longtime friends and political advisers, Roger Stone. After senior Justice Department officials then overruled prosecutors to lighten Stone’s recommended sentence, the president congratulated Attorney General William P. Barr for “taking charge” with an extraordinary intervention.

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[CincyDem]

1. he's betting, probably correctly, that Pelosi won't go for a second impeachment.

So it's time for a gloves off, no holds barred assault on the things that differentiate America from places like...say...Russia. The way Putin gets on par with the US isn't by building up Russia but by tearing down America.

GOTV.

[Jade Fox]

2. Trump is "feeling untouchable"

according to his allies and advisers?

Wow. When even his allies and advisers are basically saying he is out of control, Trump is pressing his luck.

[LiberalFighter]

3. When Trump is voted out.

Anyone that was appointed or hire by his people need to be checked out and removed if necessary.

And their names made public and what they did.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

4. House committees should expose them now in hearings, not wait.