The Week that Could Make -- Or Break -- America
FAT LADY SINGS
The Week that Could MakeOr BreakAmerica
I truly do believe that good will prevail, but this week proved what many of us had long predicted and fearedthat Trump is a threat to the Constitution.
MICHAEL TOMASKY
05.12.17 10:35 PM ET
Remember the week of May 7. Remember that this was the week our constitutional crisis began. Remember that it took Donald Trump just 110 days to commit a high crime or misdemeanor (well, as far as we know; he might well have done sooner). Because that is what he did, in firing James Comey, even though Republicans wont say so.
Remember, if and when the day comes that we see Donald Trump issue that last salute and clamber aboard Marine One for his last, albeit ahead of schedule, helicopter flight as president, that it all started this week.
Bells may have started ringing in your head when you read those words above, high crime or misdemeanor. Bah. Alarmist. I say: no. The firing of Comey was almost undeniably obstruction of justice. Comey was pursuing, however you want to parse it, justicetrying to get to the bottom of a question that is obviously one of legitimate public and legal interest. Trump, in firing him, obstructed that pursuit. Case closed. But oh, theres more. As the Beasts Justin Miller reported Friday, Trumps January dinner with Comey may have broken the law. Bill Clinton implored then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch to meet him on a tarmac. That was considered scandalous, and reasonably so; it looked like Clinton was trying to influence the course of a federal investigation into his wife. So if that was scandalous, what is inviting the FBI director over for dinner while hes investigating not your spouse, but you?
But oh, theres more. Then Trump asked Comey point blank if he, Trump, was the target of an investigation. The mere asking of that question, as Lawrence Tribe told Lawrence ODonnell Thursday night, was a high crime or misdemeanor. Then Trump went on national TV (the Lester Holt interview) and not only admitted that he asked this question, but boasted about it! Then, in all likelihood, he lied about itit seems impossible to imagine that Comey would have said anything other than something like, Mr. President, respectfully, I believe we shouldnt be discussing this.
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http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/05/12/the-week-that-could-make-or-break-america
Nay
(12,051 posts)Sure, Trump shouldn't have invited Comey, but why did Comey go? Shouldn't he have said something like "Sir, I cannot dine with a person under investigation"?
WePurrsevere
(24,259 posts)wanted to hear what Trump had to say for a reason to do with the investigation?
Although I can see a few reasons to tell a person under investigation that they are, most of the time why would they reveal their hand before they're ready to lay it on the table for a win? Isn't a suspect more likely to give away some info if they don't know or aren't sure?
bresue
(1,007 posts)So far no one has ruled out Comey bringing staff or someone with him to the dinner. Leaving himself vulnerable, doesn't relate to a senior official making a rookie play. And as Dump's reputation was already known to Comey, I can not visualize Comey leaving himself open for a discretion.
WePurrsevere
(24,259 posts)2naSalit
(86,323 posts)in an interview on NPR, Comey was "summoned" to the WH and he was reluctant to go. Maybe we was "wired" and has recordings of the conversation too.
Nay
(12,051 posts)YOU have the upper hand and can do whatever proper procedure requires with no thought to whatever the target wants, even if the target is the President. In fact, ESPECIALLY if the target is the President.
And maybe Comey is waiting to disclose anything he knows or has; making Dump stew in his own fear and worry as punishment. I imagine the US government is going to be owning a new Margo gulf club before this is over.