Trump-proof aspects of Manafort deal rankle lawyers
Robert Mueller seems to have built in safeguards to discourage the president from pardoning Manafort.



By JOSH GERSTEIN 09/18/2018 12:13 AM EDT Updated 09/18/2018 09:03 AM EDT

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/18/manafort-deal-pardon-mueller-trump-827898

Special counsel Robert Mueller’s plea agreement with Paul Manafort on Friday took unusual and possibly unprecedented steps to undercut President Donald Trump’s ability to pardon his former campaign chairman.

The plea deal Mueller struck with Manafort contains several provisions that appear intended to discourage the former Trump aide from seeking a pardon and to rein in the impact of any pardon Trump might grant.

Legal experts with sweeping views of executive power and attorneys who advocate for broad use of clemency criticized what they call an effort by Mueller’s team to tie the president’s hands.

“What is most concerning to me is that Mr. Mueller, who is a part of the executive branch and is supposed to follow all of DOJ’s policies and procedures, is specifically seeking to impede the ability of the president to exercise his constitutional pardon authority,” said David Rivkin, a Justice Department official under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush.

Rogue Melania 🍸 🍸
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Orrin Hatch, 1999: “First of all, the President of the United States is the top officer in this country, sworn to uphold the law...If there is obstruction of justice, that’s one of the most serious charges you can have.”

https://twitter.com/RogueFirstLady/status/1042036937970933761

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-18/internal-rnc-poll-complacent-trump-voters-may-cost-gop-control-of-congress

Internal RNC Poll: Complacent Trump Voters May Cost GOP Control of Congress

A private survey shows many Republican voters “don’t believe there is anything at stake” in the midterm elections.

A private survey conducted for the Republican National Committee and obtained by Bloomberg Businessweek contains alarming news for Republicans hoping to hold on to control of Congress in November: Most Trump supporters don’t believe there’s a threat that Democrats will win back the House. President Trump’s boasts that a “red wave” could increase Republican majorities appear to have lulled GOP voters into complacency, raising the question of whether they’ll turn up at the polls.

While most election forecasters, as well as strategists in both parties, believe Democrats are likely to win the 23 seats necessary to take control of the House of Representatives, Republican voters aren’t convinced, the survey shows.

According to the RNC study, completed on Sept. 2 by the polling firm Public Opinion Strategies, most voters believe Democrats will win back the House—just not Republican voters. Fully half of self-identified Republicans don’t believe Democrats are likely to win back the House. And within that group, 57 percent of people who describe themselves as strong Trump supporters don’t believe Democrats have a chance (37 percent believe they do).

If overconfident Republican voters stay home, Democrats could win a landslide. The report urges GOP officials to yank their voters back to reality: “We need to make real the threat that Democrats have a good shot of winning control of Congress.”

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BREAKING: Public hearing with Kavanaugh and accuser Professor Ford will be take place Monday

@SenBlumenthal: "If we fail" to complete fact-finding before hearing, "we're going to be shooting in the dark"

https://twitter.com/TheBeatWithAri/status/1041813878466863104

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.@SenateMajLdr McConnell is on the Senate floor making a case that the Kavanaugh allegation is the result of a conspiracy hatched by Democrats who are just looking to derail his nomination

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1041775171265290240

“It’s disturbing that these uncorroborated allegations from more than 35 years ago, during high school, would surface on the eve of a committee vote after Democrats sat on them since July,” Taylor Foy, a spokeswoman for Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), said in a statement.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/republicans-appear-ready-push-brett-215308849.html