Note to Paul Ryan: "You do not need to understand the obstruction of justice statute to violate it" [View all]

[kpete]

The Trump backers who came to the president’s aid by noting his inexperience in governing also are missing a key legal point, Zeidenberg said.

US President Donald Trump pauses while speaking to the press before take-off onboard Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland May 13, 2017 . / AFP PHOTO / Brendan Smialowski (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

***“You do not need to understand the obstruction of justice statute to violate it,” he said. “You still violated the law.”***

Those kinds of mistakes, he added, can put politicians in hotter water than the original crime that prompted the investigation.

“The fact that he’s a bull in the China shop, that defense doesn’t really strike me as one that’d be successful,” Zeidenberg said. “That’s why people like that who are reckless get in trouble, because they do foolish, stupid things like try to get the director of the FBI to drop an investigation. That’s how you get yourself in big trouble by not knowing the rules.”


MORE:
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/06/08/james-comey-robert-mueller-trump-case-file-239319


Paul Ryan defends Trump: ‘He’s new at government’ and doesn’t know not to obstruct justice
The top Republican said Trump doesn’t know how to be president.
https://thinkprogress.org/ryan-defends-trump-3c48c4d36573

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