Trump reported to be under investigation

[ordnance11]

Headline

Now the 2 questions come to mind?

1. What happens if Mueller did report back that yes, what Trump did in the firing of Comey  did lead to obstruction of justice./
2. What happens if Trump decided to fire Comey before the investigation is complete?

Remember that Trump said he was vindicated. Now it looks like he's now under investigation.
It'll be interesting by the fall.
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell

[ordnance11]

Trump seems to be coming unglued:
threathening to fire Mueller..really?

The pressure seems to be to give Trump a clean bill of health. The problem is that he picked the wrong person to put the squeeze on. People had told him it's a bad idea. Anyone willing to give odds he'll do it anyway?
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell

[Labster]

In the latest tweet, Trump has confirmed that he is under investigation, and hinted that's he's thinking of firing Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein:

I am being investigated for firing the FBI Director by the man who told me to fire the FBI Director! Witch Hunt

At this point I'm not really sure if he's this close to being impeached, or lashing out and causing a crisis on purpose.  Are these actual death throes, or is he throwing himself around like this just to prove what a "tough guy" he is?  Either way, I'm sure this is going to go real well for him /s.
-- ∇×V

[Bob Schroeck]

All the evidence and history point to Trump having a pathological need to be The Biggest Guy In The Room at all times. No one is allowed to be more popular, more successful, or more powerful than him. He simply can't cope with the idea that the law and the rest of the government doesn't automatically bow to his will. As I've said to IRL friends and here, too, I think, Trump seems to have moved into the White House convinced that every other President was a timid wimp who refused to use the FULL AWESOME MIGHT OF THE PRESIDENCY, and never seriously believed that there were limits on what the President of the United States could and was permitted to do. Now that he's running into them, he's throwing a tantrum in the hopes that someone will throw him absolute power to placate him.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Matrix Dragon]

Oh, so this is why he was screaming about Hillary all over Twitter yesterday.

... Man needs to update his excuses.

[robkelk]

Man needs to update his excuses.

It was the strawberries.
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[ordnance11]

Trump Lawyer sez "Ignore the crazy man"
So do we ignore Trump then except when he gets trotted out for official functions? This seems to be the administrations defense when things like the travel ban goes to the Supreme court. Just ignore what Trump says publicly.
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell

[Labster]

The same lawyer, on Chris Wallace's show, said that Trump is not under investigation, Trump is under investigation, and that he doesn't know if Trump is under investigation.  So that just about clears it up for everyone.
Back in university I had a satire club called Students for an Orwellian Society.  We were very active, because the post 9/11 era was awash in doublespeak, and because it was a lot of fun.  But this guy now?  It's like there's no art to the doublethink at all.  I have an easier time believing pro wrestling kayfabe than anything this administration says.  You can't just go out and argue that the President is being persecuted because of A and not A at the same time, and not expect me to think you're complete nutters.  I miss the old days when Rumsfeld would argue that we couldn't have known that we didn't know if there were weapons of mass destruction or not, which might be unknowable.
-- ∇×V

[DHBirr]

A reader of the Washington Post made the following comment (not relevant to the Post article) today:

LowBudget posted at 2:12 PM EDT 20 July 2017
I think some of the posters yesterday were on the mark - Trump got really bothered when Sessions started working on asset forfeiture. 
He's got a lot of property in New York, where they're pursuing investigations into his past activities... 
Imagine the complete meltdown if law enforcement in NY seized Trump Tower as instrumental in the commission of a crime.

-----
Big Brother is watching you.  And damn, you are so bloody BORING.

[ordnance11]

That would explain why Trump said to the Times investigating his financial dealings is a red line. It's going to be interesting.
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell

[Bob Schroeck]

Oh wow.  I never thought of that angle.  From the recent coverage, it looks like relations between Trump and Session are rather strained, and have been for a while; I wonder if this might be Sessions' way of saying "Jerk me around, will you?"
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[ordnance11]

Oh wow.  I never thought of that angle.  From the recent coverage, it looks like relations between Trump and Session are rather strained, and have been for a while; I wonder if this might be Sessions' way of saying "Jerk me around, will you?"

No don't think so. Sessions has been fixated on crime fighting 80's style. Assests forfeiture has been one of those tools that feel into disfavor since you can seize the asests of a person charged (not yet convicted) of a crime. I don't think he realized that it also applied to his boss as well. what Trump has been steamed for a while now is that Sessions didn't squash the investigation from the start.
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell

[DHBirr]

Completely random, definitely-not-feeling-any-kind-of-pressure legal question of the day, "Can the President pardon himself for any crimes which he absolutely did NOT actually commit and they were totally justified anyway?"  

Can POTUS Pardon Himself?

By the way, as Jennifer Rubin pointed out in an article yesterday (second paragraph), he's a bit irked to be told that the Justice Department does NOT function as a law firm on exclusive retainer to him.
-----
Big Brother is watching you.  And damn, you are so bloody BORING.

[ordnance11]

Completely random, definitely-not-feeling-any-kind-of-pressure legal question of the day, "Can the President pardon himself for any crimes which he absolutely did NOT actually commit and they were totally justified anyway?"  

Can POTUS Pardon Himself?

By the way, as Jennifer Rubin pointed out in an article yesterday (second paragraph), he's a bit irked to be told that the Justice Department does NOT function as a law firm on exclusive retainer to him.

I can see a scenario where:

1. He flies to Moscow on Air Force 1

2. Meets at the terminal with Russian officials and holds a press conference there where he:

   a. Issues a presidential pardon for everyone in connection with the Russia probe..to include himself.
   b. Resigns the presidency after that.
   c. Asks the Russian official there for asylum
   d. Is granted by the Russians

And I can see him doing it too.
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell

[Bob Schroeck]

And in the latest news, Baghdad Sean has resigned as White House press secretary after Trump brought in another old friend of his (whom Spicer has had a "tense" relationship with) as his communications director.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[ordnance11]

And in the latest news, Baghdad Sean has resigned as White House press secretary after Trump brought in another old friend of his (whom Spicer has had a "tense" relationship with) as his communications director.

Well, the bad news: what is SNL going to do now that Spicer is gone.

Good news: Spicer can write a tell all book.
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell

[Bob Schroeck]

He's gonna have to, I doubt anyone will hire him for anything after becoming a national joke mouthpiecing for Trump.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[ordnance11]

Actually, he can go back to his old job in the RNC. I'm pretty sure Priebus will be following him soon.
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell

[ordnance11]

The possible end game scenarios for Trump

I see the most likely scenario to be #4:

4. Republicans join Democrats in warning Trump not to fire Mueller. Mueller remains and keeps digging. Mueller subpoenas damaging documents; Trump refuses to comply. A court orders him to comply. He declares this a witch hunt, an attack on his family (or whatever). Then he resigns, claiming he has already made America great. He tells the country that Vice President Pence will carry on in his place. LESSON: Congress must protect Mueller and preserve the possibility that Trump may be forced to resign.

Of course Pence then decides to pardon Trump to "heal the country". The GOP loses the White House in 2020.
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell

[Black Aeronaut]

And the Senate, and the House or Representatives, and, if we're lucky, the Supreme Court.

[robkelk]

Of course Pence then decides to pardon Trump to "heal the country". The GOP loses the White House in 2020.

You're just saying that because it's exactly how things played out after Nixon resigned.
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Labster]

Of course Pence then decides to pardon Trump to "heal the country". The GOP loses the White House in 2020.

You're just saying that because it's exactly how things played out after Nixon resigned.

Actually the news of the day is that Trump is planning on pardoning himself and his family.  Which sounds like a totes amazeballs idea, and will make all of the investigations go away instantly.  Except if he pardons himself, perhaps Congress may deem him to have committed high crimes and misdemeanors? Nah.

And in the latest news, Baghdad Sean has resigned as White House press secretary after Trump brought in another old friend of his (whom Spicer has had a "tense" relationship with) as his communications director.

Well, the bad news: what is SNL going to do now that Spicer is gone.

Good news: Spicer can write a tell all book.

Apparently the new press secretary will do the fandango.  Very very frightening.
-- ∇×V

[ordnance11]

Of course Pence then decides to pardon Trump to "heal the country". The GOP loses the White House in 2020.

You're just saying that because it's exactly how things played out after Nixon resigned.

Yes, and history may repeat itself. Of course, Pence may decide to ask Congress to impeach Trump as well. But are the odds of that?
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell

[Black Aeronaut]

And in the latest news, Baghdad Sean has resigned as White House press secretary after Trump brought in another old friend of his (whom Spicer has had a "tense" relationship with) as his communications director.

Well, the bad news: what is SNL going to do now that Spicer is gone.

Good news: Spicer can write a tell all book.

Apparently the new press secretary will do the fandango.  Very very frightening.

*gasping between laughs*   ...send....help....please...

[robkelk]

Actually the news of the day is that Trump is planning on pardoning himself and his family.

My opinion on pardons: since they are both citizens of the USA, Donald Trump and Charles Manson should have exactly the same rights under the law. If one can pardon himself and his family, then...

*gasping between laughs*   ...send....help....please...

I wish I could...
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012