November 14, 2017

"President Trump did not need to send a memo or telephone his attorney general to make his desires known. He broadcast them for all the world to see on Twitter."

"The instruction was clear: The Justice Department should investigate his defeated opponent from last year’s campaign. However they were delivered, Mr. Trump’s demands have ricocheted through the halls of the Justice Department, where Attorney General Jeff Sessions has now ordered career prosecutors to evaluate various accusations against Hillary Clinton and report back on whether a special counsel should be appointed to investigate her. Mr. Sessions has made no decision, and in soliciting the assessment of department lawyers, he may be seeking a way out of the bind his boss has put him in by effectively putting the matter in the hands of professionals who were not politically appointed. But if he or his deputy authorizes a new investigation of Mrs. Clinton, it would shatter norms established after Watergate that are intended to prevent presidents from using law enforcement agencies against political rivals....."

So begins the NYT report "Trump Shatters Longstanding Norms by Pressing for Clinton Investigation."

I tend to think that if Trump really wanted his erstwhile opponent investigated he would have refrained from sounding so clear. His speaking openly about it makes it more difficult to have an actual investigation. The kind of preemptive criticism that you see in this NYT article is exactly what you could expect and Trump must know that.

So I'm going to assume Trump doesn't want the investigation. His tweets and other statements about "crooked Hillary" and his inability to control the Justice Department are not a means to an end but the end in itself. It's very efficient. The Justice Department will demonstrate its independence, and the critics will be left screaming at the sky.

185 comments:

Dave Begley said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dave Begley said...

Are Mrs. Clinton and her campaign workers immune from the criminal laws of the United States simply because she ran for President?

Former AG John Mitchell and Charles Colson went to prison and they were in politics.

Mook and Podesta have lots to answer for.

Laslo Spatula said...

So then Hillary's plan is to campaign every four years and run out the clock until she dies.

And then you can't talk bad about her because's she's dead.

Nice.

I am Laslo.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

So the transition to third-world dictatorship is complete. It's not enough to win politically; the dictator must be assured that he incapacitates his opponents legally and through the courts, too. Not surprising, given how afraid Trump's party is of any democratic opposition within a financially even political playing field.

Paddy O said...

I think the history of not investigating political opponents is good, but it was already broken with the investigation into Trump, which was launched because of opposition party claims.

I also have trouble with the idea that running for president is a get out of jail free card. People shouldn't be investigated simply because they are in the political opposition, but with this people shouldn't be safe from investigation because they are politicians.

I fear we are at an important crossroads for this country, where corruption is increasingly embedded and overlooked. If the Clintons broke clear laws, and it seems more clear they did than Trump did, then it's only fair (not biased) for them to be investigated as Trump is.

Only investigating one side is clearly partisan at this point. Indeed, I think a good argument can be made that Trump is being investigated precisely in order to cover up Clinton misbehavior.

Mattman26 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jupiter said...

"it would shatter norms established after Watergate".

Shatter. Norms. Who would have imagined that President Donald Trump might stoop to shattering not one, but multiple norms? Talk about pearl-clutching.

The Bergall said...

Truthfully this is the way Latin American countries behave. Believe me I've traveled there enough to know.

However, comma, comma, comma. The FEC should look into the shenanigans at the DNC. That is blatant.........

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Seems to me the ones doing most of the screaming are on the Red team. The Blue team is over the Clintons.

DKWalser said...

After the politicization of the Justice Department under Obama, I refuse to have any concern that Trump may have exercised some influence over the Justice Department -- which, as part of the Administration, is supposed to be under Trump's control. It's not supposed to be independent.

buwaya said...

"It's not enough to win politically; the dictator must be assured that he incapacitates his opponents legally and through the courts, too."

This is not the usual thing with dictators actually, not in banana republics. Generally the principal leaders of the opposition are sent into comfortable exile or kept home in some form of supervised liberty. Prosecution is not typical. After all, the hallmark of most banana republics is that the opposition is not all that different from the administration, and turnabout is too likely a prospect.

tim in vermont said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jim at said...

Seems to me the ones doing most of the screaming are on the Red team. The Blue team is over the Clintons.

Might want to share that with Hillary.
She didn't get the memo.

buwaya said...

"The Blue team is over the Clintons."

The real problem is not the Clintons, but the last non-Clinton administration that let them misbehave, and the "permanent government" likewise.

The whole Blue team, plus the ballpark staff, and the farm teams too.

Drago said...

Jim at: "Might want to share that with Hillary"

As well as the entire Hillary team which has been on TV 24/7 for the last few weeks blasting Donna Brazile and calling her a kook.

buwaya said...

Oh, and the announcers, the mascots, the umpires, and the commissioner of baseball.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“The kind of preemptive criticism that you see in this NYT article is exactly what you could expect and Trump must know that.”

I seriously doubt that he knew that, or he didn’t care and just had to show his base that he was going to throw Clinton in the arena with the lions.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“Seems to me the ones doing most of the screaming are on the Red team. The Blue team is over the Clinton”

This strain of Clinton Derangment Syndrome is virulent.

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

Here's a win/win

Send McSnoozy Sessions to Alabama to replace Moore for Senator.

Then appoint someone who can start to rein in the Justice and FBI.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

At last, the motherlode.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

Sessions was very clear about the fact that he believes prosecuting ones political foes was wrong and the chance of a Special Prosecutor being appointed for the Clintons was just about nil. He angered a few righties there at the hearing today.

Unknown said...

I'm genuinely curious here. TTR claims that if Trump investigates Clinton or Obama corruption, that's a sign we are a dictatorship.

Ok, so if not Trump's administration, then who? Tell us, leftists: who is supposed to investigate corrupt and criminal Democrats? No one can name a Democrat with integrity who would actually investigate, charge, and imprison any Democrat guilty of bad behavior.

So who should investigate them, TTR? Themselves? Please--as crooked as Hillary and Obama and the rest of the gang are; we all know that would never, ever result in anything.

--Vance

brylun said...

Bergall, you don't realize that the FEC is a 3-to-3 tie on every matter that comes before it. Three Republicans to three Democrats. Don't count on the FEC for anything.

CStanley said...

The Dems are projecting as usual.

If Trump really is using public statements to broadcast his wishes about how investigations should proceed, he's just following Obama's lead.

Larry J said...

"Blogger The Toothless Revolutionary said...
So the transition to third-world dictatorship is complete. It's not enough to win politically; the dictator must be assured that he incapacitates his opponents legally and through the courts, too. Not surprising, given how afraid Trump's party is of any democratic opposition within a financially even political playing field."

That's rich after 8 years of Obama weaponized not just the Justice Department but the IRS and the whole federal bureaucracy against Republicans. Of course, Democrats actually doing the things they accuse Republicans of doing is old news.

Sally327 said...

I believe in full employment for lawyers so by all means roll this prosecution out. The Clintons have a boatload of money and can afford the very best legal representation. Although knowing them they'll probably put up a GoFundMe page for the defense fund.

It's never the big targets who are hurt by these things. It's always the staffers, the "little people", who get sucked in and have to hire an attorney and spend their retirement money trying to protect themselves.

SGT Ted said...

Trumps been under investigation since before he was elected and it started under Obama with a political hit job hired out by the Clinton campaign about collusion with Russia used to justify a FISA warrant. No conflict there. No UNDERMINING DEMOCRACY there, no sir.

But TR is really worried about Sessions investigating Hillary hiring Fusion GPS to fabricate a dossier with the help of the Russians to sink Trumps campaign and a sitting president who used it to start an intelligence investigation against a Presidential candidate of the opposition party. Not to mention her obvious violation of campaign finance laws by leasing the DNC and then money laundering big money donations illegally into her campaign. Investigating that is obviously a Subversion of Democracy. /sarc

Sprezzatura said...

"His speaking openly about it makes it more difficult to have an actual investigation. The kind of preemptive criticism that you see in this NYT article is exactly what you could expect and Trump must know that."

Ha ha.

DJT already tried the behind the scenes things w/ Comey.

Presumably pres learned that that didn't work too good. But, the public jabber during the campaign re asking for Russia/Wik help did work. Why not go w/ that sorta outreach again?

Kate said...

I'd rather leave Crooked Hillary to retire in peace, but if you're going to pursue our side, here we come.

Matt Sablan said...

Remember when Obama joked about auditing his enemies then it happened? I don't recall the media thinking there was anything wrong with that. Funny how standards change.

Drago said...

"Presumably pres learned that that didn't work too good."

Democrat operatives don't usually cooperate with Republican presidents.

Sprezzatura said...

"but if you're going to pursue our side, here we come."

Ha. The Ds are using the power of the fed gov to pursue the Rs who are in control of the fed gov. So the Rs must, who are in total control of the fed gov, must use the power of the fed gov to pursue Ds who are not in power.


Got it.

Sprezzatura said...

"Democrat operatives don't usually cooperate with Republican presidents"

Presumably, from your POV, it's a good thing that the Russian operatives do.

Jose_K said...

of Mrs. Clinton, it would shatter norms established after Watergate that are intended to prevent presidents from using law enforcement agencies against political rivals....."like the IRS against the Tea Party. Swatting a journalists.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

"The Blue team is over the Clintons."

I imagine spending 20 years defending and enabling a rapist is exhausting.

Drago said...

"Presumably, from your POV, it's a good thing that the Russian operatives do"

Actually no. I completely disagree with Hillary hiring a dem hit firm to work with Putins pals to create a fake dossier used as the basis for improper democrat spying on domestic political opponents.

But thats just me.

I mean, I'm still trying to wrap my head around how the "Russian Bots" forced George Takei to grab guys junk. That one will take awhile to internalize.

Drago said...

Democrat operatives/Russian operatives, whats the difference?

Either way the dems hand over US assets and Hillary/Bill get paid which keeps lots of dems gainfully employed at the "charitable" foundation for years.

Chuck said...

TrumpWorld is so much more interested in Crooked Hillary than in actually exercising the power that the Presidency has to influence policy on health care, tax reform, entitlement reform, or anything else that requires policy study and hard choices.

The things that they, and Althouse, find "boring."

Drago said...

Of course, this is hardly the first time the dems worked hand in glove with the Soviets to undermine a republican. And it certainly won't be the last.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/when-the-left-longed-for-russian-political-interference

Michael K said...

Sessions was very clear about the fact that he believes prosecuting ones political foes was wrong and the chance of a Special Prosecutor being appointed for the Clintons was just about nil.

This is utter nonsense. This is not about "political foes." It is about the misuse of the intelligence services and the FBI and the IRS.

I doubt Sessions will go after Hillary, no matter how criminal she has been.

But there are plenty of people who misused their power to damage Obama's opponents. I'd like to see Lois Lerner. Clapper and Brennan and a few other FBI types before a grand jury.

The IRS would not cooperate with Nixon but it fell all over itself to go after Obama's enemies.

The trouble is that the Democrats and the rest of the swamp have left the DoJ full of political hires disguised as civil service.

Andy McCarthy would be an excellent choice if he would take the job, If he did, I could see a few Swamp creatures turning pale.

buwaya said...

"Ha. The Ds are using the power of the fed gov to pursue the Rs who are in control of the fed gov."

The nature of the US government (and others too), of course, is that the executive isn't in control of much vis-a-vis the permanent government.

Jeez, haven't you ever watched "Yes, Minister"?

And the "permanent government" is alienated from conservatives, and from the people it putatively serves. The Democrats, being "the party of government" are not so handicapped.

PB&J, you are insufficiently cynical, that's the problem. Underneath it all you're just a dreamy-eyed softie.

Drago said...

LLR and "accidental leftist" Chuck "accidentally" lines up with the far left again.

Man, talk about a string of "bad luck".

It's rather unprecedented.

But not surprising in the slightest, as I had already perused Democrat Underground/the DNC/Media Matters so I already knew what Chuck was going to say.

Luke Lea said...

He must just intuit these things I am guessing. Based on 40 years of practice.

Browndog said...

No, Trump does not want this investigation, solely due to the political fallout. However, he is a law and order man. The precedent is not to be set. The norm is not to be established.

This far, and no further.

buwaya said...

"This is utter nonsense. This is not about "political foes."

I hate to disagree, but I must. Yes it is "political foes".
Your enemies are the institutions themselves.
Now, Sessions may not be all that on the ball on this matter, who knows.

Breezy said...

She is no longer a political enemy. He won. She is defeated, politically. If this did not have greater meaning, no need to bother. Don't forget, Trump claimed to be the "Law and Order" president. And that, he is going to be.

n.n said...

NYT reports with a cis-journolist face.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

How is this news?

British adventurer who was searching for remote tribe of 'headhunters' in Papua New Guinea has been missing for three weeks

Were other outcomes anticipated? Enquiring minds want to know.

rcocean said...

After listening to the Jeff Sessions testimony, and watching McCain and Graham, it seems you can't get elected to the US Senate - as a Republican - unless you've been castrated.

Matt Sablan said...

Clinton offered to be the face of the resistance and stood up a PAC to fight Trump. She's chosen to remain political and an opponent. Anyone who thinks she is not is just wrong.

traditionalguy said...

I wonder if Seth Rich's execution murder will be deemed an incidental casualty that could not be avoided. The Dem wet work team mistook him for Steve Scalise.

Sprezzatura said...

"Underneath it all you're just a dreamy-eyed softie."

Wrong.

I'm too young for the little blue pill.

Hari said...

Trump doesn't give a damn about Hillary. He just wants to be held to the same standard as Hillary.

If the Mueller investigation ends and the outcome is fair to Trump, it will be over. If the outcome is unfair to Trump, he will demand that Hillary to endure the exact same process. (Does anyone doubt that Hillary would fare far worse, were she subject to the scrutiny Trump has been through?)

Trump is (again) declaring in advance that he thinks the process is rigged, and until he sees the outcome, he will not promise to accept the results.

chickelit said...

Chuck said...TrumpWorld is so much more interested in Crooked Hillary than in actually exercising the power that the Presidency has to influence policy on health care, tax reform, entitlement reform, or anything else that requires policy study and hard choices.

HillaryWorld and coincidentally, ChuckWorld, are intensely interested in the Russian meddling scandal -- anything to bring down Trump and install a true swamp creature. That GOPe gravy train must have been so sweet to Chuck -- even better than Chuck Wagon.

Matt Sablan said...

"(Does anyone doubt that Hillary would fare far worse, were she subject to the scrutiny Trump has been through?)"

-- Abedin would be in jail were she a Republican aid who had lied about turning over subpoenaed documents to the FBI and withheld information during an investigation. One guy gets the dates wrong or lies about when he met someone, the FBI turns the screws on him, since he's Trump. Abedin doesn't turn in a computer filled with missing Clinton emails, that is only found because her husband can't control his dick, and she... gets sympathy.

MikeR said...

NYT doesn't want the investigation, that's all. Let Sessions decide himself. If he decides there's enough to go on, I'm happy to swallow the NYT's complaints.

Michael K said...

British adventurer who was searching for remote tribe of 'headhunters' in Papua New Guinea has been missing for three weeks

Rockefeller's son probably used the same pot.

Sebastian said...

"I tend to think that if Trump really wanted his erstwhile opponent investigated he would have refrained from sounding so clear" You'd tend to think that, because you're not Trump.

I tend to think, thinker that I am, that Trump sometimes says things without thinking through the actual consequences, though in some of those cases the consequences happen to be to his advantage, at which point Scott Adams comes along to apply his Theory of Everything to explain why Trump is really the Master Persuader.

readering said...

Once again, Althouse credits Trump with playing three-dimensional chess when to other observers he seems to be playing a clumsy game of tiddlywinks.

Browndog said...

I tend to think very few people speak without thinking, let alone type it out first.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Michael K said...
Rockefeller's son probably used the same pot.


There was one positive outcome. The Michael Rockefeller wing at the Met is one of my favorite places to spend time. It is not very popular. It is quiet, somewhat isolated and deeply weird. Nothing not to love there.

Sprezzatura said...

"Once again, Althouse credits Trump with playing three-dimensional chess when to other observers he seems to be playing a clumsy game of tiddlywinks."

Well, Althouse did give us a tell.

At the same time she concocted this DJT theory re HRC is not actually in trouble, Althosue also used the 'HRC in trouble' tag.

You'd think a lawprof would be less sloppy. Maybe she woulda been, back in the day, i.e. pre-retire.

Unknown said...

Political opponents should prosecute foes except for mueller against the entire trump team
This is tiresome
Rules have to be played both ways

Drago said...

readering: "Once again, Althouse credits Trump with playing three-dimensional chess when to other observers he seems to be playing a clumsy game of tiddlywinks."

Once again, lefty/LLR observers claim Trump is playing tiddlywinks when to other observers there often is more happening behind the scenes with Trump than we can know.

For instance, the election, which all the "brilliant" and "can't be wrong" and "take it to the bank" lefties and their LLR allies could not have been wrong.

So wrong, in fact, that they have yet to recover.

And, lets face it, if you haven't recovered by now, then the condition is permanent.

Drago said...

"HillaryWorld and coincidentally, ChuckWorld"

The Venn diagram between HillaryWorld and ChuckWorld overlap perfectly.

Perfectly.

Drago said...

Michael K: "Andy McCarthy would be an excellent choice if he would take the job, If he did, I could see a few Swamp creatures turning pale."

The swampies would never confirm him.

Ever.

Inga...Allie Oop said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Inga...Allie Oop said...

“Political opponents should prosecute foes except for mueller against the entire trump team
This is tiresome
Rules have to be played both ways”

Rules are one thing. Playing games is another. It’s not a game of “They have one, so now we want one too!” There has to be a factual basis on which to appoint a Special Prosecutor, as Sessions explained several times in today’s hearing. Not just because you hate Hillary

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

so appearances matter more than the law.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

Naaah. That's now how this works. Dems walk, Repubs do time. That's the system.
Don't kid yourself: does anyone (Left or Right) honestly believe Mike Flynn is dirtier than, say, Sidney Blumenthal? (Trick question: no one is dirtier than Sid). Does anyone think Mantafort is dirtier than the Podesta brothers?
Come on, we all know the score.

These fuckers will stretch whatever they have to in order to nail some Trump associates for something but will tell you with a straight face that "no reasonable prosecutor" would pursue charges for what are clearly violations of any number of federal laws. Did anyone actually think Trump would change that? Come on.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

There's a long tradition of protecting corrupt democrats. boo ho - we cannot possibly end that tradition. right hack D-press?

Rabel said...

Hillary could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and not lose the support of the Times.

Unless she shot Bill. Then it would get really confusing.

Browndog said...

Unknown thinks laws only apply to those not involved in a political campaign..until they don't.

She'll let you know which is which.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Matthew S said..

Abedin would be in jail were she a Republican aid who had lied about turning over subpoenaed documents to the FBI and withheld information during an investigation. One guy gets the dates wrong or lies about when he met someone, the FBI turns the screws on him, since he's Trump. Abedin doesn't turn in a computer filled with missing Clinton emails, that is only found because her husband can't control his dick, and she... gets sympathy.

Eggs-xak-lee

HoodlumDoodlum said...

Chuck said...
TrumpWorld is so much more interested in Crooked Hillary than in actually exercising the power that the Presidency has to influence policy on health care, tax reform, entitlement reform, or anything else that requires policy study and hard choices.



Article: Trump Appoints More Judges in First 200 Days Than Obama, Bush, or Clinton

chickelit said...

British adventurer who was searching for remote tribe of 'headhunters' in Papua New Guinea has been missing for three weeks

Were other outcomes anticipated? Enquiring minds want to know.


He should had a trackable chip implanted. Of course it could have wound up inside someone else, but still there'd be closure.

Anonymous said...

I am with DK Walser that Trump is head of the executive branch which INCLUDES the DOJ. There is nothing in the Constitution that mentions the DOJ is independent of the President. In fact I firmly believe that Obama had his hands all over the DOJ as to who was and was not going to be investigated, etc. The news that Sessions is looking into issues surrounding Uranium One and the DNC - and that the AGA involved is NOT Rosenstein gives me reason to hope that the DOJ ( not a special prosecutor ) might actually do its job. I am convinced that the Congressional Committees that are investigating these issues are getting some really good material concerning both these issues and that will force the DOJ to open a full investigation.

I do not like the idea of us looking like a Banana Republic prosecuting failed political candidates. On the other hand I do not like us looking like a Banana Republic by allowing some political actors to be above the law.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

We can't investigate private server money grubber deleted 30,000 emails + and smashed hard-drives and fake Russian dossier + Urianium One deal - because Democrat.

Hagar said...

So how about if the Bernie Bro wing of the Democratic party asks for a special counsel - or even just a DoJ inquiry possibly leading to prosecution - into the goings on and finacial skullduggery at the DNC?

Hagar said...

So how about if the Bernie Bro wing of the Democratic party asks for a special counsel - or even just a DoJ inquiry possibly leading to prosecution - into the goings on and finacial skullduggery at the DNC?

Hagar said...

The Sanders campaign was substantially injured and should have standing.

Sprezzatura said...

HoodD,

I'd assume that most folks (incl LLR) know about the DJT male whiteout re new judges.

Yay! F the gals and minorities! MAGA!

Now we just need to take care of the long-suffering job creators = total MAGA!!

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Using the State Dept to make the Clintons wealthy? Why, that's totally legal. + shut up.

Rabel said...

Is there anyone who honestly believes that those "norms" would have held if Hillary Clinton had won the election?

Or that the Times would be busting a sweat about it when she started prosecuting Trump and his supporters?

They're lying shitweasels. It's like Hollywood on the Hudson.

chickelit said...

Chinless (KY-R) wants Sessions out as AG for some reason -- could it be related to keeping a lid on any further swamp draining?

Michael K said...

Blogger Drago said...
Michael K: "Andy McCarthy would be an excellent choice if he would take the job, If he did, I could see a few Swamp creatures turning pale."

The swampies would never confirm him.

Ever.


Does it require confirmation ? Was Mueller confirmed ?

chickelit said...

"Keeping a lid on draining" Sorry about that terrible metaphor.

Sprezzatura said...

Chick,

I assumed you were just F-ing w/ Althouse's sensibilities.

narciso said...

This is they do things just north of the equator:
babalublog.com/2017/10/28/andres-felipe-arias-colombias-political-prisoner

Now a similar political frame seems to have been conjured for justice Moore, at odds with his actual record:
https://mobile.twitter.com/ThomasWictor/status/930614814077960192/photo/1

chickelit said...

I assumed you were just F-ing w/ Althouse's sensibilities.,

Don't we all comment in fear of her "red pen"?

Chuck said...

Blogger chickelit said...
...

HillaryWorld and coincidentally, ChuckWorld, are intensely interested in the Russian meddling scandal -- anything to bring down Trump and install a true swamp creature. That GOPe gravy train must have been so sweet to Chuck -- even better than Chuck Wagon.

You nasty, low-grade liar. I have never written about how I thought any "meddling" case was in any way impressive. I've written mostly the opposite. How unimpressive and how evidence-lacking the whole "collusion" case has been.

You'd have known that, if you were more careful and if you weren't so steeped in the dumbshit level of Trump arguments.

So; prove me wrong you lazy shit head. Dig up a quote from me where I ever wrote anything like what you accused me of espousing. Do that, or shut up about me.


11/14/17, 7:09 PM

Sprezzatura said...

"Don't we all comment in fear of her "red pen"?"

I'm on the other side of that POV, i.e. not fear.

When outa originality re sucking, throwing in random commas is always a go to.

chickelit said...

Sessions' self-imposed Russian recusal has pretty much expired. I wonder if he'd transfer it somehow to the Uraniumgate?

narciso said...

Its like gotham (the bubo healer version) honest men and woman are not appreciated. Obama used the dossier to create the protect for the surveilance. He backstopped the chain of command with sally Yates (the scenario is depicted in ed Klein's latest) they used snippets of that. Having arranged kislyaks appearance in Cleveland and expedited natalias visa. They got their refusal,

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

It is a longstanding norm to let democrats who lie and break laws, to get away with it.

Go Rapist Bill! You rock dude. Bulletprof and all that. Party at Weinsteins. Private Server Uranium One. You go grrrl.

Comanche Voter said...

I hope they are not so independent over at Main Justice. Hillary is as crooked as a dog's hind leg, and a little investigation of the Clinton Criminal Cabal is certainly in order.

narciso said...

BRuno heller, tube former nypd detective behind the mentalist. Then you had the crowdstrike part of the puzzle represented by Perkins and coie headed by Mueller's creature Shawn Bruce and cherebasky (the latter at white and case)

Anonymous said...

@anti Do Amy Cony Barrett, Joan Larson and Allison Eid not count as women? They were recently confirmed to various US Courts of Appeal, but you must have missed that.

narciso said...

Mccarthy still believes the likes of firs and mueller are 'honorable men' yes I mean it in the sense mark Anthony did.

narciso said...

Its rather striking how this Russian kerflufle (which I've dubbed the grishenko gambit'
Resembles the blame one, substitute ashcroft fir sessions, comeys for rosenstein, fits for mueller, I guess Libby for fLynn and roved for manafort.

narciso said...

So general fLynn didnt do anything wring talking to ambassador kislyaks but it didn't matter to Comey or Yates. But that didnt matter. Be stood in tube way of various projects and interests of the swamp.

Real American said...

At the very least, there is more than enough publicly available evidence to support criminal inquiries into the Clintons and their "foundation", including how they have avoided criminal prosecution up to this point. They've gotten away with so much precisely because people are afraid it might look political, i.e. they've used the Times' logic as a shield and cover for criminality. Trump simply isn't afraid of the taboo and like millions of Americans are flabbergasted as to how they are not in jail yet, especially Hillary. At some point politics needs to step aside and the conduct needs to be investigated. Trump, the victim of a significant partisan witch hunt, has nothing to lose by asking for investigation of actual criminal looking conduct.

Qwinn said...

We don't prosecute things because they "look like a crime"?

I'm so old I remember when that was called "prima fascie evidence". And what we already know publicly about the Clintons qualifies to put anyone else away for life 10 times over.

wwww said...

is exactly what you could expect and Trump must know that.


This is not clear that he knew that. He did not know that firing Comey would cause a media firestorm that precipitated a special prosecutor appointment.

Birkel said...

How many Democrats were investigated for flying to Underage Hooker Island with that big Democrat donor?

You know? The Lolita Express owned by Epstein?

Birkel said...

wwww,

What actions by a Republican that do not precisely coincide with Democrat interests do not raise a media firestorm? List them. I demand a set of rules before I will play your stupid game.

wwww said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
FIDO said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ralph L said...

shatter norms established after Watergate that are intended to prevent presidents from using law enforcement agencies against political rivals

And Ford's pardon of Nixon went over so well with the NYT and the Democratic Party (and a sizable portion of non-Dems).
Hang them all!

Howard said...

The lesson of Watergate was that POTUS and Co could get away with anything if you would just have the common sense to not record your conversations in the White House.

narciso said...

My link at 8:17, which has been replicated to some degree in panama, where the pro american and taiwan marinelli was forced out and,replaced by varela who was more in league with china.

narciso said...

Of course if you've read James hougans spooks and later secret agenda, none of which Nixon did was novel. He is now writing as suspense novelist John case.

FIDO said...

Lois Lerner

It isn't that norms are being violated. The NYT had no problem with norms being violated by Schumer, by Obama, by Hillary.

It is that norms are being violated AGAINST THEM. THEY are the clever edgy kids who get to 'stick it to the man', and find loopholes to get their own way.

Well, guess what, bunky? That sword cuts both ways. Were you whining about Harry Reid acting in a blatantly partisan manner?

Okay then.

If the paper wanted an credibility, they would have fought for a CIVIL society, not one which allows Democrats to run the IRS like a hit squad or allowed major multi TRILLION dollar legislation to pass on a hyperpartisan basis.

They were silent then. They were happy then. Now...the chickens are done a-roosting.

Bruce Hayden said...

"I also have trouble with the idea that running for president is a get out of jail free card. People shouldn't be investigated simply because they are in the political opposition, but with this people shouldn't be safe from investigation because they are politicians."

So far, there is a special prosecutor going after a lot of hot air and less and less smoke on the one side, and a raging inferno on the other side that may or. May not get investigated very much. For Trump, the investigations are a distraction from what he wants to get done. Of course, that is what his opposition wants. and, if things get too out of hand, he can just fire Mueller, his staff, and maybe even Rosenstein for appointing him, saying to heck with the consequences. His opponents are unlikely to be any more strident in their cries against him - they can't be, because they are already at a 10 in volume, and have been for a year. And most of his supporters would applaud it. But his supporters are getting more and more frustrated with the rank hypocrisy they see. Crooked Hillary and her crew are dirty as all heck, and getting to skate because they are Dems, while Mueller and his band of Clinton and Obama loyalist prosecutors are going full force against Trump, and getting away with it. They very likely could follow their mandate into an investigation of Fusion One, the Trump Dossier, working with the Russians to develop it, etc, but, of course, won't bother. The Republicans in Congress, pushed hard by their base, are trying, but are getting stonewalled by the FBI, and have lukewarm support from Sessions, likely too nice ch the gentleman to do a vigorous job at getting to the bottom of the Clinton mess. Still, things are moving about as well as can be expected.

Enthusiasm Quotes said...

Very amazing and interesting topic, thank you for sharing

KittyM said...

@ Bruce Hayden "So far, there is a special prosecutor going after a lot of hot air and less and less smoke on the one side..."

This is not an accurate description of the state of play as an impartial observer can judge it of the Mueller investigation. Would you like me to to into detail?

Molly said...

"A federal grand jury in North Carolina indicted Edwards in 2011 on six felony charges of violating multiple federal campaign contribution laws to cover up an extramarital affair to which he admitted, following his 2008 campaign." Wikipedia (but true)

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Fox News Host Takes Apart Uranium One Conspiracy Touted By Colleagues

exhelodrvr1 said...

The problem is that there is so much corruption, law-breaking, etc. from the previous administration, the Clintons, and the "deep state" that there is no way to investigate everything, especially since the Democrats in Congress stonewall to an absurd degree. Every second of the next 7.2 years could be used up on valid investigations into those things, but (unfortunately for the nation and the world, and fortunately for the Democrats) there are many more significant issues that need to be addressed. Mostly because the previous administration, and to a lesser degree the Bush/Clinton/Bush admins, left things in such a mess.

When you're heading towards an iceberg, you don't worry about the fact that the purser was skimming funds from the fuel account.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Here is a more complete takedown.

Bruce Hayden said...

@Kiitty: "This is not an accurate description of the state of play as an impartial observer can judge it of the Mueller investigation. Would you like me to to into detail?"

Sure. Go at it. Not sure though where you got the idea that many here would consider you an impartial observer. I know that I am not, and neither are maybe 98% of those posting here. I exclude our gracious hostess who seems to enjoy throwing red meat to the wolves on one side or the other

Michael K said...

"Fox News host" Shepard Smith is quoted by ARM.

I'm glad to see Shep is doing better with his AIDS but I don't pay attention to what he says.

Qwinn said...

I find it hilarious that, after the Left has sent a year screaming "A Trump somewhere once talked to a Russian somewhere, omg!!!", they are claiming there's nothing unusual whatsoever about a transfer of 20% of our uranium to them coinciding with vast transfers of funds from them to the Clintons. Too frikkin funny, ARM. And Shep Smith!!! Classic.

Henry said...

it would shatter norms established after Watergate that are intended to prevent presidents from using law enforcement agencies against political rivals.....

You mean like the IRS?

Henry said...

A note about the uranium. We allowed Russia to buy a uranium company. The actual uranium is in the ground. In event of a national security emergency with Russia, their rights are worth as much as the piece of paper they are written on.

Henry said...

The uranium is for power and commercial use, not weapons production. Uranium is sold on a global market of which the U.S. supplies about 2%.

Henry said...

From The Christian Science Monitor -- the better Vox.

Henry said...

As usual with the Clintons, they are paid off for their predictability. Like Miller Lite television ads, the point of giving the Clintons money is not to seal a specific deal, but to maintain market share in their continued dealmaking. In other terms, the Clintons stay bought. Thus, it is very hard to bring charges against them.

Anonymous said...

Here's the real truth, you will never see in the MSM, but I will admit it. I broke precedent and wrote Jeff Sessions and told him, politely, that he should get his head out of his ass and investigate the issues surrounding Uranium One and the DNC. Within two days the AG's office sent that letter to Congress saying that they were going to investigate. Two days!!! Trump's tweets had nothing to do with opening Sessions' eyes. I did it! As an everyday citizen I exercised my First Amendment right to petition the government and look at the response I got! I am so proud.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Henry, Uranium One is a secular religion around here. You are committing blasphemy. It is a faith based religion, untied to any facts that are actually relevant to the argument.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

I sure hope he’s kidding@7:46. LOL, no matter it’s funny either way.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Henry said...
From The Christian Science Monitor


Interesting article:

"At one point earlier this decade, fuel produced from old Soviet warheads was producing about 10 percent of US electricity."

"There is no evidence Clinton was even informed of the prospective deal while she was secretary of State."

Curious George said...

"Cuck said...
TrumpWorld is so much more interested in Crooked Hillary than in actually exercising the power that the Presidency has to influence policy on health care, tax reform, entitlement reform, or anything else that requires policy study and hard choices."

LOL Ryan and McConnell are eunichs. They DON'T WANT tax reform. Or ObamaCare replacement. Or entitlement reform. Or anything else that requires them to stick their fucking spineless necks out. Fuck them.

Curious George said...

"Unknown said...
I sure hope he’s kidding@7:46."

You are a dolt. Correction, with some hard work you can ascend to dolt.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“You are a dolt. Correction, with some hard work you can ascend to dolt.”

You are a dumb monkey, correction with some hard work... oh never mind, you would still be a dumb monkey.

Michael K said...

"The actual uranium is in the ground."

Not true, Henry, but nice try,.

It is being exported.

Asked about that, the commission confirmed that Uranium One has, in fact, shipped yellowcake to Canada even though it does not have an export license. Instead, the transport company doing the shipping, RSB Logistic Services, has the license. A commission spokesman said that “to the best of our knowledge” most of the uranium sent to Canada for processing was returned for use in the United States. A Uranium One spokeswoman, Donna Wichers, said 25 percent had gone to Western Europe and Japan. At the moment, with the uranium market in a downturn, nothing is being shipped from the Wyoming mines.

The “no export” assurance given at the time of the Rosatom deal is not the only one that turned out to be less than it seemed. Despite pledges to the contrary, Uranium One was delisted from the Toronto Stock Exchange and taken private. As of 2013, Rosatom’s subsidiary, ARMZ, owned 100 percent of it.


Th fact that "Uranium is sold on a global market of which the U.S. supplies about 2%," suggests that we have a small domestic supply and, for national security, we should keep it here,. The Clintons sold US weapons technology to the Chinese so they are not concerned about national security.


Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Shep Smith, a hack, ignores what really happened.


Ron Winkleheimer said...

"There is no evidence Clinton was even informed of the prospective deal while she was secretary of State."

So you are claiming that the SoS was so clueless and uninformed that she was not made aware of a business deal with the Russians (who she was trying to make nice with, remember the reset button) that would have had major geopolitical ramifications?

Bold. Move. Cotton.

Laslo Spatula said...

When talking corruption there are many who will not say that the fat girl is fat.

I am Laslo.

Laslo Spatula said...

Corruption is just big-boned.

I am Laslo.

Laslo Spatula said...

Corruption seems to be the fat girl who doesn't sweat much.

I am Laslo.

exhelodrvr1 said...

"When talking corruption there are many who will not say that the fat girl is fat."

That depends. Is she easy?

tim in vermont said...

"There is no evidence Clinton was even informed of the prospective deal while she was secretary of State."

Not doing her job then, but "no evidence" is pretty funny defense after destroying tens of thousands of emails, and records of meetings. But you keep covering for the Clinton's, I am sure it will work out in the long run this time.

Qwinn said...

Tim, are you suggesting that those 33,000 deleted emails might have involved transactions with the Russians?!? Do you have any EVIDENCE of that?! No?! Then SHUT UP!

This is why Hillary's email deletion alone should put her in prison for life.

tim in vermont said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Freder Frederson said...

The kind of preemptive criticism that you see in this NYT article is exactly what you could expect and Trump must know that.

With plenty of evidence to the contrary, you still seem to think that Trump is aware how unwise some of his tweets are.

tcrosse said...

Corruption seems to be the fat girl who doesn't sweat much.
She has a cute personality.

tim in vermont said...

Look at the scoreboard Freder.

gadfly said...

Trump's neurotic obsession with Twitter messaging and his incessant public blasting of anyone who opposes anything he says or does is not normal behavior explainable by rational reasoning on the president's part. Trump's self-love drives everything he does and he doesn't look backward or forward before he acts. Adolescent's just do not get beyond themselves and Trump's mind has remained in an adolescent state for the past 60 years.

Anonymous said...

I stop by Althouse's and the first thing to catch my eye is that image of Wojak.

I thought this was a respectable, moderate blog.

Pookie Number 2 said...

Trump's neurotic obsession with Twitter messaging and his incessant public blasting of anyone who opposes anything he says or does is not normal behavior explainable by rational reasoning on the president's part.

Probably true. Amazing what voters will tolerate to get rid of entrenched corruption.

gadfly said...

Blogger Michael K said...
"The actual uranium is in the ground."

Not true, Henry, but nice try.

It is being exported.


Export of US uranium without a license is illegal under the law and neither Uranium One nor Rosatom were issued an export license.

So someone in the bureaucracy broke the law and no one has found it necessary to find out who did it and to arrest them.

As much as I would like that someone to be Hillary, it is a stretch to think that the State Department can order the Atomic Energy Commission around.

RonF said...

"... professionals who were not politically appointed"

You really think there is such a thing in the Department of Justice? Or, if they were not politically appointed, prosecutors who haven't kept their job by playing along politically?

Henry said...

@Michael K -- Interestingly, I actually edited that sentence. First I wrote, "most of the actual uranium is in the ground", since, clearly, some of it has been mined already.

But the point stands. The rights to mine don't magically move the location being mined to a different country.

veni vidi vici said...

So, for the past several years we've been told by Hillary & Co. that the Uranium thing was something she was uninvolved with; it was all Bill's speeches for $500k and of course the Clinton Foundation -- but she was arm's length; no meddling or scale-thumbing by her, no sirree.....

But now, when the DoJ talks about investigating Uranium One, it's a hit on her? Well, Dems, which is it: was she or wasn't she the keystone of that caper? I think the protest is the tell, since if she wasn't involved it's hardly an investigation of a "political opponent" -- it's just the investigation of the Foundation and whether Bill's speech was untoward. She's already brayed loudly at every blue moon and then some that she had no hand in it, so let's not make a scene when the administration takes her at her word, shall we?

The amount of political grab-ass that's gone on for the past decade is just ridiculous. No sign of it stopping anytime soon, now that the precedents have been firmly established.

RonF said...

Has it occurred to anyone that perhaps Pres. Trump HAS spoken to his AG in private and the AG hasn't moved, so this is Trump escalating the situation?

Qwinn said...

Gadfly,

Michael K's post already answered that. The export license was held by the shipping company, RSB Logistics Services.

tim in vermont said...

Trump's neurotic obsession with Twitter messaging and his incessant public blasting of anyone who opposes anything he says or does is not normal behavior explainable by rational reasoning on the president's part.

Somebody around here has a neurotic obsession. I think the tweets for the most part are working great. Sure there is the occasional misfire, but on the whole, it's an effective tactic. Successful QBs throw interceptions sometimes, but more TDs. I get the feeling that it is the touchdowns that really bother you, and not the picks.

tim in vermont said...

By the way, he is now tweeting from the end zone.

I Callahan said...

Fox News Host Takes Apart Uranium One Conspiracy Touted By Colleagues

Hah. Shep Smith. The self-described house lefty. He didn't take apart squat. ARM is wishful thinking again.

tim in vermont said...

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) announced Monday that he will not allow any senator to abuse the “blue slip courtesy” to block a judicial nomination. This paves the way for all of President Donald Trump’s nominees to get through Grassley’s committee for a confirmation vote by the full Senate, giving the president a major victory for the 2018 midterms.

See what unreasonable stubbornness gets you? Eventually daddy takes away your toys and puts you in a corner for a while. That's why there is an old saying about picking your battles.

BUMBLE BEE said...

Unknown said..."This strain of Clinton Derangment Syndrome is virulent."
I fell out laughing. She's got more felony, in plain sight, in just her tenure as SOS, than
Al Capone ever dreamed of. Obtain competent professional help and don't operate machinery in the meantime.

tim in vermont said...

This strain of Clinton Derangment Syndrome is virulent."

Must be, if even Politico, The New York Times, The Atlantic, and The Daily News have it now!

tim in vermont said...

Can you imagine our dear troll if Trump had received $$$ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE MILLION DOLLAR$$$ from Putin cronies, then done them a huge favor, like killing Keystone XL?

We would never hear the fucking end of it, it would come up in every furcking thread.

Qwinn said...

Jonah Goldberg just published an article called "Good for Shep Smith" at NRO. He's actively covering for Hillary now. The defense is so stupid it hurts.

It's too bad, I really used to like him, but as of that article, he's dead to me.

tim in vermont said...

So far, the only accusations that we have against Trump that are not true of Hillary the Enabler in spades, is his penchant for outré, yet oddly trenchant. tweets.

tim in vermont said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
tim in vermont said...

Trump is threatening Jonah's rice bowl, I actually used to post as "JohahFan" His G-Files in the old days were great stuff. His mom should talk to him.

Qwinn said...

Agreed, he used to be good, but he's lost his mind. As if the market price of uraniun PER POUND compared to gold is relevant in any possible way. He does know that in the refinement process the vast majority of that "pound of uranium" will be discarded as useless, right?

Qwinn said...

Another Shep/Jonah idiocy: leaving aside the evidence that some of it has already been exported, it's irrelevant. Lefties have been acting since day one of this scandal as if the only legit reason for Russia wanting this uranium is if they needed it for themselves, and since they don't, no crime! So f'ing idiotic. We have to import uranium, and the objective is to deny US access to it. Which is scarier, that lefties are so horrible at strategy that they can only envision accumulating assets as a tactic, but not denying assets to your enemy? Or that they understand full well, are complicit, and are gaslighting us to cover it up?

Martin said...

Well, I might say that the Democrats went against tradition by nominating a candidate with so much apparently criminal or near-criminal history, including a history of cover-ups going back to before Whitewater through Lynch and Bill meeting at Skyharbor. Other than, MAYBE, one or two Gilded Age candidates (Blaine, maybe?), I cannot think of any major Pres candidate with anything remotely approaching her baggage.

Given that, it's hard to say that Trump is violating long-established norms, as the circumstances are so novel that there is no "past" to guide us.

tim in vermont said...

Remember that huge fundraising scandal of Clinton's in the 90s? What he did there for some actors in the Philippines, was to place off limits a trillion dollars in US coal what was in competition with Philippine coal, and which was well positioned to be shipped to a huge new coal fired power plant in Mexico. Instead of helping our balance of trade with that country, they were forced to buy their coal from the Philippines. There was even video of the first few seconds of a meeting in the Oval Office, through the door, where one of them said to Bill Clinton "You really came through for us."

It was a funny thing to watch the press cover that up.

tim in vermont said...

But this is all "right-wing" lies, I am sure none of that happened.

Rusty said...

"But the point stands. The rights to mine don't magically move the location being mined to a different country."

But he mine owner determines when and how much gets mined.

Henry said...

If Uranium One decides to go solo cartel, Canadian and Australian firms will make more money.

pacwest said...

What a hoot this all is. Everyone, and I mean everyone, including ARM, anti-whoever, NYT, Wapo, Inga (well, maybe not Inga), etc. obviously know how corrupt Clinton/Obama are/were. If you have an IQ above 70 you know. The mental gymnastics required to deny the corruption is fun to watch. I love reading Kos kids comments and such. It is truly an amazing feat of twisted logic to defend the Clintons/Dems.

Re Chuck's statement that efforts would be better spent trying to pass important legislation, I would say that you need to do surgery before the body politic will be healthy enough to do that in any realistic way. Job 1 - ferret out the crooks and put them in jail. The Republic cannot long survive this particular cancer.

Bruce Gee said...

Has anyone wondered whether NOT prosecuting madame secretary will actually do more damage to her rep than actually doing so? I’d leave her to marinate in her optical scum. In the long term, this will be the limbo that she seems to so rightly deserve.
And the Republicans then can’t be blamed for anything at all. Moral high ground!

Matt Sablan said...

"Has anyone wondered whether NOT prosecuting madame secretary will actually do more damage to her rep than actually doing so?"

-- Maybe in 20 years, journalists will sacrifice her at the altar of the hip new thing and deny her a place in polite society.

Anonymous said...

@Unknown I wasn't joking, I was being facetious in the sense of "flippant". I did, in fact e-mail Jeff Sessions and told him what I wrote here. Two days later...... THE LETTER! Am I good or what? Who the hell needs Twitter?!?

Anonymous said...

I will wager that Hillary will never be prosecuted. Too Banana Republicy. However I can see many peripheral players shitting their britches forseeing themselves following the Martha Stewart path to a few months in jail. I suspect there has been a lot of perjury and/or obstruction committed over the last couple of years.

gadfly said...

Blogger Qwinn said...
Gadfly,

Michael K's post already answered that. The export license was held by the shipping company, RSB Logistics Services.


Lawfare has an article that covers the background of laws that specifically result in the export limitations of strategic materials from the U.S. No where is there any right granted for any other license holder (in this case, RSB) to export yellowcake it does not own.

When the Nuclear Regulatory Commission ruled in favor of the sale of Uranium One, NRC specified that the export of nuclear materials was forbidden and no export license was granted to the Russians. Essentially, Rusatom has only the de jure and de facto legal rights that can be exercised only to limit production from its Wyoming mines if it wishes to do so.

JAORE said...

Should have followed President Obama's lead with the IRS.

No tweets needed.

Ken B said...

Convenient. If you break the law just run for President . If your opponent mentions your crimes then you cannot be investigated.