Althouse: "The president's 100% right. There never should have been an appointment of special counsel here."

March 21, 2018

"The president's 100% right. There never should have been an appointment of special counsel here."

"There was no probable cause at that point to believe that crimes had been committed. I've seen no evidence to suggest that crimes have been committed by the president. As I've said from day one, there should have been a special investigative commission, non-partisan appointed by Congress, with subpoena power to look into the role of Russia and trying to influence American elections and do something about preventing it in the future. Instead of starting out with finger-pointing and trying to criminalize political difference behind the closed doors of a grand jury. That's gotten us nowhere. The president's absolutely right. The investigation never should have begun. And the question now is how does he deal with it. And I think what he's doing is he's playing good cop, bad cop. He has some of his lawyers cooperating with Mueller and some lawyers attacking Mueller because he wants to be ready to attack in the event there are any recommendations that are negative to the president."

Said Alan Dershowitz.

117 comments:

cf said...: Thank God for One Honest Lawyer.; 3/21/18, 8:55 AM
William said...: I would like all these investigators and journalists to come forward with one voter who can credibly claim that he voted for Trump because of Russian meddling,; 3/21/18, 8:58 AM
becauseIdbefired said...: Does anyone have any theories as to why Flynn and Papadopolous lied to the FBI regarding their Russian contacts?

It wasn't illegal to make the contact, so, why?; 3/21/18, 8:58 AM
gilbar said...: WHY do people keep insisting that the FBI act like it is bound by law?
The FBI IS the law, it decides who is a criminal and who isn't
This is Exactly the way our founding fathers intended it to be; 3/21/18, 9:01 AM
Henry said...: If I was still on Facebook I would post this and it would disappear without a trace.; 3/21/18, 9:02 AM
Jaq said...: Countdown to the Lawrence Tribe riposte of irrational gibberish, three, two, one...; 3/21/18, 9:02 AM
rhhardin said...: Now that it's started you can't stop it because women.; 3/21/18, 9:03 AM
Henry said...: Dershowitz is not a theorist. That is why he is a better thinker.; 3/21/18, 9:05 AM
Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...: The special counsel was a direct outcome of Trump's own actions. A competent player doesn't end up with a special counsel.; 3/21/18, 9:06 AM
Wince said...: As I've said from day one, there should have been a special investigative commission, non-partisan appointed by Congress, with subpoena power to look into the role of Russia and trying to influence American elections and do something about preventing it in the future.

The special counsel framework made sure ithe investigation was entirely about Trump's possible collusion instead of also encompassing Clinton's actual pay-to-play and fake dossiers collusion. Plus it gives Mueller's highly partisan team full latitude to pursue unrelated charges against Trump.; 3/21/18, 9:06 AM
rhhardin said...: As the saying goes, the Mueller investigation is itself the coverup.; 3/21/18, 9:15 AM
Connie said...: Blogger gilbar said...
WHY do people keep insisting that the FBI act like it is bound by law?
The FBI IS the law, it decides who is a criminal and who isn't
This is Exactly the way our founding fathers intended it to be

3/21/18, 9:01 AM

The FBI was founded in 1908, so the founders probably had little to say about it. The FBI is an investigatory agency, they do not (well, more accurately should not) determine what the law is or isn't. If your point is they appear to have been inconsistent in their decisions about what to charge and what not to charge, you are correct.; 3/21/18, 9:16 AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: The special cousel exists because Hillary lost. Hillary was the dictator who was scheduled to win.; 3/21/18, 9:21 AM
Mike Sylwester said...: One of the main purposes of the Special Counsel was to provide the Justice Department, FBI and other Intelligence agencies an excuse for refusing to provide information to Congress about their activities.

The excuse is that providing such information jeopardizes the Special Counsel's "investigation".

This information blockade would have worked rather well if Devin Nunez and the DOJ's Inspector General Michael Horowitz had played along.

Those two men are the heroes of this situation.; 3/21/18, 9:21 AM
Ignorance is Bliss said...: Dershowitz is right, not that it matters. It might matter if something is found that ends with Trump in a court of law; he might be able to get evidence thrown out if there was no legal basis to collect it.

But that will not have an effect on impeachment, which would be a political, not a legal, act.; 3/21/18, 9:24 AM
gilbar said...: Connie, i Even TRIED to put a </Sarc tag on it, but since i put the closing bracket on, blogger assumed it was a Real tag. Sorry
To clarify: I WAS BEING SARCASTIC!!; 3/21/18, 9:25 AM
buwaya said...: Dershowitz is much too kind.

The entire episode has been conducted with malicious motives by persons who were already in the habit of using their positions for partisan purposes. These are all very dangerous people which cannot be tolerated in an open political system, because they will destroy it, if they haven't done so already.

These characters could have been expected to do their all to get rid of Trump, or hamper his administration with all their power. And so also, so many others on so many other fronts (appointments, say). I predicted this. What I don't understand is why Trump let them get started on this investigation.

I dont know if Trump had some deep plan, of the sort so beloved of the Alt-right, the "he meant to do that!", expecting thereby some scheme leading to a night of the long knives. I doubt it, I think they will be disappointed.; 3/21/18, 9:26 AM
gilbar said...: Actually, i Wasn't being sarcastic; i was referring to the fact that We as a People have forfeited ALL of our rights to an un-elected gang of thugs that set their own rules; 3/21/18, 9:27 AM
Connie said...: Sorry gilbar, unfortunately it's hard to tell these days. ;); 3/21/18, 9:28 AM
Fernandinande said...: gilbar said...
This is Exactly the way our founding fathers intended it to be

Don't you know any history?

Russia wasn't invented yet when Eliot Ness signed the Constitution.; 3/21/18, 9:28 AM
Kevin said...: We already saw how much coverage Trump's Tweet got, they were still repeating it this morning.

This will hardly be reported.; 3/21/18, 9:30 AM
Kevin said...: The special counsel was a direct outcome of Trump's own actions. A competent player doesn't end up with a special counsel.

I see the Left's talking points already forming. When the whole thing is exposed as a farce it will quickly turn to: We didn't want to do it. It was all Trump's fault!!!

Were that true, Obama's withholding of his birth certificate would have warranted a Congressional Inquiry and Special Council who would have peered into his past drug usage looking to trap him for making false statements about it under oath.; 3/21/18, 9:33 AM
Kevin said...: I must say, Beloved, your presence here is appreciated.

Nothing comes on CNN anymore that shocks me. I've likely read it in your own responses weeks or months before it tumbles out of Chris Cuomo's mouth.; 3/21/18, 9:35 AM
buwaya said...: ARM, given what we already know about the behavior of previous administrations, the last one in particular, none of them could have avoided such an assault, on numerous grounds, by a motivated bureaucracy.

But they were cut a lot of slack. A tremendous lot of slack, with results that we see in the Clinton security scandal. And who knows what else that we don't know about.

Its not a bit that Trumps team was worse, it is rather that they were seen as enemies, and so the system is using extraordinary and often extralegal means to remove them.; 3/21/18, 9:36 AM
Birkel said...: ARM goes full authoritarian.

Dropping the mask and going full authoritarian is a sign about ARM's belief in the strength of his preferred position. ARM is losing. ARM knows it. And ARM is lashing out.

Let your commie flag fly, ARM.; 3/21/18, 9:37 AM
JAORE said...: El Predicto sez:

Dershowitz will be discovered to be a racist, homophobe and right-winger.

And did you know he's a JEW!!!!!; 3/21/18, 9:39 AM
buwaya said...: The parallel with Nixon is correct in several ways, but the critical one is that it held Nixon to standards far above those it applied to Kennedy and Johnson, or earlier administrations. FDR got away with things that boggle the mind.

Nixon was taken down not because he was less capable or less ethical than his predecessors; arguably he was much better in both ways than most, but because the bureaucracy, the press, and the bien-pensants hated him intensely. It was "unfair" indeed.; 3/21/18, 9:45 AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Mueller and his deep state partisan Democrat hacks are on a witch hunt.; 3/21/18, 9:46 AM
Sebastian said...: They did everything they could to stop Trump. They failed.

Then they needed to justify what they did to stop Trump. They used Mueller.

But now they still face a problem: even a slow-motion coup needs a fact or two to show "collusion."

Even the Dems can't just manufacture impeachment out of nothing.

They'll try. In the meantime, the process is the punishment.; 3/21/18, 9:48 AM
iqvoice said...: >Does anyone have any theories as to why Flynn and Papadopolous lied to the FBI regarding their Russian contacts?

I'm convinced that Flynn has been railroaded. He made the mistake of cooperating with the FBI. (Never cooperate with the FBI!) If you answer enough questions, eventually you'll make a contradictory statement purely by accident. Next thing you know, you're indicted for "obstruction", "lying to a federal officer", etc.

As for Papadopolous, he appears to be not that smart and possibly crooked.; 3/21/18, 9:49 AM
Molly said...: Because I'd Be Fired asks: Why would Flynn (and Papadopoulos) lie to the FBI if what they were doing was not a crime?

Of course, the implication behind the question is that there was a crime that they were trying to hide. But I can think of some other (in my opinion, more plausible) explanations.

1. they did not want to look bad in the eyes of the questioner, or they feared that such an admission would open up a long set of ultimately irrelevant but embarrassing to answer questions.
2. They really hoped for a job with the Trump administration and they thought that even non-criminal contacts with Russians would exclude that possibility.
3. They feared that their contacts might have been violations of some obscure and never used law (Logan act?).

So if a person had been unfaithful to his spouse, he might (falsely) deny it in a conversation with the FBI for any of those three reasons.; 3/21/18, 9:54 AM
320Busdriver said...: He's been saying that for a while now. And so has DeGenova.; 3/21/18, 9:56 AM
JPS said...: becauseIdbefired:

"Does anyone have any theories as to why Flynn and Papadopolous lied to the FBI regarding their Russian contacts?

"It wasn't illegal to make the contact, so, why?"

Two guesses:

1) The contacts themselves weren't illegal, but would have pointed investigators toward something that was; or
2) The contacts weren't illegal, there was no illegality around the corner, but they lied hoping to avoid a public relations / political shitstorm.

I'd bet on 2, but who knows? There's some weirdness with Flynn and Turkey, I don't know anything about Papadopoulos, but Manafort had shady ties to Russian-backed Ukrainians before he even met Trump.

And as I wrote yesterday, I'm guessing the Mueller investigation at this point is just trying to build a case that the national security establishment worried reasonably, even if incorrectly, about the Trump campaign's contacts. That's much more palatable than having been hijacked by high-ranking partisans who were worried because their partisanship led them to swallow the HRC campaign's self-protecting bullshit uncritically, and run with it. Institutional protection.; 3/21/18, 9:56 AM
traditionalguy said...: But..but...Trump screwed beautiful women back when he was a playboy. There.; 3/21/18, 9:56 AM
rhhardin said...: The Drudge pic of Stormy Daniels taking a lie detector test is mainly fake tits.; 3/21/18, 9:57 AM
AllenS said...: I hope everyone is learning a lesson from all of this. Never talk to the police or the FBI. Never, and if you do, you use a common Crooked Hillary maneuver and say "I can't remember".; 3/21/18, 9:59 AM
Drago said...: ARM: "A competent player doesn't end up with a special counsel."

LOL

Putin, speaking about his domestic political opponents, could not have said it any better.

The Wisconsin John Doe sham investigation, Ted Stevens, Raymond Donovan, Newt Gingrich, Tom Delay, Oliver North, Scooter Libby.....the list is endless.

Lefties politicizing law enforcement against political opponents.

There is literally nothing more predictable anywhere in the world.; 3/21/18, 9:59 AM
Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...: No one seems willing to admit that Trump was the author of his own destiny. Someone more in control of their own emotions would not have found themselves in this position.; 3/21/18, 10:00 AM
tcrosse said...: The Drudge pic of Stormy Daniels taking a lie detector test is mainly fake tits.

It looks too much like she's sitting in the electric chair.; 3/21/18, 10:01 AM
MacMacConnell said...: Name the man, I'll find the crime.; 3/21/18, 10:02 AM
tcrosse said...: No one seems willing to admit that Trump was the author of his own destiny.

Yeah, he won the election when he wasn't supposed to. Hang the bastard.; 3/21/18, 10:03 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: No one seems willing to admit that Trump was the author of his own destiny. Someone more in control of their own emotions would not have found themselves in this position.

Maybe you should try supporting that assertion with facts. How exactly did Trump's "emotions" cause the Deep State to oppose him on nefarious grounds? How did his "emotions" generate a fake dossier from the Kremlin?

Maybe you're confusing him with the emotional female candidate who couldn't stop popping off about being "50 points ahead" and how the people who don't vote for her are "deplorabe"?; 3/21/18, 10:05 AM
readering said...: Stopped listening to Dershowitz, a great criminal defense lawyer, when he joined OJ team.; 3/21/18, 10:08 AM
DKWalser said...: Dershowitz is right. He's right for the reason that he mentions -- the lack of probable cause. He's also right for a reason he does not mention. The special counsel was appointed in large part as a response to the leak of James Comey's memos to the NYT. Comey testified he leaked the memos in the hopes it would lead to the appointment of a special counsel. By appointing the special counsel, Comey's illegal behavior was rewarded. We should avoid rewarding such behavior -- particularly when the regulation authorizing the appointment of a special counsel requires that the appointment be limited to a specific identifiable crime. Here, as Dershowitz points out, we're in search of a crime and are not yet ready for a prosecutor of any sort, let alone a special counsel.; 3/21/18, 10:09 AM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: Trump’s own big mouth got him the special counselor.

Alan Dershowitz, LOL.; 3/21/18, 10:11 AM
Bob Boyd said...: Russian vodka had more to do with Hillary losing the election than Russian meddling.; 3/21/18, 10:12 AM
buwaya said...: Trump has, through his "enotional" nature, exposed much of the actual, unemotional corruption of the political-bureaucratic system, largely through its illegal and unethical reaction to Trump.

Probably, however, the revelation of its faults has come too late to repair it.; 3/21/18, 10:16 AM
320Busdriver said...: Scott Adams take 2 nights ago.; 3/21/18, 10:18 AM
Drago said...: ARM: "No one seems willing to admit that Trump was the author of his own destiny."

We already know the "authors" of the dossier and its destiny.

More to come very shortly via Michael Horowitz.; 3/21/18, 10:18 AM
buwaya said...: A "big mouth" is not supposed to bring on a special counsel.

That it could, or did, is corruption, proof of the rot at the core of your institutions, controlled and staffed these days by vermin.; 3/21/18, 10:19 AM
David Begley said...: Lots of lawyers here. Could Trump seek a writ of mandamus and compel Rosenstein to follow the regs and limit the scope of Mueller's probe to actual crimes?; 3/21/18, 10:26 AM
DKWalser said...: Does anyone have any theories as to why Flynn and Papadopolous lied to the FBI regarding their Russian contacts?

With regard to Flynn, Comey told Congress in March of 2017 that the FBI agents who interviewed Flynn did not believe that he lied and that any inconsistencies in his answers were unintentional. So, we don't know that he did lie to the FBI, we only know that he accepted agreed to plead guilty to that charge in exchange for Mueller dropping other possible charges. There are lots of possible explanations: It's been reported that Flynn was about to lose his house financing his legal defense, Mueller's team were threatening Flynn's son with criminal prosecution on wholly unrelated matters, Flynn may have been lied to by Mueller's team about what the FBI agents would say at the trial about his truthfulness, etc. A member of Mueller's team is known for playing hardball -- threatening to charge someone's child with a crime if you don't accept a plea deal is generally not considered kosher -- and he has been disciplined by the courts for stepping over the line in the past.

As for Papadopolous, he's a young fool. (Most of us were fools when we were young.) He may have simply been embarrassed. However, the reported 'lie' was simply getting the date of the meeting wrong. He was drunk at the time of the meeting. It may have been nothing more than poor memory that the prosecution is casting as an intentional lie. He didn't deny meeting with the guy nor did he deny telling him what he told him. He simply got the date wrong. Given what we (believe we) know about how the prosecution treated Flynn, I'm not willing to assume that Mueller's team acted in good faith with Papadopolous, either.; 3/21/18, 10:27 AM
cubanbob said...: Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...
The special counsel was a direct outcome of Trump's own actions. A competent player doesn't end up with a special counsel. "

Get back to us when a special prosecutor is finally appointed to investigate Hillary and Obama and their criminal conspiracies.; 3/21/18, 10:29 AM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: “A "big mouth" is not supposed to bring on a special counsel.”

It’s what his big mouth said...that deserves a “duh”.; 3/21/18, 10:32 AM
Achilles said...: At least ARM and Inga have come to terms with the fact that Muellers witch hunt has no legitimacy.

They are making progress people.

Pretty soon they will give up the charade and the coastal enclaves will secede. Democrats haven’t learned anything since the last time they started a civil war.; 3/21/18, 10:32 AM
hombre said...: “Alan Dershowitz,LOL.”

This is the deal with lefties, Isn’t it? If a highly qualified source like Larry Tribe speaks like a flaming lunatic, they applaud. If a highly qualified source like Dershowitz speaks rationally and professionally, they deem it laughable.

It’s their bubble world where everything is about political gain. There is no integrity, no insight, no critical thinking and , most importantly, no decency.

There is no probable cause. There never has been. Just a bunch of MSM blather with invisible, nameless “witnesses.” But if it disadvantages Trump, so what!?; 3/21/18, 10:33 AM
Birkel said...: David Begley:
Yes. If you can avoid Leftist Collectivist judges.; 3/21/18, 10:33 AM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: “At least ARM and Inga have come to terms with the fact that Muellers witch hunt has no legitimacy.”

LOL, no.; 3/21/18, 10:34 AM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: “There is no probable cause. There never has been. Just a bunch of MSM blather with invisible, nameless “witnesses.” But if it disadvantages Trump, so what!?”

With such astute lawyerly knowledge, you should volunteer your services.; 3/21/18, 10:36 AM
SayAahh said...: You would think a lie detector would detect fake tits.; 3/21/18, 10:36 AM
DKWalser said...: Lots of lawyers here. Could Trump seek a writ of mandamus and compel Rosenstein to follow the regs and limit the scope of Mueller's probe to actual crimes?

I'm not an attorney, nor do I play one on TV. I don't think Trump needs a writ. Rosenstein works for Trump. Trump could simply order Rosenstein to follow the regs. Of course, if he did, Rosenstein would most likely resign and Trump would be worse off than if he'd done nothing.

Along slightly different lines, I wonder if it's now possible for Sessions to resume control of this matter. Mueller's indictment of the dozen or so Russians made it clear that no member of the Trump campaign knowingly cooperated with any Russian attempt to undermine the integrity of the election, so doesn't that mean there is now no conflict that would prevent Sessions from supervising the remaining portions of the investigation? If so, he should call in Mueller for a show and tell meeting. If he doesn't have evidence of some clear crimes (that don't require first impression novel interpretations of the law), Sessions should thank Mueller and his team for their efforts and shut the investigation down.; 3/21/18, 10:38 AM
Mr. Groovington said...: Inga is awesome. She's like Drago on the right, but briefer and more pugnacious. About equal smarts.

This is why I come here.; 3/21/18, 10:42 AM
I'm Full of Soup said...: A fair MSM would stand outside Mueller's house one morning and ask him when he thinks he can wrap this up since he ain't found squat yet.; 3/21/18, 10:44 AM
hombre said...: Blogger becauseIdbefired said...
“Does anyone have any theories as to why Flynn and Papadopolous lied to the FBI regarding their Russian contacts?
It wasn't illegal to make the contact, so, why?”

I don’t know about Papadopolous, but the better question about Flynn is why did he lie to Pence? Of course, since that got him fired by Trump, it doesn’t fit the lefty narrative, does it?; 3/21/18, 10:48 AM
Michael K said...: Does anyone have any theories as to why Flynn and Papadopolous lied to the FBI regarding their Russian contacts?

Flynn was framed and will be exonerated soon. Sally Yates decided to take him down as the first step in the Deep State's war on Trump.

Papadopolous is a twerp who was bragging to a Hillary operative when drunk.

Blogger buwaya said...
The parallel with Nixon is correct in several ways, but the critical one is that it held Nixon to standards far above those it applied to Kennedy and Johnson, or earlier administrations. FDR got away with things that boggle the mind.

Nixon was a worrier and a ruminater on his enemies. He craved approval from people who hatred him.

Trump is a happy warrior who has a sense of humor that Nixon did not have. Unfortunately Nixon surrounded himself with humorless martinets like Haldeman who would do his every order, whether it was wise or not.

Buchanan was a long time Nixon aide and confidant who got edged aside by Haldeman after the 1968 election.

Agnew was more like Trump who enjoyed combat with his enemies. Sadly he was eventually taken down by them for something that would never have affected a Democrat. Ted Kennedy got a way with murder.

Buchanan liked Agnew a lot and attended his funeral years later. He was almost the only one to do so.; 3/21/18, 10:49 AM
Bay Area Guy said...: 1. Mueller is a prosecutor, on temporary assignment to the Department of Justice.

2. The Department of Justice (DOJ) is a large part of the Executive Branch.
3. Ergo, Mueller is an Officer of the Executive Branch (temporarily).

4. As President of the United States, Donald J. Trump is the head of Executive Branch, i.e., the Chief Executive Officer, and as such, all Executive Authority rests with him. (See Constitution, Art. II).

5. Ergo, Mueller is a subordinate Officer to Trump, the Chief Executive Officer.

6. Ergo, Mueller works for Trump.

7. As a general rule, when someone works for you, you can: (1) boss them around and (2) fire them.

8. Ergo, Trump should boss Mueller around, and fire him, if necessary.

Quod Erat Demonstrandum; 3/21/18, 10:50 AM
Michael K said...: Blogger SayAahh said...
You would think a lie detector would detect fake tits.

That's why it thought she was telling the truth. That's a lot of insulation.; 3/21/18, 10:50 AM
Michael K said...: Trump might be letting Mueller have "enough rope" to show there is no there there.

Horowitz's report is coming "and boy is he pissed !"

That will be the "Fitzmas" that the left never got.

With any luck we will see a dozen people go to jail and it might be well timed to affect the November election.; 3/21/18, 10:56 AM
hombre said...: “With such astute lawyerly knowledge, you should volunteer your services.”

Well, my “astute lawyerly knowledge” comes from being a lawyer for decades, as does Dershowitz’s. And yours?

Let’s see now, what was that I said at 10:33 about your “bubble world”?; 3/21/18, 10:56 AM
Birkel said...: writ of mandamus:

The great tactical advantage would be that a co-equal branch of the tripartite government would be ordering Mueller to follow the law. The writ would command Rosenstein.to act according to the letter of the law.

Manafort's lawyers have probably gamed out this option. He has the money to fight that Flynn did not.; 3/21/18, 11:00 AM
becauseIdbefired said...: JPS:

> "Does anyone have any theories as to why Flynn and Papadopolous lied to the FBI regarding their Russian contacts?

"2) The contacts weren't illegal, there was no illegality around the corner, but they lied hoping to avoid a public relations / political shitstorm."

Which implies their loyalty to Trump was so great they would commit a felony. I'm not saying what Papadopolous, Flynn, or even Manafort did is unusual, even though in the case of Flynn and Manafort there are probably crimes. Perhaps at their level many crimes occur, and the idea is to keep the spotlight off of you. Papadopolous? Perhaps merely naive.

"And as I wrote yesterday, I'm guessing the Mueller investigation at this point is just trying to build a case that the national security establishment worried reasonably, even if incorrectly, about the Trump campaign's contacts. That's much more palatable than having been hijacked by high-ranking partisans who were worried because their partisanship led them to swallow the HRC campaign's self-protecting bullshit uncritically, and run with it. Institutional protection."

Well written. I can imagine to a guy like Mueller, who strikes me as the kind of guy who wants to punish the guilty, it would be a big blow to see Manafort walk because there was no probable cause (hence fruit of the poisonous tree applies) for the investigation.

It seems to me the right action for Mueller is to investigate whether or not the Warrant/investigation themselves were legal. But, I don't know if that's within his purview even if he wanted to. However, that would be something, and I think very healthy for this country.

Imagine, instead of seeing shadows on the wall, if we could see what's really going on. If partisan politics led to the Trump Campaign/Russia collusion investigation, and I have a hard time seeing it any other way, perhaps even that it was coordinated partisan politics, wouldn't it be great to clean house?

One thing about Trump, he stirs up the pot and we are getting to see inside more than ever before, even despite the obfuscators. I like it.; 3/21/18, 11:01 AM
MD Greene said...: "Well, I call it the Donald Trump diet," Dershowitz said with a smile. "I've lost seven pounds because my liberal friends have stopped inviting me to dinner parties. After four years, I'll be back to my high school weight."; 3/21/18, 11:01 AM
Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...: When a three year old is put into time out at preschool none of the other kids waste their time sitting around muttering darkly about the 'deep-state'. What is the difference here? A more mature and thoughtful individual, one with a working knowledge of the constitution, does not end up in this place.; 3/21/18, 11:05 AM
Koot Katmandu said...: He is right there should not be a special counsel. What I think is happening is that our intel community under Obama spied on Trump and they have something they think is explosive on him and will get him removed. Problem is they can not tell anyone how they got the info. Meullers job is to wash the intel they have and make it appear like he found it.; 3/21/18, 11:06 AM
Jason said...: MAKE THE PINKERTON MEN GREAT AGAIN!; 3/21/18, 11:07 AM
Bay Area Guy said...: @hombre,

"Well, my “astute lawyerly knowledge” comes from being a lawyer for decades, as does Dershowitz’s. And yours?"

So, answer me this, Mr. Astute Lawyer: In DAG Rod Rosenstein's appointment of the Special Counsel, he wrote:

The Special Counsel is authorized to conduct the investigation confirmed by then-FBI Director James B. Comey in testimony before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on March 20, 2017, including:

i. Any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of president Donald Trump ; and.....

Has Mueller charged anyone with "coordination between the Russian government and and individuals associated with the campaign of president Donald Trump..."?

Here's a hint. The Answer is NO.; 3/21/18, 11:08 AM
Char Char Binks, Esq. said...: The process is the punishment.; 3/21/18, 11:08 AM
320Busdriver said...: "With any luck we will see a dozen people go to jail and it might be well timed to affect the November election."

Is this what Trump referred to yesterday when he said:

"We’re doing very, very well; and I think you’re going to have something very, very, special take place in a short period of time”…

That would be "special"; 3/21/18, 11:08 AM
roesch/voltaire said...: I respect Dershowitz's opinion, which he has made a number of times on CNN, but there is too much Manafort hanging around Trump's neck followed by a chaser of. Papadopoulos stirred with a proposed Trump Tower in Moscow to ignore the possible links to Russia interference/collusion and so the investigation goes on.; 3/21/18, 11:11 AM
Anne in Rockwall, TX said...: Bob Boyd said...
Russian vodka had more to do with Hillary losing the election than Russian meddling.

You win the internet Bob!; 3/21/18, 11:14 AM
n.n said...: With a historically high noise floor, Trump could abort a baby outside Planned Parenthood, and no one would be the wiser. He could run guns from Libya and we would be left wondering about the truth in the breach. For Obama, the bullhorns at the mainstream and "independent" press pumped the signal. For Trump, they ramped up the white noise. I wonder what other signals have been covered by the mainstream press in collusion with the president? So much for diversity (i.e. independence) to increase resolution of detecting the signal. Still, it's not white, it's pink, and the truth is out there, in bits, pieces, clumps, and a stray arm or leg.; 3/21/18, 11:16 AM
Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...: I respect Dershowitz's opinion, which he has made a number of times on CNN, but there is too much Manafort hanging around Trump's neck followed by a chaser of. Papadopoulos stirred with a proposed Trump Tower in Moscow to ignore the possible links to Russia interference/collusion and so the investigation goes on.

So, in other words, you have nothing. If this is the standard for a special counsel, every President should have one.; 3/21/18, 11:25 AM
buwaya said...: A three year old in preschool is not the figurehead of millions, who attracted the backing of dozens of billionaires, whose faction owns the intellectual establishment, and whose faction has the loyalty of (still) most of the powerful functionaries in Washington.

ARM, you raise being disingenuous to the level of a fine art.; 3/21/18, 11:27 AM
David Begley said...: Bay Area Guy

Would you care to weigh on my idea of Trump filing a writ of mandamus?

And would it have to be filed in the District of Columbia or VA? Could it be filed in any district? Like Nebraska? Or South Dakota? Or Texas? Good states without lefty federal judges.; 3/21/18, 11:34 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: I respect Dershowitz's opinion, which he has made a number of times on CNN, but there is too much Manafort hanging around Trump's neck followed by a chaser of. Papadopoulos stirred with a proposed Trump Tower in Moscow to ignore the possible links to Russia interference/collusion and so the investigation goes on.

Shorter RV: Facts be damned, let's keep digging!

Manafort is not and will not be charged with "collusion" (which is not a crime unless there is an underlying illegal act, which would be what?), based on Mueller's indictment. If Manafort were useful to prosecuting Trump it would have been in their agreement. There is no there there. Read it. Show me the part of manafort's indictment that relates in any way to Trump! It ain't related. Strike one.

Papadopoulos was a hanger on who never ever met with Trump outside of a huge conference where he sat far away. He was a little guy who wanted a bigger role. He was prone to drinking and bragging but there is no material fact which ties him to "collusion" or any crime involving Trump. Again, read the indictment. You can't hang a nothingburger around Trump's neck. There is nothing. He lied about his role in the campaign, inflating it, and this lie got him into the FBI net. Not collusion. Strike two.

Trump did not seriously explore building in Moscow. Again, a hanger on who proposes big ideas to Trump. No action. It doesn't matter where he "considered" building properties. You're grasping at straws. Strike three.

Not ONE fact has been presented by RV or Inga or Mueller or pencil-neck Schiff to support all their Russian fantasies. The truth is RV wants this to continue for the sole reason of vexing Trump, a petty and childish thing to wish on a man in a very important job. Leftists are children. And cannot put away the childish thoughts of immaturity.; 3/21/18, 11:34 AM
Kyzer SoSay said...: Leftists always try to sound so smart and clever, and end up sounding so dumb and underinformed.

Examples: ARM at 11:05, R/V at 11:11 (probably smiled at himself in the mirror for that one too), and Inga at . . . oh, just pick one.; 3/21/18, 11:44 AM
bolivar di griz said...: Re the person who papadop poured his soul out to:

Http://royaldutchshellplc.com/2018/03/18/hakluyt-company-and-the-clinton-trump-scandals; 3/21/18, 11:57 AM
Bruce Hayden said...: Trump doesn’t need a writ of mandamus, or whatever, to shut down the Mueller investigation. He just has to order it done. As noted above, Mueller, and his merry band of partisan hacks, work for Trump, and can wield no authority that he does not delegate to them. The reason that he doesn’t do it is because doing so would be political. The Dems, the left, the MSM (I keep repeating myself) would have a field day, and increase greatly the chances that the Dems retake the House this year, and their first order of business would be impeachment.; 3/21/18, 11:58 AM
johns said...: "I respect Dershowitz's opinion, which he has made a number of times on CNN, but there is too much Manafort hanging around Trump's neck followed by a chaser of. Papadopoulos stirred with a proposed Trump Tower in Moscow to ignore the possible links to Russia interference/collusion and so the investigation goes on."

So the Russian government colluded with Donald Trump to...what? Provide dirt on Hillary? Where is it? Hack the voting machines? Where are the emails or notes in a bottle saying they were discussing that with Trump? In other words, one giant piece that is missing from the collusion investigation is ANY evidence of communication in which the Russian government gave ANYTHING to Trump.; 3/21/18, 11:59 AM
Bay Area Guy said...: @Begley,

Would you care to weigh on my idea of Trump filing a writ of mandamus?

And would it have to be filed in the District of Columbia or VA? Could it be filed in any district? Like Nebraska? Or South Dakota? Or Texas? Good states without lefty federal judges.

My gut is that it would be denied, and that it would have to be filed in DC or VA, where Manafort was charged. I don't want to claim any unusually good insight or expertise on this, since we are all, in this forum, deplorable commentators. I think a Motion to Dismiss would be the proper filing, to raise the issue of failure to comply with DOJ regs. But I think this would be denied, too.

The good news about Manafort, is that he left the Trump campaign, thank God, in August 2011, when most people thought Trump was gonna lose. He is also rich, and can afford to shell out a few million to his defense attorneys. So, Mueller's blatant, overreach to punish Manafort to get him to dish dirt on Trump, probably won't work.; 3/21/18, 12:05 PM
Yancey Ward said...: I think you can see the left starting the long, long process of giving up on Muellermas. Witness the comments from ARM and Inga above- the goal posts have now moved from Mueller being a necessary finder and prosecutor of crimes to being an unnecessary thing caused by Trump's behavior. You don't make this sort of argument if you believe there really was an underlying crime to be investigated- but it is the sort of argument you make if you see you might have to defend the appointment after it goes bust.; 3/21/18, 12:07 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: Let me add that the Dems, left, MSM (I repeat myself again) have painted themselves into a corner here. The only collusion, of course, was between Steele, Crooked Hillary, the DNC, FBI, DoJ, etc, against Trump. They should have let well enough alone. Trump won, and Crooked Hillary lost. Doubling down, then redoubling, with the FISA warrants, Mueller investigation, illegal leaks, and the rest, they just kept digging themselves deeper and deeper. Things are starting to move, to pop, with Congressional committees tag teaming the FBI and DoJ since the first of the year, and the OIG report scheduled to drop this month. If you watch it closely enough, as some do here, you can detect the momentum picking up. My guess is that McCabe was fired, and not flipped, because he is going to be the big fish from the FBI fried by this. They already have enough people probably flipped who are happy to just get shorter prison terms, so didn’t need him. My big question with the DoJ is whether they are bold enough to take down former DAG Sally Yates, McCabe’s counterpart there.; 3/21/18, 12:11 PM
grackle said...: But that will not have an effect on impeachment, which would be a political, not a legal, act.

Any politician in Congress that would vote for Trump’s impeachment better be from a VERY safe district. San Francisco, Seattle and New York come to mind. Any pol from the Trump-loving hinterlands would be committing political suicide irregardless of what the snake heading the Special Counsel tries to manufacture to justify his “investigation.” I think they KNOW that and so at this moment Trump is not a viable candidate for impeachment. But it’s a nice fantasy for the Trump-haters so they love to promote it.

What I don't understand is why Trump let them get started on this investigation.

Trump let them? Question: How would Trump have prevented it?

As for Papadopolous, he appears to be not that smart and possibly crooked.

Papadopolous was trapped by a process crime, lying to the FBI. He then became the FBI’s bitch and was sent into the Whitehouse to try to get someone, anyone in the Trump staff to actually collude with the Russians. But they were too busy kicking Trump’s domestic enemies in the balls to do any colluding. Another FBI fail.; 3/21/18, 12:16 PM
Yancey Ward said...: As to why Papadopoulos and Flynn lied- I am not convinced they did.

In Papadopoulos case, it appears the only "lie" he told was about exactly when he was approached by the professor and woman claiming to have ties to the Russian governmnt- not that he was approached, and not about the content of those contacts. He was asked whether or not he was a member of the Trump Campaign at the time of first contact, and he apparently answered that he was not. However, he had been offered the position, but had not yet officially started the job. Answering this question almost a year later, it is surely plausible that one could misremember such sequences, and I can't a reasonable person pursuing such a discrepancy as a crime.

In Flynn's case, it appears he was ambushed and might well have not realized he was being interviewed as a suspect. Given that his conversations with the Russian ambassador were covered by executive privilege by the time of the interview, and likely were classified at their origin or after Trump's inauguration, discussing the contents with even FBI agents might be considered a crime, too. And this even assumes that Flynn lied about the conversations themselves. Since we have seen no transcripts of recorded interviews, and that the agents at one time seem to have believed he was truthful, a later claim he lied doesn't carry the same weight for me any longer. I don't know who to believe, and I don't see how anyone could argue strongly one way or the other given what we know.; 3/21/18, 12:18 PM
Rusty said...: Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...
"No one seems willing to admit that Trump was the author of his own destiny. Someone more in control of their own emotions would not have found themselves in this position."
Ant republican that won would find themselves in this position. You and your friends would see to it.; 3/21/18, 12:19 PM
Michael K said...: Since we have seen no transcripts of recorded interviews, and that the agents at one time seem to have believed he was truthful, a later claim he lied doesn't carry the same weight for me any longer. I don't know who to believe, and I don't see how anyone could argue strongly one way or the other given what we know.

I have never seen an explanation of what he supposedly lied to Pence about.; 3/21/18, 12:33 PM
Michael K said...: there is too much Manafort hanging around Trump's neck followed by a chaser of. Papadopoulos stirred with a proposed Trump Tower in Moscow to ignore the possible links to Russia interference/collusion and so the investigation goes on.

I will try to be polite and not laugh too hard.

Manafort was a disastrous hire by the Trump children who decided that Lewandowski and Bussie did not know enough about conventions to manage the delegate counts.

Manafort's last experience at a convention was 20 years old. It was a huge mistake that the father had nothing to do with.

Read Lewandowski's book, although reading books is not as much fun as indulging your imagination aided by TPM and some other fever dream blogs.

Papadopoulsi was a VOLUNTEER who knew nothing.

When Horowitz's report comes out, and it will be soon, you lefties are going to have some 'splainin to do.; 3/21/18, 12:41 PM
Anonymous said...: BCABM: No one seems willing to admit that Trump was the author of his own destiny. Someone more in control of their own emotions would not have found themselves in this position.

Inga is back and r/V are is around and alive and well. No need for you to shoulder the "political analysis for the Oprah-viewer" gig around here anymore.; 3/21/18, 1:01 PM
hombre said...: Bay Area Guy: “@hombre: ... So, answer me this, Mr. Astute Lawyer: In DAG Rod Rosenstein's appointment of the Special Counsel, he wrote: ...

Has Mueller charged anyone with "coordination between the Russian government and and individuals associated with the campaign of president Donald Trump..."? Here's a hint. The Answer is NO.”

Really? Sorry, are we disagreeing about something or are you just channeling Inga?

I agree with Dershowitz that there was no PC. Do you disagree?; 3/21/18, 1:15 PM
Achilles said...: Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...
When a three year old is put into time out at preschool none of the other kids waste their time sitting around muttering darkly about the 'deep-state'. What is the difference here? A more mature and thoughtful individual, one with a working knowledge of the constitution, does not end up in this place.

ARM, who is slightly more intelligent than Inga, knows the Russian "Collusion" investigation was a false premise from the start. It looks like ARM is going to switch to save face mode sooner rather than later

Trump is clearly initiating right now. When I say initiating I mean in the sense that your team has surrounded the compound where someone you are hunting is hiding and you make a loud violent unmistakable request for attention. He is going right at Mueller.

Strzok and Page and several other members of the cabal have been quiet for months publicly but they have clearly been singing. What is going on now with Judge Contrereas should be the biggest tell to all. McCabe has already gone bitter and has threatened his other co-conspirators. There is one person who hasn't "retired" or been fired at the DOJ other than Rosenstein who has held on to his position for political reasons. That person has been turning out rats the whole time.

This is the calm before the storm. Everyone involved has been notified loud and clear the Mueller investigation is over and now is the time to come out with your hands up. The indictments will start rolling out in a month or so.

Anyone who thinks this is just random Trump tweeting childishly or Trump lashing out hasn't been paying attention to how he operates or what he has accomplished so far.

There will be senators and house members from both parties included in this. I am looking specifically at Arizona and Virginia senators who are both squealing almost as loud as Schiff. Schiff has leaked sensitive material to the press over 100 times.

Going to be a long hot summer. Choo choo bitches.; 3/21/18, 1:19 PM
buwaya said...: "Going to be a long hot summer. Choo choo bitches."

I don't think there is going to be such a scenario. This is the "Q" story, but IMHO it is wishful thinking. Something will be done no doubt, but not a "night of the long knives" of indictments.; 3/21/18, 1:38 PM
President-Mom-Jeans said...: A feeble minded fat old woman "LOL"ing at one of the most respected legal minds in the country.

The world will be so much a better place when your very large corpse is worm food. You might at least provide some nutritional value for more intelligent organisms.; 3/21/18, 1:40 PM
Birkel said...: buwaya,
Much is afoot that is extraordinary. People may be disappointed on many sides.

Does Trump seem like a live and let live chap, to you? I perceive vengefulness and the will to wield the power vested in the office.; 3/21/18, 1:49 PM
Francisco D said...: "Trump’s own big mouth got him the special counselor."

Inga babe,

You are the imbecile gift that keeps on giving.

Where do I start with the stupidity in that one sentence?

Maybe you need a special counselor (Hint: that's different than a special counsel. Maybe you will have one appointed because you broke the law by having a big mouth).

Geesh! Do leftists actually think these days?; 3/21/18, 2:03 PM
becauseIdbefired said...: Molly attributes:

"Because I'd Be Fired asks: Why would Flynn (and Papadopoulos) lie to the FBI if what they were doing was not a crime?

Of course, the implication behind the question is that there was a crime that they were trying to hide. But I can think of some other (in my opinion, more plausible) explanations. "

That's one explanation, but not the one I was implying, if that's what you thought. It's simply odd, and we don't have all the facts here. Just the shadows on the wall. Some of the answers to that question are quite interesting, such as severe pressure by the FBI to admit to a lie to protect your loved ones.

To be clear, my thinking is this Trump Campaign/Russia collusion thing is almost certainly due to partisans in the FBI at the least.

It's a damaging distraction to the country, and gets in the way of resolving the culture war.; 3/21/18, 2:05 PM
buwaya said...: "and gets in the way of resolving the culture war."

This war cannot be resolved short of separation or extermination of one side.
Its logic requires officially endorsed utter rejection of the other.
One side will cease to be.; 3/21/18, 2:12 PM
Michael said...: Birkel
"I perceive vengefulness and the will to wield the power vested in the office."

And yet your perception does not comport with reality. Trump is not using the phone and pen available to him but rather is proceeding along traditional lines of law making. All presidents wield the power vested in the office, so what is new with Trump?; 3/21/18, 2:52 PM
hombre said...: “It’s a damaging distraction to the country, and gets in the way of resolving the culture war.”

buwaya is correct, there is no amicable resolution. The left has ceased to think. Here’s an interesting link from Instapundit:
http://missliberty.com/social-justice-mocked-eight-short-films/

My oldest son and wife are Democrat political operatives in Portland. They are well educated, kind people who, beyond kindness, simply cannot, or will not, distinguish right from wrong. They support politicians they consider to be dangerous buffoons. They rationalize away the destruction wrought by ANTIFA on Portland streets. They defend the Ferguson riots and Black Lives Matter. They justify the execution of LaVoy Finnicum (watch the film sometime.) It is disheartening because the are the people who should be restoring sanity to the Democrats.; 3/21/18, 2:52 PM
Jim at said...: Trump’s own big mouth got him the special counselor.

I see. So having a 'big mouth' is now a crime.

Careful what you wish for, bint. You just might get it.; 3/21/18, 4:09 PM
Achilles said...: buwaya said...

"and gets in the way of resolving the culture war."

This war cannot be resolved short of separation or extermination of one side.
Its logic requires officially endorsed utter rejection of the other.
One side will cease to be.

This is always a conflict between 2 relatively small groups. Most people on both sides will go along get along with whoever wins in charge.

There is relatively little difference between the lives of people in China and the US. People work, eat, shop etc in both countries. But different people won the fight to be in charge.

The left wants the US to be China, or Mexico, with them in charge. It wont happen.; 3/21/18, 4:31 PM
Birkel said...: Michael:
Do you think George W. Bush had the will to wield the powers of the office against those who tried to diminish him? Did he pardon Scooter Libby? Did he let the MSM run all over him with fake turkey bull shit?

Come on, Micheal! Be serious!

Has Trump worked to undo Obama's agenda? Did Obama mock Trump? It happens that Trump is pushing good policy but also that his pursuit fits nicely with a vengefulnesss for the mockery in which Obama engaged.

Trump is operating in a conservative manner. Great! His systematic withdrawal of Leviathan is necessary. Fantastic! But do not mistake his willfulness for normality. Most Republicans would kowtow to the PTB. Hell, Jeff Sessions has done precisely that. Trump is different.; 3/21/18, 4:42 PM
n.n said...: Dershowitz is trending classical liberal with a classical progressive twist.; 3/21/18, 5:30 PM
Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...: Dershowitz is trending troll. Apparently he doesn't get enough attention in his dotage.; 3/21/18, 6:37 PM
Birkel said...: ARM:
List your professional accomplishments so we may compare yours to Dershowitz'.

Thanks in advance.; 3/21/18, 6:44 PM
John henry said...: Connie,

Regarding the Constitution, I'd be interested in the constitutional justification for the FBI. Law enforcement is a state, not a federal responsibility. Unless it is for violation of federal law, of course.

But the founders saw very little need for much federal laws. Laws were for states to make.

John Henry; 3/21/18, 8:02 PM
John henry said...: Blogger iqvoice said...

As for Papadopolous, he appears to be not that smart and possibly crooked.

If you look at his bio he seems to be CIA. Or perhaps NSA, FBI or one of those other 3 letter agencies. But probably CIA.

John Henry; 3/21/18, 8:06 PM
John henry said...: What did Mueller know about Whitey Bulger and the Boston FBI et al and when did he know it?

Is he implicated in covering up Bulger's murders?

He was there. Maybe he was involved, maybe he was not. He should be made to address it one way or the other.

Or Hatfield who was falsely accused of the Anthrax. Let's ask him about that.

If we had an honest press we would be hearing about these things.

John Henry; 3/21/18, 8:10 PM