Menzo
3995
Correct. But close enough.
Not quite sure where this is supposed to go but anyhoo
Then Berke turned to an interview with MSNBC’s Ari Melber from last February, in which Lewandowski said he couldn’t recall any conversation he had with Trump about Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The central obstruction episode in the Mueller report involving Lewandowski—which came straight from his testimony to the special counsel—involved the president requesting that Lewandowski deliver a message to Sessions: that he should ignore his recusal and circumscribe the investigation into Russia’s election interference and presidential obstruction of justice. Berke played the Melber clip, showing the witness asserting “I don’t ever remember the president ever asking me to get involved with Jeff Sessions or with the Department of Justice in any way, shape or form, ever.” Lewandowski had already testified, earlier in Tuesday’s hearing, that the events described in the Mueller report were true and that Trump had him take dictation about a message he should deliver to the attorney general demanding that he limit the Mueller investigation. After playing the MSNBC interview in which Lewandowski said the opposite, Berke asked, “That wasn’t true, was it?”
Lewandowski’s response was stunning: “I have no obligation to be honest to the media. Because they’re just as dishonest as anybody else.” Berke sought to clarify: “So you’re admitting, sir, you were not being truthful?” Lewandowski replied, now in full Dada: “My interview with Ari Melber … can be interpreted any way you like.”
Going forward, any news program that books Lewandowski should be shunned, unless he comes with a chyron that read “Possible Liar.” No serious news reporter should ever quote him again without noting that he testified under oath that he is untruthful in his dealings with the press. His political campaign should be covered with the presumption that every press interview may be false. Let’s be clear: Lying to the press is the same as lying to the public. The press asks questions as proxy for the public. It’s not a defense to say you don’t like the press, or the segment of the population that consumes that press, because you are now not just a public official lying to the public, but a public official admitting to and condoning lying to the public.
Menzo
3997
Of course we all know the opposite will happen. Media are lining up to interview Lewandowski and give him as much free airtime as possible in his run for Congress. They know they’ll get TONS of engagement by both the ecstatic Right and the incensed Left for every interview.
The only way he could do it better is if he literally spits in the face of whomever interviews him next.
KevinC
3999
It’s like an arms race with Tucker Carlson for best Resting Constipated Face.
Papageno
4000
Man, fuck that guy. It still pisses me off how they greased the skids for him. That and how all the faux-concerned Republicans (with maybe the exception of whatshername from Alaska) fell right in line and voted for this asshole.
Here’s hoping he has early Alzheimers or a nice garden-variety massive coronary.
Seems a bit odd to me too that they nominated someone so obviously flawed. Surely there were equally conservative judges around without his issues. Maybe it’s a simple as Kavanaugh was already bought and sold. Go with the lackey over someone else that may be a bit more independent.
CraigM
4002
I’d say it is that you don’t fully appreciate the joy of ‘fuck you’
Even Moscow Mitch didn’t want that fight. Someone probably bought Kav…we still have no idea who paid his 200K credit card debt and his mortgage.
jpinard
4004
He is and was. He was the guaranteed vote trump might get a “get out of jail card”.
HumanTon
4005
No collusion! No collusion!
WaPo headline: Trump’s communications with foreign leader are part of whistleblower complaint that spurred standoff between spy chief and Congress, former officials say
Trump’s interaction with the foreign leader included a “promise” that was regarded as so troubling that it prompted an official in the U.S. intelligence community to file a formal whistleblower complaint with the inspector general for the intelligence community, said the former officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
What who was Trump talking to during this alarming call? Speculation is running rampant:
antlers
4006
The White House preventing the DNI from sharing the whistleblower report with the Intelligence Committee is pretty much the definition of High Crimes and Misdemeanors; this should be made clear at every opportunity.
Agree 100%, it’s completely clear. Yet we just have to throw it on the pile with the others.
Telefrog
4008
I guess we may have to rename this thread with Ukraine.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi endorsed changing federal law to specify that a sitting president can be indicted, even as she indicated she was no closer to moving to impeach President Donald Trump.
I’m starting to think Pelosi is compromised too.
CraigM
4012
No, just a coward.
Even for what action they are taking, slowly, the messaging is shit.
Oghier
4013
Pelosi’s main concern is preserving a Democratic majority in the House. That relies on keeping a bunch of seats in purple/ red districts. Impeachment is not popular there.
Despite that, impeachment has already begun. They’re downplaying it to minimize headlines, but the processes have started.
Do your fucking job, Nancy.
