Trump/Russia 2016 election investigation (continued, now with Ukraine!)

[Matt_W]

since Maquire and most of us aren’t lawyers I hardly blame the guy for consulting with actual lawyers before making such an important legal decision.

The DNI has an Office of General Council–a team of lawyers whose job it is to provide legal advice to the Offce of the DNI. Seems like they’re the logical ones to approach with this question rather than the White House OLC.

[Strollen]

The DNI has an Office of General Council–a team of lawyers whose job it is to provide legal advice to the Offce of the DNI. Seems like they’re the logical ones to approach with this question rather than the White House OLC.

I believe he did consult with them also.

[Alstein]

You can be very brave in one way, but a complete coward in another.

Perfect example: John McCain. I’ll never question his physical or military bravery, but he was a political coward of the highest order who knew the right thing but almost always failed to do it until the very last time because he was afraid of the cost.

[playingwithknives]

John McCain: Pilot, War Hero, Survivor, Politician, Senator, Lifelong Public Servant, the guy who endorsed Trump

[scottagibson]

Susan Hennessey (Susan_Hennessey)

The implication here is that lawyers in the CIA thought the call was a crime, and that when they gave it to the DOJ, the AAG for National Security thought it was a crime and referred it to the head of the criminal division. Apparently only White House lawyers and Barr thought it wasn’t a crime.

[Clay]

GOP Senators keeping mum makes sense now. If the story turns into irrefutable crime and there’s a huge public opinion shift, they pipe up that it’s awful and impeach. If not, they protect themselves from Trump by keeping mouths shut. Not admitting to reading the WB complaint gives them cover to dodge either way.

[Telefrog]

Yes, they’re cowards.

[gruntled]

You’re giving them too much credit. They are just behaving the way they always do.

[magnet]

No, usually they reflexively defend Trump. Wait-and-see is definitely a departure.

[None]

NBC Politics (NBCPolitics)

Heh.

[KevinC]

I bet they do.

[MichaelD]

Never the less, executive privilege is a thing in the US and since Maquire and most of us aren’t lawyers I hardly blame the guy for consulting with actual lawyers before making such an important legal decision. I wouldn’t mind getting fired over my action, but when you are dealing with national security stuff, you are facing serious jail time.

Well, let’s look at the law again:

‘‘(B) Not later than the end of the 14-calendar day period beginning on the date of receipt from an employee of a complaint or information under subparagraph (A), the Inspector General shall determine whether the complaint or information appears credible. If the Inspector General determines that the complaint or informa- tion appears credible, the Inspector General shall, before the end of such period, transmit the complaint or information to the Direc- tor.

‘‘( C ) Upon receipt of a transmittal from the Inspector General under subparagraph (B), the Director shall, within 7 calendar days of such receipt, forward such transmittal to the intelligence commit- tees, together with any comments the Director considers appropriate.

He has 7 days to consider the matter and provide his input, as a comment, along with the original complaint – that’s the sum total of his discretion under the law. It’s not ambiguous.

This was another attempt to get ahead of a problem and either kill it or set the narrative and provide cover – just like Barr did with the Mueller summary. But in this case, besides being unethical, it’s also illegal.

[magnet]

Pelosi: Attorney general 'has gone rogue' to protect Trump

[Ginger_Yellow]

I mean, he pretty much started out rogue.

[HumanTon]

If, in 2016, you’d have suggested that the NRA was a Russian asset, you’d have been accused of conspiracy-mongering.

It was.

NPR (NPR)

[Timex]

Remember yesterday when Lemon asked me who the Russian stooges were in the GOP, and I said “All the guys who were getting funded by Russia through the NRA”?

Yep.

[KevinC]

The funny part to me was Lemon assuming you were talking about him.

[gruntled]

Apparently Rand Paul thinks only the other country’s intelligence service should know the content of phone calls between the president and the leader of another country.

Rand Paul: It's 'troubling' we are listening to POTUS phone calls

[MikeOberly]

Why the fuck does the NRA have tax exempt status anyway? They’ve been a political lobby group most of my lifetime.

[Penny_Dreadful]

Why the fuck does the NRA have tax exempt status anyway? They’ve been a political lobby group most of my lifetime.

I think you answered your own question.