Former President and Convicted Felon Trump Thread

Dave

Staff member
Today Moore learns that he shouldn't try and bluff a guy smarter than him whose whole career revolves around being quick with words.
 

Dave

Staff member
You knew this was going to happen soon. It's why Trump went on his Twitter binge against Britain this week. He ALWAYS does shit like that right before something big breaks to try and divert attention away from his moronic base.
 
I just thought it seems that way because he's constantly doing dumb stuff so by definition, anything major comes shortly after he does something dumb.
 

Dave

Staff member
Ruh ro.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/mich...se-statements-fbi-documents/story?id=50849354

Retired Lt. Gen Michael Flynn has promised “full cooperation” in the special counsel’s Russia investigation and, according to a confidant, is prepared to testify that Donald Trump directed him to make contact with the Russians, initially as a way to work together to fight ISIS in Syria.


The stunning turn comes as Flynn, who is cooperating with investigators in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s probe, pleaded guilty to one count of lying to the FBI about his back-channel negotiations with the Russian ambassador – talks that occurred before Trump took office. The Special Counsel made the plea agreement public Friday morning.
 
I've been avoiding damping everyone's enthusiasm for the idea that Trump is on the precipice, but the reality is that it's hard to impeach a president.

http://www.heritage.org/constitution/#!/articles/2/essays/100/standards-for-impeachment

All this "We got him!" really amounts to nothing. Even if the FBI decides he's complicit, it doesn't matter unless congress acts on it.

The earliest that will happen is the midterms, and only if Democrats gain a solid majority.

The republicans will talk back to him, and make a show of standing against him, but it's currently in their interest to have him in place, even if they publicly pretend otherwise.
 
Oh I'm well aware that the only way trump gets impeached is if the dems get a supermajority. Still seems noteworthy though.
 
I think I'm missing something big here. I thought that Trump fired Flynn back in the spring because he talked to the Russians without authorization? Or the timing thereof? Or something? That was bad (optics or otherwise) so he was fired. At least that was my understanding. So what's new right now other than the indictment/deal and talking with the FBI about it? I'm missing something big here, but there's a ton of noise in the "regular" news, so I'm not seeing the "obvious" connection they're making.

Help please.
 
I think I'm missing something big here. I thought that Trump fired Flynn back in the spring because he talked to the Russians without authorization? Or the timing thereof? Or something? That was bad (optics or otherwise) so he was fired. At least that was my understanding. So what's new right now other than the indictment/deal and talking with the FBI about it? I'm missing something big here, but there's a ton of noise in the "regular" news, so I'm not seeing the "obvious" connection they're making.

Help please.
The new thing is that trump actually admitted it.
 
The new thing is that trump actually admitted it.
Blots, you're the closest thing to a straight answer here, but I'm still not getting something. Why is firing him for X reason translated as obstruction of justice? I would have thought being outside of the government would mean less protection from "official secrets" and such and make Flynn more vulnerable, not less, and thus how did Trump "obstruct justice" by firing him?

I hope I'm being specific enough in trying to ask about the connection I'm not understanding. Also why @sixpackshaker is mentioning the firing of Comey and how this links in would help too.
 
Blots, you're the closest thing to a straight answer here, but I'm still not getting something. Why is firing him for X reason translated as obstruction of justice? I would have thought being outside of the government would mean less protection from "official secrets" and such and make Flynn more vulnerable, not less, and thus how did Trump "obstruct justice" by firing him?

I hope I'm being specific enough in trying to ask about the connection I'm not understanding. Also why @sixpackshaker is mentioning the firing of Comey and how this links in would help too.
Albeit brief, this should help:


 
Blots, you're the closest thing to a straight answer here, but I'm still not getting something. Why is firing him for X reason translated as obstruction of justice? I would have thought being outside of the government would mean less protection from "official secrets" and such and make Flynn more vulnerable, not less, and thus how did Trump "obstruct justice" by firing him?

I hope I'm being specific enough in trying to ask about the connection I'm not understanding. Also why @sixpackshaker is mentioning the firing of Comey and how this links in would help too.
If Trump asked Comey to lay off Flynn and then fired him when he didn't, AND Trump knew in advance that Flynn was breaking the law, that's obstruction.
 
If Trump asked Comey to lay off Flynn and then fired him when he didn't, AND Trump knew in advance that Flynn was breaking the law, that's obstruction.
Cool, thanks. @Denbrought's post had everything except that. I was about to ask for what exactly happened around what Trump asked Comey, and who said what when, but your summary is good.

The timeline (as I can tell) is "roughly" this that everybody agrees on publicly, correct?

1. Sometime between Election and Inauguration - Flynn contacts Russians, ostensibly about working together on ISIS, terrorism, etc, but who the hell knows what for sure.
2. Sometime after above - Flynn lies to FBI by saying he has no Russian contacts/meetings
3. Feb 13 - Trump fires Flynn after finding out about step 2 above.
4. Trump fires Comey from head of FBI

What's above is purely what "all sides" agree on happened, right?


The part that there is disagreement on IIRC is that between step 3 and 4 Comey says Trump asked Comey to lay off investigating Flynn which would be obstruction of justice.

Have I "got it" more or less?
 
The part that there is disagreement on IIRC is that between step 3 and 4 Comey says Trump asked Comey to lay off investigating Flynn which would be obstruction of justice.
But trump also has explicitly said that he fired comey because of the investigation.
 
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