Holy shit. Trump's lawyers don't even have the security clearance to discuss Mueller interview.

[RandySF]

Donald Trump’s current team of lawyers lacks the security clearances needed to discuss sensitive issues related to a possible presidential interview with Special Counsel Robert Mueller, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Trump’s former lead lawyer John Dowd had been the only member of the president’s personal legal team with a security clearance, the people said. When Dowd quit in March over disagreements with Trump on legal strategy, Jay Sekulow became the lead lawyer on the investigation and is still waiting for his clearance.

The lack of security clearances could further complicate already sensitive talks with Mueller’s team. Prosecutors for Mueller made clear to Trump’s lawyers before Dowd left the legal team that the special counsel would consider a subpoena compelling the president to testify before a grand jury if he refuses to participate in a voluntary interview, Dowd told Bloomberg News.

Mueller believes he has legal standing to subpoena a sitting president, even though such a move has never been fully tested, according to the two current U.S. officials. Unlike an interview, Trump couldn’t bring his lawyers into a grand jury room.


https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-02/trump-lawyers-said-to-lack-security-clearance-amid-mueller-talks

[Achilleaze]

1. This tells Americans a lot about the moral & ethical rot in the republican White House

the latter-day republicans are the most immoral, unethical, criminal & kinky political party in the history of the USA.

[iluvtennis]

6. +++ Agree. Corruption.

[unblock]

2. Genius move on the part of Donnie's legal team

"Gee, how can he have proper representation without be able to see all the evidence?

Gosh, why is it taking so long to get security clearance approved?

Aw shucks, we might not even get that clearance before Donnie's term ends."

[Cracklin Charlie]

3. The taxpayers will be on the hook...

When the court has to provide a properly vetted attorney to represent him.

[Stallion]

7. Yeah I'm No So Sure the Right to Effective Assistance of Counsel Would not Override

the government's right to confidentially--that could probably be handled with a Confidentiality Agreement among counsel. The Government's right to maintain confidentiality is not a Constitutionally protected right while the right to effective counsel is under the 6th Amendment. SCOTUS pretty recently ruled effective assistance of counsel includes the right to choose the attorney to represent a criminal defendant

[RandomAccess]

21. Public Defender would work for me

[Gothmog]

4. Who is surprised by this?

Trump cannot get top tier lawyers to represent him

[NewJeffCT]

5. Trump is a super manly man and a very stable genius

I'm sure he'll have no problem going in to meet with Team Mueller all by himself.

[onecent]

11. I wouldn't call him "a very stable genius"....Lordy

[NewJeffCT]

13. that was sarcasm

Trump talks tough, but is really is a big wimp. I mean, he can't fire somebody face-to-face, he has to tweet out that they're fired.

[onecent]

22. God, I'm sorry...I have been getting Sarcasm mixed up lately. My bad!

[maddiemom]

14. "A very stable genius" is how Trump has referred to himself.

[NastyRiffraff]

8. No Hollywood studio would accept this script

It's just too crazy, even for comedy.

[olegramps]

10. Boy, do I agree with you. It is absolutely beyond the pale.

[VMA131Marine]

18. Why write a script

when it's already compelling reality TV?

[DrDan]

9. no way is he is going to be stopped by something so minor

[bluescribbler]

12. This shows

the total incompetence of #45 and his team. The very best people, indeed.

[sarcasmo]

15. That's what happens when you are broke and have no money for quality lawyers.

[lindysalsagal]

16. Think about what this means: if negotiations go on for 5+ months

That means he knows they've got him. If he were innocent, or if they lacked the evidence, they wouldn't negotiate for months, if at all. 45 would laugh them off and bet they couldn't get a judge or grand jury to accuse or indict him. Mueller would disband. Republicans would stop resigning en masse.

The leak of the questions, which were reported by the New York Times, could disrupt the negotiations over a Trump interview, which have been going on since last year.

[tclambert]

17. Trump has such a good brain, surely he's not afraid to speak to a grand jury.

He's like a smart person. He doesn't need no stinking lawyers to advise him.

[SunSeeker]

19. Trump himself would have NEVER gotten a security clearance if he was not president. nt

[LiberalLovinLug]

20. Does anyone really think they don't help pour over any documents they want to?

Security clearance or not.
Who's going to tell them not to? Who's going to report on them?