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H2O Man

(73,309 posts)
Mon May 28, 2018, 05:51 PM May 2018

Memorial Day

“It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have.”
James Baldwin; No Name in the Street; 1972.


It's been a curious couple of weeks, in terms of the Mueller investigation and related issues. At the core of the overlapping issues is if people in the Trump campaign – either as individuals or in groups – conspired to coordinate efforts by Russia to elect Trump in 2016. US foreign intelligence had learned of possible interference in the election by the combination of the Russian intelligence and mafia ( the Russian “shallow state”), and considered the fact that Trump had openly sought “business” dealings with them in years prior. Hence, the FBI was appropriately tasked with investigating Trump's campaign.

A year ago, in an attempt admittedly seeking to end this investigation, Trump fired FBI director James Comey, in an act that resulted in Mr. Mueller's appointment to investigate any conspiracy before the election, as well as attempts at a cover-up during the transition and Trump's presidency. The growing pressure from Team Mueller's investigation, along with its sibling (the Southern District of NY's investigation of Michael Cohen), has resulted in some desperate behaviors on Trump & Fiends part. It is in this context that we should consider some recent events.

The most glaring example involved Trump's attempt to revive the corpse of his earlier lie that President Obama “wire-tapped” Donald's phones. The new version was the empty bluster about the FBI planting at least one spy in his campaign, which – like the lie about wire-taps – Trump deemed “bigger than Watergate.” In truth, of course, the FBI had made use of an old CIA confidential informant, who talked with three individuals connected to both the campaign and, to different degrees, Russia's attempt to assist Trump.

Yet the dangerous potential of ignorance and power (along with purposeful unethical behaviors) did do damage to our system of government, and the rule of law. This was accomplished when two White House employees, including a lawyer representing Trump on the Russian investigation, attended at least part of the two meetings between the DOJ/FBI and members of the legislative branch.

While it seems likely that Emmet Flood attended primarily to put on the record that the White House was not seeking specific information on “methods and sources,” this contradicts Trump's demands for both. Attorney Flood is aware that the president's aggressive plan, which non-lawyers including Sean Hannity and Steve Bannon masterminded, crossed the line of obstruction of justice. Flood's attemp to mitigate the damage actually created more.

There is rational concern about Rod Rosenstein's allowing the two meetings to take place. Many intelligent people believe that he should have drawn a line in the sand, and either resigned, or forced Trump to fire him. I appreciate these beliefs, and would have supported him if he had done so. However, I also understand and support the choice Mr. Rosenstein made. I'm confident that he knows the investigation is at a stage where it needs to stay on course and focused, and that Congress will come to see Trump's move as a gross abuse of power, requiring specific remedy.

I know that Nancy Pelosi recently stated that impeachment is not on the Democrats' agenda. I understand why many Democrats find this troubling. I also know that republicans will attempt to use impeachment divisively in this year's elections, no matter what she actually says. Yet, I believe that it was proper for her to say what she said. Many of our candidates will campaign on the rule of law, without specifically advocating for impeachment …..at least until Mr. Mueller's report reaches them. Others will have more flexibility in what position they take, which is a good thing.

Finally, we've seen Rudy Giuliani doing what one comedian refers to as his imitation of Colonel Klink from the old show, “Hogan's Heroes.” In a recent OP on this forum, “kentuck” correctly noted that some polls show the combination of Trump and Rudy's nonsense about “spygate” has caused some republicans to doubt the value of Mr. Mueller's investigation. This is, I believe, to be expected. For as the investigation gets closer and closer to Trump and his spawn, we should anticipate that his team will react more and more harshly. Indeed, they will seek to do more damage to our nation, in hopes of avoiding legal consequences.

And they will surely cause more damage. While that is cause for some concern, keep in mind it is because they are in a world of trouble, and out of desperation, will try to do anything to prevent the certain outcome. But they will fail. Believe it. And act upon it. Now is the time for citizens to do their part in the democratic process.

Peace,
H2O Man

29 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Memorial Day (Original Post) H2O Man May 2018 OP
Whew...This Is Quite A Read Me. May 2018 #1
K Me. May 2018 #4
Thank you! H2O Man May 2018 #5
Good Point Me. May 2018 #11
They really believed that. H2O Man May 2018 #13
Kicked and recommended. Uncle Joe May 2018 #2
Thanks, Uncle Joe! H2O Man May 2018 #6
Thank you H2O Man for another excellent post. oasis May 2018 #3
Thanks! H2O Man May 2018 #7
But they will fail. Believe it malaise May 2018 #8
Thanks! H2O Man May 2018 #9
That's a Hurricane of a malaise May 2018 #10
True, that! H2O Man May 2018 #12
LOL malaise May 2018 #14
Depending on the election results in November.... kentuck May 2018 #15
I agree. H2O Man May 2018 #16
I think this may be the most likely scenario... kentuck May 2018 #17
Is Mitch McConnell one of the chickens? coeur_de_lion May 2018 #18
Good question. H2O Man May 2018 #19
One of the most H2O Man May 2018 #20
This needs its own thread malaise May 2018 #21
Right. H2O Man May 2018 #23
Yes indeed malaise May 2018 #25
It does appear that the Senate's refusal to go along with the dismissal of Sessions... kentuck May 2018 #22
Yep! H2O Man May 2018 #24
America is about the "rule of law". kentuck May 2018 #26
He finally stuck his neck out coeur_de_lion May 2018 #27
Per the Flynn sentencing delay ..... H2O Man May 2018 #28
Huge thumbs up. MBS May 2018 #29

Me.

(35,454 posts)
1. Whew...This Is Quite A Read
Mon May 28, 2018, 09:02 PM
May 2018

Due respect to Mr. Baldwin, I find it hard to believe there ignorance going on here, I think Comrade Trump and his gang know all too well what is going on and it is their fear combined with a willing use of the power they have attained that is causing the destruction of our government. And it's not just with this probe and all the investigations. They are like vermin gnawing at the very fabric of each of our departments.

As for Flood, his compliance with that fiasco last week has me hoping he has soiled his big lawyer, white shoes.

And then there's Rudi, BMOC, center of attention, Mr. Know it all. From the moment he rose from his coffin I knew immediately who he reminded me of with his lisping, spraying of words.

H2O Man

(73,309 posts)
5. Thank you!
Tue May 29, 2018, 09:52 AM
May 2018

I plan to show this OP to my doctor on Wednesday. The fact that I'm again writing painfully long essays seems to indicate that, head injuries be damned, I'm back to my abnormal self.

I would venture that, in terms of Trump et al believing that if he was elected, they could commit any crime while in office, that they could get away with it, is proof of ignorance. (Gotta remember to show him that run-on sentence, too!)

Me.

(35,454 posts)
11. Good Point
Tue May 29, 2018, 10:28 AM
May 2018

"I would venture that, in terms of Trump et al believing that if he was elected, they could commit any crime while in office, that they could get away with it, is proof of ignorance"

H2O Man

(73,309 posts)
13. They really believed that.
Tue May 29, 2018, 10:48 AM
May 2018

Trump, especially, was totally unaware of the rules of what he mistook for a game. He mistook ex-president Nixon's infamous statement that, "if the president does it, it's not illegal," for reality. And now, like Nixon, he is finding that he needs to obstruct justice in his attempts to cover up his crimes.

oasis

(49,151 posts)
3. Thank you H2O Man for another excellent post.
Mon May 28, 2018, 10:15 PM
May 2018


Btw, James Baldwin is one of my all time favorite Americans.

H2O Man

(73,309 posts)
7. Thanks!
Tue May 29, 2018, 09:56 AM
May 2018

Since my teen years, when I was introduced to Baldwin's writings through Malcolm's, Baldwin has served as a major influence on my thinking. I still enjoy watching films of some of his old speeches and debates on YouTube, as well as re-reading his books. What a brilliant mind, and powerful a person!

H2O Man

(73,309 posts)
9. Thanks!
Tue May 29, 2018, 10:06 AM
May 2018

For a variety of reasons, I tend to view most conflicts in the context of a boxing match. Hence, I expect that Trump will try some desperate offense in the upcoming weeks. And, at this point, I think that Mr. Mueller is not only fully prepared for that, but that he actually hopes for it.

It's going to be a long, hot summer in DC .....legally speaking, of course.

H2O Man

(73,309 posts)
12. True, that!
Tue May 29, 2018, 10:43 AM
May 2018

When I watched coverage of this morning's tweet-storm, I heard his voice saying, "Now dig some body shots in! Knock the wind out of him!"

kentuck

(110,950 posts)
15. Depending on the election results in November....
Tue May 29, 2018, 10:53 AM
May 2018

Republicans may be begging Democrats to call for impeachment.

Especially if they feel it is going to be even worse in 2020.

H2O Man

(73,309 posts)
16. I agree.
Tue May 29, 2018, 11:20 AM
May 2018

I like mythology, usually. But sometimes, myths are a stumbling block to understanding, rather than a guide. For example, even here on this forum, we see intelligent people saying that there is no hope for impeachment, because republicans aren't as honorable as they were in the Nixon era. Those of us who were both alive and aware back then know that is not true.

I'd suggest that folks go to YouTube, and watch the Congressional committee discussions on the proposed votes on articles of impeachment. The republicans had the same sense of ethics and honor as a flock of chickens in any barnyard. There is an established "pecking order," until that moment they see blood. Then the merciless attacks begin.

Another myth is that it was when three republicans -- led by Senator Goldwater -- called upon Nixon, that he decided to resign. That's not quite true. It was the public outrage with Nixon's criminal behaviors, documented by the infamous "smoking gun" tape, that caused these republicans to tell Nixon that they could not help him to survive. That public outrage included grass roots level republicans. The public outrage tied Nixon's friends in DC's hands.

Even now, we see that jackass Rudy G openly admitting that the Trump team is struggling to change public opinion, in preparation for potential impeachment. As you noted last week, several polls show those efforts are reaching some republicans. But when the Mueller reports become public, that will change. And after the elections this fall, more and more of the republican chickens will react to the blood.

Being an old farm boy, to paraphrase Malcolm, I understand the behavior of chickens.

kentuck

(110,950 posts)
17. I think this may be the most likely scenario...
Tue May 29, 2018, 12:29 PM
May 2018

...in the end, only their own survival will be more important than whether Donald Trump stays or goes.

coeur_de_lion

(3,662 posts)
18. Is Mitch McConnell one of the chickens?
Tue May 29, 2018, 03:11 PM
May 2018

I know you and I had an offline discussion about this, but I was wondering if you could tell the good folks on DU what you told me. I found your comments very interesting.

Also, off topic -- you may or may not know why, but Robert Mueller requested that sentencing for Michael Flynn be delayed by at least two months. They are going to update on Flynn’s status by June 29, according to the court filing.

Why do you think Bob Mueller did this?

Great essay as usual. I am starting to feel hopeful, even gleeful.

H2O Man

(73,309 posts)
19. Good question.
Tue May 29, 2018, 09:59 PM
May 2018

I'll start by mentioning something I told you, offline, about dive or sic weeks ago. You'll remember I said that, although it wasn't "public knowledge," Jeff Sessions had met with Team Mueller -- and there is good reason to believe Mr. Mueller ran the interview -- and that Jeff had turned on Trump. Now, you may recall that you asked me (I believe three times) if I was sure of this? And I said to trust me, and that this would come out soon enough.

We are, of course, now getting reporting out of the NY Times that opens the door on this. It's not only that Sessions has met with the investigators, or even that Mr. Mueller specifically requested that Jeff not tell anyone what was discussed .....but Team Mueller has asked several others about Trump's treatment of our least favorite elf. (Just in case you are preparing to ask for an example, let me offer Hope Hicks name, and to say this played a role in her decision to leave the administration.)

I believe that I said that in DC circles, there is quite a bit more known about these types of issues than is being reported. I say that, with all due respect to the many outstanding investigative reporters uncovering the Trump family's crimes. They have to nail things down, before reporting them. But, remember, there are others that also have parts of the inside scoop. For example, does anyone doubt that Malcolm Nance doesn't know more -- indeed, a lot more -- than he has revealed?

Now to Mitch, that cocaine cowboy. Like Sessions, he has come to despise Trump as a person. Add to that the fact he knows the Trump alt-right is destroying the republican party that McConnell has inhabited for decades. Consider his very selective comments on the recent meetings per "spy-gate." Keep in mind that he knows a lot of the things that haven't been discussed in the media. He knows that Trump, his family, and the band of merry fools surrounding them are criminals. And that Team Mueller is documenting this.

Mitch, of course, favored Trump's tax-cut that benefitted the opulently wealthy. And he would be pleased if, by some chance, Trump was able to get North Korea to surrender their WMD. That could, of course, help republicans in November. But he also knows that Trump does not want to reduce US military per South Korea, and hasn't a clue about the impact upon US-Japanese relations. More importantly, perhaps, Mitch knows that China is in control of events here, far more than the US. (Did I mention that Mitch knows all about the Trump family profiting from private deals with China?)

That said, at this point, no matter what the outcome of the elections, Mitch has determined that he will not go out of his way to help Trump, when Mr. Mueller's reports come out. And he has told close associates that it is possible that, after initially pretending to be opposed to impeachment, he may have to "change his mind" based upon the Mueller investigation.

H2O Man

(73,309 posts)
20. One of the most
Wed May 30, 2018, 08:34 AM
May 2018

interesting aspects of last night's reporting is that the republicans in the Senate have told Trump that if he fires Sessions, they would refuse to okay another nominee. That was news to me. Obviously, this was Mitch drawing a line in the sand. It shows that, in the Senate, if not the House, the republicans are in favor of allowing the Mueller investigation reach its conclusion.

Keep in mind that Mitch and Sessions are long-time friends. Though it hasn't been reported yet, there is a very real possibility that the pair provided the perspiration for Steve Martin's "two wild and crazy guys" skits.

H2O Man

(73,309 posts)
23. Right.
Wed May 30, 2018, 09:28 AM
May 2018

I was wondering this morning if I should use this information in another OP. I've got to head to a doctor's appointment in a few minutes, but should have time this afternoon-evening to write one.

This morning's tweets suggest the old boy is feeling some pressure!

kentuck

(110,950 posts)
22. It does appear that the Senate's refusal to go along with the dismissal of Sessions...
Wed May 30, 2018, 09:12 AM
May 2018

...has perhaps been the most restraining action against Donald Trump in the first 16 months of this disaster of a presidency.

Sessions, McConnell, and most of the Republicans have been in an abusive relationship with the leader of their Party, Donald Trump. They love their Party so much that they cannot leave.

I sense that the pendulum may be about to swing the other direction, which it always seems to do.

H2O Man

(73,309 posts)
24. Yep!
Wed May 30, 2018, 09:34 AM
May 2018

It shows that pendulum is going to swing in the other direction. Trump has no grasp of either the cycles or stages in American politics. He has over-played his hand.

This is why the House elections are so important. We should be using "rule of law" issues to both energize the Democratic base and elect more Democrats, as well as to divide "moderate" republicans and the alt-right branch.

coeur_de_lion

(3,662 posts)
27. He finally stuck his neck out
Wed May 30, 2018, 11:31 AM
May 2018

of his turtle costume.~

I'm pleased with this turn of events. All along I've been thinking that McConnell was on the dark side but there is some tiny part of him that has a minuscule speck of integrity.

So I'm reading that they told trump they would not confirm a replacement if Sessions was fired. That's their line in the sand. At least they do have one.

What about part 2 of my question? About Mueller asking to delay Flynn sentencing until June 29?

Sorry last night I had a clever response all typed up and hit the wrong key on my laptop and wiped the whole thing out. Now I can't even remember what it said.

I hate it when that happens.

H2O Man

(73,309 posts)
28. Per the Flynn sentencing delay .....
Wed May 30, 2018, 04:11 PM
May 2018

I'm not sure about why, and at this point, hesitate to speculate. The Mueller Team runs a leak-proof operation. The information about Sessions isn't from the investigators, for example, but comes from people who have been interviewed. While they asked Sessions to not speak to anyone about it, he did tell a couple people -- including his attorney, of course. Also, several others from inside the White House were questioned, in part, about Trump's anger towards Sessions.

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