Trump threatens to disclose 'devastating' secret info (which may not exist)

[babylonsister]

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-threatens-disclose-devastating-secret-info-which-may-not-exist?cid=sm_fb_maddow&fbclid=IwAR0dnhBXsLMZrONmWuqzkJUqhnvaPWbXUrtzKh5XMqOM_olTBKbJ7Eldzgg


Trump threatens to disclose ‘devastating’ secret info (which may not exist)
11/29/18 08:00 AM—Updated 11/29/18 08:08 AM
By Steve Benen


The day after the midterm elections, Donald Trump held a press conference in which he expressed some anxiety about congressional investigations from House Democrats. The president threatened to expose “very questionable things” unnamed Dems have done, adding that he wouldn’t work with Congress on substantive issues if he disapproved of lawmakers’ oversight.

Yesterday, in an interview with the New York Post, Trump went a little further.

In a wide-ranging, exclusive interview with The Post, President Trump said Wednesday that if House Democrats launched probes into his administration – which he called “presidential harassment” – they’d pay a heavy price.

“If they go down the presidential harassment track, if they want go and harass the president and the administration, I think that would be the best thing that would happen to me. I’m a counter-puncher and I will hit them so hard they’d never been hit like that,” he said during a 36-minute Oval Office sitdown.

Specifically, the president reportedly raised the prospect with the New York Post of declassifying materials related to Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of the Russia scandal, which he predicted would expose some kind of conspiracy linking the FBI, the Justice Department, and Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign.

Democrats, Trump warned, “will see how devastating those pages are.”

He’s evidently not prepared to share this evidence now. Rather, the president wants the incoming Democratic House majority to believe he has leverage: if they investigate him, Trump will offer proof to substantiate his anti-Justice Department conspiracy theories.

If, right about now, you find yourself smirking and struggling to stifle a laugh, rest assured, you’re not alone.

On the surface, it’s hard not to notice that Trump seems awfully concerned about House Democratic scrutiny of his White House. Most modern presidents have had to deal with the opposition party controlling at least part of Congress, but no modern presidents have scrambled to publicly threaten lawmakers not to investigate executive-branch scandals.

I wonder why this is making him so nervous.

There’s also a degree of irony to the circumstances: in the same interview yesterday, Trump railed against “McCarthyism.” It created an unfortunate dynamic: the president simultaneously condemned the tactics of Joseph McCarthy and claimed to have “devastating” secret information that would embarrass his perceived political enemies – which, of course, was a standard McCarthy tactic.

But perhaps most important is the familiarity of the circumstances. Trump claimed to have secret information about Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) that would end his career, but that information didn’t exist. Trump claimed that by declassifying secret intelligence related to the Mueller probe, he could bolster Republican talking points. This tactic has already failed – twice.

It’s against this backdrop that Trump expects everyone to believe that he’s again sitting on secret information that would substantiate one of his favorite conspiracy theories, and he’ll release the “devastating” materials if Congress investigates his scandals. I have a hunch the incoming House Democratic majority isn’t overly concerned.

[Siwsan]

1. No doubt info received from that incredibly credible source, Jerome Corsi

[Squinch]

2. Gosh. Trump was lying when he said something terrible would come out about his opposition.

What a shock! Who could have seen that coming!

[tanyev]

3. But we're still waiting for all that unbelievable info about Obama's birth certificate!

[leftynyc]

4. LOL - another nunes memo

Go ahead, donnie. Knock yourself out.

[Denzil_DC]

5. Hmm. Given his oath of office, if these "offenses" are so grave,

doesn't he have a duty to expose them immediately without trying to make them some sort of bargaining chip in a desperate attempt to save his hide?

OK, add abrogation of duty to the charge sheet.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

6. Let it rain trumpy...

Let’s see what you got. Damn donnie don’t ever play poker.

[C_U_L8R]

7. Add more counts of Obstruction

Geez this guy is a regular menace to society.

[GoCubsGo]

8. Put up or shut up, you asshole.

[sinkingfeeling]

9. Where in the Constitution does it say the president decides

what Congressional oversight is and can threaten members of committees?

[LakeSuperiorView]

10. He's threatening to reveal what he bought from the Russians?

Товарищ, у меня есть этот очень хороший мост для продажи.

[allgood33]

11. BRING IT! I am sure there is more damaging information about Trump than about Democrats. Otherwise

we would have seen those docs by now.

[bigtree]

12. fire and fury?

"I’m a counter-puncher and I will hit them so hard they’d never been hit like that,”

[Autumn]

13. Okay president Lewd, if you want to expose "very questionable things" Dems have done I

will applaud your sorry ass. Going through the express line with 21 items doesn't count.

[BSdetect]

14. When he's convicted I want to see his face as the life sentences are announced.

[Still In Wisconsin]

15. Call his fucking bluff.

Trump has been using the same schtick for years and years. He always claims to have some "secret damning information" that when released will destroy his opponent, should they refuse his demands.

Let's be real here: if he had damaging information on the Democrats he would have used it just before the midterms, if not long before. Are we supposed to believe he's been holding back out of the goodness of his heart?

He's got bupkes. Call his fucking bluff, and watch him stroke out on live TV.

[Aristus]

16. "I can't show you the information.

It lives in Canada.

But it's real! I swear! The information is real!"

[watoos]

17. Ignore this, it's just right wing talking points.

[world wide wally]

18. Does the word "blowhard" ring a bell?

[louis c]

19. Isn't this blackmail in plain sight? (NT)

[mastermind]

20. as all bullies, he will crumble at the first hit

Dems need to attack him and the fascists at every turn, do not try to "get along", do not "work together" attack, attack, attack!

[sarge43]

21. Aren't there laws that make it a crime

to know about an execution of a crime, before or after, and not report it?

If what Moron is yabbering about aren't crimes, then BFD. Bring it smuck.

[JohnnyRingo]

36. I use that on friends who spout conspiracies.

As recently as Thanksgiving a relative started on about Obama not being an American. I asked why on Earth he would hold such damning evidence back from the Justice Dept? It would absolutely destroy Obama for life and he should report it to the FBI immediately.

I then conceded that the Republicans probably already have the evidence but are just a bunch of nice guys who didn't want to cause Obama any trouble. Then I had a good laugh.

[sarge43]

41. Excellent point. I'll keep it in mind.

My take: If Moron says the sun will rise in the east this morning, I'll check my watch and a compass. The creep breathes; he lies.

[pangaia]

22. " I'm a counter-puncher and I will hit them so hard they'd never been hit like that," he said....."

[matt819]

23. This one's easy for Dems.

Call his bluff.

Tell him to show his cards.

Or STFU.

Now move on to the business at hand - hearings, hearings, and more hearings.

Whew! That was easy. If they want some help running the party or the government, I'm available.

[orangecrush]

24. THIS!!!

[Wounded Bear]

25. "If you investigate me, I'll make shit up about you..."

Tired of the same old shit? I know I am.

[samnsara]

26. im still waiting for the dirt on obama he sent his peeps to hawaii to dredge up....

[Grins]

27. His "concern" for the Democratic Party is....touching.

Can't wait for him to be "touched" back.

[mucifer]

28. yes this spoiled baby is so good at keeping secrets

[Blue_playwright]

29. He speaks like a f*cking mob boss.

Am I the only one who hears it!? My hub grew up in NYC and said that everyone there knew he was in with the Mob.

[NoMoreRepugs]

30. With most of his information and facts coming from

Fox & Friends and Sean Insanity small wonder he conjures up these laughable threats.

[berni_mccoy]

31. Remember how Trump Threatened He Had Tapes of Conversations With Comey? Yeah.

Not worried about these empty threats.

[ehrnst]

32. Like the "big news" about Obama's birth certificate? (nt)

[onetexan]

38. LOL my thoughts exactly,

what does he know that we don't already know?

[JohnnyRingo]

33. He has to get it from Putin this weekend.

but no collusion.

This reminds me of "I have a team looking at the birth certificate in Hawaii, and you wouldn't believe what they're finding". There was no "team".

[tavernier]

34. Nancy is shaking in her high heeled boots.

From laughter.

[Duppers]

35. ....

[Downtown Hound]

37. Because, you know that if he had said info

He would have certainly waited until AFTER the midterms when he'd already lost to release it. It makes sense. Right?

[SWBTATTReg]

39. Again, he lies. nt

[Bradshaw3]

40. One of the psychological pillars of criminal sociopaths is thinking everyone is like them

Everybody cheats, lies, steals, etc just like I do. It's probably a necessary defense mechanism for narcissistic Mafia types like drumpf.

[Iggo]

42. Call. (n/t)

[edbermac]

43. He has video of Obama putting mustard on a burger!

DEVASTATING!!! 🍔