Conway won't rule out Trump trying to block Comey's testimony (executive privilege)

[workinclasszero]

Conway won't rule out Trump trying to block Comey's testimony
By Louis Nelson 06/02/2017 09:11 AM EDT

White House adviser Kellyanne Conway predicted that former FBI Director James Comey’s testimony before the Senate next week will be a "clarifying moment" as President Donald Trump tries to push through the controversy related to the FBI's investigation into possible collusion between Trump's campaign and Russian officials.

Conway, appearing on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” also left open the possibility that Trump might block Comey from testifying by invoking executive privilege.

Asked directly if Trump intended to use executive privilege to block Comey from testifying, Conway said only that “the president will make that decision.”

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/06/02/kellyanne-conway-trump-james-comey-testimony-239061

[complain jane]

1. Jesus.

He may as well admit guilt if he goes that route.

[Dave Starsky]

21. And even if he admitted guilt, so what?

I truly believe him when he says he could murder someone in broad daylight and no one would do a thing to him. He's absolutely right about that. What could happen to him? Nothing.

At first, I thought our only chance would be to tire him out, make it so tedious for him to have to deal with all the bullshit of being President that he would just go back to his previous life as a con artist and leave the rest of us alone. Even Godzilla got tired (and I think of Trump as a modern-day, global-scale Godzilla). But he seems to be emboldened every day.

We will be finished with Trump when he's finished with us.

[Thomas Hurt]

2. not sure if this is how it works but once Putin's lap dog has shared executive communications

with the press can he still claim privilege?

[GBizzle]

3. That move would be like firing Mueller, and lead to instant impeachment and removal from office.

There was initial speculation once Mueller was appointed that Trump might just fire him - but we haven't heard talk of that since. My educated guess is that feelers were put out on Capitol Hill and that was the response. I doubt Congress would allow this either.

[onenote]

10. "Instant"? Doubtful.

[GBizzle]

13. I think we'd see impeachment within a matter of weeks, rather than months or years.

"Instant" relative to how things move on Capitol Hill, which is usually the pace of molasses going uphill.

[onenote]

14. Because Trump claims executive privilege?

There would be court proceedings over the legitimacy of the claim of executive privilege. In the Clinton case, he claimed executive privilege (with respect to Vernon Jordan testifying) on March 20. It wasn't until early May that the lower court ruled on that claim. It then went to the Supreme Court (which ultimately didn't have to decide because Clinton dropped the claim of executive privilege on June 1).

If the claim of executive privilege is ruled valid, there will be no impeachment based on it. And if it is ruled to be invalid, then Comey would testify and whether or not impeachment proceeds from what he has to say depends on what he says and how it fits into the larger Russia investigation.

[GBizzle]

15. At this point all of his actions are falling into the "obstruction of justice" bucket.

The more stupid, short-sighted stuff he does like this, the more it fits a pattern, and tells a story that not even Republicans in Congress are going to ignore for very much longer.

Obstruction of justice is hard to prove, since there has to be corrupt intent. Trying to shut down an investigation at every turn, including trying to block Comey from testifying, points more and more arrows at the idea that Trump has corrupt intent.

Besides, expert lawyers such as Laurence Tribe are already saying his tweeting habit has already invalidated any claim of executive privilege.

I highly doubt he's going to claim executive privilege, although I'm sure he's talking to lawyers about the possibility.

[onenote]

16. If he claims exec. privilege and is upheld in court, no repub is going to support impeachment

based on his having made that claim. And if Tribe is right and the courts hold that he waived his right to executive privilege, then Comey will testify and the fact that Trump's claim was rejected also won't be the basis for repubs to clamor for impeachment.

[GBizzle]

18. It will be yet another piece of evidence for an obstruction of justice charge.

And I stand by my belief that Trump isn't going to try this, likely because his lawyers are telling him it's a bad idea.

[onenote]

20. It's a bad idea politically, yes. But ultimately, it won't impact whether he faces impeachment

as much as the actual information Comey provides if he is allowed to testify, along with Mueller's investigation etc.

[GBizzle]

22. Not as much, perhaps, but I maintain it will still have an impact if he tries it.

And I'm sure that's the case his lawyers are making to him.

[onenote]

25. Given who his lawyers are, I bet they're telling him to use every trick in the book

to slow the investigation, keep information out of the hands of Democrats and the public.

His political people, if they have any sense at all (and there's little evidence they do) are the ones more likely to be telling him not to assert executive privilege.

In the end, based on what we've seen, he's not going to care what advice he is given. He's going to do whatever his larger and growing gut tells him to do.

[okieinpain]

23. lol. n/t.

[HipChick]

4. Please proceed....

what an arse

[meadowlark5]

5. I wish when these hearings plan to interview someone - they would just do it

Why schedule it out weeks or even a week away? That just gives the trump russian mafia time to strategize and come up with ways to block or distort everything.

They'll figure something out with that crooked lawyer Trump pays and block Comey from telling what he knows. If it were Russia, Comey would just mysteriously wind up dead, but the trump thugs have to work a little harder here.

[gratuitous]

7. You have to get a lot of people in one room at a specific time

My experience scheduling doctor depositions in litigation with a half dozen attorneys, trying to get all those folks into one meeting room at one time, is that everybody's schedule is busy. Comey, his attorney, the committee members, the committee's attorneys and securing a conference room all have to come together. In addition, Comey's attorney is going to want to prep his client for his testimony (such an anodyne thing as "Don't speculate; stick to talking about what you know, not what you surmise or think 'must have' happened" as well as "Here are the areas of inquiry the committee is interested in, let's go over the documents we sent over so that you don't say one thing in you testimony that is a 180 from what you wrote at the time&quot . The committee's attorneys are going to want time to figure out what they want to ask and precisely how to ask it so they get useful testimony.

Yeah, we all want it to happen yesterday because the Trump administration is busily knocking holes in our government, but these things take time, especially if you want to do it right. And I want it done 100% right, by the book, and airtight.

[meadowlark5]

12. I know and with a less corrupt administration, time might not be such a big deal

But these guys are like rats in a drain. They need to work fast to stop and block anything that will take them down. They are in survival mode for their freedom and especially that of the blotus. They are going to pursue every avenue available to them to stop Comey from telling the truth about that meeting.

I know it takes time but time is really something the people who want Trump convicted or impeached don't have. We've got the dirtiest, corrupt people working against us.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

6. No, no, no, no, this is OUR country, not his..

We need to take it back, one way or another.

Hiding the truth is a non-starter.

[LOL Lib]

8. Donnie is pissing in the wind.

The cat is already out of the bag thanks to the termination letter and twitter.

Most troubling is that the hatchet faced reptilian succubus Skeletor Barbie is still in the public eye. She is cruel and unusual punishment on the public.

[workinclasszero]

9. Is any republican going to step up and say...you cannot cross this line

Mr President???

Until that happens, Trump gets away with everything as far as I know.

[Thrill]

11. That would scream guilty

[Hawaii Hiker]

17. Professor Tribe doesn't think he can block it

Link to tweet

[workinclasszero]

19. I hope thats right

[kairos12]

24. Try it. He will lose. He gave up claims of EP when he gave the interview to Lester Holt.

[Warpy]

26. He can pitch all the "executive privilege" fits he wants to

He can't claim it in the case of possible criminal activity. Every president since Nixon has found that out.

[C_U_L8R]

27. Good luck with that, Trumps.

Truth has a knack for getting free.
You can't stop it.

[malaise]

28. Senate Panel says he can't block Comey

saw that on CNN