Any chance that congressmen are being threatened?...

[Locut0s]

Ok I don't normally partake in conspiracy theories. And let me be clear this IS a conspiracy theory. One I don't really believe in. But. It occurred to me that in this insane time that it's hard to put anything off the table. Do you think there is any possibility that members of congress have received threats to keep them in line? Threats say to family and friends? Maybe from "anonymous" sources so that it didn't look like it would be traced back to trump, the Russians etc. After all Trump demands loyalty or else. If they colluded with the Russians then who knows. I have no evidence of course. The only reason I say this is that McCain, previously one of the only republicans willing to speak out against Trump suddenly apparently seemed oddly flustered tongue tied and rattled at Comey's hearing. My guess is that this is NOT the case. That maybe he's starting to lose his memory etc. But still the thought occurred to me.

The reason I don't think it's likely is that I don't think you could keep such intimidation secret .

[Bucky]

1. McCain's behavior is mysterious, but I suspect it's just a senior moment

While the Russians have clearly tried to worm their way into the Republican party, I doubt they would have any dirt on more than just a few members of Congress.

Of course anything is possible these days. But if I were to guess, my guess would be that McCain is worried about his political right flank. So he was trying to appease the Tea Partiers in Arizona by going hard on Comey against how he handled the Clinton investigation. He drew a blank because there is no there there. But we also know McCain has a history of monumentally bad judgment at times.

The Russians have played this smart from the beginning. They're good at bumping off the trail of Russian agents and bankers who connect the Trump campaign back to the Russian mobster banks in Malta. But it would be incredibly stupid of them to try to intimidate actual American Republican members of Congress, at least on a large scale like you're suggesting. That is a guaranteed backfire

When contemplating conspiracy theories, always always always apply Occam's razor.

[Eyeball_Kid]

2. Laundered Russian money is flowing all over the GOP.

They got saturated with Russian cash during the 2016 elections. Now there's a RICO investigation of Russian money laundering connected to many of the leadership at the top of the GOP. The RICO investigation reportedly included Trumpy as a "target."

What will likely be revealed is that Trumpy's been laundering money for Russian oligarchs for a few decades. He even lost a civil court case that named him as a participant in money laundering.

[Locut0s]

4. Like nothing else in American history...

This really is the closest you guys have come to a truly losing your democracy. I wouldn't quite say you have an autocratic government quite yet, but honestly it's just a hair from a dictatorship. Mind you that hair is a very important step which I don't think, hope, will happen. I will say though that it's very much a kleptocracy.

[WinkyDink]

12. 100% agree. Decades in the plotting.

[pbmus]

3. House of Cards is a documentary on politics....threatened is the least

Of there worries....

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

5. I seriously doubt that.

The GOP is very good at enforcing party discipline, but I'm pretty sure they don't do it that way. Plus, as you said, I doubt such threats could be kept hidden for any length of time.

Just my take.

[global1]

6. I Think The Threat Is From Trump....

himself. I think he told the Repugs that if he goes down - he'll take the Repug Party with him. He's either privy to all their dirty tricks or if he isn't - he'll make things up and lie to bring them down. This is why they always circle the wagons to protect Trump.

As for McCain - he's just getting senile. He's up there in age and IMHO he's serving out his last term as a Senator. He won re-election in 2016 - so he has 5 more years to go. I don't see him running again - too old.

I still think he's the best person the Repugs have to take out Trump. He has nothing to lose. If he does - that will cement his legacy. He's got the ego to eat that kind of thing up.

[LeftInTX]

7. I see it that way too

[duncang]

8. The Nunes midnight run made me think the same thing about him.

From reports he was visibly upset when he first received the call to go to the WH. I wonder if they told him he was "unmasked"?

[Lady_Chat]

9. I did read about a Dem dropping out of a race because of threats in Iowa.

She is not a member of the committee that held the Comey hearing on Thursday. her name is Kim Weaver, and she was a candidate that was running against Steve King (R Iowa). She claimed she had death threats made against her and her family, among other things and dropped out. Whether that's really true or not, I don't know. But I do know King is a piece of work, brags about his connection to the Alt- Right, and the possibility of a race war.

"Steve King’s Democratic opponent drops out, says she received death threats" http://www.salon.com/2017/06/05/steve-kings-democratic-opponent-drops-out-says-she-received-death-threats/

[nadine_mn]

10. As we learned today - if they were being threatened they would all do

Something about it unlike that wuss Comey who is big and strong
If something was wrong they would immediately tell their boss...grr

I think it's all money related...I think their funding comes from Russia for all those reelection campaigns and are afraid that now someone will start untangling that thread.

[WinkyDink]

11. Yes, in that their taking Russian money for promises might be revealed.