On CNN, legal ethics guy Richard Painter says what Uday (or Qusay) did

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

by attending the meeting with the Russian lawyer could actually be treason if he went there for the purpose of getting information about the Clinton campaign that was obtained illegally by the Russians. He says there are other explanations but that could be one of them.

[blueinredohio]

1. First you have to find someone to do something about it

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. True, unfortunately. Let's hope Mueller's investigation leads somewhere

and isn't stonewalled.

[cstanleytech]

17. Thats also assuming any of the witnesses are still alive as Putin does tend to

take care of people he considers as potential problems in permanent ways.

[BigmanPigman]

2. He's slamming him (and he worked for Bush).

When will the currently employed Repubs, and not just the same former employees, speak out and tell the truth too...it IS TREASON!

Doesn't that guy look very stiff whenever he speaks...only his mouth moves. Just an observation.

[elleng]

5. Yes, very stiff,

and he says interesting/useful/positive (from our point of view) things.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. He's been very adamant about the general awfulness

and criminality of the Trump administration. He does have an odd way of speaking - he's a professor at the U. of Minn. law school and I think I'd find him kind of hard to listen to, though I suppose I'd get used to him. He might be pretty interesting. He teaches courses in professional responsibility and securities regulation. https://www.law.umn.edu/profiles/richard-w-painter

[Hassin Bin Sober]

7. He had/has Bell's Palsy

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. OK, that explains it. I wondered whether there was some kind of

condition that affected his speech.

[QED]

10. He reminds me of Clutch Cargo.

His analyses are right on.

In case you're too young to know who Clutch Cargo is/was:

[BigmanPigman]

11. I never saw this...spot on comparison.

[calimary]

15. OMG - that's what my husband calls him!

Richard Painter reminds me of Clutch Cargo, too!

He spoke the "T-word" today. For sure. It's the first time I've heard anybody of any credibility or heft or legitimacy dare to say "TREASON".

[3catwoman3]

13. If you watch carefully, only one...

...side of his mouth moves. I think it is the left side that moves. See the Bell's palsy comment a few posts above.

[Moostache]

4. I volunteer to pull the hangman's lever...no charge.

Treason must be punished and I am willing to do my part for God and Country.

[Leghorn21]

9. Richard Painter has been raising hell about these mobsters for i don't know how long now -

- he's on MSNBC now then and just hammers home his points with a ferocity that is spellbinding.

He's after this cabal with a vengeance.

Be well (and...safe), Mr. Painter!

[pangaia]

21. Who has the authority to arrest jr? I really have no idea.

Or issue a warrant for his arrest?

[Leghorn21]

23. Oh damn, pangaia - great question, which anyone else, no doubt, can answer (just not me!)

HELLO!!?

ANYBODY!!!: Who comes knockin on this punk's door right around 4am??

Thank you in advance for your reply!
(seriously)

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

24. FBI, probably.

[Leghorn21]

26. Many thanks, Ocelot! n/t

[pangaia]

28. Thanks..shall i call the FBI and report a case of possible espionage.?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

30. I think they're onto it...

[pangaia]

31. Really? I'm a little slow.

Without du and folks like you I'd be clueless.
Some days I have hope.
Other days I feel it is all over..mostly the latter.

Thanks.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

32. Well, there's this super huge investigation going on,

headed up by Bob Mueller and some of the best criminal lawyers in the country. I kind of have a hunch the FBI was aware of this long before it turned up on the news.

[pangaia]

33. That i know about.

In fact most that is going on,, thanks to here..
Even my AG,,Schniederman...the hammer...😎

[Leghorn21]

27. Please note Ocelot's reply, p: FBI most likely - eom

[csziggy]

29. He's also part of one of the suits against Trump for violating the emoluments clause

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Painter#Lawsuit_against_Donald_Trump

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CREW_v._Trump

[Mr.Bill]

12. They need to remove Trump from office

before they go after the kids. Otherwise he will just pardon them.

I dare say if they are found to have committed treason, Pence will not pardon them.

[Thomas Hurt]

14. Mook Junior is going to have to lawyer up too...

[MiddleClass]

16. I wonder if any legal exposure for going to the meeting about stolen goods

Or even endorsing/expressing interest in the products of a illegal seizure.

Maybe those much smarter than I legal experts on here can offer some guidance?

[certainot]

18. what's ridiculous about this whole thing

is that if the 1000 radio stations that are now making excuses for him were screaming for his removal he's be gone in days. but it should be expected they would be making excuses for him since they got him there in the first place, with a little help from the russians.

[DefenseLawyer]

19. Treason requires making war on the United States

Or providing aid and comfort to an enemy in war. It's hard to call any of this treason in a legal sense, since we aren't at war with Russia. No Cold War spys that I'm aware of were ever convicted of treason.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

20. Painter is a law professor so I don't think he's just pulling that opinion

out of his butt. The Constitutional crime of treason, codified at 18 USC § 2381, is as follows:

"Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States."

This is usually interpreted as requiring a declared war but it doesn't say that specifically. You could also parse the statute as "levies war against them OR adheres to their enemies," and since this is an "or" statement, not an "and" statement, the existence of a war wouldn't be required, just adhering to enemies.

Espionage would probably be an easier bust, though.

[Glimmer of Hope]

22. He is very respected and his commentary always seems well-reasoned.

So treason it is.

[Fozzledick]

25. I'm having trouble keeping the Trumpettes' nicknames straight.

Is Uday Bevis or Butt-head?