Graham: Comey's Statement Shows There's No Obstruction Of Justice Case

[DonViejo]

Source: Talking Points Memo




By CAITLIN MACNEAL Published JUNE 8, 2017 8:10 AM

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Wednesday evening said that the fact that Robert Mueller, the special counsel leading the Russia probe, cleared former FBI Director James Comey to speak publicly about his conversations with President Donald Trump shows that Mueller does not think he has an obstruction of justice case against Trump.

Graham told Fox News’ Martha MacCallum that Comey’s prepared statement released Wednesday “means in the minds [sic] of special counsel Mueller there is no obstruction of justice case to be made because if he felt like he had a case, he wouldn’t let Comey, his chief and only witness, go out in public and get beat up.”

“What prosecutor in their right mind would allow their star witness to go out before the Senate panel of 20 senators and get beat up if he really believed he had a case?” Graham continued. “So this is the best evidence yet that in the mind of the special counsel, there is no obstruction of justice case to be made against President Trump because he allowed Comey to testify in public and issue a statement. No prosecutor would ever do that if there was a good case here.”

In his prepared remarks for the Thursday morning hearing with the Senate Intelligence Committee, Comey revealed that Trump pressured him to end an investigation into Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser to Trump.

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/lindsey-graham-comey-no-obstruction-justice

[still_one]

1. That isn't for you to decide Mr. Graham.

[Zorro]

8. Lindsey was the most ferocious of the pit chihuahuas during Clinton's impeachment

But obviously IOKIYAR with him.

[still_one]

9. LOL

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. "Sentence first -- verdict afterwards."

Chapter XII Alice's Evidence

The illustration is not from that chapter.

[Solly Mack]

3. Fart noises

[Achilleaze]

4. This is about America, not about republican geezer wankers

thank you very much.

[LonePirate]

5. Sounds like Graham has chosen party over country like almost every other Republican in DC.

[Freethinker65]

6. Lindsey should know better

Wait until after the open and closed hearing before expressing your predetermined opinion. More idiots will pretend to care what you (and McCain) think.

[CentralMass]

7. However, is Trump guilty of other things ?

[bucolic_frolic]

10. Wonder

if Lindsey's got his venues confused.

Courts are not overly relevant for an impeachment case.

[beachbum bob]

11. even for Graham, thats alot of bullshit. Mueller can't stop Comey from appearing in fron of a senate

hearing our issuing a statement of fact pertaining to trump's action with him. Mueller is task with the bigger picture of trump/admin and Putin collusion for profit

[MedusaX]

12. Well, thank ya,sen. grahm-crackah...You just told us that Coats, Rodgers & Roddy are Mueller's STARS

Since they too are witnesses to various other actions by *45 intended to influence aka "obstruction of justice "...

And Mueller did not let them get beat up....
or tell us anything about their 'interactions' w/45

According to your logic...
Mueller's case /cases are solid without Comey ...
so he must just be giving the House & Senate enough of the available evidence necessary for them to STEP the FUCK UP
And do their sworn duty to serve as a check & balance when the POTUS Obstructs Justice repeatedly.......

Again....
Thanks for the KGOP-splaining!

[Scruffy1]

13. His handlers called. n/t

[Honeycombe8]

14. WRONG. Several lawyers on tv have said either it IS or COULD BE.

I think they know more than Graham, who has gotten a tingle in his leg ever since Trump called him before firing Comey and made Graham feel special.

Graham is no longer objective and credible. SAD.

[calimary]

16. Jeffrey Toobin said it was, flat out, full stop.

[Abouttime]

15. tRumps pResidency effectively ends today

Next week articles of impeachment will be introduced in the House, it will be an open and shut case and I'm sure even the staunchest repukes will want to wash their hands of this stolen Presidency.
The Democrats in both the house and Senate are filing suit against tRump next week also so he may just resign rather than go through the humiliation of a trial.

[rtracey]

19. hmmm

Well, one can dream. Good Luck getting an impeachment through a republican controlled Congress. Thanks to all who decided not to vote or voted out of party...

[Nitram]

17. It is hilarious how Repubs are trying to spin obvious obstrution of justice as

something entirely normal and harmless. I'm enjoying watching them make total fools of themselves in their rush to get in on the GOP partisan hackery.

[karynnj]

18. As a non lawyer, the answer is "a prosecutor with no fear that that witness could be browbeaten"

It is Mueller who has to make the case that there was obstruction of justice. What Comey is doing is putting out a careful, contemporaneously documented account of the meetings he had with Trump before he was fired.

What has already been made clear is:

Comey was NOT going to end the inquiry into Flynn or anything else.
Trump asked for "loyalty", which was not given -- and which is inconsistent with their roles. Comey also doubled down that "loyalty" was not just asked for, but was a condition for him staying.

This was then followed by Trump firing him -- and his administration blaming it on how he handled the Clinton case. However, the Trump administration has already undermined that "cover" by:

Trump himself claiming it was about the Russia ties investigation
Rosenstein admitting that the decision to fire Comey predated the writing of that memo - making it less likely that it was the reason behind that.

Comey's accounts lead directly to questions for Sessions, Trump and Rosenstein on why Comey, who had a 10 year term was fired WHILE WORKING ON THIS INVESTIGATION.

[Vinca]

20. Why is Graham suddenly such a Trump humper? Something has changed.

Do you suppose Don has dangled SCOTUS before his eyes??

[miyazaki]

21. We know who's getting beat up here, and it ain't Comey. n/t