ChrisWeigant.com

The Curious Incident During Comey's Testimony

[ Posted Thursday, June 8th, 2017 – 18:01 UTC ]

On a day chock full of breaking news from Washington, it's rather extraordinary that one of the biggest stories was about something which didn't happen. Not unlike Sherlock Holmes noting the significance of the dog which did not bark in the night, one of the most astonishing things about this morning's congressional testimony by fired F.B.I. director James Comey was that President Donald Trump did not angrily tweet about it while it was happening. Yes, this is precisely where we now find ourselves as a nation -- it's a big story that the president didn't fly off the handle publicly, in reaction to seeing something he didn't like, on television.

The temptation for Trump to do so must have been intense. Comey, in answer to one of the first questions asked of him this morning, straight-up called the president a liar. He repeated this more than once, in reference to both the announced White House story for why Trump fired Comey and also to Trump's smearing Comey's reputation within the F.B.I. in an interview with Lester Holt (which Comey called "lies, plain and simple"). To me, at least, that was one of the biggest takeaways from Comey's testimony. Comey suspected immediately that Trump was going to lie, which is what prompted him to take notes covering all of their meetings; and then Trump proved Comey's suspicions correct when he did lie, after the firing. It's an old Washington game called "Cover Your Ass," and Comey clearly played it in expert fashion.

Still, it was a pretty jaw-dropping moment -- directly calling this president a liar is an almost-everyday occurrence for a pixel-stained wretch like me (so to speak), but rather extraordinary for someone as high in government as James Comey. My immediate reaction to hearing this was -- as I would guess it also was for millions of other Americans -- to check Trump's Twitter feed, to see how he would react. That right there says something, but it seems someone had pried Trump's phone from his fingers for the duration of the testimony. Most likely, this is a direct result of Trump having hired a private lawyer to defend him, since any competent legal advisor's first advice to Trump would surely have been: "Stop talking about the issue, and definitely stop tweeting about it, Mister President." Of course, Trump still has yet to be left alone early in the morning (while cable news digests Comey's testimony), so we'll all just have to wait and see what (if anything) Trump tweets about Comey tomorrow.

One of the other things worth noting from the riveting Comey testimony was how few Republicans were even making much of an attempt to defend Trump. Usually, in such contentious hearings, the partisan divide is pretty obvious in what questions get asked. Today, however, while there were a few half-hearted attempts to revisit the whole Clinton emails story, only one senator really pushed back hard against Comey's version of events. The parsing of Trump's "I hope..." phrasing was really the only attempt to create an alternative storyline surrounding Trump asking Comey to "let Michael Flynn go" because he was such a "good guy." Other than that moment, Republican senators weren't all that interested in contributing to Trump's defense in any notable way. There was a minor revelation that Attorney General Loretta Lynch directed Comey to refer to the Clinton investigation as a "matter" instead of an "investigation," but that's pretty small potatoes in the grand scheme of Clinton investigations.

The biggest breaking news from Comey's testimony came in one of those prosecutorial moments truly worthy of a television legal drama. Comey's admission that he personally leaked his notes about the Trump meetings to a friend so that the friend would leak the story to the media was one of the biggest revelations of the morning (with a made-for-TV quote about why Comey didn't just directly leak to the press -- who were camped out in his driveway -- because it would have been "like feeding seagulls at the beach"). One senator zeroed in on this admission, and got Comey to admit that while he had turned over all his notes about the Trump meetings to the special counsel without keeping copies for himself, that his friend who served as the leak's conduit may still actually have copies of those documents in his possession. Since the documents are not classified, this meant that Comey could ask for them back and then turn them over to the committee, which he was forced to all but promise to do. To me, at least, this was the best line of questioning, because you could see it came as a complete surprise to Comey. He thought he had avoided the issue of not turning the documents over to the committee by not keeping personal copies (when turning them over to the special counsel), but the questions revealed that there was another possible route for that to happen. Perhaps not a "Perry Mason moment," but it easily won the prize for best prosecutorial questioning angle. What this means is that Comey's notes will almost certainly be leaked to the media in full after they are turned over to the committee, so we'll all eventually get to read exactly what Comey wrote, immediately after his Trump interactions.

There were three standout moments from Comey's testimony, if you measure such things by what people tweeted about. The first was the funniest line of the hearing, when Comey was being questioned by Senator Angus King about the one-on-one dinner Comey had with Trump. When Comey admitted that he broke his plans to have dinner with his wife, King quipped that that had to be "one of the all-time great excuses to break a date" ever heard. Twitter loved that one, that's for sure -- as did the audience in the hearing room.

Second on the most-tweeted list was Comey's folksy line: "Lordy, I hope there are tapes." This is germane to the whole Twitter theme, because it came in reaction to a question about Trump threatening Comey via tweet that there were tapes (or "tapes") of their meetings. Comey is completely confident that if such tapes do exist, they're going to verify his version of events, not Trump's. Comey reacted to this Twitter threat from the president by deciding to leak his meeting notes to the press, to pressure the Justice Department to name a special counsel (which is precisely what happened afterwards). To Comey's way of thinking, if Trump had tapes then they would confirm Comey's own notes, and because Trump threatened to release them, Comey had no choice but to present his side of the story first. Nothing more than a standard move in the "Cover Your Ass" game, in other words.

The most-tweeted-about moment during the hearings, sadly, was the reaction to John McCain's line of questioning, which can only (charitably) be described as "doddering." McCain was trying to make a point, but utterly failed to do so in any coherent way. The point he was attempting to make is that Comey put his thumb on the scale during the election by publicly talking about Hillary Clinton's investigation but refusing to talk publicly about the Russia investigation into the Trump campaign. It's a valid point -- one many Democrats have indeed made -- but McCain's meandering questions (including a reference to "President Comey") didn't make the case very well at all. Twitter was merciless in pointing this out.

You have to wonder what historians will write about the Trump era in a hundred years or so. Footnotes will doubtlessly be needed to explain what "Twitter" and "tweeting" mean in the future, since by then technology will quite likely have advanced far beyond what is in use today. Who today would recognize a 100-year-old reference to a telegrapher's "fist," after all? Back then, many people knew this would reference the personal Morse code style of individual telegraph operators -- which was easily identifiable by other telegraphers on the line -- but such terms are eventually lost to history though their eventual disuse.

Such a footnote will indeed be necessary for any historian studying the presidency of Donald Trump, though, because while he's not the first to use Twitter, he can accurately be called the first real "Twitter president." Will future presidents ever again make so much news in 140-character quips, or will Trump's example instead cause them to heavily vet every tweet released? Time will tell.

Which is why it's all the more remarkable that Trump hasn't tweeted anything since yesterday (as of this writing, of course). With apologies to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the most curious incident from this morning's testimony was the fact that the president did not tweet about it. Even just this week alone, Trump has been undermining his own legal position by his reckless tweeting (when he was apparently confused about the role of the Justice Department in signing executive orders about his "TRAVEL BAN"). So all of Washington was (pun most definitely intended) all a-twitter over what the president would tweet during the Comey hearing, only to be ultimately disappointed. This particular little birdie did not tweet, and that was the curious incident. Either his personal lawyer has wrested Trump's Twitter account away from him, or Trump's just waiting for one of those pre-dawn moments of inspiration. It's downright extraordinary, but that's still what we're all waiting to see after today's dramatic testimony -- how the president personally reacts to being called a liar in the most high-profile hearing to date in the ongoing Russia probe.

-- Chris Weigant

 

Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant

 

110 Comments on “The Curious Incident During Comey's Testimony”

  1. [1] 
    TheStig wrote:

    Trump's "I hope" delivered one on one to Comey has been aptly compared to "will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?" There is a long history of veiled orders directed to subordinates. Obstruction of justice statutes are broadly written.

  2. [2] 
    TheStig wrote:

    Is The Age of Trump Tweets over? He had fun fun fun till his lawyer took his Twitter away.

  3. [3] 
    TheStig wrote:

    RE John McCain. Although pricey, the US senate is the best assisted living facility in the USA. Plenty of well trained support staff, limo service and restaurant style dining!

  4. [4] 
    nypoet22 wrote:

    @ts,

    cnn described it as "comey goes medieval."

    JL

  5. [5] 
    Balthasar wrote:

    The Right has been minimizing Comey's testimony, even claiming that Comey 'vindicated' Trump.

    But of course, by focusing on the granular details of Comey's testimony, they've missed the big picture of that happened today - Comey has provided the element of motive to the actual obstructive act: Comey's firing. That Trump himself confirmed that the reason he fired Comey was the Russia Investigation is almost a minor detail.

    Comey knows that the critical part of proving a case requiring intent is establishing the frame of mind of the perpetrator prior to his committing the act in question. Meticulously, Comey walked us through encounter after encounter in which the subject of the investigation was raised, and the President's desire to see it end expressed. It doesn't matter whether the President said 'I hope' or 'pretty please', Comey establishes that any action that follows on Trump's part is related to his desire to end the investigation.

    The fact that Trump went so far as to clear the room prior to these conversations goes to knowledge of wrongdoing.

    Clearly, Comey's playing the long game. Knowing that his testimony alone won't convict Trump, he's left a well-marked trail for investigators to follow up on.

  6. [6] 
    nypoet22 wrote:

    hung parliament confirmed, good night for labour. not quite a total disaster for the tories, they've maintained a plurality, but losing the majority is a tough pill for them to swallow.

    JL

  7. [7] 
    Chris Weigant wrote:

    TheStig [2] -

    Hmmm... that gives me an idea...

    http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/beachboys/funfunfun.html

    Fun, fun, fun indeed. You don't even need to change "T-bird" really, in the rewrite...

    Heh.

    -CW

  8. [8] 
    neilm wrote:

    Stage 1 of my "Hope for Britain" - hung parliament

    Stage 2 is May resigning

    Stage 3 is a hung parliament in the next election

    Stage 4 is Corbyn resigning

    Stage 5 is a Labour government run by somebody serious

    It is a long shot, but I have hope.

  9. [9] 
    michale wrote:

    Neil,

    You were right.. I was wrong... I definitely scrooed the pooch on that call....

    I hate it when that happens.. :D

    Note to all:

    You see?? THAT is how it's done... Ya'all should learn a lesson..

  10. [10] 
    michale wrote:

    Still, it was a pretty jaw-dropping moment -- directly calling this president a liar is an almost-everyday occurrence for a pixel-stained wretch like me (so to speak), but rather extraordinary for someone as high in government as James Comey.

    Oh, come on CW...

    High people in government have been calling President Trump a liar from the very first day..

    Is it REALLY so astonishing???

    It's also really no surprise that President Trump didn't tweet his dissatisfaction.

    Never interrupt a guy when he is saving your life.. :D

    Comey's testimony was the BEST thing that could have happened to President Trump..

    I still get a chuckle when I think about all the hype ya'all gave the Comey testimony, how it was going to BURY Trump and how it was the end of Trump's presidency..

    I would have LOVED to be a fly on the wall, watching ya'all's faces fall as Comey proceeded to back up on practically EVERY point... It would have been priceless!! :D

  11. [11] 
    michale wrote:

    Did Trump collude with Russians to hack the DNC emails and move the goods to WikiLeaks, thus revealing the state secret that DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz was putting the screws to poor Bernie Sanders?

    If not Trump himself, did campaign aides collude with the KGB?

    Now, given that our NSA and CIA seemingly intercept everything Russians say to Americans, why is our fabled FBI, having investigated for a year, unable to give us a definitive yes or no?
    http://www.wnd.com/2017/06/the-impeach-trump-conspiracy/

    There is nothing there, people...

    It's past time to give up on ya'all shrill hysterics and let President Trump do his job...

    It's time to put Country BEFORE Party....

    Can ya do that??

    No??

    Didna think so.. :^/

  12. [12] 
    michale wrote:

    f Trump is brought down on the basis of what Putin correctly labels “nonsense,” this city will have executed a nonviolent coup against a constitutionally elected president. Such an act would drop us into the company of those Third World nations where such means are the customary ways that corrupt elites retain their hold on power.

    Yep, yep, yep....

  13. [13] 
    michale wrote:

    TS,

    Obstruction of justice statutes are broadly written.

    And even with THAT, the Dumbocrats can't find a crime to pin on President Trump!!

    If THAT doesn't tell you anything, then you are hopelessly devoid of ANY intelligence whatsoever..

  14. [14] 
    michale wrote:

    Balthy,

    The Right has been minimizing Comey's testimony, even claiming that Comey 'vindicated' Trump.

    As opposed to ya'all and the entirety of the Left who had hyped up Comey's testimony beyond all belief??

    Basically ya'all said, "Wait til we hear Comey's testimony!! TRUMP WILL BE TOAST!!! THERE WILL BE BOMBSHELLS!!!!"

    Ya'all were totally, completely and unequivocally WRONG!!!!

    Further, the GOP doesn't HAVE to color Comey's testimony as vindication for Trump.

    Because it plainly and clearly and unequivocally WAS vindication for Trump..

    Half a dozen media outlets had to issue retractions and corrections!!!

    Everything Trump said about his dealings with Comey, that YA'ALL called "lies" was proven to be dead on ballz factual!!

    Vindication, thy name is Trump!! And Michale ... :D

    But of course, by focusing on the granular details of Comey's testimony, they've missed the big picture of that happened today - Comey has provided the element of motive to the actual obstructive act: Comey's firing. That Trump himself confirmed that the reason he fired Comey was the Russia Investigation is almost a minor detail.

    Ahhhhhh So, NOW ya'all have changed yer story!! :D

    Newsflash for you, sunshine.. The President can fire the Director of the FBI for ANY reason... This is FACT...

    The acting director of the FBI has stated UNDER OATH that Comey's firing had absolutely NO IMPACT on the Russia investigation.. This is FACT...

    Face it, Lumpy... You got absolutely NO FACTS to support Obstruction.. You got absolutely NO FACTS to support Collusion..

    Ya'all got NO FACTS... PERIOD....

    I feel a few dozen comments coming on!!! :D hehehehehe

  15. [15] 
    michale wrote:

    The fact that Trump went so far as to clear the room prior to these conversations goes to knowledge of wrongdoing.

    Com'on, Balthy!!! Are you REALLY this dense!!!! There are DOZENS of reasons why the President Of The United States would want to have a one on one sit-down with the FBI director and NONE of them have any criminal intent..

    You are so hysterical with hate and such a sore loser, you can't even THINK anymore!!

    It's sad...

    Further...

    The fact that Comey leaked his memos thru a friend so as not to have Comey's fingerprints on it ALSO goes to knowledge of wrong doing...

    Comey actually committed a crime... The President did not...

    Think, fer christ's sake!!!!

  16. [16] 
    michale wrote:

    And Comey's testimony itself PROVES that there was no obstruction or intent to obstruct..

    Comey stated that President Trump *ENCOURAGED* the investigation to find out if any of the President's staff is guilty...

    PPPPPPPFFFFFFFFFFFFSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

    That's the air totally and inescapably escaping from ya'all's Trump/Obstruction fantasy....

    Ya'all got NO FACTS to support ANY of ya'all's accusations...

    It's THAT simple...

  17. [17] 
    michale wrote:

    Comey testimony guts CNN, ABC, NY Times stories; shows former FBI director admit leaking memo
    http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2017/06/08/comey-testimony-guts-cnn-abc-ny-times-stories-shows-former-fbi-director-admit-leaking-memo.html

    Couldn't happen to a more deserving pack of LUSERS!!!! :D

  18. [18] 
    michale wrote:

    “I’m not a legal scholar…but as a legal matter, the president is head of the executive branch and could direct, in theory, that anybody be investigated or not be investigated.”
    -Former FBI Director Comey

    There ya go, people.. From the words of ya'all's own savior...

    There is no obstruction..

    Ya'all lost... AGAIN....

    Get over it...

  19. [19] 
    michale wrote:

    Once again, I urge ya'all to face the facts and face reality...

    Anyone who believes that the Comey testimony actually harmed the President and did not HELP the President immeasurably, any anti-Trumper who thinks that the Comey testimony was EVERYTHING they hoped it would be....

    Is either brain-dead, a complete and utter moron or a total and complete mindless Party slave....

    I know for a fact that none (with a few exceptions) of ya'all here qualify...

  20. [20] 
    michale wrote:

    Of course, the BIGGEST and BEST revelation of Comey's testimony was the Odumbo's AG Lynch tried to get Comey to align his investigation of NOT-45 with NOT-45's campaign for President...

    Comey confirmed that NOT-45, Odumbo and Lynch were totally and completely dirty...

    Now THAT's a bombshell!!!

    Not the kind that Veronica was saying would happen, but a bombshell nonetheless... :D

    I saids it befores and I'll says it agains...

    Yesterday was a really REALLY good day!! :D

    Today is shaping up to be pretty good too.. :D

  21. [21] 
    michale wrote:

    Of course, the BIGGEST and BEST revelation of Comey's testimony was the Odumbo's AG Lynch tried to get Comey to align his investigation of NOT-45 with NOT-45's campaign for President...

    Comey confirmed that NOT-45, Odumbo and Lynch were totally and completely dirty...

    Now THAT's a bombshell!!!

    Not the kind that Veronica was saying would happen, but a bombshell nonetheless... :D

    I saids it befores and I'll says it agains...

    Yesterday was a really REALLY good day!! :D

    Today is shaping up to be pretty good too.. :D

  22. [22] 
    michale wrote:

    Of course, the BIGGEST and BEST revelation of Comey's testimony was the Odumbo's AG Lynch tried to get Comey to align his investigation of NOT-45 with NOT-45's campaign for President...

    Comey confirmed that NOT-45, Odumbo and Lynch were totally and completely dirty...

    Now THAT's a bombshell!!!

    Not the kind that Veronica was saying would happen, but a bombshell nonetheless... :D

    I saids it befores and I'll says it agains...

    Yesterday was a really REALLY good day!! :D

    Today is shaping up to be pretty good too.. :D

  23. [23] 
    michale wrote:

    Of course, the BIGGEST and BEST revelation of Comey's testimony was the Odumbo's AG Lynch tried to get Comey to align his investigation of NOT-45 with NOT-45's campaign for President...

    Comey confirmed that NOT-45, Odumbo and Lynch were totally and completely dirty...

    Now THAT's a bombshell!!!

    Not the kind that Veronica was saying would happen, but a bombshell nonetheless... :D

    I saids it befores and I'll says it agains...

    Yesterday was a really REALLY good day!! :D

    Today is shaping up to be pretty good too.. :D

  24. [24] 
    michale wrote:

    DOH!! Double DOUBLE tap.....

    My bust....

  25. [25] 
    michale wrote:

    And in other news..

    Accused Leaker of Top-Secret U.S. Report Loses Bail Request
    https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-06-08/accused-leaker-is-indicted-for-disclosing-classified-report

    Reality Winner is getting a HUGE dose of reality when it comes to be a scumbag traitor and terrorist sympathizer...

  26. [26] 
    Kick wrote:

    Anyone thinking that the tweets don't matter sure got their answer over the last couple days, and right away Trump's lawyer is in over his head. He gives a press conference where he totally gets the timeline wrong and presents a defense where he ridiculously conflates the words "not under investigation" at the early stages of an investigation as somehow equal to total exoneration of the President. He then invokes the names of Comey, Coats, and Rogers exclaiming their testimony exonerates the President when Trump suggested to each one of them to intervene and/or take measures to bury the investigation of Flynn/Russia. The standard for obstruction of justice is not whether or not someone "felt" pressured. They're acting as if Trump only obstructed justice if he came out and said "will you obstruct justice for me"? It doesn't work that way! Obstruction is generally built on a totality of evidence. The easiest case considering a totality of evidence is that Trump wanted to stop the criminal investigation of Flynn because he was afraid that Flynn might be flipped by the FBI... remember that Flynn violated multiple federal regulations and through his lawyer stated he had a story to tell and offered his testimony in exchange for immunity. This ain't rocket science.

    Trump's defense has also hatched this utterly asinine "leak" narrative whereby they seemingly want the public to believe that Comey has committed some kind of criminal offense for leaking his own notes. How gullible do they think people are? Comey's notes aren't classified information, and there's "that thing" Comey is protected by called the First Amendment. It's amateur hour in the White House "war room," and Trump's lawyer is either incredibly stupid or he's deliberately lying. They're seemingly claiming a lifetime executive privilege on communications... it's nuts. Quick: Somebody lock up all the former government employees who've written books about their past communications with a President; apparently they were unaware of the "lifetime privilege." :)

    Absent in all of this is Trump having multiple discussions with Director Comey and never once asking him what could be done by the IC in order to protect America and our freedoms from attacks being perpetrated on our sovereignty by the foreign adversary of Russia. Trump made multiple contacts with Comey in order to look out for Trump, make sure Trump wasn't under investigation, and try to have the skids put on the Russia investigation. Trump and Sarah Huckabee Sanders have both admitted Comey was fired to hasten the end of the investigation, and that's called intent. Sarah now assures us that the President is NOT a liar... glad that's settled... the only thing she left out was Trump "is not a crook."

    Lastly, what kind of self-respecting lawyer would simultaneously claim that Comey's testimony has exonerated his client while also insisting that Comey is lying in his testimony? Wow... just wow. They're trying to discredit Comey's veracity while insisting his testimony clears the President!

    Trump and Comey. One of these guys is lying. Do I believe the one who may not be perfect but served honorably under multiple presidents or do I believe the one who prattled on and on lying multiple times about Obama birther issues, lied about winning the most Electoral College votes since Ronald Reagan, lied about having the bigliest crowd ever at an inauguration, lied about millions of illegal votes being cast and ALL of them being for HRC, lied about seeing thousands of Muslims celebrating on 9/11... I could go on and on.

    It's comical to watch this farce of a defense, and this guy charges $1,500 an hour. Trump better find himself a better lawyer... or two or three... because he's going to need them bigly. Trump's history of lies will NOT serve him well. Complete and total vindication? Oh, please! This thing is just getting started. :)

  27. [27] 
    Kick wrote:

    neilm
    8

    Stage 1 of my "Hope for Britain" - hung parliament

    The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single stage. Congratulations Neil. I hope you get everything your big heart desires. :)

  28. [28] 
    michale wrote:

    CW,

    Bilbo? Seriously?

    Poll 100 people with a photo of Comey and Sessions, and ask them which one most resembles a hobbit. My money'd be on 90+ pointing to Sessions, personally.

    Sessions' looks is not the point.

    I had said that, if Comey had thought that President Trump was trying to obstruct justice, then Comey had a DUTY to report that to AG Sessions...

    Balthasar LIED and said that Comey DID report it to AG Sessions...

    It's a FACT, from Comey's own words, that Comey did NOT report the matter to the AG...

    Which PROVES that Comey didn't think it was obstruction...

    Thanks. Had me worried there for a moment. My apologies to michale, who was just quoting this...

    That's what I get for quoting from the bottom down.. :D

    Apologies.. :D

    Cite? I have Clinton at 41.2% approval at this point in his presidency (Gallup #, I believe). Trump's below that. And Clinton improved up to 44% the next month. Really think Trump can hit that number next month? I doubt it.

    Clinton had 39.7% approval on that day in his Presidency..

    At the time the article was written, Trump was at 39.9%...

  29. [29] 
    michale wrote:

    Veroica,

    Oh, please! This thing is just getting started. :)

    Oh please, ya'all have been saying THAT for a year now!!!

    Why can't you just admit what everyone else with more than 2 brain cells to rub together already know..

    You got NOTHING....

    Comey's "bombshell" testimony totally supported President Trump's version of the interactions and totally destroyed ANY chance of making an Obstruction case..

    Even die hard liberals like Chris Matthews acknowledge this fact...

    You lost... You were wrong... Get over it...

  30. [30] 
    michale wrote:

    Veronica,

    Trump's defense has also hatched this utterly asinine "leak" narrative whereby they seemingly want the public to believe that Comey has committed some kind of criminal offense for leaking his own notes.

    Apparently, you are completely ignorant of the law.. Color me surprised.. :^/

    Those notes were made on government time, with government equipment regarding government matters...

    Those note ARE NOT Comey's notes... They belong to the government of the United States.. Your complete and utter ignorance of the law is showing...

    Further, if Comey was completely above board in leaking those notes, why didn't he leak them himself?? Why did he take the coward's way and leak thru a friend??

    Answer: Comey knew he was dirty and knew he was doing something that was at LEAST un-ethical if not downright illegal...

    You can spin things any which way you want that helps you to sleep at night..

    But the simple FACT is, Comey's testimony was not what you hoped it would be. There were no bombshells, as you said there would be. Comey confirmed MANY of the things that you said Trump was lying about...

    These are the facts and all you have is hysterical spin...

    :D It's gonna be another GREAT day... :D

  31. [31] 
    michale wrote:

    Further, if Comey was completely above board in leaking those notes, why didn't he leak them himself?? Why did he take the coward's way and leak thru a friend??

    Comey was a woman scorned and was going to get even with the man who scorned her..

    That is the explanation for Comey's leaking the notes that one needs...

  32. [32] 
    michale wrote:

    Did Comey Violate Laws In Leaking The Trump Memo?

    Besides being subject to Nondisclosure Agreements, Comey falls under federal laws governing the disclosure of classified and nonclassified information. Assuming that the memos were not classified (though it seems odd that it would not be classified even on the confidential level), there is 18 U.S.C. § 641 which makes it a crime to steal, sell, or convey “any record, voucher, money, or thing of value of the United States or of any department or agency thereof.”

    There are also ethical and departmental rules against the use of material to damage a former represented person or individual or firm related to prior representation. The FBI website states:

    Dissemination of FBI information is made strictly in accordance with provisions of the Privacy Act; Title 5, United States Code, Section 552a; FBI policy and procedures regarding discretionary release of information in accordance with the Privacy Act; and other applicable federal orders and directives.”

    By the way, waking up in the middle of the night (as described by Comey) is not generally the best time to decide to leak damaging memos against a sitting president. There are times when coffee and a full night’s sleep (and even conferral with counsel) is recommended. Leaking damaging memos is one of those times. Moreover, if Comey was sure of his right to release the memo, why use a law professor to avoid fingerprints?

    I find Comey’s admission to be deeply troubling from a professional and ethical standpoint. Would Director Comey have approved such a rule for FBI agents? Thus, an agent can prepare a memo during office hours on an FBI computer about a meeting related to his service . . . but leak that memo to the media. The Justice Department has long defined what constitutes government documents broadly. It is not clear if Comey had the documents reviewed for classification at the confidential level or confirmed that they would be treated as entirely private property. What is clear is that he did not clear the release of the memos with anyone in the government.
    https://jonathanturley.org/2017/06/08/did-comey-violate-laws-in-leaking-memo/

    As usual, ya'all have your hysterics....

    And I have the facts....

  33. [33] 
    michale wrote:

    The BIG question is..

    How many of those other leaks can be attributed to James Comey???

  34. [34] 
    ListenWhenYouHear wrote:

    Further, if Comey was completely above board in leaking those notes, why didn't he leak them himself?? Why did he take the coward's way and leak thru a friend??

    Comey was a woman scorned and was going to get even with the man who scorned her..

    That is the explanation for Comey's leaking the notes that one needs...

    The memo was leaked because Trump chose to be a coward in the way he terminated Comey.

    First, he didn't bother to tell the man directly that he was fired. No, Comey had to find out about it by seeing it on TV while in the FBI's LA office.

    Second, the reasons given by the White House for his firing and Comey's termination letter were utter bullshit. It wasn't until Trump told Lester Holt that he fired Comey because of the Russia investigation that the real reason was finally admitted.

    Third, Trump's tweet threatening Comey that he better watch what he said because Trump had the tapes of their conversations made it where Comey needed to get his side out there before Trump made up more crap about what occurred.

    "Anything can be a dildo if you are brave enough!" -- Abraham Lincoln

  35. [35] 
    michale wrote:

    The memo was leaked because Trump chose to be a coward in the way he terminated Comey

    Big difference..

    Trump had the right to fire Comey..

    Comey did not have the right to leak those notes..

    But, at least we agree that Comey was a coward..

    First, he didn't bother to tell the man directly that he was fired. No, Comey had to find out about it by seeing it on TV while in the FBI's LA office.

    So???

    Newsflash for ya, Lumpy... Being crass and boorish is NOT a crime...

    Hell, for MANY politicians and business leaders, it's a
    bona fide requirement...

    Second, the reasons given by the White House for his firing and Comey's termination letter were utter bullshit. It wasn't until Trump told Lester Holt that he fired Comey because of the Russia investigation that the real reason was finally admitted.

    It doesn't matter WHY...

    If I had an XO that wasted a years time on an investigation that went NO WHERE, I'de fire his ass too...

    Third, Trump's tweet threatening Comey that he better watch what he said because Trump had the tapes of their conversations made it where Comey needed to get his side out there before Trump made up more crap about what occurred.

    That doesn't justify committing the crime...

    You see how you are??

    You'll slam the slightest bit against Trump ( HE SAID COVFEFEEF!!!!!!) but will excuse ANY crime that anyone commits if it's committed to bring down Trump...

    You are simply RULED by your Party bigotry...

  36. [36] 
    michale wrote:

    where Comey needed to get his side out there before Trump made up more crap about what occurred.

    But that's what so fraking hilarious about ya'all!!

    Trump **DIDN'T** make up crap!!!

    EVERYTHING Trump said about their interactions was not only dead on ballz accurate, it was CONFIRMED by Comey himself!!

    You just don't get it..

    You LOST... Comey's testimony CONFIRMED everything Trump said...

    Trump stuck with the FACTS and THAT just kills ya'all!!!

    You lied about Trump lying...

    That is all there is to it...

  37. [37] 
    michale wrote:

    You can't win, Russ...

    I have the facts on my side..

    "YOU CAN'T WIN!! I HAVE GOD ON MY SIDE!!!"
    -Leland Gant, NEEDFUL THINGS

    :D

  38. [38] 
    michale wrote:

    In other news..

    DC police: We have to look at terrorism very closely' in truck crash that injured 5
    http://abc7news.com/news/police-not-ruling-out-terror-in-dc-pickup-truck-accident-that-injured-2-police-officers-3-pedestrians/2074555/

    And so it begins...

    Was only a matter of time...

  39. [39] 
    TheStig wrote:

    Kick-

    "Trump better find himself a better lawyer."

    As usual, Trump is going with the familiar. Marc Kasowitz, who has defended Trump in divorces, bankruptcies and sexual harassment incidents. Familiar is an interesting word...almost a portmanteau composed of family + liar.

    Trump's legal strategy is a game of Legal Survivor: outspend and outlast your opponents. That seems a good description of the Kasowitz style. It has worked well against smaller fish. May not work as well when your opposition can tap into government money and the government bench.

  40. [40] 
    michale wrote:

    And in still other news..

    Bud Light truck flips over in Arizona
    https://media.giphy.com/media/uZKlbRLSWT6Lu/giphy.gif

  41. [41] 
    michale wrote:

    Veronica,

    "Trump better find himself a better lawyer."

    Actually, Comey better find himself a lawyer....

  42. [42] 
    TheStig wrote:

    CW-7

    Go for it, but be quick! Looks like the Fat Man is singing on The Twitter again...early in the AM...without adult supervision...most likely without pants. Digging his own legal man trap(s). All on file, easily searchable!

    It's a perfect environment for a pixel-stained wretch like yourself!

  43. [43] 
    michale wrote:

    The Comey Show didn’t live up to the hype

    Consider the day from the partisan angles. If you started as a Trump supporter, you still are. You were buttressed by the disclosures that the media got lots of big anti-Trump stories wrong, and not surprised that Comey, like much of the permanent government, was against the president from the start.

    At the end of the day, you’re wondering, Where’s the beef? Where’s the crime?

    On the other hand, if you’re a Democrat salivating over what you hoped would be the first big step to impeachment of Trump, your dreams were dashed. The most optimistic interpretation of the facts don’t add up to anywhere near an impeachable offense.

    Even worse for the left, Comey confirmed that Trump was not under personal investigation in the Russia-collusion probe. That had to hurt like Election Night all over again, with Hillary Clinton losing again.

    Even those who tuned in just hoping for a good show had to be disappointed. Comey-palooza, like its protagonist, never delivered on its hype.
    http://nypost.com/2017/06/08/the-comey-show-didnt-live-up-to-the-hype/

    Yep....

    Like I said..

    Show me a Weigantian who says that the Comey show was everything they hoped it would be and I'll show you a brain-dead Weigantian who is a hopeless imbecile or a totally bigoted Party drone or both.....

  44. [44] 
    michale wrote:

    Mr. Comey’s not very good day

    One day of huffing, another day of puffing, and we’re just about where we were. Half of us want Donald Trump’s presidency to succeed, whether we like everything about the Donald or not, and the other half regards him as the anti-Christ.

    James Comey’s big day before the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee was treated in Washington as something of a national holiday, with everyone gathered around television sets in offices, bars and shops to watch the bombs fall, to watch Channel 4 mortar Channel 9.

    The president was expected to be in rags and tatters by the end of the day, but he was hardly damaged. Mr. Comey hurled no grenades, but landed an occasional punch, and when night fell Democratic dreams of impeaching the president had shrunk from no fire, no smoke, to not even an incriminating vapor.

    “The assumption of the critics of the president, of his pursuers, you might say,” as Chris Matthews of MSNBC did say, “is that somewhere along the line in the last year the president had something to do with colluding with the Russians … to affect the election in some way. And yet what came apart this morning was that theory.”
    http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jun/8/james-comey-had-a-tough-day-on-capitol-hill/

    Yup, yup, yup, yup..........

    Don't worry... As long as I am here, ya'all will have ALL the facts and ALL the reality I can handle.. :D

  45. [45] 
    michale wrote:

    TS,

    ...most likely without pants.

    Do you often fantasize about President Trump nekkid???

    Probably a good idea to keep that kind of stuff to yourself...

    :D

  46. [46] 
    TheStig wrote:

    CW-

    Hmmm - if the Beach Boys concept doesn't pan out, you might try "Pixel-Stained Blogger" mapped to Paper Back Writer:

    Pixel-stained blogger, pixel stained blogger
    Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my blog

  47. [47] 
    michale wrote:

    Even more damning for the fake-news industry was the debunking of the story in The New York Times, headlined “Trump Campaign Aides Had Repeated Contacts With Russian Intelligence,” that first sent the story “viral.” What a terrific story. This would be worth a Pulitzer for sure. But maybe not. “In the main,” testified Mr. Comey, “it was not true.”

    PPPPPPPPFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

    hehehehehehehehehe :D

    Ya'all and yer fake news... Yer anonymous sources..

    It cracks me up to no end!! :D

  48. [48] 
    TheStig wrote:

    I'm going to go on record saying the Comey Hearing won't affect Trump's approval much.

  49. [49] 
    michale wrote:

    I'm going to go on record saying the Comey Hearing won't affect Trump's approval much.

    I'm going to go on record saying the Comey Hearing won't affect Trump's approval much amongst hysterical Dumbocrats and Anti-Trumpers...

    There, TS... I fixed it for you..

    "You're Welcome!!"
    -Maui, MOANA

    :D

  50. [50] 
    michale wrote:

    And once again, the Party hypocrisy is laid bare...

    Pelosi has one dementia/ALS moment after another and no one here says BOO...

    McCain has a minor lapse and the knives come out....

    Thereby proving (as if any more proof is necessary) that ALL that is important is the -X after a person's name...

  51. [51] 
    michale wrote:

    Neil,

    NY [84]: Spot on. Comey was a big nothingburger.

    FINALLY!!!!!

    Someone of clear mind and (somewhat) clear eye that can acknowledge the FACTS!!!!!

    And I know that must have hurt to admit that, Neil.. If I recall, you had posted that you were looking forward to the Comey hearing...

    It must have been quite a let down for ya...

    I feel for ya, I honestly do...

    *You* won't get any gloating from me.. :D

  52. [52] 
    Kick wrote:

    Actually, Comey better find himself a lawyer....

    I'm sure he'll have more volunteers than he can handle who will be filing case(s) for abuse of process against Trump's moron counselor who can't spell and got a simple timeline totally wrong. If the conversations with Comey were privileged, then Trump shouldn't have leaked any of their contents on national television nor leaked anything about them in his incessant twitter rants.

    The GOP Trump holsters and hypocrites seem to have no problem with the Russians leaking of DNC information yet take issue with Comey discussing a meeting that Trump himself had discussed in multiple interviews and threatening tweets. It's pretty disingenuous to accuse Comey of leaking privileged communications to the press that the Bully-in-Chief had already discussed with the press himself. America is not a monarchy where a King can discuss meetings with the press while demanding that a citizen has no rights to do likewise. Trump waived his privilege when he spoke with the press. The filing against Comey is simply bullying and abuse of process in an attempt to muzzle Comey and/or create a diversion/deflection.

    Be honest with yourself and ask yourself this: Do you doubt for one minute that Comey would still have his job if he had backed off the investigation of Flynn/Russia?

    That's the ultimate question here. Special Counsel Mueller will be investigating this along with Flynn/Russia and wherever else his criminal investigation of Kushner, Flynn, Sessions, etc. takes him. All of these guys had amnesia on their SF-86 forms and have committed multiple felonies if they are found to have lied intentionally. If they can convince the Special Counselor they simply forgot all those multiple meetings with Russians, then they have nothing at all to be worried about. Anyone who believes the utter nonsense that this is over is simply deluding themselves. :)

  53. [53] 
    nypoet22 wrote:

    debunking of the story in The New York Times, headlined “Trump Campaign Aides Had Repeated Contacts With Russian Intelligence,”

    that's not the case. when questioned on the russian intelligence probe, comey deferred and said he'd answer specifics only in closed session. other than the fact that donald himself was not suspected of passing intelligence, comey neither confirmed nor debunked reports about his campaign workers. whoever wrote that misreported it.

    JL

  54. [54] 
    neilm wrote:

    It must have been quite a let down for ya...

    Comey's testimony might have delivered something new that we didn't know, but it just turned out to be a circus.

    If this is the most important testimony to Congress in living memory, remind me not to ever spend time in Congress unless my cardiologist insists on a quiet life :)

    The real action is with Mueller. The hiring of a money laundering expert to work on the investigation has to be causing some squeaky bum time in 45's family.

    All along I've said that the real issue is not collusion with Russia during the election - I think 45 and his clan are too stupid to be trusted by anybody involved in something nefarious.

    The real problem for 45 and the clan is money laundering. After the NY/City money shut down they needed to fund a debt heavy business from somewhere. And that somewhere could very well be Russian mobsters.

  55. [55] 
    michale wrote:

    Kick,

    Be honest with yourself and ask yourself this: Do you doubt for one minute that Comey would still have his job if he had backed off the investigation of Flynn/Russia?

    There was no connection between the Flynn investigation and the Russia investigation..

    How do we know this??

    Comey himself said so..

    So, yes.. I honestly believe that President Trump would have fired Comey, regardless of any action Comey took on the Flynn investigation or the Russia investigation..

    If the conversations with Comey were privileged, then Trump shouldn't have leaked any of their contents on national television nor leaked anything about them in his incessant twitter rants.

    Uh, Kick???

    He's the President Of The United States.. It's *HIS* privilege...

    It's not the privilege of the Director of the FBI..

    That's the ultimate question here. Special Counsel Mueller will be investigating this along with Flynn/Russia and wherever else his criminal investigation of Kushner, Flynn, Sessions, etc. takes him.

    And there has been an investigation of all that for over a year now..

    And it has taken no one anywhere...

    The mere fact that Director Mueller let Comey testify SHOWS that President Trump is not in any legal peril..

    President Trump HIMSELF encouraged then-Director Comey to pursue ALL the leads...

    I am also sure that President Trump will encourage Director Mueller to do the same..

    President Trump has absolutely nothing to fear except maybe assassination from crazy anti-Trumpers who think violence is the answer to everything...

  56. [56] 
    nypoet22 wrote:

    ah, i found the quote from the testimony transcript. sen. risch referenced an article about electronic surveillance. comey's exact words were, "In the main, it was not true. And again, all of you know this."

    i.e. this was not a debunking, it was already known that the story had gotten the specifics wrong, but comey was unwilling to go into what aspects of it were accurate, because it's classified.

    JL

  57. [57] 
    michale wrote:

    Neil,

    Comey's testimony might have delivered something new that we didn't know, but it just turned out to be a circus.

    The biggest news turned out to be how much Comey was being pressured by Obama's DOJ to align the FBI investigation with the NOT-45 campaign...

    All along I've said that the real issue is not collusion with Russia during the election -

    Which is what *I* have been saying all along as well..

    Funny how it was only ME that got attacked for it.. :D

    WHich is probably why ya kept quiet.. heh :D

    The real problem for 45 and the clan is money laundering. After the NY/City money shut down they needed to fund a debt heavy business from somewhere. And that somewhere could very well be Russian mobsters.

    There are absolutely NO FACTS to indicate that this is a problem for the President...

    It might very well become one, I grant you that...

    It also might very well not be an issue at all, as I am sure you will grant me...

  58. [58] 
    michale wrote:

    JL,

    i.e. this was not a debunking, it was already known that the story had gotten the specifics wrong

    And yet the NY GRIME (and ya'all, incidentially) still stand by those specifics....

    No one here has admitted they were wrong about ANYTHING, even though Comey's testimony CLEARLY proves that ya'all were wrong about quite a bit..

    I refer ya'all to comment #9 as to how it's done.. :D

  59. [59] 
    michale wrote:

    So, what's the next benchmark??

    When's the next big TRUMP IS TOAST point??? :D

  60. [60] 
    michale wrote:

    Comey: A six-foot, eight-inch Pajama Boy

    Aside from revealing that President Trump is guilty of exactly nothing but winning an election, James Comey sure did reveal a lot about himself. His feelings are easily hurt, he gets scared in Trump's presence, he gets nauseated, is weak, gets confused and stunned. He is sorry his workforce had to hear what Trump said about the FBI, that it is in disarray. He sounded like a college snowflake on almost any American college campus in need of a safe space.
    http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2017/06/comey_a_sixfoot_eightinch_pajama_boy.html#ixzz4jWQxDyoY

    And ya know what's really REALLY funny???

    Prior to Comey getting canned, you would have read that on any LEFT WING rag..... :D

  61. [61] 
    michale wrote:

    Harris: “So was there any kind of memorandum issued from the attorney general or the Department of Justice to the FBI, outlining the parameters of his recusal”?

    Comey: “Not that I’m aware of.”

    And yet....

    “In his testimony, Mr. Comey states that he was not aware of any kind of memorandum issued from the Attorney General or the Department of Justice to the FBI outlining the parameters of the Attorney General’s recusal. However, on March 2, 2017, the Attorney General’s Chief of Staff sent the attached email specifically informing Mr. Comey and other relevant Department officials of the recusal and its parameters, and advising that each of them instruct their staff not to brief the Attorney General about or otherwise involve the Attorney General in any such matters described.”
    -Department Of Justice

    Apparently, former Director Comey lied...

    Lied to Congress... Under oath.

    Which is a crime....

    Kick, I am glad Comey has a bunch of willing lawyers..

    He is definitely going to need them....

  62. [62] 
    neilm wrote:

    The biggest news turned out to be how much Comey was being pressured by Obama's DOJ to align the FBI investigation with the NOT-45 campaign...

    Nobody except the right wing care about Clinton's emails ny longer - even 45 declined to appoint a special council on the email nonsense, despite promising to do so.

    It also might very well not be an issue at all, as I am sure you will grant me...

    We don't know, but I know somebody who will find out one way or the other if 45 has any serious financial obligations to foreigners or has been skirting the AML laws.

    AML laws are not to be messed with - I spent a long time working Wall St/City of London and sold a lot of risk management and AML solutions to large banks - this is where you get the attention of the top levels of the organization - none of them want a perp walk and they know it is one of the top reasons for them to end up behind bars (not that that happens any longer, but that is another story).

  63. [63] 
    michale wrote:

    Nobody except the right wing care about Clinton's emails ny longer - even 45 declined to appoint a special council on the email nonsense, despite promising to do so.

    That's where you are wrong, but the fact that you believe that is indicative of the problem you have...

    If it doesn't take down Trump, it's not worth knowing...

    We don't know..

    That's my point..

    We DON'T know...

    But by claiming it's a problem without ANY facts to support the claim yer acting like a pea-brained hysterical Party drone..

    And I know better... :D

    Until we have some FACTS that actually support the accusation, isn't it better to just remain silent??

    I will if you will.. :D

  64. [64] 
    nypoet22 wrote:

    No one here has admitted they were wrong about ANYTHING, even though Comey's testimony CLEARLY proves that ya'all were wrong about quite a bit..

    your statements on this have painted with broad brushes. to my knowledge, there's nobody here named "ya'all," and your claims vastly overreach anything that was actually said. therefore, even if there were anyone specific who got something specific wrong, your attempts to point it out are so outlandish that there's no way to know what (if anything) you might be right about.

    JL

  65. [65] 
    neilm wrote:

    But by claiming it's a problem without ANY facts to support the claim yer acting like a pea-brained hysterical Party drone..

    Whatever. As I said, we'll see when Mueller releases his report. Mueller is something unusual in DC - somebody who can keep his mouth shut run an investigation without everybody leaking everything left and right. I suspect Mueller has told everybody on his team that he will personally castrate anybody who talks without his permission with a blunt knife.

  66. [66] 
    neilm wrote:

    I suspect Mueller has told everybody on his team that he will personally castrate anybody who talks without his permission with a blunt knife.

    And, frankly, I'd believe him.

  67. [67] 
    michale wrote:

    Mr. Comey said that he was “so stunned” that he lacked “the presence of mind” even to tell Mr. Trump that his request was improper. But he was able to gain enough composure to write up the experience in the car after the meeting, and to discuss the meeting, by his own testimony, with his chief of staff, the FBI deputy director, the associate deputy director, the general counsel, the deputy director’s chief counsel and the head of the FBI office of national security. But he never informed Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the Deputy AG or any other supervisor.

    And therein lies the crux of the matter..

    If former Director Comey felt that President Trump was committing a crime, Comey had a DUTY to tell the AG...

    And Balthasar's bullshit claims notwithstanding, Comey did NOT inform the AG...

    So, either A> Comey was incompetent and derelict in his duties and, as such, anything else he did or thought should be disregarded... Or B> He felt that what President Trump was saying wasn't all that big of a deal....

  68. [68] 
    nypoet22 wrote:

    Apparently, former Director Comey lied...
    Lied to Congress... Under oath.

    or didn't receive the memo, or didn't remember receiving the memo, or didn't interpret the memo as "outlining the parameters of his recusal." regardless of which it was, receiving or reading a specific memo seems a trivial thing to accuse someone of perjuring himself about not being aware of.

    a stretch, to say the least.

    JL

  69. [69] 
    Kick wrote:

    Michale
    51

    Thank you for being 99% civilized in your post; it is truly appreciated.

    There was no connection between the Flynn investigation and the Russia investigation..

    How do we know this??

    Comey himself said so..

    You mean the "Leaker/Liar/Loser" is to be believed for certain cherry-picked parts of his testimony while being vilified for others? Hmmmmm. Do you mind posting the language he used when he said that. It seems implausible since Flynn was fired for lying about multiple meetings and discussions he had with Ambassador Kislyak, one of them at Trump Tower attended by SIL Kushner. How would the investigation of Flynn therefore not be connected to the investigation of Russia?

    So, yes.. I honestly believe that President Trump would have fired Comey, regardless of any action Comey took on the Flynn investigation or the Russia investigation..

    Then you are simply more trusting of liars than I am because Comey testified multiple times that that Trump lied. You may have seen that testimony commingled with the parts of his testimony you mentioned above.

    Uh, Kick???

    Yes, that IS my nickname, thank you.

    He's the President Of The United States.. It's *HIS* privilege...

    Exactly. He's not a King. He has privilege that he waived when he spoke about the conversations to the press himself. He doesn't have unlimited privilege nor is he above the law. This is well-settled case law.

    It's not the privilege of the Director of the FBI..

    When did I suggest that it was? Comey has rights too, though.

    And there has been an investigation of all that for over a year now..

    I don't remember the GOP complaining about 5 years of Benghazi hearings and 9 different committees who came to the same conclusion.

    And it has taken no one anywhere...

    Incorrect.

    The mere fact that Director Mueller let Comey testify SHOWS that President Trump is not in any legal peril..

    There mere fact that Archibald Cox let John Dean testify SHOWED that President Nixon was not in any legal peril. ;)

    President Trump HIMSELF encouraged then-Director Comey to pursue ALL the leads...

    I am also sure that President Trump will encourage Director Mueller to do the same..

    I'd wager against it.

    President Trump has absolutely nothing to fear except maybe assassination from crazy anti-Trumpers who think violence is the answer to everything...

    Seriously. You keep typing those two certain words in your posts, and just FYI... when you do that your name winds up on a list at NSA. Seriously. :)

  70. [70] 
    TheStig wrote:

    neilm-54

    "If this is the most important testimony to Congress in living memory, remind me not to ever spend time in Congress unless my cardiologist insists on a quiet life"

    A House of Commons brawl it was not. Comey, the old hand, was doing a bit of folksy legal gardening on TV. Planting seeds. That's not exciting, but it may have a satisfying payoff over a couple of seasons.

    "We don't know, but I know somebody who will find out one way or the other if 45 has any serious financial obligations to foreigners or has been skirting the AML laws."

    I completely agree. Trump has been flouting best practices with respect to AML. An interesting case is the Trump hotel in Azerbaijan. The New Yorker Mag covered this in March in a piece titled:

    Donald Trump’s Worst Deal
    The President helped build a hotel in Azerbaijan that appears to be a corrupt operation engineered by oligarchs tied to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.

    Businessmen have actually gone to jail for this kind of thing. "Ignorance" is no excuse. Better call Saul!

  71. [71] 
    Kick wrote:

    TS
    70

    The New Yorker Mag covered this in March in a piece titled:

    Donald Trump’s Worst Deal
    The President helped build a hotel in Azerbaijan that appears to be a corrupt operation engineered by oligarchs tied to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.

    A terrific point and a most excellent read. Interesting pictures. :)

    http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/03/13/donald-trumps-worst-deal

  72. [72] 
    michale wrote:

    Shortly after calling into question President Trump's mental health on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe,' House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's own mental health came under scrutiny, as the 77-year-old California congresswoman referred to President Trump as "President Bush" and forgot what day of the week it is.
    A reporter quickly helped her correct the gaffe, interjecting "Trump," but Pelosi appeared oblivious she slipped up.
    An aide then emerged from the sidelines, passing Pelosi a note, notifying her she got the two presidents mixed up again.

    https://news.grabien.com/story-moments-after-trumps-mental-health-pelosi-has-senior-moment

    Never a word about Pelosi's "senior moments"...

    Funny how that is, eh?? :^/

  73. [73] 
    Kick wrote:

    Michale
    61

    Apparently, former Director Comey lied...

    Lied to Congress... Under oath.

    Which is a crime....

    Kick, I am glad Comey has a bunch of willing lawyers..

    He is definitely going to need them....

    Not trying to be a jerk, but paragraphs can contain more than one sentence and one period is quite adequate at the end of each sentence. :)

    "Not that I'm aware of" isn't exactly a lie there unless you can prove that Comey "got the memo" and was intentionally lying. People like Director Comey don't sit it a room all day and read every piece of email that comes across their desks. They have multiple assistants that assist them with the mundane tasks. It's possible he wasn't aware of the email.

    Say... I don't remember you being this knit-picky about Donald Trump's multitude of outright lies and falsehoods. Perhaps you made a post that I'm just not aware of. ;)

  74. [74] 
    neilm wrote:

    Tillerson tells Saudis - back off UAE

    Interesting. Tillerson is overriding 45 now.

    What a fiasco. No discipline at all.

    At least Tillerson is doing the right thing for our troops. I would imagine that Mattis has explained that any military activity near our Air Force base will be very unfortunate for all non-U.S. parties in the area.

  75. [75] 
    TheStig wrote:

    Kick-71

    Has the NYer opened up the paywall on that article? Sometimes they do.

    One of the seeds Comey planted at the hearings was a hardy annual called the "Rosemary Woods." Since the senate hearings brought out notable differences in the Trump/Comey recollections about "The Dinner" the Special Prosecutor is likely to enquire: Are conversations recorded in the Oval Orfice? On the date of the Trump/Comey dinner? Can we have a listen to that specific meeting?

    Another seed is "Mellow Yellow" mustard. This little weed is directed at nervous Trump staff. Should I come clean before the boss sets me up to take a fall?

  76. [76] 
    Kick wrote:

    neilm
    66

    I suspect Mueller has told everybody on his team that he will personally castrate anybody who talks without his permission with a blunt knife.

    And, frankly, I'd believe him.

    Amen to that. Mueller is a highly decorated Frog officer... 3rd MD in 'Nam... and could split a man from stem to sternum with a bayonete in one fell swoop... probably. :)

  77. [77] 
    neilm wrote:

    The New Yorker Mag covered this in March in a piece titled:

    Donald Trump’s Worst Deal

    Interesting article.

    Here are some abbreviations that might become more commonly used in the next few years, none of which have anything to do with Kentucky or Chicken:

    KYC - know your customer
    KYP - know your product
    KYP - know your partners

    These compliance requirements are baked into large financial organizations, and they basically say that if you are an American or European entity it is your responsibility to do due diligence before a deal or transaction occurs.

    Basically they remove the "ignorance" defense.

  78. [78] 
    neilm wrote:

    Should I come clean before the boss sets me up to take a fall?

    I know I'd be taking copious notes and posting them in a date stamped private and secure cloud folder. If you aren't CYA in this White House you are a fool.

    Basically that is what Comey did - he took notes then got them time stamped by entering them into the FBI catalog. Turned out to be a smart move. For him at least.

  79. [79] 
    michale wrote:

    Kick,

    Thank you for being 99% civilized in your post; it is truly appreciated.

    Likewise, sincerely...

    You mean the "Leaker/Liar/Loser" is to be believed for certain cherry-picked parts of his testimony while being vilified for others?

    Only because what he said jibes with the known facts..

    Then you are simply more trusting of liars than I am because Comey testified multiple times that that Trump lied. You may have seen that testimony commingled with the parts of his testimony you mentioned above.

    And Obama himself lied on numerous occasions.. And he is still trusted by the vast majority of the Left Wing...

    So, there is ample precedent established..

    When did I suggest that it was? Comey has rights too, though.

    But Comey's rights do not supersede the rights and privileges of the President Of The United States..

    Comey had the right to quit or the right to bring the matter to the attention of the AG.....

    Those were Comey's ONLY rights in this matter. He surely didn't have the "right" to break the law....

    And it has taken no one anywhere...

    Incorrect.

    We're more than a year into this and there is still not a SINGLE bona fide and verifiable fact that supports ANY crime being committed..

    I would call that "no where"...

    I am also sure that President Trump will encourage Director Mueller to do the same..

    I'd wager against it.

    As I am sure you would have wagered against President Trump encouraging Director COmey to pursue justice...

    Yet, according to former Director Comey, that is EXACTLY what President Trump did..

    Seriously. You keep typing those two certain words in your posts, and just FYI... when you do that your name winds up on a list at NSA. Seriously. :)

    Heh.. My name is already well known in those circles.. :D

    But the simple fact is, President Trump is more in danger from Left Wing crazies that want to cut off his head, than he is of being impeached...

    :D

  80. [80] 
    TheStig wrote:

    "Interesting. Tillerson is overriding 45 now."

    I wonder if T. Rex even bothered to tell Trump about that mid course correction. Probably best to wait a few weeks and then congratulate Trump as if this U- turn was his own idea.

  81. [81] 
    michale wrote:

    Basically that is what Comey did - he took notes then got them time stamped by entering them into the FBI catalog. Turned out to be a smart move. For him at least.

    That's just the problem..

    Comey was in CYA mode.. He was more worried about his own ass and completely IGNORING doing his job...

    If he felt that President Trump was violating the law, his JOB was to take action, not take notes...

    Imagine the outrage if a cop rolled on the scene of vehicle accident and started taking notes instead of rendering life saving aid??

    "Hay! I have to cover my ass!!!"

    If Comey was more worried about his ass than he was about doing his job, NO WONDER he got his ass fired...

    I have little sympathy and less respect for a public servant who worries more about his ass and just ignores his job...

  82. [82] 
    michale wrote:

    "Not that I'm aware of" isn't exactly a lie there unless you can prove that Comey "got the memo" and was intentionally lying. People like Director Comey don't sit it a room all day and read every piece of email that comes across their desks. They have multiple assistants that assist them with the mundane tasks. It's possible he wasn't aware of the email.

    He was the Director Of The FBI not some janitor in a broom closet...

    If he didn't "recall" getting a memo from the AG on something as important as this then, once again, he deserved to be fired...

  83. [83] 
    Kick wrote:

    TS
    75

    Has the NYer opened up the paywall on that article? Sometimes they do.

    Looks like it.

    One of the seeds Comey planted at the hearings was a hardy annual called the "Rosemary Woods."

    Ah, yes... Rose Mary... a nice little varietal planted just outside the Oval, a handy explanation for 5 out of 18 minutes. You just put your foot here "accidentally" and... oops! Is there anything that can't be blamed on the womenfolk?

    Since the senate hearings brought out notable differences in the Trump/Comey recollections about "The Dinner" the Special Prosecutor is likely to enquire: Are conversations recorded in the Oval Orfice? On the date of the Trump/Comey dinner? Can we have a listen to that specific meeting?

    Madeleine... Oh, Ms. Westerhout. Can you come in here and show me how to work this thing-a-ma-jiggie? I'm having and friend for dinner, and we're going to be discussing "that thing."

    Another seed is "Mellow Yellow" mustard. This little weed is directed at nervous Trump staff. Should I come clean before the boss sets me up to take a fall?

    Yes, it is imperative that you clean: Lather... "Reince"... repeat. *LOL* ;)

  84. [84] 
    neilm wrote:

    If he felt that President Trump was violating the law, his JOB was to take action, not take notes...

    So you are saying that Comey should have said "Hallo, 'allo, 'allo, what's all this?" and slapped on the handcuffs there and then?

    :)

  85. [85] 
    TheStig wrote:

    From the NYer article:

    "The sustained back-and-forth between the Trump Organization and the Mammadovs has legal significance. If parties involved in the Trump Tower Baku project participated in any illegal financial conduct, and if the Trump Organization exerted a degree of control over the project, the company could be vulnerable to criminal prosecution. Tom Fox, a Houston lawyer who specializes in anti-corruption compliance, said, “It’s a problem if you’re making a profit off of someone else’s corrupt conduct.” Moreover, recent case law has established that licensors take on a greater legal burden when they assume roles normally reserved for developers. The Trump Organization’s unusually deep engagement with Baku XXI Century suggests that it had the opportunity and the responsibility to monitor it for corruption."

  86. [86] 
    TheStig wrote:

    From the same NYer article

    "More than a dozen lawyers with experience in F.C.P.A. prosecution expressed surprise at the Trump Organization’s seemingly lax approach to vetting its foreign partners. But, when I asked a former Trump Organization executive if the Baku deal had seemed unusual, he laughed. “No deal there seems unusual, as long as a check is attached,” he said."

    There's the problem.

  87. [87] 
    Kick wrote:

    Michale
    82

    He was the Director Of The FBI not some janitor in a broom closet...

    If he didn't "recall" getting a memo from the AG on something as important as this then, once again, he deserved to be fired...

    If you can wrap your head around that concept, then you shouldn't mind it when people expect the President of the United States to be able to follow the protocol he was given for how to communicate with said Director of the FBI.

    http://www.politico.com/f/?id=0000015a-dde8-d23c-a7ff-dfef4d530000

    Note that date there and the instructions from White House Counsel. No excuses for any of them unless you're a hypocrite or a party sl... zealot. ;)

  88. [88] 
    TheStig wrote:

    neilm - 84

    "Comey should have said "Hallo, 'allo, 'allo, what's all this?" and slapped on the handcuffs there and then?"

    I think would likely resulted in Comey quite literally dying "on that hill."

    This brings up an interesting question. Is the President ever really un-watched behind closed doors when a visitor is present? I mean,who knows what could happen. Are there discrete TV cameras? Or old fashioned eye holes in the portraits?

  89. [89] 
    michale wrote:

    So you are saying that Comey should have said "Hallo, 'allo, 'allo, what's all this?" and slapped on the handcuffs there and then?

    No, he should have informed the AG.... And if he didn't trust the AG a'la AG Lynch, then he had the option of going to the American people..

    Either of those actions would have been the thing to do if Comey was worried less about his ass and more about doing his job..

  90. [90] 
    michale wrote:

    TS,

    This brings up an interesting question. Is the President ever really un-watched behind closed doors when a visitor is present? I mean,who knows what could happen. Are there discrete TV cameras? Or old fashioned eye holes in the portraits?

    According to protocol, there is a USSS agent with the POTUS at all times during the day, unless the POTUS specifically requests the agent to leave..

  91. [91] 
    michale wrote:

    Kick,

    If you can wrap your head around that concept, then you shouldn't mind it when people expect the President of the United States to be able to follow the protocol he was given for how to communicate with said Director of the FBI.

    Comey is a career DC man.. He knows protocol six ways from Sunday...

    President Trump has been a "DC man" for all of 4 months...

    Further, AS PRESIDENT, Trump sets the protocol and it's up to others to follow HIS protocol..

    You seem to forget that we sent President Trump to DC specifically to CHANGE protocol.. :D

    So far, Trump voters seem to like the way he is doing that.. :D

  92. [92] 
    neilm wrote:

    Is the President ever really un-watched behind closed doors when a visitor is present?

    I think so - Monica proved that one.

  93. [93] 
    michale wrote:

    I think so - Monica proved that one.

    Unless Bubba wanted an audience.... :D

  94. [94] 
    michale wrote:

    Further, AS PRESIDENT, Trump sets the protocol and it's up to others to follow HIS protocol..

    In other words, it's not up to the President to adhere to DC's protocol...

    It's up to DC to adhere to the President's protocol...

  95. [95] 
    Kick wrote:

    Michale
    79

    Only because what he said jibes with the known facts..

    I call cherry-picking!

    And Obama himself lied on numerous occasions.. And he is still trusted by the vast majority of the Left Wing...

    Your false equivalency and whataboutism will not help President Pathological one iota in a court of law and likely very little in the court of public opinion. Trump is the most prolific liar I have ever seen hold the office so... "Lordy, I hope there are tapes!"

    So, there is ample precedent established..

    Not really. Character assassination of Comey will not make Trump appear more truthful.

    But Comey's rights do not supersede the rights and privileges of the President Of The United States..

    Not relevant since Trump did not claim executive privilege, and don't think I didn't notice exactly what you did there. Also, Comey doesn't give up his rights in order to serve his country. Know why I always say the dumbest thing Trump has done to date as POTUS is fire James Comey? Because when he fired him, he became a citizen and unencumbered with governmental regulations he had henceforth been bound by. Trump ended that all by his lonesome... his call.

    Comey had the right to quit or the right to bring the matter to the attention of the AG.....

    You've really got the right-wing taking points down. They're just a diversion/deflection from the real issues... an obfuscation.

    Those were Comey's ONLY rights in this matter. He surely didn't have the "right" to break the law....

    Okay, you're just flat out wrong here about those being the ONLY rights... bigly wrong, and you're conveniently forgetting that Trump doesn't have the right to break the law either. It's complicated but well-settled case law. Trump's lies in the past will not serve him well henceforth. He lies a lot. He's lying right now actually. Oh, there goes another one.

    We're more than a year into this and there is still not a SINGLE bona fide and verifiable fact that supports ANY crime being committed..

    I would call that "no where"...

    Not sure what you're talking about, but Flynn, Kushner, and Sessions have all committed crimes on their SF-86 unless they can convince the FBI otherwise. Trump said no one on his campaign met with any Russians, and that is simply a flat out lie.

    As I am sure you would have wagered against President Trump encouraging Director COmey to pursue justice...

    Yet, according to former Director Comey, that is EXACTLY what President Trump did..

    Again, I call cherry picking. You've got a hard sell if you want people to simultaneously believe Comey is a lying yet trustworthy man. *LOL*

    But the simple fact is, President Trump is more in danger from Left Wing crazies that want to cut off his head, than he is of being impeached...

    OMG. Trump's lawyer is having a fit right about now. Trump just agreed to testify under oath... then he mischaracterized Comey's testimony and said he didn't do what Comey said... except Comey didn't exactly say what Trump just said Comey said. See the problem? President Pathological just declared war on Comey. I'd put my money on Comey. :)

  96. [96] 
    michale wrote:

    Kick,

    Your false equivalency and whataboutism will not help President

    It's not false equivalency and it's not a whataboutism..

    It's established precedent..

    Not sure what you're talking about, but Flynn, Kushner, and Sessions have all committed crimes on their SF-86 unless they can convince the FBI otherwise.

    Innocent until PROVEN guilty in a court of law...

    Ring a bell???

    No one has committed any crimes..

    Again, I call cherry picking. You've got a hard sell if you want people to simultaneously believe Comey is a lying yet trustworthy man. *LOL*

    It's what Democrats want us to believe about Comey...

    NOW he is an honest man.. BEFORE Trump fired him, he was a scumbag liar who cost NOT-45 the election..

    to testify under oath... then he mischaracterized Comey's testimony and said he didn't do what Comey said... except Comey didn't exactly say what Trump just said Comey said. See the problem? President Pathological just declared war on Comey. I'd put my money on Comey.

    Of course you would... But only because he is anti-Trump now...

    When he was anti NOT-45, Comey was scum of the earth..

    And so it goes and so it goes... :D

  97. [97] 
    Kick wrote:

    Michale
    91

    President Trump has been a "DC man" for all of 4 months...

    Further, AS PRESIDENT, Trump sets the protocol and it's up to others to follow HIS protocol..

    Wrong, wrong, wrong. You want an authoritarian, you're living in the wrong country. I gave you the link above to the White House counsel's rules. Trump was given those. The Director of the FBI is not the servant of the President. Get that through your head. He is a servant of the people. Trump is a servant of the people, NOT a King who lives by his own rules.

    Have you even read the United States Constitution? If Trump can change those laws, then more power to him. He doesn't get to change settled case law.

    You seem to forget that we sent President Trump to DC specifically to CHANGE protocol.. :D

    You sound like Paul Ryan. You both are confusing protocol with the law. Ignorance of the law is no excuse, and for Christ's sake if you don't know that then there's no hope for you (a royal you... not "you" you).

    So far, Trump voters seem to like the way he is doing that.. :D

    He breaks the laws of the Constitution and well-settled laws of the United States, and it won't matter how much they like him. He'll be buttering his own TOAST. :)

  98. [98] 
    Kick wrote:

    So a guy who demands nondisclosure agreements from even volunteers on his campaign just said in a press conference that he barely knew Comey so why would he request his loyalty? Insists Comey is lying.

    That's right. Donald Trump demanded nondisclosure agreements from all his employees whether he's met them or not and even from unpaid strangers on his campaign and then says "who would ask a man to pledge allegiance under oath."

    Who does he think he's fooling? :)

  99. [99] 
    Kick wrote:

    Michale
    96

    Of course you would... But only because he is anti-Trump now...

    When he was anti NOT-45, Comey was scum of the earth..

    Oh, and you were doing so well. You're wrong here, and it's been pointed out to you. Not going to waste my time by relitigating the same BS over and over for no reason. You lump everyone into one category, and it's simply utter nonsense.

    Besides, you were singing Comey's praises and now you're nothing but right-wing talking points and calling us hypocritical.

    If you trust Comey over President Pathological liar, then you need to seriously consider that you might be a party sl..bi.. zealot. Just saying. You seem to have flipped like Misha Flynn.

    Later, gator.

    Run away, run away. <------ There, saved you some typing. Don't say I never did nothing for you. ;)

  100. [100] 
    Kick wrote:

    Correction: If you don't trust Comey over President Pathological liar, then you need to seriously consider that you might be a party sl..bi.. zealot. Just saying. You seem to have flipped like Misha Flynn on your opinion of Comey.

  101. [101] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Comey suspected immediately that Trump was going to lie, which is what prompted him to take notes covering all of their meetings; and then Trump proved Comey's suspicions correct when he did lie, after the firing.

    I wonder what made Comey suspect immediately that Trump was going to lie ...

  102. [102] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    There was a minor revelation that Attorney General Loretta Lynch directed Comey to refer to the Clinton investigation as a "matter" instead of an "investigation," but that's pretty small potatoes in the grand scheme of Clinton investigations.

    Did this come before or after Clinton's husband met with AG Lynch on that tarmac in Phoenix?

    And, more importantly, taken together these two incidents along with the rest of what was going on at the time is why Comey dealt with the Clinton email investigation the way he did.

    I understand, however, that some progressives will never see how this directly contributed to Comey's actions.

  103. [103] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Comey is completely confident that if such tapes do exist, they're going to verify his version of events, not Trump's.

    He is not the only one who is completely confident about that. Anyone who has been paying attention for the last several years would bet the farm on it, even if said farm is in Iowa.

  104. [104] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    The most-tweeted-about moment during the hearings, sadly, was the reaction to John McCain's line of questioning, which can only (charitably) be described as "doddering." McCain was trying to make a point, but utterly failed to do so in any coherent way. The point he was attempting to make is that Comey put his thumb on the scale during the election by publicly talking about Hillary Clinton's investigation but refusing to talk publicly about the Russia investigation into the Trump campaign. It's a valid point --

    I don't see how that is a valid point. And, I'm not sure what doddering means but McCain's questioning was nothing short of embarrassing.

    The Hillary investigation and the Trump campaign investigation are as different as night and day in every conceivable respect. To suggest that Comey had his thumb on the scale with regard to the election only betrays a deep understanding of all of the events and context of both matters.

  105. [105] 
    Elizabeth Miller wrote:

    Let me try that last bit again ...

    The Hillary investigation and the Trump campaign investigation are as different as night and day in every conceivable respect. To suggest that Comey had his thumb on the scale with regard to the election only betrays a less than deep understanding of all of the events and context of both matters.

  106. [106] 
    michale wrote:

    Kick,

    Oh, and you were doing so well.

    It's a valid point, as I am sure you will agree...

    The change in the attitude towards Comey amongst the Left Wing pre-canning and post-canning is night and day...

    You lump everyone into one category, and it's simply utter nonsense.

    I see you have adopted Liz's debating style.. :D

    That's a compliment, in case you were wondering. :D

    Besides, you were singing Comey's praises and now you're nothing but right-wing talking points and calling us hypocritical.

    Actually, my thoughts towards Comey are consistent with a man who was honorable in my eyes until he admitted to committing crimes just because he got fired..

    I had the same turn-around with Angela Corey.. Sung her praises to the high heavens until she proved what a total jackass she is...

    My attitude has nothing to do with politics and every thing to do with the the actions of Comey...

    I don't take offense at your accusation of hypocrisy because I can see how you can make that accusation..

    Perhaps you can see your way clear to understand why *I* would make that accusation as well.. :D

    If you trust Comey over President Pathological liar, then you need to seriously consider that you might be a party sl..bi.. zealot. Just saying. You seem to have flipped like Misha Flynn.

    Speaking to the establishment of precedent...

    President Trump is no more a pathological liar then Obama was..

    The only difference is that the entirety of the MSM hates President Trump, so his "lies" are much more well documented than Obama's ever were...

    Later, gator.

    Run away, run away. <------ There, saved you some typing. Don't say I never did nothing for you. ;)

    heh... :D

    In the interests of our new found tolerance of each other, I would not have done that.. :D

    But, I completely understand why you would think I would.. I have been quite the prick of late and I render my utmost apologies for that...

    I would like to say that it won't happen again, but knowing me as I do, I am sure it will.. :D

  107. [107] 
    michale wrote:

    Kick,

    Wrong, wrong, wrong. You want an authoritarian, you're living in the wrong country.

    I respect your opinion.

    I simply disagree with it..

  108. [108] 
    michale wrote:

    Kick,

    You lump everyone into one category, and it's simply utter nonsense.

    I explained this before...

    I say 'ya'all' strictly for convenience and brevity..(I know!! ME!!?? BREVITY!!!??? :D) It's faster and easier than to single out those who are the exceptions...

    As I said, I readily acknowledge there ARE exceptions and those who ARE the exceptions know who they are....

    For the vast majority of the LEFT (and Weigantians) it's always perfectly applicable...

  109. [109] 
    michale wrote:

    “Did the president behave inappropriately? Yes, absolutely. If being rude, and crude, and a bull in a china shop were a crime, he’d be guilty. But it’s not.”
    -Senator Lindsay Graham

    And there it is...

    Ya'all think President Trump is a boorish, arrogant prick..

    And he is...

    But THAT is neither illegal or impeachable...

    THAT's the point that ya'all miss...

    Balthazar went on and on about Trump's "crimes" and then finished up with how Trump allegedly threw family members under the bus...

    And how, exactly, is that a crime???

    95% of what ya'all accuse Trump of is not illegal or impeachable and the other 5% ya'all have NO FACTS to support.....

    That is what it all boils down to...

  110. [110] 
    Kick wrote:

    Michale
    106

    The change in the attitude towards Comey amongst the Left Wing pre-canning and post-canning is night and day...

    I disagree here, at least with the lefties and left-leaners I know. Oh, sure... some of them weren't happy when Comey took the actions he did against HRC and some of the Berners were actually ecstatic, but not a single leftie I know lost any respect for Director Comey and understood exactly why he took the actions he did. On this board, Liz explains it better than me.

    Actually, my thoughts towards Comey are consistent with a man who was honorable in my eyes until he admitted to committing crimes just because he got fired..

    You just conceded debate points based on your own criteria of innocent until proven guilty. Whomever is telling you that Comey committed "crimes" is simply lying to you in order to impeach Comey's character and deflect from Trump's lies. I am unaware of any "crime" Comey has committed, let alone multiple "crimes," and Comey without doubt has not "admitted to committing crimes."

    You're not using your noodle if you believe that Comey broke a law in America by speaking indirectly to the press regarding his own notes. He was a private citizen with all the same rights as any other American. Read the Federalist Papers and the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution regarding Freedom of the Press, Freedom of Speech and U.S. v. Nixon regarding Executive Privilege.

    Trump's lawyer is bullying Comey in the fashion of his mentor Roy Cohn, and he'd better tread lightly because too much BS in Comey's direction could be considered an abuse of process and even as bullying a witness in a criminal investigation, which could also provide another spoke in the wheel to proving obstruction of justice.

    My attitude has nothing to do with politics and every thing to do with the the actions of Comey...

    Oh, I completely understand, but I think you're deluding yourself and/or believing the nonsensical right-wing talking points if you honestly believe that an American citizen doesn't have a right to speak to the press or use his own unclassified notes while exercising his right to free speech. It's utter nonsense to claim that information is "privileged" when the POTUS claimed no Executive Privilege nor tried to stop Comey's testimony. Whining about "privileged communications" after stating you would not claim Executive Privilege is ridiculous.

    A president invokes executive privilege by instructing an official not to testify or produce documents, and the official would naturally follow orders because he/she would like to keep their job and avoid having to testify before Congress. Donald Trump has already fired Director Comey, and Comey wishes to testify regarding his unclassified notes. Trump could, of course, try to sue Comey to prevent his testimony, but Comey is a private citizen with constitutional rights of free speech, and there is no court that would stop Comey from revealing the same information in a congressional hearing that he could simply write a book containing said information or give an interview on television (like Trump did), tweet (like Trump did), or type on a blog like this. Donald Trump has no Executive Privilege over James Comey's personal notes that are unclassified.

    I spoke with President Obama very briefly after a ceremony for a dozen firefighters who died in West, Texas. He had spent that morning at the dedication ceremony for the George W. Bush Presidential Center at SMU. I told him that Texas was proud to be the host of every living United States president that day and thanked him for coming. He said he was sorry it was under such circumstances. I asked him if he enjoyed the dedication, and he said the library was terrific. Then I asked him, "So how are 39, 41, 42 and 43 holding up?" He smiled.

    Lock me up. :)

    The only difference is that the entirety of the MSM hates President Trump, so his "lies" are much more well documented than Obama's ever were...

    You do know the definition of "entirety," right? If you honestly think that Obama lies as much as Benedict Donald, then you're not paying good enough attention.

    Off topic: I just saw Lindsey Graham say that exact same blurb about Mueller wouldn't let Comey testify at all if he had a case for obstruction of justice. You and Miss Lindsey should take into consideration that Mueller might have another shoe to drop regarding that subject (hint: he does).

    But, I completely understand why you would think I would.. I have been quite the prick of late and I render my utmost apologies for that...

    I would be lying if I disagreed. Apology accepted. We're all human; some of us are just more human than others. Heh... just kidding. :) I will apologize for what I said when I was trying to give you a dose of your own medicine.

    Hey! Maybe all we need is a "safe word." Hmmmmmmmm.

    Oh, I know....... HITLER! ;)

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