I’m John Cole: I guess maybe because I read the damned report, unlike, apparently, the FBI director and every member of the Republican caucus, there was nothing really newsworthy there today. Just an aged bureaucrat calmly answering questions from a bunch of people who, with limited exceptions, had far inferior intellect. I don’t know how the man made it through … Read More
Mueller Testifies
Trump weighed in just before Mueller was sworn in — NO COLLUSION, NO OBSTRUCTION! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 24, 2019 It is an hour and a half into Mueller’s testimony before the House Judiciary and Intelligence Committee and it is clear that Democrats are very organized, getting lots of information out by asking “Isn’t true [quote from report], … Read More
Mueller Day Preview
Tomorrow is “Mueller Day” – the day before Robert Mueller testifies before Congress. Mueller is scheduled to testify before the House Judiciary and Intelligence panels Wednesday morning beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET. The former special counsel has been a reluctant witness, and is appearing before subpoena. Democrats plan to push Mueller on several aspects of his investigation as well as the … Read More
Ben Wittes’ Questions For Mueller
At Lawfare, Ben Wittes correctly advises Congress to not waste time questioning Mueller about things he won’t answer (i.e., anything outside the four corners of the report), and to ask precise yes/no questions. That way, you can move the ball forward, if only slightly, and not have the whole thing be theater. He’s right about that, and then he gives … Read More
News Bits
(1) ABOUT TIME From the Washington Post: House Democrats filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the Trump administration seeking access to President Trump’s tax returns. Rep. Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, filed the lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department after months of feuding with the Trump administration over the returns. … Read More
The Perils Of Immigrants
This photo hit the public yesterday and went viral. Chuck Schumer: “President Trump, I want you to look at this photo. These are not drug dealers or vagrants or criminals. They are people simply fleeing a horrible situation in their home country for a better life.”Via The Hill pic.twitter.com/r9an1kA7Br — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) June 26, 2019 The man and his … Read More
Actually, It Seems The President IS Above The Law
It is worth noting that, while Attorney General Barr has apparently negotiated an agreement to provide the House Judiciary Committee with access to Robert Mueller’s “most important files” related to the obstruction inquiry, Trump’s lawyers continue to fight in court against the release of the president’s financial records. It is very likely that the latter poses the bigger threat to Trump, who has already … Read More
Breaking: House Judiciary Committee To Hold Hearings On Mueller Report
WaPo: The House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing next week on the Mueller report — but the report’s author will not attend. The panel announced Monday that it will convene on June 10 for a hearing titled “Lessons from the Mueller Report: Presidential Obstruction and Other Crimes.” Former U.S. attorneys and legal experts are expected to attend, as is John W. … Read More
Mueller Talks
Surprise press conference from Robert Mueller in which he took no questions: Trying not to break DOJ protocol, Mueller did his best to explain but not veer from the words of his report, and was successful. But in being faithful to his report, Mueller tacitly highlighted just how disingenuous AG Barr was when he first summarized the report. Mueller opened … Read More
Breaking: Trump Now 0-2 In Getting Judges To Bock Subpoenas
Courthouse News: MANHATTAN (CN) – A federal judge refused President Donald Trump an injunction Wednesday in the subpoena fight over his personal and business bank records at Deutsche Bank and Capital One. A German lender in the swirl of a money laundering scandal, Deutsche has been identified as one of the few financial institutions willing to do business with Trump … Read More
Happening Now: Pelosi And Schumer At White House To Talk Infrastructure; Trump Cannot Focus
Trump is on the White House lawn complaining about the Mueller investigation, while Pelosi and Schumer are trying to do the work of the people: "I walked into the room and I told Sen Schumer and Speaker Pelosi that I want to do infrastructure…but I can't do it under these circumstances." Pres Trump of his meeting moments before with Democratic … Read More
McGahn Is A No-Show. Now What?
Rep. Jerry Nadler: “We will not allow the President to prevent the American people from hearing from this witness. We will not allow the President to block congressional subpoenas, putting himself and his allies above the law.” https://t.co/iwEhpwoUah pic.twitter.com/Aw7imGg0GX — The Hill (@thehill) May 21, 2019 Nadler in the clip above (from The Post): “We will not allow the president to … Read More
Document Dump: Judicial Opinion Requiring Trump’s Accounting Firm To Hand Over Trump Financial Records
It’s a scathing opinion, right from the opening graf: Judge Mehta rules against Trump in financial record case. Mehta starts his 41-page opinion with a quote from President Buchanan. pic.twitter.com/ZDmOYw6Rra — Charlie Gile (@CharlieGileNBC) May 20, 2019 “It is simply not fathomable that a Constitution that grants Congress the power to remove a President for reasons including criminal behavior would … Read More
Trump Expected To Order McGahn To Ignore Subpoena
NEWS: The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel has drafted an opinion centering on McGahn’s planned testimony to House Judiciary tomorrow, per DOJ official. A Hill aide tells me they expect it to provide a legal basis for McGahn refusing to comply with the subpoena. — Andrew Desiderio (@desiderioDC) May 20, 2019 NY Times: President Trump is preparing to instruct … Read More