Why "Trumpgate" is different.

[maxparrish]

Some folks need to be reminded why this investigation got started:

The Russian investigation began ONLY because of their massive cyber operations that aimed at interfering with the US elections; the dubious connections, meetings, and/or cash payments to persons associated with Trump and/or the Trump campaign; and the stubborn and weird denial by Trump, even after briefings, of Russian hacking (as well as soliciting it) and his apologism for the Putin regime.

The combined efforts of DC Leaks (Guccifer 2.0) a Russian GRU operation, and Wikileaks (The CIA has identified the Russian officials who fed material hacked from the Democratic National Committee and party leaders to Wikileaks at the direction of Russian President Vladimir Putin through third parties corrupted the US elections, causing high profile resignations at the DNC and damaging press against Clinton. Also targeted were select anti-Russian Republican targets, 200 Democratic lawmakers, and more than 200 county election computer systems.

In spite of Trump's briefings by intelligence authorities (starting on on July 27th of 2016), before and after the election he has been a reliable Russian apologist and hired or used many Russophiles on his campaign. In the Presidential debates he refused to accept the intelligence. He said it might have been Chinese or a 400lb guy sitting on the edge of his bed. As late as May 1st, he returned to his belief that nobody knows.

The following Trump associated individuals have had dubious confidential meetings, calls, and/or taken money from Russia or Russian front groups.

Roger Stone (former Trump campaign manager)
Paul Manafort (former Trump campaign manager)
Carter Page
Michael Flynn
Jared Kushner

The investigation, when completed, should establish whether or not any one of these individuals colluded with Russia or Russian fronts, or committed related crimes. It would now seem, given Trumps histrionics and attempts to derail the investigation, he will be investigated for obstruction of justice.

Fair enough. Let the chips fall where they may.

 

[independentusa]

You are wasting your breathe, or writing I guess. The Trumpsters will never believe, even if it jumps up and bites them in their, well can't write that word. The GOP has become a party of people who only believe hat they want to and they don't want to believe that their wonder boy, and I do mean boy, would do anything wrong. They probably still believe that he never harassed all those women or failed to pay the people who did work for him.

 

[Aberration]

No, you weren't.
Democrats are all idiots. They cooked up a bogus charge and then demanded it be investigated.
It ain't over 'till it's over, though. Is it. And right now it's only just begun.

I fully expect another 7 years of bogus charges.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[independentusa]

Clinton accepting donations for foreign governments, what about Trump and a lot of the GOP taking money from the Russians? I guess it is okay as long as you win.

 

[fmw]

For those of us old enough to remember Watergate, Iran-Contra and Whitewater, there is one significant difference in the investigations of those three in comparison to Trumpgate. For the previous three, the President at the time did not benefit from his party controlling Congress. With respect to Trump, he does. As such, he will enjoy some measure of latitude and partisan cover until such time as the evidence (if the investigation produces any) forces the Republicans (through election losses, or fear thereof) in Congress to remove Trump's "safety net".

The main difference is that "Trumpgate" doesn't have a crime.