The Mueller investigation and Roger Stone: wheels within wheels
There’s the deep state, and then there’s the deep deep state.
I think it’s wise to pay attention to Devin Nunes. So far, he has turned out to be spot on about what’s been happening behind the scenes:
Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) warned as the onion is peeled on the Mueller team the American people will learn what they were “really doing.” In an interview with FOX Business host Lou Dobbs, Nunes also expressed his pleasure that President Trump is downsizing the National Security Council from roughly 500 people to 100.
“The lawyers that, you know, that stepped aside today that — that busted — that made the seven-to-nine-year recommendation — on the prosecutors, we believe that this is not going to be the only example. We think there’s other examples of things that they did during the Mueller investigation that I think you and your listeners and the American people will be very interested to learn in the coming weeks, as we start to unpeel the onion of what the Mueller team was really doing,” Nunes said Tuesday.
Nunes said Trump needs to look at other people that are part of “permanent bureaucracy” and remove them from the White House because the “place leaks like a sieve.” Nunes said given that there were a lot of Obama holdovers in the NSC it would be logical to assume that is where most of the leaks come from.
Please read the whole thing.
The left is up in arms about the resignations and the firings, which is absurd because Trump has every right to do what he’s doing, and if a Democrat had done it there would have been silence (or approval) from the MSM and the others.
During the Obama administration, many people remarked on how Obama and Holder were stacking the DOJ with leftist lawyers. It was no secret, and it was no secret why they were doing it, either. They had the right to do it, by the way. But it has borne fruit. And it was one of many many things Obama and his appointees did that made it clear what a leftist he was. The press thought it was just hunky dory, too. And they felt the same way when the Mueller investigation was stacked with leftists and Democrats as well (something that even a “fact-checking” site like Politifact found difficult if not impossible to refute, despite valiant efforts).
The bottom line is that Trump has not been allowed to be president. Even if he’s reelected by a strong majority, they still will not allow him. Everything he does can be twisted by his enemies into an abuse of power, and the MSM and the Democrats count on their voters to just take their word for it. For the most part, they do.
I believe that one of the most important reasons for the three-year impeachment hoax was to tie Trump’s hands so he could not clean house.
With the acquittal, now is the time for him to give a lot of folks walking papers.
I agree with Scott Adams’ about trolling the left: #notimpeached
He’s been swimming against a strong current from day one and it’s amazing what he’s accomplished.
The house cleaning is way overdue. I suppose they delayed so as not to inflame the impeachment craze. Every president is entitled to have staff who will promote the policies set by the president, and not policies set by an insane “resistance.”
There should have been a large turnover on Trump’s inauguration, but the Democrats created this fake “collusion” narrative which meant many potential officials thought Trump would be removed and didn’t want to get themselves dirty.
Hello, what’s this? House Judiciary Democrats Announce AG Barr to Testify Before Committee
From their letter (most of it, in fact):
Never read the story of B’rer Rabbit and the briar patch, have they?
I have every confidence in Barr’s ability to demolish the Democrats on the Judiciary Committee.
sdferr:
That story and everything produced in Amerikkkkkka since 1619 is raaaaaacissssst! 😉
Neo, the case against Roger Stone is a good one and after a week long trial and two days of deliberation the jury found him guilty of seven counts including obstruction of justice, making false statements, and witness tampering. Say what you want about the prosecutors but the jury did exactly what juries do in our system every day in a legal system that is pretty well considered the best in the world. Yet Trump – who was not on the jury and did not hear the testimony but who is friends with Stone – can simply tweet it’s unfair and suddenly – it’s unfair? In this case it’s clear he is being political. The jury was not. The defense was unable to clear Stone. That’s on them not on the government prosecutors.
What may be true is that the sentence recommendation was too harsh but he most certainly was found guilty and the evidence bears that out. He should be sentenced even if only six months. Trump may pardon him, which would be pretty bad IMO.
I keep waiting for Conservative Republicans to “get militant”.
Since I live in Southern California, I know there are two dynamics that make it very difficult here. First, we would be badly outnumbered; and the authorities would most likely ally with the other side. Secondly, since most Conservative Republicans are actually employed (not me), they spend so much time creeping along the freeways twice a day that they are perpetually exhausted.
We lived in semi-rural Virginia for over thirty years. I was proud of our state; but, recently it appeared that the Left had gained a stranglehold. I am once again proud to see Virginians fighting back against the 2nd amendment abuses of the Richmond autocrats.
In this case it’s clear he is being political. The jury was not.
That looks sort of silly. In D.C.? Care to explain 1) how you know this, and 2) how you reach such equitable non-political judgements yourself?
I’m not laughing. Well, ok, not too much. Believe that? No?
Oh, I should add: the case against Roger Stone is crap; political top to bottom. Wouldn’t have happened otherwise. So.
sdferr on February 12, 2020 at 5:47 pm said:
Never read the story of B’rer Rabbit and the briar patch, have they?
* * *
And hear I thought those cries of “It’s a set up!” were over-reaction!
They probably haven’t read that story, because “Song of the South” was banned before any of the 27-year-old reporters were born, and the old pols have forgotten about it.
However, we do have a very active Streisand Effect in operation, and Trump is going after the Democrat’s entire subdivision.
“Say what you want about the prosecutors but the jury did exactly what juries do in our system every day in a legal system that is pretty well considered the best in the world.”
Rubin “Hurricane” Carter and a bunch of other wrongly convicted folks would like to have a word with you.
Mike
Neo – thanks for posting the transcript. I’ve had the video of the Nunes-Dobbs interview on-hand for a couple of days, but I hate listening to people talking over each other, sometimes to the point that I can’t really understand what they have said.
the jury found him guilty of seven counts including obstruction of justice, making false statements, and witness tampering.
All process crimes. The ‘witness tampering’ consisted of remonstrating with his friend Credico over congressional testimony. ‘Making false statements’ is a crime that generally does not exist on the state level. You will recall this quartet were part of the crew that were attempting to make the case that Donald Trump was guilty of ‘obstruction of justice’ for obstructing their obstruction investigation.
Rubin “Hurricane” Carter and a bunch of other wrongly convicted folks would like to have a word with you.
I think some of the volunteer legal labor who at the end of it all had had quite enough of Ruben Carter might want to have a word with you.
Yep. This is truly the best legal system in the world. No need to question anything that happens. Not at all.
https://dailycaller.com/2020/02/12/roger-stone-jury-foreperson-democrat/
Mike
Montage on February 12, 2020 at 7:51 pm said:
…He should be sentenced even if only six months.
* * *
That is kinda the argument the DOJ is making.
Also for Montage –
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2020/02/12/trump_i_dont_want_to_say_yet_whether_i_would_pardon_roger_stone_you_have_murderers_who_dont_get_nine_years.html
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2020/02/12/cnns_toobin_roger_stone_sentence_recommendation_excessive.html
For a little background and context about Presidents “interjecting themselves in the justice process” — it’s only a problem if Republicans do it.
https://www.renewamerica.com/columns/gaynor/111017
No need to question anything that happens. Not at all.
Stone’s lawyers s*ck at voir dire.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2020/02/12/trump_says_the_lesson_he_learned_from_impeachment_is_the_democrats_are_crooked.html?utm_campaign=ora_player&utm_medium=ora-video-widget&utm_source=videopages
sdferr on February 12, 2020 at 5:43 pm said:
Hello, what’s this? House Judiciary Democrats Announce AG Barr to Testify Before Committee.
* * *
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2020/02/11/nadlers-panic-letter-to-barr-demands-to-know-why-doj-is-looking-at-giulianis-biden-ukraine-info-885590
Shorter Nadler: Barr said he wouldn’t help us win in 2020 and that’s not fair.
Threading the needle by Andrew McCarthy.
https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/02/the-roger-stone-sentencing-fiasco/
Another serious question about Mueller’s investigation team.
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2020/02/12/unfortunately-a-corrupt-group-of-politically-focused-doj-lawyers-isnt-the-only-issue/
Well, sdferr, somebody else knows their Uncle Remus stories!
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2020/02/12/excellent-news-hjc-chairman-jerry-nadler-demands-testimony-from-ag-bill-barr-scheduled-hearing-march-31st/
Shem Horne looks at Tomeka Hart’s twitter posts. Thread:
https://mobile.twitter.com/Shem_Infinite/status/1227786964046315520
Kinda belies any claim to impartiality, seems to me. We’ll see where it goes.
This framing is wildly ahistorical.
For example, Trump has the right to pardon. Indeed, his pardon powers are explicitly enumerated in the Constitution. But as we know from the famous James Madison / George Mason exchange, he can still be impeached for exercising that power.
Long – short: George Mason is arguing against the Presidential Pardon. He’s worried that a President may “pardon crimes which were advised by himself”.
James Madison replies that Mason should chill. Why? The Constitution has a remedy for that:
So arguing that Trump has the right to do what he is doing goes nowhere.
“Right” isn’t the term. The term is “power(s)“. Rights are ours, powers we cede to governments.
What may be true is that the sentence recommendation was too harsh but he most certainly was found guilty and the evidence bears that out. He should be sentenced even if only six months. Trump may pardon him, which would be pretty bad IMO.
Your political sentiments are obvious in your comment. Stone is a clown and was not a “political advisor” to Trump. He was a hanger on, sort of like the people who hang around NBA stars, He got himself into trouble by bragging about things that he was not involved with, like Wikileaks. As to the jury, the jury forewoman, who lives in Tennessee, has a history of anti-Trump activism and forgot to delete her social media before attacking Trump, as you just did.
That must have been an interesting voir dire.
“So arguing that Trump has the right to do what he is doing goes nowhere.“
It only goes nowhere if you believe that not only CAN the House impeach a President for anything, they SHOULD impeach for anything.
Mike
Anyone else surprised to hear from Manju after the acquittal? Shocked. The crickets put him up to it.
With reports about Democratic Party dishonesty, malfeasance, corruption, ineptitude and general criminality hemorrhaging on a daily basis, Nadler is desperately trying to play what may be his last card: going after Barr to bring down Trump.
Swinging wildly. Desperation palpable. Alas, the poor lambs seem on the verge…and as a result the violence is ramping up. Poor, poor little lambs.
Of course, we all understand that it’s NOT FAIR that Trump hasn’t collapsed in the face of the extraordinary efforts of our bestest and brightest, not to mention their most patriotic intentions. Not fair, not right. And freakin’ immoral.
That’s right. Not only has Trump NOT agreed to capitulate: that sore winner, that barbarian, is fighting back!
Palestinian rules!
So first, take the brief time to watch this C-span video of Sen. Rand Paul’s speech on the Senate floor last week restating his (CJ Roberts) banned question during the impeachment proceedings: Sen. Paul speech
Watched? Good.
Now consider: YouTube has pulled postings of this speech down. They will not have you or anyone else see it.
Fearful, are they? You’re damned right they’re fearful. They must control the message, because their own stories cannot compete with truth. And without their bogus stories their power melts away.
om:
Manju was taking a well-earned break. He works so hard here, and with so little result.
AesopFan
If you watch the entire interview with Jeffrey Toobin you’ll see he says while it was excessive it was also part of the sentencing guidelines. But the main argument he is making is how highly unusual it is for the president to interject into this case. It’s political interference in the justice system pure and simple. Remember when Republicans went crazy when Loretta Lynch had a conversation on the tarmac with Bill Clinton? As Toobin says, this goes way beyond that.
Montage:
Remember “it” all depends what the word “is” is. Your “political interference” may not correspond with reality, pure and simple. Just like “foreign policy consensus” not being the same as same as official foreign policy set by the POTUS. Ask Lt. Col. Vindman about that distinction if you aren’t sure about it.
“It’s political interference in the justice system pure and simple.”
It CANNOT be political interference for the President to SAY SOMETHING in public about a matter related to government policy, otherwise nearly EVERYTHING the President says or does qualifies as “political interference.”
Does Trump violate standards of decorum or appropriateness with some of his comments on stuff like this? Sure, and it would be fine to criticize him for it. But it is not okay to try and turn bad manners into a high crime.
Mike
As usual, Andrew McCarthy threads the needle well enough that everybody’s objections are knit up in some way.
https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/02/the-roger-stone-sentencing-fiasco/
The Case of the Resigning Prosecutors is more significant than appears from the outside.
J. E. Dyer digests & analyzes information presented by Sundance at CTH into a more comprehensible form.
https://libertyunyielding.com/2020/02/13/the-jessie-liu-clue-a-d-c-cover-up-that-is-spygate/