Why Comey’s testimony was utterly devastating to Trump
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canada goose outlet reviews To recap: According to Comey’s sworn testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, buttressed by yet to be seen contemporaneous memos, Trump invited him to an unusual one on one dinner at which the president told Comey, “I need loyalty. I expect loyalty.” canada goose outlet reviews
canada goose outlet new york city The day before, then acting attorney general Sally Yates first alerted White House Counsel Donald McGahn that then national security adviser Michael Flynn had lied about his transition contacts with buy canada goose jacket cheap Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak canada goose clearance and was vulnerable to being blackmailed by the Russians. White House press secretary Sean Spicer has said McGahn “informed the president right away” about Yates’s warning. canada goose outlet new york city
canada goose outlet store uk So Trump’s dinner with Comey, and his reopening of what Comey had thought was the settled question of whether the FBI director would keep his job, did not take place canada goose uk shop in a vacuum. This was no casual get to know you social occasion. It occurred just as Trump was learning that Flynn was in enormous jeopardy. canada goose outlet store uk
canada goose outlet shop The next month, canadagooseoutletjackets.com Comey said, Trump insisted on clearing the Oval Office of witnesses for another session alone with him, at which the president expressed his desire that a politically damaging case against his uk canada goose outlet just fired national security adviser be made to go away. That did not happen, and Trump summarily fired Comey, asserting that he was accepting the advice of underlings “that you are cheap Canada Goose not able to effectively lead the bureau.”Almost immediately, however, the president acknowledged that this recommendation was mere pretext; in fact, Trump Canada Goose Jackets Outlet said, he was spurred by Comey’s handling of “this Russia thing.” canada goose outlet Canada Goose Coats On Sale shop
goose outlet canada Does this rise to the level of obstruction of justice? Perhaps, and the Comey testimony brings Trump significantly closer to that point, including Comey’s clarification that he understood Trump’s expression of “hope” as a clear direction to drop the case. If this request was so benign, why did Trump seemingly feel uncomfortable making it in the presence of witnesses? canada goose uk outlet goose outlet canada
canada goose outlet parka Still, Canada Goose Parka considering whether a prosecutor would be able to prove obstruction beyond buy canada goose jacket a reasonable canada goose black friday sale doubt is a question that canadian goose jacket is both premature and slightly off point. canada goose outlet parka
canada goose canada goose coats outlet in usa It’s premature because Mueller is at canada goose store the beginning of the beginning of looking at Trump’s conduct. Even on the question of obstruction alone, he would want to question multiple additional witnesses canada goose uk black friday about Trump’s dealings with Comey and the Flynn case/larger Russia inquiry, including Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, senior adviser/son in law Jared Kushner, McGahn, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein. Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats and National Security Agency Director Michael S. Rogers may have stiff armed senators’ questions about Trump’s reported efforts to have them intervene on the Russia matter; they won’t be able to easily evade Mueller. canada goose outlet in usa
canada goose outlet uk It’s slightly off point in that a criminal prosecution of Trump while he is president is unlikely and, at least according to canada goose factory sale the Justice Department’s long standing assessment, constitutionally impermissible. The more likely, and more appropriate, remedy would be impeachment, in which case lawmakers would not be bound by the strict elements of the obstruction crime or the high bar of criminal proof. canada goose outlet uk
canada goose outlet sale So let Mueller and Congress continue their essential work. In the meantime, don’t be fooled or diverted by the attacks on Comey and others. “Despite so many false statements Canada Goose Online and lies, total and complete vindication.. and WOW, Comey is a leaker!” Trump tweeted Friday. Later, he denied asking Comey for loyalty or pressing him to drop the Flynn case. canada goose outlet sale
canada goose outlet Canada Goose online jackets In a swearing contest between Comey and Trump, Comey wins, hands down, against a man whose misstatements keep the fact checkers working overtime. Every lawyer on the planet would want Comey testifying for their side over Trump. To disbelieve Comey is to imagine that he wrote a fictitious account of his interactions with the president before being fired but that his fabrication didn’t include a direct order from Trump. canada goose outlet jackets
canada goose outlet And yes, Comey orchestrated the leak of his memo. If that makes you think less of him, fine, but keep a few things in mind: Comey was by then a private citizen, reporting on an unclassified conversation with the president. In any event, branding Comey a “leaker” doesn’t undermine the significance of the underlying information. Deep Throat was a leaker, too canada goose outlet.