Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[Ghengis Jon]

Don't compare Jon Snow with You just might piss off Arya.

[Dr. Strangelove]

ProPublica examined receipts and emails regarding government use of Mar-a-Lago.

The headline makes a big deal out of the $1000 bar tab (paid by taxpayers) than Bannon & Company rang up one night. But the more interesting part deals with the contortions the State Department had to make in order to bring spending at MAL in compliance with the law. In particular, how to make sure the State Dept. was following the competitive bidding process when there were nearby hotels charging a much cheaper rate than MAL (MAL apparently charges the maximum allowable rate under the law).

https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-inc-podcast-taxpayers-covered-liquor-bill-for-trump-staffers-and-more-mar-a-lago

[iam416]

IMO Mueller had a duty to announce no collusion when he determined there was no collusion, which apparently was Dec 2017. he should have informed Rosenstein and made his way to a microphone and told the American people that their president didn't conspire with the enemy to win an election.

I agree with this.

[Dr. Strangelove]

To be clear, according to the leaks and reports, Mueller had no complaints about how Barr characterized the central, giant motherfucking elephant behind the report. NO. COLLUSION. ZERO.

His complaints had to do with how Barr characterized obstruction. I'm told no one cares about Russia. I'm told the Ds need to focus on meat and potato issues. I'm told Russia doesn't move the needle one or the other. So, I can only conclude that the Ds are and D Media -- well, Media -- are still obsessed with this nonsense.

Again. NO. FUCKING. COLLUSION.

Talent- Now that the letter is out, it looks as if Mueller was complaining that Barr hadn't released the Executive Summaries that he and his team had written with the express purpose of being released ahead of the full report. Instead Barr/Rosenstein wrote their own summary, which Mueller clearly felt was inferior to what he and his team had written.

https://apps.npr.org/documents/docum...ntent=20190501

[Dr. Strangelove]

IMO Mueller had a duty to announce no collusion when he determined there was no collusion, which apparently was Dec 2017. he should have informed Rosenstein and made his way to a microphone and told the American people that their president didn't conspire with the enemy to win an election.

i guess they needed more evidence of Trump obstructioning a coup attempt to fill the impeachment report for the Democrats

Believe most of the evidence of obstruction (if not all) occurred before Dec 2017. The firing of Comey and the end of Summer 2017 were the crucial months.

[THE_WIZARD_]

190430-barack-obama-michelle-obama-ew-148p_83d5829dd0e7b5c68b3b9f52a23076f1.social_share_1024x768_scale.jpg

[AlabamAlum]

It's hard for me to care that much about the purported obstruction of an investigation that came up empty on what they were going after.

[Kapture1]

Believe most of the evidence of obstruction (if not all) occurred before Dec 2017. The firing of Comey and the end of Summer 2017 were the crucial months.

the firing of Comey wasn't obstruction.

the closest to obstruction was the situation with Lewindowski, but still wasn't

[Dr. Strangelove]

It's hard for me to care that much about the purported obstruction of an investigation that came up empty on what they were going after.

I go back and forth on that. I think reasonable people could disagree. But I'd say the particular circumstances matter.

I guess I'm saying I do NOT believe in a blanket statement that you can only commit obstruction (or witness tamper -- process crimes) if you're also guilty of an underlying crime.

Trump's case is more a political question than a criminal one, which is what Mueller suggested. Are you fine with ANY President firing an FBI Director, threatening to fire an AG and Special Prosecutor, because he feels an investigation is unfair and unmerited? It's a question of conduct rather than criminality I suppose.

[iam416]

It's hard for me to care that much about the purported obstruction of an investigation that came up empty on what they were going after.

It's even sillier, IMO. The obstruction in this case is ATTEMPTED obstruction. That leads to two points:

(1) Not only did the investigation come up empty, but no one actually obstructed the investigation; and
(2) I think it's almost impossible for a person with the requisite authority to ATTEMPT obstruction -- PDJT could have fired Mueller at any time -- the fact that he never did suggest that he wasn't really serious about firing Mueller -- or, at a minimum, he was only serious if someone else delivered the news -- which strikes me as not serious.

So, you have "obstruction" where there was no underlying "crime" AND where there was no actual obstruction! Further, you're saying the President merely attempted -- but didn't execute -- something that was fully within his power to execute.

[AlabamAlum]

Oh, I agree with all you wrote, DSL. When I say that I don't "care that much" it's more that it is a waste of time. I would not be shocked if he did obstruct (idk if he did or not). My thing is, he won't get indicted and he won't be impeached over it. So, the only thing that remains is campaign rhetoric and talk show fodder; moreover, those that didn't like Trump before won't like him now and I doubt it sways many (any?) of his current supporters.

[AlabamAlum]

It's even sillier, IMO. The obstruction in this case is ATTEMPTED obstruction. That leads to two points:

(1) Not only did the investigation come up empty, but no one actually obstructed the investigation; and
(2) I think it's almost impossible for a person with the requisite authority to ATTEMPT obstruction -- PDJT could have fired Mueller at any time -- the fact that he never did suggest that he wasn't really serious about firing Mueller -- or, at a minimum, he was only serious if someone else delivered the news -- which strikes me as not serious.

So, you have "obstruction" where there was no underlying "crime" AND where there was no actual obstruction! Further, you're saying the President merely attempted -- but didn't execute -- something that was fully within his power to execute.

The 10 points (or whatever) of obstruction by Mueller did leave me unimpressed.

[iam416]

Trump's case is more a political question than a criminal one, which is what Mueller suggested. Are you fine with ANY President firing an FBI Director, threatening to fire an AG and Special Prosecutor, because he feels an investigation is unfair and unmerited? It's a question of conduct rather than criminality I suppose.

And I agree with this. Politically, it would have been fucking catastrophic to fire Mueller. Criminally, I think it's entirely fine.

I think firing Comey was not only completely and totally "legal" -- but justified.

It's hard for me to imagine persons with authority properly exercising that authority and still being guilty of obstruction. I think, e.g., the DA in Chicago that gave Smollett a walk is in it up to her eyes politically, but she acted within the scope of her authority to discharge her duties as she saw fit. That's not obstruction. Decisions are made every day by folks in power about what investigations to pursue, how hard to pursue them and what to do with the results. I get that it becomes a bit of sticky wicket when the investigation involves the person with authority, but IMO until that authority is stripped I don't think there's anything to do. I mean, I find it ludicrous that while the Executive Branch ordered the investigation they literally had no power to do anything thereafter lest they be accused of obstruction.

I fundamentally agreed with your initial take -- that the report was a more a revelation of the inner workings of the White House and PDJT's own shortcomings than anything else. It wasn't particularly surprising, but it added to the body of evidence.

[iam416]

The 10 points (or whatever) of obstruction by Mueller did leave me unimpressed.

It's worth reiterating -- Not only did the investigation come up empty, but no one actually obstructed the investigation. I mean, really think about that. Really think about what folks are chasing right now.

[Kapture1]

It's worth reiterating -- Not only did the investigation come up empty, but no one actually obstructed the investigation. I mean, really think about that. Really think about what folks are chasing right now.

yes, BUT HE WANTED TO!!!!!

Peach mints NOW!!