President Donald Trump ratcheted up the rhetoric yesterday against Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who Trump indicated previously is likely to be fired after the midterm elections. Despite heeding advice that firing Sessions now would further magnify expected losses in November, Trump has filled the news with repeated indications that he has already decided to do so. The latest attack however is surprising in criticizing Sessions for the prosecution of two members of Congress for insider trading and campaign finance violations, respectively. GOP Reps. Duncan Hunter of California and Chris Collins of New York are not particularly sympathetic characters and Trump is complaining solely that they were “safe seats” that could now be lost. Of course, if Sessions were to consider the political ramifications for such prosecutions, he would violating his sworn constitutional duties as Attorney General.
Trump tweeted:
“Two long running, Obama era, investigations of two very popular Republican Congressmen were brought to a well publicized charge, just ahead of the Mid-Terms, by the Jeff Sessions Justice Department. Two easy wins now in doubt because there is not enough time. Good job Jeff…..”
Donald J. Trump
✔@realDonaldTrump
Two long running, Obama era, investigations of two very popular Republican Congressmen were brought to a well publicized charge, just ahead of the Mid-Terms, by the Jeff Sessions Justice Department. Two easy wins now in doubt because there is not enough time. Good job Jeff……
Whether these men are “popular” or hold safe seats is entirely immaterial to the decisions of the Justice Department. Indeed, such considerations would establish the very political bias that Trump has long-complained about. These are viewed as strong cases investigated and charged by career prosecutors.
Moreover, these prosecutions were brought well before the informal period before an election during which the Justice Department asks prosecutors to avoid any actions that might affect an election. Since House members are elected every two years, any prosecution would obviously impact the next election but the timing of these prosecutions is in full conformity with the informal rule.
Although the term “Bombshell” is overused, I think that by any yardstick, this anonymous editorial by a high-ranked official in the administration of the day glo bozo qualifies as such … The hits just keep coming. What is that ticking sound?
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/05/opinion/trump-white-house-anonymous-resistance.html
“Fear”!
Even if Trump tried to fire all the people he’d need to fire to shut Mueller down, the U.S. attorneys at the Southern District of New York are hot on the President’s trail, too. And even if he fires the entire Justice Dept. (which would be a true Saturday Night Massacre), the state AG of New York has an investigation going, too. Plus there are all the folks who have already copped a plea and/or been convicted. Those cannot be undone.
did you know this scoundrel Saakasvilli organized attack on civilians in South Ossetia? That’s inside of Russia btw… or maybe it’s part of Georgia.. a disputed territory
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP1ZzcSjlDA
But only Mr Putin says so and hence it is per se not true according to the US mass media.
Nonetheless, Putin promised to hang him by his balls. Do you think in light of this, that there isn’t anyhting that Saakasvilli won’t say to try and aid the anti-Russian conspiracy mongers?
I guess anyone stupid enough to take Trump’s word for anything will also believe Putin.
Putin has a basis to say that there was a foreign incursion into Russia, he is the head of state. Who are you? Just a guy who disbelieves him, because, well, he is Putin and the tv tells you so.
I believe him over you, yes.
Nonetheless, regardless of whose ox is gored by Saakasvilli, on any given day, he is a fool and a scoundrel, that is obvious
What did Jeff Session know and when did he know it?
When did Jeff Sessions turn and who turned him?
What happened to investigative reporting?
Why is there no freedom of the press regarding the tale of America’s most despicable traitor since Benedict Arnold?
But… but … but… Who IS that despicable traitor? There are differences of opinion !
TRUMP BLOWS OFF RULE OF LAW
Trump’s attitude towards these prosecutions betrays his entire outlook: ‘no concern for rule of law’. Trump’s tweets are even cynical enough to suggest that somehow Sessions is prosecuting ‘Obama cases’. Like Sessions, who was, not long ago, one of our most conservative senators, is now carrying on Obama’s work at the Justice Department.
These tweets illustrate the depths of Trump’s moral and intellectual bankruptcy. Not only does he not care about the charges these congressmen face, but Trump was not even curious enough to discuss the cases with knowledgeable sources. Which goes to show that Trump will tweet almost anything without a second thought.
considering political ramifications is precisely what all prosecutors do. we all know that. I’m sure we could find a thousand examples cutting across party lines. whatever the supposed obligations are. So Trump openly criticized his AG for a prosecution that helps Dems. Well. Here’s a first, a politician that says frankly says out loud what they all say behind closed doors, and doesn’t pretend to be mister neutral. It’s a better place at the end of the day than all the fakery.
Except that–no matter how demonstrably unfit for the position–the day glo bozo is the head of the Executive Branch of the government, and therefore responsible for enforcement of the law. This buffoon is openly putting party before the law. Are you so eaten up with hannity ball-bagging that you can’t see that there’s supposed to be a difference between the United States of America and some banana-republic kleptocracy? Regrettably, you are yet again lending a prescient power to my characterization of the trump sycophants: gullible rubes, dupes, klan-wannabees, pocket traitors and grifters on the make.I’ll generously allow you to take your pick of which jacket you feel more comfortable wearing.
this is to “well, maybe we don’t need the rule of law” kurtzie
you just fabricated that quote. i never said any such thing.
I demand that you retract that falsehood.
also, i don’t watch hannity nor bag his balls. very offensive. you should retract that falsehood as well.
One wonders whether these indictments could have been brought earlier, such that the voters could take them into account in selecting candidates rather than have the indictments brought between primary and election when no other candidate can be substituted.
Duncan Hunter is my rep and the allegations against him have been around for quite some time. It’s was difficult getting any firm answers on what was being investigated, evidence, etc. Because no charges had been brought and no evidence presented, it was always seen as a political tactic to impugn Hunter’s character. The fact the investigation has been going on so long, the timing of the indictments are certainly suspect. Our primary was in June and these charges could have been announced a very long time ago.
I have no problem prosecuting him and his wife and if guilty, they should receive just punishment. My question is why has it taken so long?
Olly, my understanding is that local, San Diego media was primarily responsible for making the case against Duncan Hunter. Hunter should have, perhaps, declined to run for another term. But apparently his father, the former congressman, convinced party leaders that his son had nothing to worry about.
Timing is everything they say
Trump’s issue with these indictments was the curious timing.
Ya know, if Trump wants to see his political enemies locked up, maybe it would be a good time to hire Hillary.
I follow. Very Machiavellian.
this is to “let’s kill 3 birds plus put Pravda Faux News out of business” fishy
mark m why did you fabricate and attribute falsely a quote to me and accuse me of “watching hannity and bagging his balls?” i do neither
stop your false and defamatory insults and say something relevant
Evidently the priorities of the Attorney General are supposed to be: 1) to defend Donald Trump against any and all accusations, and 2) to defend the Republican party interests and all Republican officials against any and all accusations. Upholding the rule of law is a minor additional duty, which can be ignored with respect to items 1 and 2..
Jay S – that is the way with each new administration. 😉
Patently false, but that hat looks good on you and fits nicely. Although your “contribution” reeks of intellectually vapid “whataboutism,” I suggest you Google Jesse Jackson, Jr., who was the the campaign manager of President Barack HUSSEIN Obama, the greatest President of the United States and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces since Harry Truman. You will find that Jackson was prosecuted by the feds during the Saint Obama administration.
this is to “damn, how does he always one-up me?” paulie
mark m why did you fabricate a false quote to me and accuse me of “watching hannity and bagging his balls” when I did neither?
stop your false and defamatory trolling and say something relevant
Marky Mark Mark – assuming facts not in evidence. Obama was a crap president. You will notice I did not capitalize it. That is how far down the list he is eventually going to be. And I don’t know that Hillary would not have been worse. Was Jesse Jackson, Jr. running for office again? Is that why they went after him, to slow him down?
So, we have Trump complaining about loyalty and power for power’s sake, regardless of the lack of integrity. Erdogan 86’d a few hundred thousand teachers and other professionals because they weren’t ‘loyal’. Trump admires Erdogan, Putin, Un, Dutarte, and other ‘strong’ leaders.
Make note of how much Trump complains about the mechanics of power not being executed correctly, or the ‘deal’. Make note of how much Trump complains about his people not being completely loyal. This is not an American Presidency.
Politicians are best prosecuted immediately if there is probable cause to indict. Holding out by a prosecutor until an election is a malfeasance of office. Ordinary citizens who break the law are usually summarily arrested so should politicians.
Darren Smith – with one of them much of it took place under the Obama administration (not to blame him) but they are just discovering it now? Little George makes an off-hand remark in an upscale bar and you have a team of FBI setting up a counter-intelligence unit to investigate first candidate, the President-elect and then President Trump. And we still haven’t found the CIA plant who fed George the info. And by we, I mean pretty much everybody who is looking. We should be putting Mifsud’s picture on milk cartons, he has been missing so long.
Where is Joseph Mifsud?
And where is Arjen Kamphuis?
“.@JulianAssange associate and author of “Information Security for Journalists” @ArjenKamphuis has disappeared according to
friends (@ncilla) and colleagues. Last seen in Bodø, #Norway, 11 days ago on August 20.”
Darren…”Holding out by a prosecutor until an election is a malfeasance of office”.
Do you have even a shred of evidence that is what has occurred?
Since when are Lefties concerned with having evidence before making an accusation?
You’re better than that Ollie.
Like the rest of the comment it is a general statement of a common problem.
In other words, no, but you can imagine it.
it’s a plausible hypothesis, investigations of those things can go on for a long time before charges are brought.
it’s a speculation that is reasonable and you’re just rude and provocative in your remark “do you have a shred of evidence … you imagine it.”
Insider trading prosecutions and financial crimes, mostly ignored by feds until the hue and cry is too loud. they’re too busy out there chasing Russian spies and al queda doncha know?
Ted Stevens was indicted just before his re-election. However, I suppose the Republican Party can substitute someone for these two.
PCS,
Hillary Clinton should have been indicted just before the 2016 election.
There is proof of “screen-sharing” by China of mishandling of classified information by Hillary and Obama, who used a
pseudonymous account.
If Comey had indicted Hillary,
Comey would have convicted Obama.
The cancer growing within America has metastasized into stage four.
That cancer is the Obama Coup D’etat.
As the ship of this buffoonish yet malevolent administration takes on water, the gullible rubes, dupes, klan-wannabees, pocket traitors and grifters on the make are starting to ask: “what is that ticking sound?”
wannabee klan? all you need to do to be a klucker is get a PO Box a website and send an email to SPLC telling them you have formed another hate group to add to their list and ask them for some free advertising on it to gin up donations.
not a thing, except in fevered Democrat partisan imaginations
The “keyboard warriors” who spew here are much, much too anxious, timid and frightened to take such concrete action in the real world. Not a single one would ever dream about articulating any of their racist bile to a real person in real life. Hence the “wannabee” moniker.
this is to curious kurtzie
you just fabricated and attributed a false quote to me. and accused me of “watching hannity and bagging his balls.” i do neither.
you are rude and defamatory and you don’t deserve a reply.
you also don’t know me. so just blab away troll
Mr Kurtz – challenge them to a duel, that usually gets them to back off for a day or two. 🙂
On the contrary, the last time that Kurtzie grabbed his sack and acted is if he had a pair, I informed him of my schedule, and where I could be found.
this is to “ya know, my memory jest tisn’t wut it yusta be” paulie
Marky Mark Mark – I gave R. Lien my schedule and he/she/it/their has yet to arrive. Would you like to take he/she/it/their/ place? The weather is a little nicer, but do bring sun glasses. The sun is really bright here. We are not called the Valley of the Sun for nothing.
Awesome. How’s that whisky? Point out where there’s any quote attributed to you. That’s what I thought. Thanks for playing. I recommend you not drive in that condition.
this is to “how did he know about hannity’s balls” kurtzie
edit: whiskey, of course.
What do you expect from a leading member of the Manhattan Mafia?
Ahh it made no sense until your timely addition. Democrats.
Yes, The Donald used to state that he was one of those.
Some have surmised that when a Democratic Congress is in place, Mr Trump will sign and praise whatever they put before him and then brag about getting along with both parties. He has no opinion on the issues, only a desire to feed the wolves.