Trump Has Faced the FBI Before-but Now Its a Crime if He Lies

[babylonsister]

https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-has-faced-the-fbi-beforebut-now-its-a-crime-if-he-lies?ref=home

Trump Has Faced the FBI Before—but Now It’s a Crime if He Lies
He can lie all he wants about the feds. But if he lies to them, he risks being charged with a crime thanks to a 1988 SCOTUS decision involving another New York real-estate hustler.
Michael Daly
01.25.18 5:07 AM ET

snip//

One complication is a change in the law. Trump can still lie all he wants about special counsel Robert Mueller and the FBI. But if he lies to Mueller or the FBI, he risks being charged with a crime thanks to a precedent arising from a 1998 Supreme Court case involving another New York real estate company and another New York labor union official.

snip//

As a result of that new case law, Martha Stewart later went to prison.

snip//

Yet, when speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump displayed some of the same bravado. He declared that he was looking forward to facing Mueller.

“I would love to do that,” he said. “I’d like to do it as soon as possible.”

He allowed that this time, the questioning will be “subject to my lawyers and all that.” He said they estimate it will come in “about two to three weeks.”

When the big moment arrives, his bravado will likely give way to surprising sobriety for a Trumpaholic who is so often inebriated with his sense of Trump. He may well be even more measured than he was back in 1980. He may even set a personal record for truthfulness with Mueller, outdoing his session with Guadagno.

Meanwhile, in circumstances that do not involve the feds and liability to 18 U.S.C. § 1001, Trump is free to continue breaking all presidential records for lying. He is sure to give vent to his impetuous self as he tweets smears and innuendo and falsehoods.

From the Oval Office, he speaks power to truth.