Dowds Dangle Could Be Trumps Undoing

[babylonsister]

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/3/28/1752885/-Dowd-s-Dangled-Could-Be-Trumps-Undoing

Dowd’s Dangle Could Be Trump’s Undoing
By Blue Tsunami
Thursday Mar 29, 2018 · 12:53 AM EDT


Reports that Trump personal lawyer John Dowd “dangled” a promise of pardons to Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort last year should come as a surprise to no one. If there is a cheap, underhanded way to duck responsibility, you can count on Trump and his cheap, underhanded gang of attorneys to exploit it.

But, much like the legal fiasco engulfing Trump fixer Michael Cohen and l’affaire Stormy, Dowd’s efforts to shield Trump may backfire.

Some pundits are already arguing that Trump would merely be exercising his presidential powers if he granted pardons. But, Alex Whiting at Just Security counters that debates over presidential pardon powers are not relevant in the case where a pardon is privately discussed but never publicly granted:

Indeed, that entire debate can be set aside for the moment. Why? Because there’s been no pardon. Instead, a pardon has only been dangled before Flynn and Manafort, and the analysis of whether that action could become part of an obstruction case against Trump raises entirely different considerations.

Whiting explains if Trump were to grant Flynn and Manafort pardons, it would have to occur in a public setting and Trump would have to face the public consequences. Since the pardon power is generally accepted to be absolute, the only remedy would be political, by impeachment. But, the situation is different if the pardon is merely suggested:

Because a pardon dangle is secret and seeks to discourage cooperation with an ongoing investigation without public scrutiny or consequences, it should be analyzed differently than a pardon when it comes to an obstruction case. Because of the way a pardon dangle operates, it should acquire none of the deference that might be afforded an actual pardon, and if the dangle is found to be orchestrated with a corrupt motive, it should qualify as a potential act of obstruction of justice.

Dowd has vociferously denied that a dangle ever occurred. Perhaps, the attorneys for Flynn and Manafort will have a different story. Robert Mueller’s investigators are sure to find out.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

1. Dowd's "dangle"? Mr. Tiny Hands IS the dangle... and a small one at that!!

[Funtatlaguy]

2. Its the angle of the dangle.

Do you dress to the right or the left?
Ummmm, excuse me, you pervert. That is completely nunya bizness.