Schiff: Trump's Team Is Using 'Scorched Earth' Tactics To Undermine Mueller

[DonViejo]

Source: Talking Points Memo



By ESME CRIBB Published JUNE 18, 2017 10:03 AM

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) on Sunday said President Donald Trump’s team is using “scorched earth” tactics to undermine anything Robert Mueller discovers as special counsel overseeing the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

“The President wants to take down Bob Mueller. His lawyer wants to take down Bob Mueller,” Schiff said on ABC News’ “This Week.” He said “the question is why.”

“I think the answer is they want to lay the foundation to discredit whatever Bob Mueller comes up with,” Schiff said. “They’re essentially engaging in a scorched earth litigation strategy that is beginning with trying to discredit the prosecutor.” He said Mueller was “just getting started.”

“I don’t think we should acquiesce in the besmirchment of this good man,” Schiff said. “We ought to let him do his job.”

Link to tweet

###

Read more: Link to source

[H2O Man]

1. Recommended.

I like Rep. Schiff. He is showing real leadership ability in the House, despite the fractured nature of the institution.

[bresue]

5. I like him too...he is so easy to understand and clarifies so many issues.

No spins that I have noticed, just honest talk!

[forgotmylogin]

2. "Scorched Earth" being a common tactic for people who are innocent.

[Duppers]

9. EXACTLY.

[calimary]

14. Indeed. Those who are innocent, and KNOW they have nothing to hide, do not behave this way.

Those who are truly and provably innocent will want that proof revealed and spread all over everywhere. They'll want to be publicly, unquestionably, and loudly proven innocent. They don't go to the ends of the earth to try to suppress or obstruct or undermine that effort. They welcome it and encourage it, and even in some cases assist with it.

Again, I believe that we're seeing how trump does business. One tactic doesn't work, he amps it up. Or "doubles down" - the term everybody in the media fell in love with during bush/cheney. I never heard the term used, much less used this frequently, before bush/cheney stole their way into the White House.

trump evidently operates this way in business. Howard Dean just went there on MSNBC this morning. You can't do HERE, in the governmental world - the PUBLIC sector - what you're used to doing in the New York real estate/business world. Bullying, intimidation tactics, shit, if his mentor during the early days was Roy Cohn? Shit. His specialty was threats, bullying, conniving, manipulating, and when sued - countersue! For BIGGER damages! (Screw 'em back, HARDER!)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Cohn

He worked with longtime GOP dirty trickster and self-described "rat-fucker" Roger Stone, he worked for New York mafia figures, he worked for that divisive "Commie-hater" Joseph McCarthy - indeed most of the nasty tactics and hardball during that horrid McCarthy era was attributed to him.

He was truly a "bad hombre." I remember reading something about Barbara Walters, who recalled - with some guilt - that it was Roy Cohn who arranged for her to be able to adopt a daughter. She went to THAT length to adopt. He was evidently her string-puller, and it was one of those circumstances where the end result was great but how they got there was - well, um, gee, I'm sorry. I'm not thrilled that I had to resort to climbing down into THAT, to get THIS.

[INdemo]

3. If somehow Trump finds a way to fire Mueller

we cannot assume the House will Impeach. Not with these party First Republicans

[dubyadiprecession]

4. Trump seems to be good at firing his fellow republicans.

[forgotmylogin]

31. He's the best at firing people.

It's his freaking catchphrase.

[Still In Wisconsin]

12. I guess it all depends on whether the backlash would cause them to

finally see TRUMP as a liability. If and when that happens, I think they throw TRUMP overboard and cast their lot with Pence. Just my $0.02.

[NewJeffCT]

26. Pence is under investigation, too

if I'm not mistaken.

[Still In Wisconsin]

30. No, you're right, he is.

I had forgotten. That does complicate it, yes.

[PearliePoo2]

6. I can't get enough of Rep. Adam Schiff.

When I see him make an appearance, I stop whatever I'm doing and watch and listen to every word of his.
MAJOR crush on this man. He's got it all.

[onecent]

11. I do to PearliePoo2.....I think he is fabulous...and never gets ruffled, and

THINKS before he talks.....
He's a star in my eyes.

[Achilleaze]

7. republicans are showing us who they are. Once again.

Believe them.

[cilla4progress]

8. It may end up being up to us,

The American people, to take this administration down.

IIRC, this was a point made in the Watergate documentary last night. Ultimately, it was pressure from the public, that resulted in the impeachment vote and then resignation.

[NastyRiffraff]

10. Elizabeth Holtzman emphasized that

It jumped out at me when she said that the American people pressured Congress and ultimately succeeded in getting it to act.

[red dog 1]

17. That may be true, however, one huge difference between Watergate and "Trumpgate"

is the fact that back in those Watergate days, the Democrats controlled both houses of Congress.
Today, it's the GOP that controls both houses of Congress.
On Feb. 7, 1973, the United States Senate voted 77-0 to establish a select committee to investigate Watergate, with a Democrat, Sen. Sam Ervin, named chairman the next day.

As long as there isn't any truly independent, bi-partisan commission to investigate Trump administration ties to the Russian interference in the 2016 presidential elections, nothing will happen...Trump won't be impeached....Kushner, Pence, Eddie Munster, the Turtle, and all the other Republican traitors won't be indicted....Period!

What is needed is for just three courageous Republican senators to come forward and introduce and/or support a Senate resolution to establish an independent commission, similar to the Watergate Senate Select Committee, to investigate "Trumpgate'..
because as it stands now, all Trump has to do is fire Mueller, and the DOJ//FBI investigation of Trump's ties to Russia will end.

maybe THEN, the American people will "wake up" and take to the streets by the hundreds of thousands, and possibly might convince those few "moderate GOP Congresspersons & senators" to act.

So, in that sense, you're right - "it may end up being up to us, the American people, to take this administration down."

[Fantastic Anarchist]

22. Trump can't fire Mueller per regulations, IIRCC

He would have to have Rosenstein fire Mueller, and so far, Rosenstein has said he's not going to.

So, we shall see is a Constitutional crisis develops or not.

[Cosmocat]

23. There is a LOT of shit he can't do

And is that no one is doing anything about.

He "can't fire Mueller" But WHEN he does, who exactly is going to do anything about it?Everyone

[NewJeffCT]

27. I believe Trump can do other things

He can essentially make Mueller powerless via Executive Order, I believe. And, I would think it's doubtful that Republicans would vote to overturn the EO (which would need a 2/3 vote)

[red dog 1]

33. What I meant was that Trump could order Rosenstein to fire Mueller

If Rosenstein refused to fire Mueller, Trump could then fire him, and then (perhaps) another Saturday Night Massacre.

Trump can do whatever he wants, as long as Eddie Munster, the Turtle, & the other GOP leaders in Congress don't try to stop him.

[Cosmocat]

24. Yep

Congress isn't going to do back to him as long as Rs are in control.

2018 is the final stand ...

[mdbl]

25. but that was to a Congress who still half-cared what the public thought

this band of no-goods in congress couldn't care less what we think.

[NewJeffCT]

28. If Democrats held a similar majority

that they did in 1973, I think we'd find that at least some Republicans would suddenly care about what the public thought. Democrats had 241 seats in the House and 56 seats in the Senate. With Democrats in control, Republicans would be afraid that voting against an independent commission or special prosecutor would look bad for them.

[Turbineguy]

13. Presumably anybody who involves themselves

could find themselves rolled up for obstruction of justice.

So I guess the question they have to ask themselves is, "How much time am I willing to spend in the slammer for this fuckin' guy?"

[calimary]

15. Indeed. I've heard that over and over again through all this.

You start at the outer edges and work inward. You start with a private or corporal if your target is the general. You find some little guy who'll talk to save himself, and you use that to close in on, and eventually catch the big fish. I think maybe they've been working on Michael Flynn - you can keep yer ass outta the slammer if you give up the target near (or at) the top of the food chain. And I'd suspect Flynn is just the type of guy who eventually WILL turn and cough up the goods to save himself. His behavior suggests he's opportunistic as hell, and to hell with the rules if you have a chance to rake in a pile of money. He's bought and paid for, and he's in for some big pain unless he makes himself a deal.

And the ones who can make that deal for themselves early in the game are the ones who usually get through shit like this better than their more unfortunate peers do.

[NewJeffCT]

29. Yes

great point. And, don't let anybody fool you about the length of time needed to investigate these charges, either. Republicans spent 4 years investigating Whitewater before they finally found the infamous blue dress. The Senate Watergate Committee was around for about 18 months from early '73 to mid 1974.

[L. Coyote]

16. Sounds like the Russians are also working overtime on this.

In today's political situation, you cannot be sure who is behind these efforts.

http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/6/18/1672834/-Rod-Rosentein-s-Mysterious-Statement-May-not-be-so-Mysterious

[red dog 1]

18. K&R...Thanks for posting, DonViejo

Adam Schiff is absolutely right!

Trump's & his evil cadre of traitors will discredit anything Robert Mueller comes up with, and that assumes that Trump doesn't fire Mueller first.
(Perhaps another "Saturday Night Massacre?)

[Xolodno]

19. The silver lining in Trump being President....

....We're seeing a lot go good Democratic leaders rise up.

[kentuck]

20. They see it as a PR battle...

They sent surrogates out to FOX News to counter any reports that Mr Trump was being investigated. They were going to challenge any and all information coming from the DOJ or the investigation or the mainstream media. They believed FOX to be the vehicle to get out their propaganda. I think that as soon as some official declares that indeed, there is no investigation, Mr Trump will go on a firing binge. Until then, they will attempt to tear down Robert Mueller.

[Glimmer of Hope]

21. His team can't even spell a check letter or submit a pro hac vice. Good luck with that.

Mueller's team is no joke.

[Maxheader]

32. Seem its always tough

to discredit a rightwinger...Guess trumph
is a good example. All I can say to the
investigators is stay on top of it. And if
they can...back at the right..discredit
the messenger.