Trump Attorneys Lay Out Arguments Against Obstruction-of-Justice Probe to Mueller

[DonViejo]

Source: Wall Street Journal




In meetings and memos, lawyers argue president didn’t obstruct justice by firing former FBI Chief Comey

By Peter Nicholas, Erica Orden and Paul Sonne
Updated Aug. 31, 2017 4:22 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON—Lawyers for Donald Trump have met several times with special counsel Robert Mueller in recent months and submitted memos arguing that the president didn’t obstruct justice by firing former FBI chief James Comey and calling into question Mr. Comey’s reliability as a potential witness, people familiar with the matter said.

One memo submitted to Mr. Mueller by the president’s legal team in June laid out the case that Mr. Trump has the inherent authority under the constitution to hire and fire as he sees fit and therefore didn’t obstruct justice when he fired Mr. Comey as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in May, these people said.

Another memo submitted the same month outlined why Mr. Comey would make an unsuitable witness, calling him prone to exaggeration, unreliable in congressional testimony and the source of leaks to the news media, these people said.

The legal arguments and meetings offer a first detailed look at the interplay between the high-profile, wide-ranging investigation and the team that is representing the president since the special counsel was appointed by the Justice Department in May.

Read more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-attorneys-lay-out-arguments-against-obstruction-of-justice-probe-to-mueller-1504207495?mod=e2tw

[fountainofyouth]

1. An unreliable witness?

People accused Comey of exaggerating the Ashcroft story when he testified to Congress in 2007. But Bob Mueller's own notes corroborate Comey's version! http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/16/AR2007081601358.html

Mueller's description of Ashcroft's physical condition that night contrasts with testimony last month from Gonzales, who told the Senate Judiciary Committee that Ashcroft was "lucid" and "did most of the talking" during the brief visit. It also confirms an account of the episode by former deputy attorney general James B. Comey, who said Ashcroft told the two men he was not well enough to make decisions in the hospital.

[ffr]

2. Is tRump under investigation from the FBI? What does he have to say about this?

Lock him up!

[bettyellen]

3. So it's 1) Trump can do whatever he wants. 2) everyone else is a liar. We're going to hear this

Again and again until this shit is over. Oy!

[hurple]

4. This is what we laypeople call

DESPERATION!