Trump Wanted to Order Justice Dept. to Prosecute Comey and Clinton

[Tommy_Carcetti]

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/20/us/politics/pre

WASHINGTON — President Trump told the White House counsel in the spring that he wanted to order the Justice Department to prosecute two of his political adversaries: his 2016 challenger, Hillary Clinton, and the former F.B.I. director James B. Comey, according to two people familiar with the conversation.

The lawyer, Donald F. McGahn II, rebuffed the president, saying that he had no authority to order a prosecution. Mr. McGahn said that while he could request an investigation, that too could prompt accusations of abuse of power. To underscore his point, Mr. McGahn had White House lawyers write a memo for Mr. Trump warning that if he asked law enforcement to investigate his rivals, he could face a range of consequences, including possible impeachment.

The encounter was one of the most blatant examples yet of how Mr. Trump views the typically independent Justice Department as a tool to be wielded against his political enemies. It took on additional significance in recent weeks when Mr. McGahn left the White House and Mr. Trump appointed a relatively inexperienced political loyalist, Matthew G. Whitaker, as the acting attorney general.

It is unclear whether Mr. Trump read Mr. McGahn’s memo or whether he pursued the prosecutions further. But the president has continued to privately discuss the matter, including the possible appointment of a second special counsel to investigate both Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Comey, according to two people who have spoken to Mr. Trump about the issue. He has also repeatedly expressed disappointment in the F.B.I. director, Christopher A. Wray, for failing to more aggressively investigate Mrs. Clinton, calling him weak, one of the people said.


Read more: New York Times

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And with his new stooge Whitaker now at the helm of the DOJ, are we out of the woods here yet?

This is just another blatant sign of autocratic desiring on the Madman's part. Disgraceful yet not at all surprising.

[Maxheader]

1. Worthless f*&%

Hasn't a clue to the "rules"

[Qutzupalotl]

2. Banana Republican

[JonLP24]

3. This is why impeachment is necessary

I understand it is very difficult though.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

5. Right.

I think hoping to vote him out in 2020 is both too good for him and not a done deal.

Once Mueller is done his investigation, it's time to go all in.

[Sunlei]

7. No.Republicans rather have trump in the fish bowl & they actually run presidents position.

shove whatever needs signing in front of him. Trumps an excellent distraction and Pence would rather stay in the shadows.

[Sunlei]

4. I'd like to see an investigation of 'who' ordered 5th st. Doctors office raided & all records stolen

all original medical records taken.

[erronis]

11. Agree. It's amazing how many critical news stories fall off the radar in a day or two.

How about a nice website/blog that keeps a list of these items and where they are now?

Sorted and filtered by the what/who/when.

[Sunlei]

12. That was a strongarm attack on that Doctors office. Must be something worth hiding

in those family records.

I guess prescription medicine abuse, years of it.

[byronius]

6. Reads like a clear and present danger to me.

[charlyvi]

8. Lindsey Graham will head the Judiciary Committee come January.

He is on record saying he wants to investigate her.

As Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) gets ready to take the reins as chair the Senate Judiciary Committee, he spoke with Fox News’ Sean Hannity this week about his plans for the new year – specifically as to the kind of issues Graham is prepared to investigate. From the Lexis-Nexis transcript:

“You know, to my Democratic friends, if you want to look backwards, we are all going to look backwards. I want to know why the FBI reached to the conclusion along with the Department of Justice that Hillary Clinton didn’t commit a crime. Was it because of political bias? […]

“Did the Department of Justice and the FBI use a document paid for by the Democratic Party? Research by foreign agents to get a warrant against an American citizen that was inappropriate, potentially unlawful? […]

“We need a special counsel to look at all of this. But I intend to look at it. I’m going to look at it. If you are going to keep plowing everything up in 2016, count me in. If you want to look for it, I will look for it.”

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/lindsey-graham-eager-investigate-doj-hillary-clinton

[Just a Weirdo]

23. Hell be too busy

Trying to head off House subpoenas to care. Trump is in all kinds of trouble and is facing death for treason. He stole from the American taxpayers and continuing criminal enterprise already headed for RICO charges and stripped from humanity and thrown into solitary death row.

[exboyfil]

9. A US Attorney has already been tasked to look at Clinton

John Huber. A special counsel makes no sense because no conflict exists since Clinton is no longer in government.

[Just a Weirdo]

24. Huber better shove the Clinton issue to be looked

At 2074.

[mobeau69]

10. I don't know if we're gonna make it.

It's all up to the new House and Mueller now. There doesn't seem to be any patriotic republicans left in Congress.

[erronis]

13. That's become an oxymoron: Patriotic Repuglicans

I do feel some sadness for the demise of the quote/unquote "moderates" from yesteryear. But even these moderates were probably rabidly far right but knew how to look/talk like real humans.

Lindsay "boy" Graham has worn many coats in his career. I think he has decided to become totally buck nekkid now. Screw Democracy and Fuck the Rule of Law.

[djacq]

14. Institutions being extremely challenged.

The "intent" at Authoritarianism.

[C_U_L8R]

15. Criminally stupid.

[sandensea]

16. It's all the rage with these right-wing despots

Hungary's Orban, Poland's Duda, Brazil's Temer (and now Bolsonaro), and Argentina's Macri are taking their cues from Cheeto:

Appointing attack dogs to top posts, using judges against opponents, using surveillance to threaten critical media and public figures, etc.

[BigmanPigman]

17. CNN said that tRump was warned that it could lead to impeachment.

Last edited Tue Nov 20, 2018, 07:41 PM - Edit history (1)

It is a civil liberties violation. It seems like he wants to be impeached? He is so fucked up in his pea size brain who knows?

THIS is an indictable offense the guests on Air Member just said. This is a really BIG DEAL they are saying.
They are sure Mueller is looking into this now too.

[Scurrilous]

18. K&R

[duforsure]

19. Putin has his puppet

Trying to do the same things here he's done there in Russia. Investigators need to ask Session , did he ask you to go after Comey and Clinton too? Will we soon see people poisoned here too?

[marble falls]

20. Jebus Crisp. He doesn't get rule of law at all, does he? He thinks he's a tin pot dictator.

[Gothmog]

21. from my twitter feed

Link to tweet

[Canoe52]

22. Seems to me that we are hanging onto a democracy by a thin thread.

[onetexan]

27. not any more, Dems have the House now so we can breathe a little better

we just need Mueller to hasten it a bit quicker so we can get this fool the hell out of the WH

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

25. Dumbshit thinks the justice department are his lackeys

[onetexan]

26. holy cow i've been bz today and just now heard this on Ari Melber

clearly obstruction & abuse of power by the DOTUS

[Gothmog]

28. From the Beat with Ari

Link to tweet

[duforsure]

29. Trump wants to politicize all branches of government to serve him as a weapon,

Including the DOJ, the judicial system, and the military, and the Senate. He wants absolute power to protect himself with , and to use against his opponents with, and just like Putin has done in Russia. He wants to be the judge , jury, and executioner.