Graham Wants To Interview DOJ Officials Involved In Russia Probe, Page FISA Warrant | Talking Points Memo

ralph_vonholst · February 14, 2020, 4:56pm

The expansion of Trumpspace is like Big Bang Cosmology! Who knew?

Walter Shaub:

They are in a straight line pointing from democracy to authoritarianism. This is a president declaring himself above the law, without regard for laws like the anti-bribery statute in one case, or the traditions of the country in a non-politicized justice system. I see them as exactly the same, because it is now a full-court press to push the boundaries in all directions.

If you envision it, it’s not that he’s focused on one issue and pushing it in one direction. It’s like a balloon expanding. And so the outer edges of the expanding balloon are going to touch on different issues, but they are consistent in being part of the expanding of executive power beyond the bounds of anything democracy can tolerate.

kcassidy50 · February 14, 2020, 4:59pm

A famous moment occurred during the McCarhy hearings for the Unamerican Activities Committee when Joe Welch pleaded, “Have you no sense of decency, sir.”

Clearly, Lindsay Graham’s answer would be “No,actually. I do not.” Nor, by extension, does Trump nor does the Republican Party.

I can only hope that any witnesses called take Fiona Hill as their model and the Republicans find that these hearings come back to bite their collective ass.

discobot · February 14, 2020, 4:57pm

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sniffit · February 14, 2020, 4:58pm

That doesn’t really work at all as an argument. The main point is to make sure there is no chilling effect on advice the POTUS is receiving. Knowing that your advice and counsel is on a timed release into the political grist mill would still have a chilling effect. The communications were made when he was POTUS…ergo, protected.

sniffit · February 14, 2020, 5:09pm

CBP and ICE are his willing Gestapo/SS. It’s even being openly billed as “a show of force.” This is the POTUS openly threatening liberals and waging a geo-cultural resentment war against us WHERE WE LIVE.

castor_troy · February 14, 2020, 5:10pm

Can’t wait for the mass deployment of armed officials to oversee election sites, to ensure that nobody illegally votes…

sniffit · February 14, 2020, 5:13pm

I’ve said before, I expect it is certainly coming. They’ll not only be deployed to “poll watch” but will be plants who will gleefully lie to establish “evidence” that they “witnessed incidents of voter fraud first hand” etc. etc.

sysprog · February 14, 2020, 5:21pm

Oh good lord…what is Lindsey pulling now…guaranteed he will be on the Sunday Showz dripping sincerity and disdain equally.

benthere · February 14, 2020, 5:26pm

Lindsey Graham should resign his Senate seat and return to his starring role in “Petticoat Junction.”

playitagainrowlf · February 14, 2020, 5:30pm

Nah, maybe be later this spring. He apparently thinks the water’s still too cold in the water tower this time of the year…

hankscorpio · February 14, 2020, 5:32pm

Well, I think Lindsay really does want to probe DOJ officials somewhere down low, but not in a bunker (a bunkbed?)

pine · February 14, 2020, 5:38pm

Thanks for nailing it,your’e not alone.

Calypso · February 14, 2020, 5:39pm

I think Lindsey really needs to up his game. This is a super weak red herring.

pine · February 14, 2020, 5:45pm

BTW ,Flight to Mar -a- Lago not a good place to be tonight.

"Trump has spent the week criticizing prosecutors, jurors and the judge in a separate case involving his longtime political adviser, Roger Stone, raising questions about whether Trump is eroding the independence of the U.S. legal system.

Trump was irked by the decision, said a source close to the White House. He did not comment as he left Washington for his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. "

bunnyvelour · February 14, 2020, 6:02pm

Update on the Soleimani assassination - remember that??? Seems like ages ago…

zandru · February 14, 2020, 8:20pm

Graham can pound sand, and whoever the current acting FBI director is needs to tell him so. The Senate voted just a week or so ago that Congress has no authority to subpoena or even ask for documents or testimony from anything in the Executive Branch. Totally partisan, all Republican, vote, too.

reggid · February 14, 2020, 11:03pm

Every witness should immediately implicate Lindsey in the Trump-Russia-Ukraine scheme to begin each answer to every question:

“For both legal and national security reasons, it would be inappropriate to answer questions from a potential co-conspirator in the scheme.”

or

“Based on credible evidence that you are implicated in an illegal scheme to withhold Congressionally-mandated foreign aid to extort false evidence against a political rival of the President, it would be improper to provide you with any information.”

globalguy · February 14, 2020, 9:23pm

What is this? Where’s Nucki?

commanderogg · February 14, 2020, 11:43pm

I agree. Mind you it is not my a$$teroids on the line and talk is cheap but if these officials are willing to risk a contempt charge it would make a good test case.

If Bully Barr’s in-Justice Department pulls a Mannuchen and honors only Republican Senate suppoenas and contempt charges a Judge may be persuaded to compell the alpha hotel AG to do the same for everyone.

dominic · February 15, 2020, 12:30am

Fuck off Lindsey Graham, you barking shithead.