The Worst Is Yet To Come … Part I

Posted on by under Political commentary

The headline:

Trump Team Seeks To Control, Block Mueller’s Russia Investigation

The story begins …

“Some of President Trump’s lawyers are exploring ways to limit or undercut special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s Russia investigation, building a case against what they allege are his conflicts of interest and discussing the president’s authority to grant pardons … Trump has asked his advisers about his power to pardon aides, family members and even himself in connection with the probe …” – The Washington Post, 20 July 2017

A portion of Trump’s interview with the New York Times on Wednesday:

Trump: “We were interviewing replacements at the F.B.I. Did you know Mueller was one of the people that was being interviewed?”

Haberman: “I did, actually.”

Trump: “He was sitting in that chair. We had a wonderful meeting.”

Haberman: “Day before, right?”

Schmidt: “Did he want the job?”

Trump: “The day before! Of course, he was up here, and he wanted the job.”

Haberman: “And he made that clear to you? He would have …”

Trump: “So, now what happens is, he leaves the office. Rosenstein leaves the office. The next day, he is appointed special counsel. I said, what the hell is this all about? Talk about conflicts? But he was interviewing for the job. There were many other conflicts that I haven’t said, but I will at some point

Baker: “What would cause you — what would be the line beyond which if Mueller went, you would say, “That’s too far, we would need to dismiss him”?”

Trump: “Look, there are so many conflicts that everybody has. Then Rosenstein becomes extremely angry because of Comey’s Wednesday press conference, where he said that he would do the same thing he did a year ago with Hillary Clinton, and Rosenstein became extremely angry at that because, as a prosecutor, he knows that Comey did the wrong thing. Totally wrong thing. And he gives me a letter, O.K., he gives me a letter about Comey. And by the way, that was a tough letter, O.K. Now, perhaps I would have fired Comey anyway, and it certainly didn’t hurt to have the letter, O.K. But he gives me a very strong letter, and now he’s involved in the case. Well, that’s a conflict of interest. Do you know how many conflicts of interests there are? But then, then Comey also says that he did something in order to get the special prose— special counsel. He leaked. The reason he leaked. So, he illegally leaked.”

Schmidt: “Last thing, if Mueller was looking at your finances and your family finances, unrelated to Russia — is that a red line?”

Haberman: “Would that be a breach of what his actual charge is?”

Trump: “I would say yeah. I would say yes. By the way, I would say, I don’t — I don’t — I mean, it’s possible there’s a condo or something, so, you know, I sell a lot of condo units, and somebody from Russia buys a condo, who knows? I don’t make money from Russia. In fact, I put out a letter saying that I don’t make — from one of the most highly respected law firms, accounting firms. I don’t have buildings in Russia. They said I own buildings in Russia. I don’t. They said I made money from Russia. I don’t. It’s not my thing. I don’t, I don’t do that. Over the years, I’ve looked at maybe doing a deal in Russia, but I never did one. Other than I held the Miss Universe pageant there eight, nine years.”

Schmidt: “But if he was outside that lane, would that mean he’d have to go?”

Haberman: “Would you consider …”

Trump: “No, I think that’s a violation. Look, this is about Russia. So I think if he wants to go, my finances are extremely good, my company is an unbelievably successful company. And actually, when I do my filings, peoples say, “Man.” People have no idea how successful this is. It’s a great company. But I don’t even think about the company anymore. I think about this. ’Cause one thing, when you do this, companies seem very trivial. O.K.? I really mean that. They seem very trivial. But I have no income from Russia. I don’t do business with Russia. The gentleman that you mentioned, with his son, two nice people. But basically, they brought the Miss Universe pageant to Russia to open up, you know, one of their jobs. Perhaps the convention center where it was held. It was a nice evening, and I left. I left, you know, I left Moscow. It wasn’t Moscow, it was outside of Moscow.”

Haberman: “Would you fire Mueller if he went outside of certain parameters of what his charge is?”

Schmidt: “What would you do?”

Trump: “I can’t, I can’t answer that question because I don’t think it’s going to happen.”

Despite his incoherence and complete inability to answer a simple question, one gets the feeling that there is a threat.  I am chilled to think that he is looking for ways to discredit or even fire special counsel Mueller.  I am even more chilled to think that he could find a way to stop this investigation.  But the ultimate freeze factor is that there may be some possibility of him pardoning every staffer, advisor and family member who may have been involved in the Russian interference into our election.  And to think that he could pardon himself???

This is the first of a two-part post.  In part II I will be looking at the current attempts to discredit Robert Mueller’s team of investigators, and also how far the president’s power to pardon actually extends.  Stay tuned ….

32 thoughts on “The Worst Is Yet To Come … Part I”

    • That is true, which I suspect is why Trump & his lawyers are trying to “dig up dirt” to discredit Mueller and his investigative team. And … my thoughts are that I would not put it past Trump to plant some evidence of conflict of interest among the investigators. I simply do NOT trust Trump or anybody closely associated with him. Not a bit! And yes, if he fires him, it implicates him, serves as an admission of guilt, but would Congress act? I doubt it. Would his supporters wake up? I doubt it. I am beginning to fear that the safeguards in our Constitution may not hold against this storm. Sigh.

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Dear Jill,
    We know that the president is desperate to fire Mr. Mueller. He knows that Jeff Sessions can’t do this because he has recused himself from having any role in the Trump-Russian probe in his position as Attorney General. The deputy Attorney Gen. Rosenstein has publicly announced that he won’t do this.
    I am suspicious of why the president wants Mr. Sessions gone. Stay tuned because DDT is up to something.

    Hugs, Gronda

    Liked by 2 people

    • Oh I am quite sure he is up to something, and the news that he is trying to “dig up dirt” on Mueller and his team concerns me greatly. I believe he is determined to shut down that investigation in any way possible.
      Hugs!!!

      Liked by 1 person

  6. I agree entirely. For me, personally, I find myself faced with an extreme sense of Cognitive Dissonance; where I can’t help but laugh at Trump’s complete ineptitude…yet (the lingering yet) behind the buffoonery and incompetence there is a dangerous man behind his inscrutable way of conversing. Worse yet, he is continuing to get away with it. We’re face with a challenge to our freedom and democracy, where entrenched elites controlling the centers of power can happily ignore the voices and protestations of the people they claim to represent. I sit fearful for the future, for if Donald Trump has taught us anything the most absurd and ludicrous of things can become part of our reality.

    Hears to a hopeful and more optimistic outlook with the conclusion of the 2018 Mid-Terms.

    –Cheers!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Yes, I often find myself saying, “this would be funny … if only it weren’t so darn real”. And you are so right in that Trump has taught us that the unthinkable can become our reality. Every morning when I wake up, my first question is “what now?”

      As for the 2018 mid-terms … I am beginning to have a sense of unease. I truly thought that enough people (64% at last count) were fed up enough with Congress’ unwillingness to stop Trump that the Democrats would have an easy time taking back at least one of the chambers. But … I’m hearing some of the more astute analysts say “not so fast”. I still need to do some digging and some thinking, so I’m not saying it won’t happen, but only that I am not as comfortable as I was, say, 2 months ago. Sigh. Bottom line, given his escalating aggressiveness, I do not think we can withstand another three-and-a-half years of Trump. If he serves out his term, I think we will be in a place none of us want to go.

      Like

    • Thanks so much for the re-blog. And yes, it IS surreal. Never in my wildest dreams (nightmares) would I have imagined our nation could come to this. We are truly living in an alternate universe.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Most welcome!! Each day goes by and I get particularly stressed, specially now with this Mueller investigation. I couldn’t bear that it’d get shut down because of his shenanigans!! Arrgghh …. pardons, he said??

        Liked by 1 person

  9. Incoherent is right. I have to say – if this weren’t real life, it would make a great soap opera, what with “sh%#storm of the day” every day, and I mean EVERY day (today’s was particularly enjoyable). It’s like being at work, but way crazier (and my workplace is pretty cray-cray…) Plus, who in their right mind asks about the possibility of pardoning themselves, and DOESN’T think that everyone will assume they are guilty?? 6 months and 1 day, eh?

    Liked by 1 person

    • Oh I know … how well I know! I am struggling with 14 hours a day spent perusing news, researching Constitutional law sites for answers, and still trying to figure out how and why we came to this point! I swear that if I come out of this with my sanity intact (relatively) we shall have a huge party!!!

      And yes, him seeking to discredit the Mueller investigation and asking if he can pardon himself speaks volumes, but yet … yet … his supporters are still saying that the whole “Russian thing is just a hoax perpetuated by the Democrats to try to make Trump look bad.” HUH??? He already made himself look bad!!!! Nobody needed to do anything!!! He placed the damn iceberg in front of his ship!!! How in the Sam Heck can these people be so blind??? He even admitted to seeing the email to his son from the Russians, yet says he knew nothing. And as regards pardoning himself … so does this mean that if I rob a bank, I can just simply say, “Oh well, I forgive myself, so I shall keep the money”?

      Sigh. Please forgive me. I am tired. it is 4:15 a.m. here and I have been digging for information since 10:00 p.m. I am tired and I am discouraged. I am ashamed of what my country has done. Forgive my outburst … you are a friend and I felt I could let my hair down for a moment. I just want to wake up from this nightmare. Hugs, dear Emily, and thanks for putting up with my venting. I think I need a Caturday. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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