Congressional Republicans have been Trump's most ardent enablers of unethical, unprofessional, bigoted and generally sleazy behavior. At this point it would be difficult for them to all of a sudden to find some moral standing to change their ways. What they apparently can't comprehend is that their silence makes them look just as bad as Trump.
In my mind Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell and a vast majority of Republicans in Congress who remain quiet are just guilty of collusion as is the president. They may as well all wear t-shirts emblazoned with "We Are All Donald Trump."
14
Very simply, our president believes he is above the law. Unfortunately, enough voters supported him because of bravado. He didn't reveal his taxes and they didn't care. Plus, too many of them hated Clinton.
So now, Trump ignores his lawyers and speaks to witnesses. It's consistent with who he is and that shouldn't surprise anyone.
12
I didn't see the sourcing but I did see that even if he did what the article says he did it doesn't break a single law.
The left just cannot help itself in the exact same manner that the right couldn't with the former president.
Just as then, when the republicans forced the circling of the wagons and an obama reelection you people are doing the same for Trump in 2020.
This country will never recover from the hatred each half has for the other.
2
Did Henry Kissinger play any role in any of these "secret" meetings that were taking place to establish "back channels" with the Russian Government??? It was reported several months ago that he was giving advice to Jared Kushner . Since it is known that he set up a similar channel with China during the Nixon Presidency, it may very well be possible that he "assisted" with these secret meetings between Kushner, Prince, and Putin's Government. Could this be an overlooked "link" that the media has not looked into? Maybe Mueller already has???
6
Remember Stormy
The 130 was just a retainer
Now hand in the Real Bill
Even I would craft a much more believable fib to my parents when I was in the wrong, at least one that would buy me time, long enough until they calmed down unlike this doofus.
High intelligence and smarts and from Wharton?!...Right, Mr.President!
3
My hunch's correct! Mueller knows a lot more than we think he does and let's on. And is releasing bits & pieces at his own pace making Trump and the ignoble crowd occupying the White House squirm to the extent those who can't take it,tattle!
I am certain, Mueller is letting Toddler-in-Chief further implicate himself so that by the time he takes his fall, it will be more like a splat with hopefully, several charges!
Though this is a trying time,as an onlooker, Trump's take down will be extra delightful, so keep it up Mr, President and Mueller,take your time and make these dunces sweat some more. I'll wait!
18
very very perceptive. thank you for your opinión. which. I believe is correct. I happen to use this strategy when dealing with very difficult people which I have.
1
Now I know why Trump is so cranky.
6
It is incredible. A whole story is concocted over someone said Trump asked Priebus if the people who questioned him were nice to him, OH MY!! Mueller ought to be able to spend another two to three months on that revelation alone. A resent article in the NYT noted that Mueller had brought 109 charges against various people. Gates an Manfort as well as others Mueller charged had nothing to do with 2016 election. A group of Russian he charged probably responded by saying, " I guess we won't go to Disney Land this year." A couple of people pleaded guilty to lying about things that were not against the law. If the Russians had ever dreamed of disrupting the U.S, government and influencing discord in future elections, Mueller must have been seen as a dream come true. There has plenty of time to prove or disprove collusion with Trump. Comey knew it wasn't there and there was even one vote shifted from Clinton or Sanders to Trump. Is there anyone who really believes there were? It is time for Mueller to put up or shut up. But reports are that he is going to carry this forward until November. I wonder Why November. Oh, that is the month of the next election
2
Yep, the Republicans in charge of the investigation have the long knives out for Trump. I don't believe that Mueller dreams about Trump. He's merely following the lies and following the money. And if you think it's ok to trade political favors for sanctions relief, your thinking is misguided.
7
When you step back and take a long view at what is happening at the highest levels of government in the US, it's truly astonishing. A nation as large and significant as this one, saddled with breathtaking corruption and incompetence and apparently unable to rid itself of it.
Unfortunately in this age, an impeachment and trial would be far too big a spectacle and take far too long to resolve. Mueller needs to present the totality of the case against Trump to the Republican leadership and they need to inform the President (just as with Nixon) to resign and leave or expect certain conviction in the Senate and the total ruination of his life and business.
21
Priebus said the story "wasn't reality". The president is a reality TV star. Of COURSE it isn't reality!
Further, and more importantly, for Mr. Trump to be asking the witnesses about their interviews is very problematic, because of who Mr. Trump is. On its face such actions may not be witness tampering, but because it is Trump, it most likely is exactly that.
9
I asked my daughter if she had fun at school today. Am I interfering with her curriculum? Lawyers and people that parse syllables are what has destroyed our government. Get rid of lawyers. Lawyers are verbal terrorists.
2
Without lawyers --and a loan from daddy-- Mr. Trump would be out on the street, with a cardboard sign, selling pencils from a cup. He would not be in the WH...
28
Maybe this is not illegal, but it sure does stink.
Why does this not surprise me coming from a person who believes he is the center of the universe and laws don't apply to him.
18
Just imagine what the Republics would be doing if Hillary or President Obama had done this in similar circumstances.
18
The key to the whole deal is the fact that Trump went in it to lose and raise his profile, then got carried away and campaigned. The irony is he destroyed himself. If they discover something bad enough, he could wind up in prison and be remembered as the second Benedict Arnold. This has the makings of a great opera.
16
Lin Manuel Miranda, are you listening?
2
Ask yourself, if you were an investigator and learned that the suspect you were investigating debriefed witnesses after they were interviewed...wouldn't that confirm your suspicions that the suspect was guilty?
19
One more notch in favor of the Mueller investigation. One more notch against Trump.
19
"Trump Spoke to Inquiry Witnesses, Ignoring Lawyers"?
And "ignoring" the LAW!
Which Trump repeatedly ignores, scorns, and apparently violates!
And which he has done for YEARS!
For instance, his (since bankrupt) Atlantic City casinos and all the taxes he evaded, promised to pay, and then got his pal, Chris Christie (then in the Justice Dept) to recommend settling for pennies (literally) on the dollar!
Nothing like a little tax evasion, eh?
Not to mention all Trump's willful violation of both Federal and (NY) State laws, regulations, and rules of simple decency!
18
The Teflon Don continues to skate and performs all sorts of twirls and jumps.
He "technically" probably didn't commit witness tampering. This idiot has "technically" ever broken the law and yet makes settlement payments in fraud cases and has been sued over 2000 times by stiffed contractors. He makes NDA agreements with payoffs. In his current job the Teflon Don has fully embraced the protection of the office and operates knowing that no law can touch him.
I hope that someday, somehow the Teflon Don skates over a very thin patch of ice and at the least gets a cold from having been drenched in freezing water.
It appears that that is the best hope of The Con Don ever being held to account.
3
Mr. Trump,
You are not in the Trump Tower any more, answering only to yourself. You are in the White House, and you answer to the law.
If this is not obvious to you yet, it will be soon.
12
How is what Porter said to McGahn about Trump possibly getting rid of him if he didn't challenge the article—surely at Trump's direction—not witness tampering?
4
45th still thinks that he is running his TRUMP ORGANIZATION.
5
Oh my goodness, he is So Very Bad at the whole ‘try to look innocent’ thing.
And I’m still not convinced that Trump himself is canny or clever enough to be some sort of Russian operator. An unwitting one, maybe and almost certainly one who attracts (or who has fathered...) very dubious, thoroughly unscrupulous people in the pursuit of his aims. But him? Not seeing it - except when he does things like this. But then is that just because he’s a combative type, and also one who does not understand just what type of investigation he’s ensnared in. If there’s an inquiry into your campaign, you don’t go having secret chats about said inquiry with the very people who are being asked about it - it’s playschool stuff.
5
I am sorry but if you communicate with a witness about a case you are involved with that is a problem because you now know important questions and answers and can tailor your testimony to that. It's more than just telling the witness what to say.
11
NPR had an hour long program last night about the inquiry. They failed to mention that what gets these guys in trouble is often not the act, but what they do to cover it up. I lost interest after they failed to mention that in their intro.
Koch and corporations would not give them millions upon millions unless they knew they could influence things. I pay attention to what I hear on Pacifica, everything else I doubt.
4
Assuming that Trump did ask Priebus whether the Mueller prosecutors and/or F.B.I. agents had been "nice" to him in their interrogation process, his peculiar choice of the word "nice" could indicate great anxiety or fear, on his part, over being subjected to the same procedure in the future. Perhaps Trump was seeking, through Priebus, an indirect reassurance that these federal investigators would not put him through a highly aggressive and withering experience, in common parlance, the "fifth degree".
I believe that Trump has never previously been questioned in a criminal prosecution scenario even remotely similar to what may await him. Whether treated "nicely" or not, Trump, for a variety of personal reasons, would give his attorneys palpitations witnessing their client undergoing such an inquiry.
4
He's under investigation, and yet he persists in behavior that provides more and more activities to investigate. I need a stable genius to explain how Trump's approach is a brilliant way to proceed.
11
Wait. I thought Trump was stable genius. You mean he lied to me?
7
Anyone who doesn't already know that multiple fixes are in is a fool. It's the way he's done things his entire life. He's made it crystal clear that he's not changing his ways.
10
Why are people still asking "why" in regards to anything this man does? He isn't a hard read. What I want to know, but feel the answers are easily deduced, is why isn't he slapped with obstruction, why aren't these people he questions just saying" You know I can't discuss these topics with you. " are they really all that stupid, unethical ? The level to which he and these people around him have sunk down to just can't get any lower. Someone, somewhere, who has authority, who has morals, who is a just person, who to get their position must have had to swear an oath to uphold the laws of this country. And not to shame, themselves, their family, and this country by not doing what is so visible to all of us who still have ethics, and morals and believe in the constitution. He runs a muck like a character in a cartoon causing havoc ! Who can stop the insanity?!
8
He has the same lack of ethics, the same way of doing business, as any mob boss. Since he was born with the silver spoon he didn't have to start out with drugs and prostitution.
6
Despite repeated smack-downs, Priebus's loyalty to the Donald is undiminished. His loyalty is clearly self-serving, but it also reveals that he is an empty shell of a man with no morals or redeeming qualities. As for the Donald, from "amnesia" to peeking behind the curtain of Mr. Mueller's investigation, everything he does screams guilt.
10
My god, can't he be charged with something criminal? If we did what he did, we'd be hauled in front of a judge!
12
Actually, we'd be in prison.
4
From an unrelated article, I learned that Trump made sure not to sign his name on the agreement between him and a certain lady. $130k was handed over, officially unbeknownst to Trump because, well, he never signed his name. He's trying to play the system. Are seemingly unrelated articles actually related?
2
You seem late to the game. "Playing the system" is his entire life.
3
If I remember correctly, Bill Clinton happend to run into and met with then Attorney General Janet Lynch on the tarmac in Phoenix (where they both happened to be) and Republicans went absolutely apoplectic that he was speaking with her while the DOJ was investigating Hillary's e-mails.
However, if Republican DJT actually goes out of his way and PHONES a witness involved in his own investigation, Republicans are mute, looking the other way, whistling at the sky.
Nothing to see here folks, move along. (or so say the authorities at a slow moving train wreck)
14
Republicans are not the only ones who are mute... where are the so-called leaders of our Democratic Congress?
4
Tom - Have you noticed that none of the major news outlets seem to report on anything Democrats do or say?
2
DT has no regard for the law.
This president is very predictable. If it is wrong Americans can assume he'll do it.
It is over a year now and DT has shown us who he is.
In addition, if advisors warn him of the consequences of his bad decisions then like a teenager he will rebell!
Speaking to witnesses even when he is told not to is just another day in this Whitehouse.
Don't expect anything else from our rebellious teenager in-chief.
14
MR. Trump has always gone up to the line and some say has crossed it at times. It is just a matter of time Mr. Trump will out smart Himself. He will not cross the line but smash through it.
6
--alas.....nothing will happen!
--our former democracy is quickly becoming an illusion
--whatever happens, the presidency has been entertainmentized
--so you really think that when he shoots someone on 5th Ave, mitch mcconnell will do anything?
--our political system has been broken by a reverse representative setup, which favors people from the other america
--i can now understand the former yugoslavia, i can understand the rage.
--if, for any quirk of fate, the republicans prevail in the fall, we are in for a world of trouble. that would push me beyond the breaking point and i assume would do the same to countless others.
--RESIST will no longer be a slogan.
8
No impropriety is beneath Donald Trump. He has made a career of behaving improperly because he has enjoyed complete impunity as the emperor of his boutique real estate business. No one should be surprised or shocked that Trump treats the presidency as his personal play-thing. He scoffs at the Constitution, ignores our tradition of checks and balances, and makes unilateral decisions for no other reason than to create chaos. The GOP is fully aware their leader is a loose cannon and they are fully culpable as his willing executioners. Trump is no Republican. He is a nihilist, and the epitome of his total disregard for the welfare of this country is his perilous call for outrageous tariffs on allies and foes (Russia not included) alike.
12
to me the biggest surprise is that anyone would be surprised - even Ivanka (who it would be inappropriate to ask of course.) Witness tampering, spin doctoring and (when necessary) outright lying are used regularly. The only thing I find even more surprising is how many legislators are willing to tolerate and even back it. Money talks in Washington and we know who is listening most closely. Selling out our country to get re-elected and pad your pocket is unconscionable.
12
As a federal prosecutor, I don't see anything here that is likely to incriminate Trump. But his talking to witnesses boggles the mind. I have investigated countless white collar crimes. And once the target lawyers up I have never heard a word from them. Defense attorneys virtually always order their clients to remain silent. There is nothing to be gained by talking to witnesses or others unless done for the purpose of tampering. Trump appears to have talked to the witnesse mostly out of curiosity, seeking information that his lawyers could have gotten. In the criminal world, this is monumental stupidity.
Trump is a wild card who ignores his lawyers. I can't emphasize enough the fact that this is not done. If I were discussing this matter with colleagues, I'm sure we would agree that Trump is the dumbest target we have ever seen. This also suggests an investigation technique. Sending an undercover agent to lure Trump into illegal conduct would ordinarily be futile because Trump's attorneys would have to be notified. But if Trump isn't listening to his attorneys, it may be possible to lure him into a witness tampering scheme. The man is an idiot and I would take advantage of that fact.
32
I'm imagining you in a restaurant giving your order..... "as a federal prosecutor, I'll have the burger"
Great! Let Trump talk with the witnesses all he wants. The more he talks the deeper the hole he digs.
24
I put Donald Trump's honesty in discussing what he has or has not done, or discussed or not discussed with others about as reliable and trustworthy as Homer or Bart Simpson.
11
The only way to know whether there was witness tampering is to subpoena the witnesses and interview them, under oath. "Lawyers say" and "most likely" is no certainty, and this is no trivial issue
9
Something is off:
Per NYT: Trump supposedly asks Priebus "how his interview had gone" with Mueller.
But per Timeline @BillMoyers:
Around 8/11: Mueller says he wants to interview Priebus
10/5: Trump lunch w/Priebus
10/13: Mueller interviews Priebus
How about the pre-Mueller lunch?
3
Maybe Trump was channeling "David Dennison" when speaking with McGahn.
13
Will the day ever come when the behavior of this abysmally incompetent and corrupt narcissist is not dominating the headlines?
31
One can only hope.
7
We don't know what Bob Mueller will uncover BUT Trump has acted all along as if he is guilty.
41
Who are these legal "experts" that seem to give this man a pass on everything he did and does? Secret meetings, lies, back channels, lies, firings, lies, questioning witnesses, lies, releasing classified information and still more lies.
What a waking nightmare we're all living.
39
The only reason the president has never been in jail is that throughout his career he had lawyers who kept him out. You'd think he would know enough to do what his lawyers tell him. Perhaps he does, but he probably thinks by now that he's invincible.
20
Is Donald intimidating key witnesses? Does he think his lawyers' advice is superfluous? Does he think the law doesn't apply to him?
They're trying to keep him out of jail. How would you like a client like that?
13
That Trump “has ignored his lawyers’ advice” and asked “key witnesses” about their interactions with investigators, in an effort to gain an advantage so that he could “shape his own answers” in an upcoming interview with Robert Mueller, shows that Trump is an old dog and can no longer learn new tricks.
He is definitely giving the impression of interfering. Who knows if he isn’t going to temper other witnesses who may have to testify in the future.
7
Last I checked, the word 'legislature" was derived from the Latin word for "law."
How is it, then, that Republicans in Congress are so indifferent to the harm that the Republican president is wreaking on the country? Indifferent to Trump's contempt for the law. Careless of identifiable foreign meddling in the electoral process. Contemptuous of checks & balances.
How do these conservatives justify their unAmerican activities; did it really all hang on Gorsuch?
We'd like to think that once Trump is gone, things might improve. But I'm far more afraid of the acquiescence of Republicans to this trammeling of American human rights -and the long-term damage it will cause- than anything the clown-in-chief does with his every turn of whimsy.
(Oh, and a little shout-out to General Kelly: for knowing who butters his bread.)
19
Our Criminal-In-Chief has tampered with witnesses, which is expressly illegal.
14
My shrink explained narcissism to me many years ago. Intellectually, a narcissist may know there are rules and know what the rules are. But at some deep psychic level, the narcissist is utterly incapable of grasping that the rules apply to himself. He has no hesitation or guilt bout breakdown ng thwm whenever it serves his needs.
If he gets caught transgressing and punished, he simply becomes outraged at his "unfair" treatment.
This last year, I am reminded of how perfectly that description applies to Trump's behavior.
36
I could get exercised about this breach of ethics as I am constantly about the behavior in the Oval Office.This time I am comforted that Mr.Mueller already knows about it and is moving ahead vigorously putting together the picture of this scandalous administration.
14
Ms. Daniels should make a series of movies. They should begin with the following:
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
She could star in the movie and have a fictional character named President Stump. Problem solved.
Sales would easily exceed $1 million.
12
Beginning 2nd year of investigation looking for a crime. still no evidence of collusion or anything else...investigations are only supposed to happen after evidence a crime occured.
1
Sure if you discount all the guilty pleas, the Russian connections etc.
14
The crime that occurred is the Russian meddling in the US election. There is ample evidence of that. Any additional findings may lead to additional charges. Please read up about it. The rest of us don't have time to school you.
8
Considering the number of indictment to which people have already pled guilty, and at the highest levels of access and the campaign, you're either accidentally illiterate or willfully blind; neither are a great look.
5
McGahn should resign as an act of honor and patriotism. Nobody associated with Trump will come out clean.
9
Apparently nothing illegal about it. Now what?
Glad to hear that there are people within the White House willing to disclose the behind the scenes talks between criminals. It is a breadth of fresh air to realize we still have people on the inside with some sort of moral center. The other good news since this is being written in cyberspace, a space that lasts forever, we know who the conspirators of these "high crimes" are, Kelly, Priebus and the Pretend King Trump. Others will be added. Future generations will be able to click onto their history books and literally read what these criminals said and did. We are taking notes.
11
Well, after word of the first instances get out, everyone who is called before the congressional committees or Mueller thereafter knows that Trump is watching them carefully. They are going to testify with Trump's disapproval in mind.
Notably, Hope Hicks quit the White House, not after testifying, but after getting a very rough debriefing over her testimony by Trump. He's letting it be known that he knows who has been naughty and who has been nice and is going to be rough on those who haven't been nice. Entirely consistent with the bundle of despicable traits he possesses instead of a personality.
Does it rise to the level of obstruction of justice? Not by itself, but it's an interesting factoid for the jury.
7
I enjoy the ironic photo of Trump standing before the painting of President Teddy Roosevelt. TR was known for extolling his "bully pulpit." Trump his twisted that into the grotesque and dangerous: the bully who uses his pulpit to deceive the more credulous Americans among us
7
Trump is the pulpit bully.
2
It should be clear that possible witness tampering in this instance of questions to those who have testified does not mean that the questioning itself necessarily represents tampering -- after all, the testimony had already been given. The tampering could be indirect. In the case of executive branch employees, suppose the president were to have an angry or punitive reaction to the testimony such witnesses describe to him. If that gets out, it could pressure possible future witnesses not to say anything to the special counsel that the president doesn't like. So it could be tampering, you might say, before the fact.
3
Since when did Trump ever listen to anyone about anything? He didn't go through numerous bankruptcies for nothing.
6
The article is nothing but stoking fire where there is none. It is full of innuendos and insinuations. When will this newspaper stop its manipulations that offend the minds of intelligent readers?
1. There is no case against Trump. If there is no case, there are strictly speaking no witnesses. Get it? 2. Obstruction of justice is all that Mueller has going. And he desperately tries to create it. His last hope is to have an interview with Trump, catch him in some inconsistencies (that can easily happen in such informal situations), and then build a case on these inconsistencies. Trump should not grant him this interview, not because he has something to hide, but because this is not necessary. He does not have to talk to Mueller, so he will not. “Mr. Mueller is also examining whether the president tried to obstruct the inquiry.” That’s all Mr. Mueller has left to do in this case and its pathetic.
3. All the episodes cited in this article are mere insinuations that have no merit. It is not illegal for anyone to talk to those interviewed by Mueller and Trump has every right to talk to them. All this conversation about some “consciousness of guilt” is pure legal nonsense. The law professor should be dismissed from her position for even suggesting this, because if this is what she teaches her students, she teaches them pure nonsense.
4. Another Special Counsel is on the way to end this legal travesty. It has been running way too long. Trump is not going to be removed. Get it!
4
It’s wrong to assert that, because you believe there were no crimes there could be no witnesses. If someone is sworn under penalty of perjury before a jury or in a deposition or any legal proceeding, he or she is a witness.
2
Gee there sure are a lot of guilty pleas for no case.
10
Lorraine, these witnesses were not sworn. Read the article. They were INTERVIEWED by Mueller. Read my lips: Interviewed.
2
It is crystal clear why President Flim-flam began his "fake news" rant long ago. He must undermine the people who report his lies and cons, particularly his Big Con with Russia and Vladimir Putin. I recall how the octopus spurts purple (?) dye to hide itself from prey. We are Trump's prey. We are good, decent prey.
7
Whenever I begin to fear that Trump will ultimately wiggle/connive/bluster his way out of all this, I remind myself that Robert Mueller is as shrewd and experienced as a dozen Donald Trumps put together (heaven forbid!) and that whatever he got from witnesses that Trump may try to finagle out of them, will not do Trump or any future witnesses any good if they try to pull anything over on the Special Counsel. He's already caught four witnesses in lying and they are all now under indictment. This should send a pretty clear message to anyone hopeful of hoodwinking him. We should all take comfort in the fact that whatever Donald Trump knows, or thinks he knows, Robert Mueller knows a whole lot more.
244
Speak on it, the end for corruption is coming along with the midterms
6
Trump is hearing the footsteps of Karma behind him, and getting desperate...
7
Good point. And I sense a bit of Alzheimer's kicking in where DJT probably won't remember what was said in the conversation anyway.
I'm sure Mueller has it all neatly organized and documented and ready with facts and well thought out strategy.
1
This story is just another addition to so many distressing stories including the meetings in the Seychelles islands with a power broker for the Emirates meeting with Russians and Eric Trump....When do we get to call the Liar in Chief what he really is?==A traitor to the US,its constitution and its laws? Lock him up!
20
From the article:
"the special counsel investigation appears to be intensifying"
Perhaps "spinning out of control, having found nothing actionable against Trump" would be more accurate. "Tail Gunner Joe" would feel at home with this "investigation" - but nobody who believes we live in a "free" country should be comfortable with it.
3
Keep hoping, all you remaining 30% Trump true believers ...
15
Peter, the special counsel acts on information obtained from witnesses. they go slowly and methodically just so people rights are protected and they are acting within the law. thats why there is no innuendo, speculation, opinions etc... they deal in provable facts. they are finding plenty, and slowly but surely tightening the noose.
13
We don't exactly know what Mueller has found all we know is who he has chosen to charge with a crime at this time. In any event this is not just about Trump as the indictments against the Russians show. We need to know whether any Americans - from Trump to Kushner to Facebook - helped or aided the Russians in any way to interfere with the election. I think that is a very important and legitimate endeavor.
10
As long as Donald Trump has the sole Article II executive power to fire the USAG Jeff Sessions, the Deputy USAG Rod Rosenstein and the Special Counsel Robert Mueller III and pardon his friends and family there is nothing particularly significant about these events.
2
So sad that we have a president who lies pretty much every time he opens his mouth.
14
“If you like your plan, you can keep your plan..”
1
Oh for Pete’s sake. Really? Trump’s untruths fall into a completely different galaxy of lies and misdirection. The, “ you can keep your plan” is all you can come up with?
5
Hey, it was a whopper of a lie that affected millions. Trumps lies affect a news cycle.
The key takeaways from the articles are:
• “Legal experts said Mr. Trump’s contact with the men most likely did not rise to the level of witness tampering.”
• “It is not illegal for the subject of an investigation to learn what witnesses have told investigators.”
2
Time for the daily William Case Self-Embarrassment. I could set my watch to this
3
To the editors: Please clarify whether your sources say Trump asked whether Priebus was being "nice" or whether Mueller's team was being "nice." These are very different. The article seems to imply Trump was checking to make sure Priebus was being nice/loyal to him. But the plural "they" in the article suggests Trump asked Priebus whether the investigators were "nice." Please clarify. (It's not a question of interpretation - either Trump said to Priebus "Were you nice?" or he said "Were they nice?")
2
Trump is wasting his time focusing so much energy on the investigation. Let it unfold on it's own. If there was nefarious activity, he should quit. Meantime get to work governing, that's what he was elected to do.
1
oh god' please don't let him get into governing
10
There is no grey matter to think however there is plenty of grey matter for sexual scandals. Think goodness for Mr. Mueller a true American
2
Trump never has been one to listen to advice from lawyers. Perhaps it would help if they made sure they were the last one out when he's done with his executive texting at 4 AM.
5
So it's a crime to ask people what they said in court? I thought that's what a newspaper was supposed to ask.
None of this is in court-- yet. It's an investigation. Like the dozens conduct3d against the Clintons.
3
Someone in Trump's position has only one reason to ask witnesses what they told the FBI: that is to know what lies he can tell to avoid prosecution.
Let's pray he soon flies off to Mar-a-Lago as a private citizen Nixon style.
15
Obstruction of justice, while serious, is a traffic ticket compared to Trump's real crime of treasonous collaboration with Russia. It seems likely this will be proven beyond all doubt by Mueller very soon.
It's nearing time to ask the question: when Trump is convicted and sentenced to death for treason as he deserves, will he be given a choice between the electric chair, lethal injection or some other option?
Personally, I am fine with giving our Traitor-in-Chief that choice, once it is the only choice he has left. A firing squad would also be acceptable. Convicted traitors deserve death.
9
Witness tampering. More obstruction. Just put in the tab!
3
Trump has no concept of law and order nor of obstruction of justice. He is running the White House the same way he has run his life: Fraud and Deception is his credo. Trump is who he is and always has been. The Republican leadership bears the full responsibility for placing this amoral criminal in the White House. They join Trump in spitting on everything this nation has fought and died for. Get out the vote and throw these anti-Americans out of Washington!!
18
We know this much about Trump from this and many other revelations.
The President of the United States doesn't care about laws when they apply to his behavior and actions. And he believes he is always above the law.
Absolute power.
163
What deals is junior working in Mexico? Why is he making deals when he can’t even get a security clearance?
4
corrupts absolutely!
4
I agree with your sentiments and comments. But Trump is NOT the legitimate elected president of the USA. He's a usurper and election-thief, having colluded with Russia. a hostile foreign power.
Thus, I think any yoking of the words "Trump" and "president" should put the word "president" in quotes to indicate irony, or better yet, preface the term with "so-called" or "election-tampering," as in the phrases: "so-called 'president' Trump" or "election-tampering 'president' Trump", or better yet, "ILLEGAL 'president'"!
2
This won’t get serious until Melania talks to Mueller on a tarmac somewhere in Arizona.
7
The Con Don truly thinks laws do not apply to him. He thinks he's "king".
Off with his ugly head.
OUR United States of America does not have "kings". WE THE PEOPLE are going to wrest control of OUR governments at all levels - and OUR lives - from the Robber Barons who think they enthroned The Con Don to serve them. He can only serve them if WE let him.
NOW is the time to fight back with everything we have. Investigator Mueller is doing an outstanding job but he's only one man with a fabulous team. He can only do so much.
WE THE PEOPLE have voter, consumer, taxpayer and investor power and it is much greater than the power The Con Don and the International Mafia Top 1% Global Financial Elite Robber Baron/radical religion Good Old Boys' Cabal think they have. Let's take them down one-by-one and claw back all the wealth and resources they have stolen from us since they installed
Crook Nixon in OUR white house to start the democracy-destroying ball rolling.
This must not stand in OUR United States of America. Not now. Not ever.
9
Since Mr Trump presumably knew they talked, his hamfisted intimidation is definitely suject to jury tampering if they are later called back or called to trial. What he still fails to realize is that the rule of law he swore to defend is nothing like the law of the jungle he believes he bought for life when a private citizen.
7
I think you mean witness tampering?
2
It’s impossible to fathom how the president doesn’t see the semaphores going down across the tracks while the red lights are flashing and the warning bells are jangling. Does he not know that even the appearance of witness tampering is a road from which there is no possible return?
Richard Nixon prowled his West Wing, deeply anxious about what his staffers might have told Archibald Cox or Leon Jaworski but he was lawyer enough not to grill them about their testimony under oath.
It very much seems that Donald Trump simply has no idea of how much trouble he may be in. It’s almost as though he thinks that he can bluster and bully his way out of any situation. He has poor legal advisors—and if otherwise—they don’t have the influence or standing to keep him away from his destructive impulses. How, with all the ancillary bad press and demonstrably negative performance of his administration, can he think to weather this inquiry? He truly must think his legal staff is composed of Roy Cohn-types.
If the president thinks that he can put together an in-person defense in Robert Mueller’s presence, based on spatchcocked information from witnesses, then he’s one step closer to being out on the street and perhaps exchanging his expensive tailored suits for something in orange—matching the color of his comb-over. He’s walking a legal and ethical tight wire—and there’s no cushion beneath him.
8
@Sox -- "He's walking a legal and ethical tight wire---and there's no cushion beneath him".
Yes there is. It's called the Republican Party.
8
Why does this not constitute witness tampering? If it were anyone else, people and the media would be screaming 'tampering'.
7
I was wondering the same thing. A number of legal commentators say it "doesn't rise to the level" of tampering. Well, why not?
3
Of the many crimes Trump has committed this is just one more. Let’s face it he’s a walking criminal enterprise. What we need to do is stop this sham of a republican House investigation. None of the people that go before it need to say anything because the Democrats can’t force them to say anything because the Republicans protect them and just want to end this on a good note that Trump didn’t do anything that we can find. Oh really?
9
If Trump were innocent, he could put this whole thing to bed by being transparent, releasing his taxes, etc. It's obvious to any 8-year-old that he is doing everything he can to hide SOMETHING. Why is nobody in the press simply asking him: "Mr. President, if you have nothing to hide, why are you behaving as though you do?"
13
Perhaps Trump is starting to get a bit anxious about his status in the investigation. Certainly talking to witnesses seems like witness tampering. If the Republicans were smart they would figure out how to get him out of office.
3
Julie R. O’Sullivan is right. However, so long as Trump is president, he is not going to be tried in a court of law. The Senate will ultimately determine how this revelation reflects his state of consciousness at the time. If the House and Senate investigations are any indication, Republican lawmakers will clearly interpret the interactions as harmless office chitchat. The President was simply making water-cooler talk. Instead, they'll ask why Priebus and McGahn were at the water-cooler instead of working. And so on.
Sad but true.
87
Andy: "Water-cooler talk." That's brilliant! Love it!
Trump simply can't control himself.
And obviously Congress can, to our detriment.
9
I have a question...
How come any other president who did even a fraction of the interference that this president has done would have been at very least censured, if not impeached by now, yet this president does far worse than any of his predecessors and he is not even questioned for having done anything wrong?
There should be much more done to either get this president to act more presidential, or remove him from office for incompetence. Mr Mueller, I hope your investigation comes up with enough evidence to force this person from office.
12
Trumps lawyer has a fool for a client.
10
Stupid NYTimes, let me requote "Experts who don't know what was said to the witnesses say that they don't yet know if it's tampering. But given Trump's lack of regard or knowledge of the law, it likely was."
4
Just checking - you believe Trump has done no wrong at all in this case? And you believe Trump has a healthy regard for and knowledge of the law?
3
trump is the least presidential person elected in my lifetime, including Nixon. He seems to be nothing more or less than a crook and a liar. He is so pig-headed he believes he is smarter than any lawyer, above all laws. America gets the leaders it deserves at the time of election. We have all been in trouble for some time and how will we get out of this? Will we?
11
We are in quite a fix, aren't we. We have as our president a man who has absolutely no respect for the law.
13
Can anyone imagine Congressional GOP members staying utterly silent, and worse, running interference on behalf of the Administration, if a Democratic president engaged in the underlying behavior that led to the Mueller investigation, let alone the Trump's repeated interference into that investigation? GOP members would be excoriating a Democratic president for these acts, and for leaving the United States vulnerable to further cyber-attack by the Russians. They're unwillingness to raise any defense of our democratic institutions is a shocking betrayal of our nation from people who have long claimed the mantel of true patriots.
393
The Republican collective silence on the Trump administration not taking action on the Russian interference in the US elections alone is a reason to vote all Republicans out of office.
3
they would have impeached a democratic president for tweeting major policy, or at the least for exposing top secret info from another country to the russians, or at best, for nepotism
this is the weirdest president in our history, entirely unaccountable, and his party just swallows whatever he does or says. he has single highhandedly broken formal traditions that were not laws per se, just civilized behavior. His ego runs him, and thus our politics
3
Taken as a whole, the so-called "Republican" Congress is shielding the president to get its campaign donors' marching orders accomplished.
Individually, specific lawmakers may be "colluding in obstruction," if I may coin a term that refers directly to Rep. Nunes and others.
2
I don't understand why lawyers would say this is not "witness tampering". Seems obvious to me. To wit, just for starters: 1) you're talking to witnesses involved in an ongoing investigation, witnesses who could quite possibly be called back for additional interviews; 2) those same witnesses could talk to and or be involved with individuals who have yet to be interviewed but very well could be in the future as part of the ongoing investigation.
169
What can Trump offer these people that can beat what Mueller offers them? Donald could maybe get them an allowance of rubles and a dacha. Mueller offers witnesses a reduced sentence if they sing like a birdie, with continued living in the US.
The witness tampering provision of the federal criminal code specifies the conduct that constitutes a violation, so it's a question of whether Mueller can establish that Trump's conduct falls within the statute's ambit. https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-2011-title18/html/USCODE-2011-title...
The biggest challenge is that the statute focuses on tampering with a witness BEFORE he or she testifies-- not after (as here).
I think the best case is 1512(c)(2):
(c) Whoever corruptly—
(2) or otherwise obstructs, influences, or impedes any official proceeding, or attempts to do so.
A criminal prosecution of a sitting president (assuming you could clear the legal obstacle that the constitution appears to contemplates prosecution only after impeachment and removal from office) would have to be a slam-dunk case.
Trump's conduct in talking to 2 witnesses after they testified, while improper, is far short of a section 1512 witness tampering case, whose focus is on tampering before a witness testifies.
I think it makes more sense to include this conduct in an obstruction-of-justice indictment, in which Mueller presents a pattern of conduct designed to obstruct the proceedings (pressuring comey to drop Flynn case, firing Comey when he refused, trying to fire Mueller, lying about purpose of trump tower meeting, pressuring Sessions to resign, etc).
2
If this were happening to him, they would certainly label it as "witness" tampering. It seems to me, Trumpism is tapping into some outdated, broad entitlement to do and say what you want with no repercussions. Unfortunately, that defies the laws of physics.
1
What happened to collusion. Now we are in search of a crime to justify the existence of special counsel. The people of this country elected him. You better have something that is a real crime, if you want to remove him. The other option is to field a good candidate in 2020 and beat him in the ballot box. Just because you lost an election that you should have won, you have no right to remove him from office. If you do, what does that tell to the people who elected him?
What do you mean "what happened to collusion?" Good grief, there is a lot more going on here than just collusion, or, rather, conspiracy. You've got money laundering, the conspiracy with Russia, obstruction of justice, probably treason, campaign finance violations (see Stormy Daniels), ethics violations- the list goes on and on. Just keep your shorts on. It will all come out. And by the way, the Democratic nominee did in fact beat Trump at the ballot box in 2016. She got more total votes.
30
You believe we/Democrats "should have won" the presidency in 2016? Why? because Clinton won the popular vote by over 3,000,000 (three million) votes?
Are those votes not those of people who wanted Hillary Clinton to be our president?
If Donald Trump has committed crimes sufficient for removal from office-Republicans will have to accept the 'rule of law'.
6
No individual with knowledge of the law has asserted Collusion, as there is no such legal term!
Try, "Conspiracy to Defraud the United States!" ; and we have "13" Indictments so far, and more to come!
9
This from a guy who says it's all fake news and he's Snow White. Trump is acting like he's guilty. That's because he almost certainly iS guilty. If you walk down Pennsylvania Avenue you can smell the sweet aroma of panic in the air. God speed, Mr. Mueller!
23
I smell a book on the horizon for McGahn.
2
I can shoot a person on 5th Ave, & still retain my mandate, ridiculous but true.
I believe that most Americans vote for what they believe are the lesser of two evils, based on economics,taxes,race & religion, etc.It’s not that they love Trump,it’s just that they feel he’s better than any Democrat, the reverse was true of Hillary.It’s personal not just Politics.
2
Yes, people did not vote "for" Trump, people voted against the party that offered a (heavens to Betsy) black man as President, then had the gall- the overweening arrogance of those "libs"- to suggest a mere woman! It was portrayed as a direct attack on white male supremacy and all things fundamentally Christian.
Trump won nothing, people were convinced to vote against Mrs. Clinton.
12
Drip, drip drip . . . . And, he’s still there. Still in the Oval Office, still President.
Depressing!
10
I know it is a guilty pleasure, but I am beginning to enjoy watching the Trump administration like "The Sopranos."
Trump promised to "drain the swamp." That metaphor is wrong: the Trump administration has become a sticky-trap for right-wing losers and corrupt sycophants. People who get in Trump's orbit get destroyed; he magnifies and exposes them all.
Trump himself hasn't fallen ... yet. But he will.
21
Quite a great, intelligent Presidential Apprentice you've got there, GOP/NRA Party. Who would have guessed ????? Well, many, many people.
17
65,853,516 people, approximately, did.
6
A must-read is Jane Mayer's reporting on the Steele dossier. Excellent, fair investigative reporting and, yes, folks, Trump's blundering around Russia over the years is even worse than one could imagine.
40
That Trump did not remember his conversation with McGahn in the same way as McGahn did is not surprising and has a logical explanation. Mr. Trump is suffering from CRS, a chronic and progressively condition that eventually leads to CRAFT. Trump is already showing advanced signs of the latter.
6
When the music stops, and 25 of Mr. Trump's closest advisors and appointees look for chairs, there are no chairs. No safe spaces.
14
Breaking new ground daily to dig a bigger and deeper hole in his own swamp, Trump and his associates are leading "unwitting" and "should know better" Republicans deeper and deeper into the slippery mud of the Trump swamp.
At some point it will get so dark the only place they will be able to see any light is Up. The muddy walls that surround them will make it impossible to get out.
And there will be no money in the Budget or Treasury to pay for a Rescue Squad.
Deeper and deeper..one day at a time!
4
“Legal experts said Mr. Trump’s contact with the men most likely did not rise to the level of witness tampering.”
“It is not illegal for the subject of an investigation to learn what witnesses have told investigators.”
1
Not illegal, but certainly suspicious, especially when added in with all of his other guilty-seeming behavior.
4
What happened to the expectation of a higher standard from elected officials? We just forget about it. DJT is a markedly LOWER standard by all accounts...
6
For anyone keeping score, here is the play by play:
1- Trump told McGahn to fire Mueller
2- McGahn refused
3- McGahn told Mueller about (1)
4- NYT learned (1-3) and wrote it up
5- Trump told McGahn to deny the NYT story
6- McGahn refused
7- McGahn mentioned (5) to HIS lawyer, who told Mueller
8- NYT learned (5-7) and wrote it up
Maybe we cut out the middle-man and get Trump to write op-eds in the NYT.
128
He's been trying. All he can manage is tweets. Sad.
2
If there ever was someone who was going to obstruct justice, it's DJT.
He thinks he can do anything and get away with anything.
Maybe it's time for a "#peoples movement" to let our law makers know that if they don't do their job, they're done.
58
Sadly, he HAS done ANYthing and gotten away with it, because a feckless Republican congress has allowed him to get away with it, thinking THEY will get away with it. My hope is that whatever Robert Mueller concludes is enough to recommend impeachment if not prosecution, and that it becomes public before the November elections. But regardless of what Mueller finds, which this same feckless congress may still let Trump get away with, we must send a clear message in November that nobody is going to get away with anything. We the American people need to stand up on our hind legs shouting, "Protect this country or go home permanently!" VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!
1
Is this the same guy who complained so much about Bill Clinton chatting up Loretta Lynch on the tarmac?
273
Thank you for reminding me what an awful election that was. If the Dems ever put up a Clinton again, they deserve losses unto the 7th generation.
1
The rats are starting to jump off the stinking rotting and sinking Trump ship.
42
Washington, we have a problem. We have a president, whose job is to enforce the law, who has absolutely no regard for the law.
73
Wow. Trump really is that dumb, isn't he?
99
I would say he really is that narcissistic, but the distinction seems almost beside the point when looking merely at outcomes.
Let me fix this for everyone: "Trump spoke to witnesses, otherwise known as witness tampering, in a federal investigation. Trump fired individuals involved with a federal investigation. Trump is guilty of Obstruction of Justice and should immediately resign."
77
While he should immediately resign, he belongs in jail. Anyone else would have been arrested and charged long ago.
12
This guy has nothing but contempt for the law. No wonder his lawyers do not want him to face Mueller mano-a-mano!
18
Well of course he did. He doesn’t know about this deep state presidenting stuff. He’s not a politician, he doesn’t know how to politicize. A veritable babe in the woods, I tell’ya.
Well, that plus he’s basically Albert the Alligator from Pogo - when he starts losing the checkers game, he kicks the barrel and hollers “earthquake!”
20
Lordy, he is a complete idiot.
130
And yet they go on filling their pockets, flouting the law, normalized and enabled by every branch of government and the media.
The White House must be roped off as a crime scene and everyone in it placed under house arrest immediately. We don't leave the shooter in place to continue his high school massacre, do we?
82
What makes you think the witnesses will tell Trump
the truth about what they spilled, I mean said.
Ha ha, a liar lied to.
14
That's quite a shovel Trump is using to dig his hole deeper. I could use one of those in my backyard!
15
UNFIT! How much more evidence do we need? Who CARES if it all doesn't cross a 'legal'line or not. He's not of good character, he cannot be trusted, he lies all the time, he damages our relationships with our allies, he kowtows to Putin and other autocrats, he WANTS to be president for life and has floated that out there as a 'joke' to see how it plays, he pays off porn stars and humiliates his wife, he is making money and violating the Emoluments clause daily, on and on and on.
Do we WANT to have a country left because it's really becoming apparent we cannot continue this level of chaos.
He is leaving Americans unprotected from Russia meddling, doing nothing about it. He punishes our allies and praises the dictators. It's sickening.
He's making us sick as a country. I wish November 2018 was tomorrow, even as I sit here midst another Nor'easter and I want Spring, I'm so worried we won't make it to November.
Congress! Do your job and protect the American People from this madman you yourselves created. You OWE US!
171
Do not expect Congress to do anything. VOTE them ALL out in November. If this fails, move.
12
Unfortunately the people who voted for him are still 100% on board per a recent poll. They do not care about his behavior, just whether they perceive he is delivering what they want. 82% of Republicans approve of his performance.
1
Trump was "fishing." He's paranoid. Nixon 2.0. John Dean (Nixon's former counsel) said on NPR the other day - "Did Trump learn NOTHING from Watergate???!!"
22
"The president said he had never ordered Mr. McGahn to fire the special counsel. Mr. McGahn replied that the president was wrong and that he had in fact asked Mr. McGahn in June to call the deputy attorney general, Rod J. Rosenstein, to tell him that the special counsel had a series of conflicts that disqualified him for overseeing the investigation and that he had to be dismissed. The president told Mr. McGahn that he did not remember the discussion that way."
On the one hand: It's rather frightening that the President of our country "doesn't remember" what he says from one day to the next. He either has faulty mental capabilities, or he knowingly lies, thinking that people are too stupid (or too awed by his greatness) to notice it (or hold him accountable for lying).
On the other hand: His constant contradictions in what he says might help Mueller to build a case for obstruction of justice, so that we can hopefully be rid of this cretin soon!
17
I've claimed for months Trump shows signs of dementia, it seems he honestly does not remember what he says or does day-to-day . . . or hour-by-hour, sentence-by sentence.
3
Trump fires Comey to, by his own admission, try and shut down the FBI and DOJ’s Russia investigation.
Trump directs Hite Houses Counse McGahn to fire the Special Prosecutor Mueller, in an attempt to shut down the Russia investigation.
Trump asks McGahn to lie to the NYT and deny that Trump had ever directed him to fire Mueller.
Not sure what you call it in the US, but up here in Canada, its called obstruction of justice. But then, what do we know about things like that. We’re too busy making cut rate steel to swamp and destroy the American heartland.
89
Here's its now just called another day at the dotard's office.
9
If you're lucky, there won't be a flood of American refugees in Calgary over the next four years.
1
It would appear that our Liar-in-Chief has been up to some witness tampering. Why am I not surprised?
17
Of course Donald did.
He contiunes to live outside the system of law that is our democratic form of governing. It was put into place by our forward thinking founders for a very good reason. He will never succumb to the truth that he has entered an arena that is nothing like the one he manipulated in his private life, never.
This man is a fools fool. The ploy of always keeping himself once or twice removed from direct involvement in any action that may be deemed illegal is unraveling.
I cringe at the thought of Mike Pence, a piousness evangelical christian wearing the hat of president.
We all need to Vote in November 2018, winning democrats the majority of the seats in our senate and house, and ride out this storm until 2020.
41
The next time the Baby King acts as an innocent man would will be the first. Lock him up!
11
Re Mr. Luettgen's question below. You tamper by threatening a witness and getting them (or attempting to get them) to provide subsequent inconsistent statements so that their veracity can be challenged.
I am glad The Donald keeps doing really stupid stunts. He is toast when Mueller gets ahold of him.
24
We are honorable and law-abiding citizens or we are not. We are members of a community that believes in justice and fairness and truth or we are not. We are moving towards a more perfect Union or we are not. Our President shows us every day just how corrupt and venal America has become. We are the product of excess and greed and avarice; just look around.
The selfishness Trump shows, the arrogance, the hate and bullying: he's the worst of America and we put him in the leader's throne. We suffer from great sickness.
The right-wing, Republicans, conservatives, evangelicals; this guy is yours. He is you. This is your time in the mirror.
349
Kind of you to imagine that Republicans and Conservaties are lawful when it comes to them and their privileged friends. Law to these people is what protects them from the zombie apocalypse, which has always bee the 99%(even the professional class, sorry). Waiting for Republicans/Conservatives to act lawfully is like waiting for their instruments of rabble rousing: the KKK, Alt-right, “Christian” shariah, Male supremacists, and the terrified anti-science grunts to become civilized. A waiste of time. Sure, we all know Republicans and Conservatves who are good, right? Are they still good when they don’t demand Trump’s immediate resignation?
1
Trump is like a random number generator. He just bops from one thing to another without any intention, thought, or reason beyond it'll make his ego feel good or soothed in the moment.
12
"After firing Mr. Comey, the president said privately that the dismissal had relieved “great pressure” on him. "
Yes, and he said it "privately" to two Russian spies who were visiting him in the Oval Office.
This man is a traitor to our nation. I hope the truth drops on him like a ton of bricks and that he spends the rest of his days in federal prison, where he can watch his name stripped off of all of his money laundering enterprises through the bars of his jail cell.
308
In Russia they either poison or hang traitors.
6
Trump can not control himself;he is a show off who has to know that he is the center of attention.Mueller will give him plenty of attention when Mueller indicts Trump.State crimes are not pardonable by the president.Trumps own inability to control his mouth/Twitter will be his undoing. LOCK HIM UP. NO PARDON. JAILTIME. Ray Sipe
71
I believe Trump. Of course he doesn't remember telling McGahn to fire Mueller. He doesn't remember anything. He is a serial liar. He says one thing and then says another. It is plausible that moments after telling McGahn to fire Mueller, he told McGahn not to fire Mueller.
2
He’s running the country?
He can’t run himself
7
And so another line of phony defense emerges:
1. Okay, yeah, stupid, but it wasn't clearly witness tampering.
2. The article says that it maybe wasn't witness tampering, so Nothing to see here, move on, and why won't the MSM say it wasn't witness tampering?
3. Okay, so prosecutors often look at whether this sort of thing means that somebody's coordinating their stories, but it wasn't clearly witness tampering.
By the way, if you can't tamper with a witness after they testify, how is it possible for Steele's dossier to start an FBI investigation after the FBI has started an investigation?
6
Richard, you can put lipstick on a pig but it is still a pig.
7
We've had these people all wrong all along! Priebus and trump were only talking about adoptions of Russian children, nothing wrong with that. Guess that is why "... the conversation moved on after a FEW MINUTES...". It takes time to say those investigators were courteous and professional.
PROSECUTE RUSSIAGATE!
3
Now that we know he has talked to people after giving testimony, how soon before we find out that he has talked to people before they give testimony? There have been absolutely no repercussions for all of the other unethical and probably illegal things he has done, so why not push the envelope further? Given the quality of people he has hired so far, dangling the right offer in front of them could be very tempting.
It seems safe to conclude that until he actually does shoot someone in the middle of 5th Avenue, Congress will continue to focus on the more important things like naming post offices.
382
C'mon, be fair. Congress is really busy trying to figure out how to appease the NRA while giving the appearance that they're doing something reasonable about gun violence. And the Pubs are tied up breathing into paper bags over DT's tariffs.
3
Because Republicans refuse to stop Trump we all recognize that law is just something for those who can’t afford a lawyer. Corruption is not a plebeian crime. Corruption is borne and fed by the 1%.
1
Even then, they’ll try to spin it against the person standing on Fifth Avenue. This administration lies with every utterance.
1
He REALLY can't help himself. Literally.
13
"Consciousness of guilt" seems to be woven into Trump's character. He commits crime after crime, infraction after infraction, snubs his nose at his lawyers, his advisors, and even at the U.S. Constitution, and then sniffs around to see if there is any fallout. The average house plant would be a better president than Trump. And certainly more law-abiding.
49
Ultimately, Trump will not be impeached, republicans will not do it. Trump will be forced to resign over obstruction of justice and $money laundering.
Paul Manafort is the conduit from Russian oligarchs and Russian mob people into NY and Fla. real estate using Kushner and Trump, Jr.
Manafort will implicate Kushner who will be tried in NY State Court. This prevents Trump from granting a pardon. Trump will then resign to keep his son in law and son out of prison.
7
From your lips to God's ears. And soon, please.
2
We, Americans, should not be concerned about parsing what constitutes "tampering" or making snarky comments regarding "our on the ball lawyers".
Our dire, highly urgent concern should be :
President Trump is a weak, deeply flawed man.
He's a puppet on a string.
His financial "success" has long been based on being a real estate laundromat for Russian mob money -- with the strategic encouragement of Vladimir Putin.
Simply put, Trump is owned by the Kremlin.
He needs to be removed from office.
43
That he is a puppet and the investigation is beginning to show this may be the reason Trump is so afraid of being poisoned. That seems to be the Russian way of getting revenge, as the poisoning of a retired Soviet agent and his daughter in Saisbury, UK, demonstrates.
3
May be when Kushner is interviewed by the Special Counsel then he can give him all the insides. Trump knows that the Special Counsel has goods on him.
6
Trump is well practiced in these legal maneuvers. He knows there is money to be made in obfuscations and smokescreens if they be cunningly devised. All words. Indeed, he could write a book titled "How to Become a Billionaire through Lying and Cheating".
3
"Mr. McGahn ... had to remind the president that he had indeed asked Mr. McGahn to see that Mr. Mueller was dismissed."
So, in other words, the President of the United States asked someone working for him to lie about matters under investigation by Mueller.
And that, compounded with all of the other elaborate lying (e.g., Russia "adoption") from Trump and his cronies, including lying about all of their many Russian contacts, is not obstruction of justice because . . . .?
36
"...I would know the difference between a level 10 situation as reported in that story and what was reality. And it just — to me, it wasn’t reality.” Reince Priebus
This IS the same Reince Priebus who shamelessly gushed his heartfelt gratitude on camera to Hair Furor at that infamous table of cabinet sycophants where Reince embarrassed everyone with his pathetic flattery of JabbaTrump, right?
But he's sure he knows the difference between reality and a "Level 10" situation?
7
This president may or may not have a memory problem but what he does have is a propensity to lie. I would be amazed if he ever testifies, under oath, to the special prosecutor--he would surely perjure himself. His actions since the Russia probe began are ones closely associated with guilt. My concern is that Congress is unwilling to recognize the potential damage to this democracy for his actions and tries to operate as though we had a sane president.
13
Of course this is witness tampering. What kind of misfit lawyer would conclude otherwise?
11
If Trump were innocent, why would he go against his lawyers’ advice not to speak to witnesses who had been interviewed by the special counsel? Trump has been involved in enough legal cases to know what witness tampering is. He’s running scared and is now trying to find out what others have been saying in order to keep his own story straight for when he talks to Mueller.
272
Murray Corren: Why? Because 1. he has no impulse control 2. he doesn't follow the rules 3. he doesn't know the rules 4. he has no ability to connect cause & effect 5. he's incapable of seeing the consequences of his actions 6. he loves to create chaos 7. it's all about him & he feels left out because he wasn't invited to the party (inquiry). And don't worry: he won't be able to remember any stories he's heard from those he's questioning. There's no way in the world he's going to be able to keep his own story straight! 104% guaranteed!
6
It's Trump. Why would he look at the eclipse without eye protection against the advice of scientists?
6
Murray--Obviously, he's not innocent. His behavior shows that everyday. But, he still thinks he can walk away from his crimes. He's SURE he can. The rules do not apply to him.
3
It seems that everything Trump does goes right up to the edge of legality. I wonder if he will ever be prosecuted for anything. The answer lies in a combination of his actual behavior and whether or not we can all agree that inappropriate, unethical behavior needs to be prosecuted.
8
Well, to me that does sound like witness tampering, thus further obstruction of justice. And like everything else about the way Trump is acting about the Russia collusion investigation, it makes him look guilty. Absolutely none of his actions make him look innocent in this.
So regardless of how Congress continues to fail to act on this, or whatever stays covered up, I'm convinced enough that Trump engaged in treasonous collusion with a hostile foreign power to sabotage American elections. There's no way Trump can redeem himself for me, he'll always be the worst president we've ever had, and the only one I'll consider to be a traitor.
15
It's difficult to imagine how someone so familiar with lawyers and the legal system could be so self-destructively clueless. It's as if the law as a concept or an institution does not exist for him. It's just a facet of personality. The process of talking to the right people and making the right deals and the right threats is what the legal system amounts to to Trump.
12
I'm thinking back to the Obama administration, which was scandal free in eight years. White House Special Counsel for Ethics Norm Eisen ran the tightest ship in the game. Even a hint of an appearance of this sort of thing would have been intolerable for him.
84
You are so rite. One of these scandals would of been the death of Obama. Remember when Hillary stayed with Bill the right said she is a weak women for staying and one reason they went after her in 2016. I hear nothing about Melania from the Republicans staying with her cheating husband... no less with a porn star. The Teflon President
11
Have we as a nation become so thick skinned to let DJT get away with everything? What kind of a benchmark are we setting for the future Presidents? That it is ok to speak to witnesses and still get away with it, it is ok to fire the FBI Chief because he did not promise loyalty to you ? What does the President have to do for someone other than the Journalists to say, ENOUGH, YOU ARE WRONG and there will be consequences? It is depressing to read news like this.
14
Trump talked to McGahn and Priebus and who knows what other witnesses. This, coupled with his many other actions such as firing Comey, seem to make clear that Trump had corrupt intent and will help with an obstruction of justice case.
11
Priebus had a difficult relationship with the president?
Does anyone remember the dismay on the faces of Paul Ryan and Reince Priebus at the Republican National Convention after the ballots for Donald Trump were counted and he was elected as the presidential candidate? They couldn’t get off the stage fast enough.
Roller coaster it has been. But one thing for sure - no one is going to ever, ever, ever shut Donald Trump up, no matter with foreign leaders, no matter with his cabinet or Congress, the press, or even his family and friends.
It’s a combination of all that Diet Coke, lack of common sense, lack of self control, lack of intellect, arrogance and narcissism. Just a very huuuuugely bad mix for a president.
9
The president is sinking deeper and deeper in the muck of obstruction of justice. If he is interrogating people who testified in front of the Special Prosecutor, he is signaling concern and worry, at the very least. His preoccupation with the Mueller investigation is one reason why his administration’s accomplishments are barren of results.
Also, the president’s differing recollection of events with his Donald McGahn indicates that one or the other is untruthful about their version of that conversation. Clearly, they are not on the same page. If the president wants to be his own attorney, he has a client for a fool…himself.
Given the president's personality and temperament, it's likely that his meddling in witnesses' testimony with Mueller may carry the menace of retribution and threats if those conversations are not to his liking.
261
The reason trump has nothing to show as an accomplishment is that he's trying to avoid jail or worse (think Rosenbergs) for his treason and other crimes.
PROSECUTE RUSSIAGATE!
8
A smart person attempting this might try to make sure his eventual interview with Mueller contains no outright contradictions from verified facts (.e., lies). Trump is not smart enough to use the information he obtains in this way. He can't undo what they said to Mueller, he's not smart enough to obfuscate around what they said to Mueller - he's not even capable of just parroting what they said to Mueller. He's toast, whether he post-interrogates these people or not.
10
Trump "barren of results"?
Are you kidding me? Huge tax cuts for billionaire's and profitable corporations?
Dismantling of public health and environmental protections at EPA and other federal agencies?
Abandonment of climate change programs?
Revocation of National monuments, off shore drilling, et al too long a list.
6
The Art of the Scofflaw....a new autobiography by Donald Trump.
"Laws, taxes and honesty are for little people" - foreword, page 1
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I don’t know why Republicans always cry about regulations. No one is there to enforce them anyway.
We might stand a chance as a country if someone did.
6
How do you "tamper" with a witness who already has given his testimony?
Glad to see that our on-the-ball lawyers have considered this question.
5
I believe the investigation is allowed more than one interview per witness?
44
Witnesses can be recalled, and someone who has not testified yet can be "coached" as to what has already been revealed and how to answer.
55
The issue is about Trump ensuring his story "matches" what the witness told the investigator.
44
That Trump doesn't remember what he says from one day to the next should be a major concern for every American. Furthermore, his tendency towards obstruction of justice is a plainly impeachable offense.
Our allies know this, our adversaries know this, and our Republican-led Congress knows this but refuse to act on the imminent danger he presents. For them to carry on without addressing such a tremendous source of problems for our country is the height of irresponsibility.
Trump is wholly unfit to be President and Commander-in-Chief. We have the 25th Amendment, it's time for it to be used.
492
Trump remembers exactly what he says from day to day. He lies about "forgetting" certain facts so he can change his story and appear innocent to those who are gullible enough to believe it. Like his base.
11
Please. He remembers. He simply is constantly rewriting the narratives like good con men do.
12
Amen, sister Suzanne!
8