Who is friggin' surprised !

[kentuck]

We are told that Donald Trump spent his summer calling members of Congress and Intel Committee members, in an effort to get them to bring the Russian investigation to an end.

Richard Burr, (R-NC), Chair of the Senate Intel Committee, admitted that he was contacted by Donald Trump. Was it just a coincidence that the Senate Intel Committee slowed down its investigation about the same time? Before these calls, we were told that Senator Mark Warner, Vice-Chair, and Burr had a good working relationship?

Chairman Burr tried to explain it away as Trump being "ignorant" of the way government works. That is truly difficult to believe. He knows exactly how government works.

We should assume that Donald Trump knew every step that Robert Mueller was taking in his investigation. There is no doubt but that he was calling Mike Pompeo. He had Devin Nunes on the payroll for him. He recruited Trey Gowdy on the House Intel Committee. He called Senator Grassley. He probably called Lindsey Graham? He called Orrin Hatch. He recruited Tom Cotton to defend him in public. He informed them in specific words that he wanted the investigation over by the year's end. We will probably find out that he also called Robert Mueller in person?

This was not the work of an "ignorant" politician, strange to the ways of Washington. This was the work of a criminal, attempting to obstruct an investigation that was crucial to the survival of our democracy.

Each of the names mentioned above are part of a conspiracy to obstruct justice. We will discover that there were several more involved in hindering this investigation.

Just yesterday, we discovered that Jeff Sessions testified behind closed doors before the House Intel Committee. In one specific instance, he was asked if he was ever requested to hinder the investigation by the President of the United States? It was a simple question. But Sessions refused to answer? He said there was some type of "executive privilege" involved? It was a very disturbing response.

More and more, the degree of enabling and conspiring is coming to light. Yesterday, someone in a very dark room, lit a small candle.

[Iliyah]

1. Well it worked.

What really has the GOPers done? Dems are the ones on the front line.

[tanyev]

2. The ignorant defense only works if he did it one time and then stopped.

[delisen]

3. Republican Party has traded Rep. Democracy for Monarchy

Trump is their king - if they decide to topple their king, it will be to install another king.

They can't win democratic elections unless they cheat; as they see it their only option to stay in power is to revert to an old England system of monarchy where they themselves serve as a powerful House of Lords.

If this strategy doesn't work they will attempt a dictatorship.

[genxlib]

4. I think you are giving Trump to much credit.

I don't think he knows how Government works.

This is just how a spoiled, entitled narcissist thinks. He wants something to happen so he demands it happens. He doesn't know (or care) what is proper, only what he wants.

After all, this is the way his companies have worked for decades so why wouldn't he think that. His entire world view is set by those that are "with him" or "against him". He simply cannot fathom that those that are "with him" won't do his bidding.

In fact, I think this is the underlying story for the entire sad affair. Putin is "with him" so he accepts the help without any concern of legality or appearance. Hillary is "against him" so she is fair game for any illegal, deceptive and dishonest attack. You can explain all of it with this simplistic world view.

Of course, his delusion does not make it any less improper or illegal. If anything, it merely represents how dangerous it is to have someone clueless in that position.

[PJMcK]

9. Trump's Razor

Josh Marshall from TPM coined this term, I think. It states that whatever action or statement that Trump makes is probably for the stupidest reason.

I think you're right, genxlib, that you can explain Trump's "world view" by whatever he's feeling at that exact moment. Ten minutes later, he will have forgotten or changed his mind about it.

He lives a momentary life of the present without observing that the past formed the present and there's going to be a future impacted by the present. That simple concept is beyond his idiocy.

[gordianot]

12. There is little planned by Trump or those surrounding him.

The brains reside in Russia whose program put Trump in office. The following chaos and damage makes itself.

[Skittles]

13. agreed

[Cracklin Charlie]

5. Ignorance?

An ignorant person wouldn’t know to obstruct.

Obstruction implies awareness, doesn’t it?

[spanone]

6. so mr burr, ignorance of the law exonerates you? I don't think so

[cilla4progress]

7. I heard someone on MSNBC last night say

He was already, by summer, under some degree of investigation for firing Comety, so, well aware (if his "morals" and common sense didn't already flag it for him) that meddling in an investigation was off limits. The ignorance defense has no credibility whatsoever.

What I don't get is why this isn't clear obstruction?

[onetexan]

8. exactly, it is clearly obstruction

the 'i hope' prefix is just to ensure the directive cant be read as a command but it is exactly that. He did the same thing to Comey & then fired him when he didnt comply.

[cilla4progress]

11. Well, most I've heard say

it is like obstruction, but not actual obstruction. ...?

[getagrip_already]

10. folks, he's done it again - this is NOWHERE in google news feeds this am

NOTHING.

Sure, there are stories about the christams tree lighting, and his twitter shits and his reaction to the steinl verdict and...

But not a mention of this.

Probably the single biggest story pointing directly to a criminal issue and it's buried under his bs. He has been priming the news pump all week and now we know why. He knew this story was coming.

And the f'in media fell for it.