Trump tweet on firing Flynn was authored by Trump's lawyer: report
Source: The Hill
BY BROOKE SEIPEL - 12/02/17 08:07 PM EST
President Trump's tweet Saturday saying he had fired Michael Flynn as national security adviser because he lied to Vice President Pence and the FBI was reportedly authored by Trump's personal lawyer, John Dowd.
Two sources familiar with the tweet told The Washington Post Saturday that Dowd, Trump's chief counsel, had crafted the tweet. The White House has not yet made a statement about the tweet, but its authorship could change the tweet's pertinence in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian election meddling.
Trump early Saturday tweeted, "I had to fire General Flynn because he lied to the Vice President and the FBI. He has pled guilty to those lies."
"It is a shame because his actions during the transition were lawful. There was nothing to hide!" he added.
Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/362967-trump-tweet-on-firing-flynn-for-lying-to-fbi-was-authored-by-trumps
The Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/12/02/trumps-first-tweet-about-michael-flynns-guilty-plea-could-be-a-problem-for-him/?utm_term=.8dbfb87fa614
Squinch
(51,059 posts)FarPoint
(12,469 posts)Being advised is only taking in information to make an informed choice..
tRump chose poorly for himself.
Squinch
(51,059 posts)Wait... no it wasn't the dog peeing... someone was peeing...
I'm so confused!
Sienna86
(2,150 posts)And his attorney can claim attorney client privilege if asked about it.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,922 posts)According to the crime-fraud exception to the privilege, a clients communication to his attorney isnt privileged if he made it with the intention of committing or covering up a crime or fraud.
They_Live
(3,241 posts)what if he had his fingers crossed?! Then it wouldn't count, right?
jaysunb
(11,856 posts)forgotmylogin
(7,539 posts)If he's tweeting as the President, one must assume it's with the President's blessing. 45 owns the words that come from @realDonaldTrump.
His fucking picture is next to it. It says REALDonaldTrump.
Link to tweet
FarPoint
(12,469 posts)After the damage clean up crew.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,922 posts)WTF? Anyhow, the words would have been approved by Orange Foolius, and he can't hide behind what a particularly dumb lawyer told him to say. All he would have had to tell Dowd is (assuming it's true), "No, I didn't fire Flynn because he lied to the FBI because I didn't know at the time that he'd done that." If he didn't know Flynn had lied to the FBI and that's why he fired him, why did he let Dowd draft a tweet that said he did? And why would Down have come up with a statement implicating his own client in an act of obstruction of justice? Lots of lying AND stupid shit happening here by both of them.
mobeau69
(11,163 posts)Pachamama
(16,887 posts)Its seriously an incredible thought that any lawyer would be advising or allowing his or her client to be sending out such statements with their consent and advice.
If he isn't the stupidest lawyer around, then he's secretly operating to allow this to happen and hurry up the process of his eventual downfall. Or this lawyer would resign from the team.
Or its Jay Sekolow... which explains that it really is the dumbest lawyer around...
SergeStorms
(19,204 posts)You'll have to pry that thing from his cold, dead hand. Has anyone once taken his phone away and tweeted something on it? Short answer: NO, and they never will.
spooky3
(34,507 posts)madaboutharry
(40,238 posts)And Rosemary Woods erased the infamous 18 minutes of the Nixon tapes.
They probably have now pissed off Robert Mueller even more.
mobeau69
(11,163 posts)Somebody get the ABA code book out.
Tanuki
(14,926 posts)attorneys pointed out that the tweet was an admission of attempting to obstruct justice if he knew that Flynn lied to the FBI but then pressed others to "go easy on him".
sprinkleeninow
(20,268 posts)describing what loopyman was attempting in futility to do.
(Y'all continually in my heart. Will PM you first chance. Forgive me; my life is currently an everyday lesson in straightening out messes.)
Tanuki
(14,926 posts)She is in good spirits and looking forward to a nice trip donated by the Make a Wish Foundation. I will PM details later).
sprinkleeninow
(20,268 posts)Mike Nelson
(9,975 posts)...a great team of lawyers!
mdbl
(4,976 posts)that isn't something dumpf would write.
madville
(7,412 posts)It looks like it was a prepared statement, not his usually structure.
johnnylol
(31 posts)even michael isikoff does not believe trump knew at the time flynn lied to the fbi how could he know.. since white house council did not know... sally yates did not inform them.. what flynn said...
OilemFirchen
(7,143 posts)No one really gives a shit what Spikey Isikoff says. The relevant date is when Flynn was fired, not when he perjured himself.
JFTR, it's impolite not to respond.
More_Cowbell
(2,191 posts)I...never...read...posts...like....this.
Too annoying.
Madam Mossfern
(2,340 posts)mobeau69
(11,163 posts)The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,922 posts)and the two of them had a good chuckle, thinking Flynn had managed to pull the wool over their eyes.
OilemFirchen
(7,143 posts)Remember the Rules of Evidence you supposedly learned back when you were a mere lad?
And while you're cogitating, remember the Rules of Professional Conduct?
Take your time. I hear that the Special Prosecutor is very patient.
jaysunb
(11,856 posts)CakeGrrl
(10,611 posts)Someone's going to end up going to jail for him before long.
Does he have that much of a hold on people who work for him? And why?
ffr
(22,674 posts)I hope it's used against him. Just shows what a Dotard he is.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,922 posts)and he isn't good at it. Of course, doing damage control for Trump must be a real challenge. He must be the worst client ever.
NastyRiffraff
(12,448 posts)His account, he owns it. His idiot lawyer ought to know that.
getagrip_already
(14,907 posts)but if his lawyer tweeted this, why does his lawyer have his twiiter account, and why would he (not she) implicate him in a felony without a reference to represnting him?
It seems someone, in the capacity of counsel, either had no part in it or they just disbarred themselves. Lawyers can represent, but not impersonate, their clients.
Even with power of attorney, they have to identify themselves when representing their clients.
Felony as well.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,922 posts)not necessarily that he actually had the phone in his hands and typed it in and sent it out. So maybe he recommended what Trump should tweet, and Trump followed his advice - he still fucked up, bigly, because he managed to implicate his big orange client in another act of obstruction of justice. Plus, even if he dictated the words, Orange Foolius would have done the actual tweeting, and therefore owns it.
Sorry, Mr. Dowd. You aren't helping.
getagrip_already
(14,907 posts)trump still is the author and responsible for content. his lawyer may have dictated it, but trump wrote and sent it. guilty by admission.
Jarqui
(10,131 posts)rainin
(3,011 posts)for something like this, if he did this? Aren't they required to provide effective representation, or something like that? I wonder if the bar has an opinion about this.
getagrip_already
(14,907 posts)he is responsible to sign it as his work. you can represent, but not impersonate your client. even with power of attorney, you have to sign your own name - not your clients.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,922 posts)PubliusEnigma
(1,583 posts)jaysunb
(11,856 posts)DesertRat
(27,995 posts)Link to tweet
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,922 posts)If my lawyer advises me to say something and I say it, it's mine and I own it. If my lawyer advises me to say something spectacularly stupid that implicates me in the crime of obstruction of justice and I say it, it's still mine and I own it (but I can sue my lawyer for malpractice while I'm in prison).
GOPricklepants
(34 posts)It was Don the Con. He was alone on his throne and Rex Tillerson was right that he is a moron. Remember, John Dowd was the lawyer who forwarded an email that said that you couldn't be against General Lee and for General Washington after the Charlottesville protests. He doesn't mind being dumb and is showing his loyalty to the Con.
VMA131Marine
(4,158 posts)Shall we?
I'm not buying it.
OnDoutside
(19,982 posts)Obvious85
(259 posts)Bet it came right from Trump's phone.
KPN
(15,668 posts)BigmanPigman
(51,644 posts)Thanks to all of you since I needed a good laugh, not a sarcastic "HA!" like I do when I hear a right wing pundit. Clever, witty, sharp...I think I will read them again.
LudwigPastorius
(9,206 posts)You're going down, you orange clown.
Adenoid_Hynkel
(14,093 posts)Remember, Spicey and Sarah Hucksterbee have said Trump Tweets are "official presidential statements."
TomCADem
(17,390 posts)...and he will claim privilege if anyone tries to investigate whether Dowd really has control over of Trump's twitter account.
sinkingfeeling
(51,483 posts)stupidest attorney in history to protect 45 from his self incrimination? Wow, that's really good.
George II
(67,782 posts)George II
(67,782 posts)JDC
(10,137 posts)marble falls
(57,397 posts)on a case his client is facing let alone do it himself. They'd hire a PR firm to plants those anonymously or through a third party, maybe.
SergeStorms
(19,204 posts)Twitler knows he fupped duck and is trying to pass the blame, as always. He never takes responsibility for any of his actions. Assclown!
SHRED
(28,136 posts)C_U_L8R
(45,027 posts)tblue37
(65,502 posts)TeamPooka
(24,273 posts)madville
(7,412 posts)I can't tell which. Stupid if it was all an unintentional blunder and CYA. Genius if they actually planned it to be able to cast doubt on certain Tweets actually coming from Trump.
KPN
(15,668 posts)Trump the benefit of the doubt repeatedly, e.g.
"The fact that Dowd authored the tweet could limit its salience to the investigation, but the White House still hasn't publicly corrected anything."
greyl
(22,990 posts)Midnight Writer
(21,819 posts)What scares me is he has supporters. Not just casual "I vote Republican cause Dad did" supporters. He has millions of people that actually worship the Man.
He has been telling us all along exactly what he is doing, what he wants to do, and the people he wants to do it to, and folk still think this is exactly what our country needs.
C Moon
(12,224 posts)NBachers
(17,155 posts)Solly Mack
(90,794 posts)NBachers
(17,155 posts)Kablooie
(18,644 posts)Lawyers are always posting statements incriminating their client in their client's private Twitter accounts.
That's law school 101. Do everything you can to get your client convicted.
---
So I wonder if Trump will fire John Dowd now just to try and make it look real?
Dowd would certainly be disbarred if he had done that.
briv1016
(1,570 posts)Oh, and the whole not admitting [in writing] to a federal crime thing.
renate
(13,776 posts)Because Trump is known for running his tweets past his lawyers, or having them "craft" them.
QED
(2,751 posts)Can he quit at this point?
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,052 posts)DeminPennswoods
(15,292 posts)or deleted it.
randr
(12,417 posts)But when you defend a traitor by lying for them you need to be prosecuted and held accountable.
titaniumsalute
(4,742 posts)The tweet says "I" which represents Trumps words. I don't think a he said/she said will work here.
Angry Dragon
(36,693 posts)they have been lying the whole time