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Opinion: Trump's obstruction of justice is far more extensive than Nixon's
San Francisco Chronicle ^ | February 12, 2018 | by Harry Litman, The Washington Post

Posted on 02/12/2018 12:24:45 PM PST by Oldeconomybuyer

Now that a consensus is beginning to emerge that special counsel Robert Mueller has the evidence to make a compelling case of obstruction of justice against President Trump, the president's defenders have trotted out a new defense: that obstruction on its own is a mere "procedural crime" that doesn't really count unless coupled with proof of guilt on an underlying crime.

In other words, defenders view the Mueller probe as akin to the Watergate investigation without the break-in. But this view is wholly untenable.

The legal version of the argument is, as explained by Rich Lowry in National Review, "if Trump didn't collude with Russia - or doesn't have some other criminal secret to hide - it's hard to see what his corrupt intent would be in an obstruction case."

Ultimately, the political argument is just a way to dress up the grim fact that the Republican majority seems indifferent to the strength and severity of the charges that Mueller is developing. Its sole allegiance is to the preservation of political control, to which end Republicans have embraced an embarrassing series of diversionary tactics and bogus defenses of the president. Indeed, there seems to be nothing Trump could do that would justify impeachment in Republicans' eyes.

Congressional Republicans are all in on defense of party over country. They are determined for temporary political gain to prop up a leader who is a rogue, a constitutional menace, and yes, a criminal no less than Nixon. They have lost all sense of constitutional duty. If they do not find a way to regain it, history will judge them harshly.

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Editorial; News/Current Events; Russia; US: California; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: adamschiff; andrewmccabe; california; christopherwray; codyshearer; devinnunes; districtofcolumbia; doj; fakenews; fbi; fisa; harrylitman; jamescomey; jonathanwiner; lisapage; mediawingofthednc; nationalreview; nevertrump; nevertrumper; nevertrumpers; partisanmediashills; perjury; peterstrzok; presstitutes; richlowry; ricoactviolation; robertmueller; rodrosenstein; russia; sanfrancisco; schiffforbrains; sidneyblumenthal; steeledossier; tds; washingtoncompost; washingtonpost; witchhunt
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Latest Leftist meme.....Trump not releasing the Schifforbrains memo is a sign of obstruction.


41 posted on 02/12/2018 12:36:37 PM PST by Jane Long (Praise God, from whom ALL blessings flow.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

A consensus? Bahawaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!


42 posted on 02/12/2018 12:36:53 PM PST by ataDude (.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

San fran sh##hole where you can defecate in the streets pull up a tent and squat anywhere. Amazing how they just cant help themselves


43 posted on 02/12/2018 12:37:26 PM PST by ronnie raygun (Trump plays chess the rest are still playing checkers)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Now that a consensus is beginning to emerge

But, no evidence to support it. Kinda sounds like the consensus on global warming, huh?

44 posted on 02/12/2018 12:38:10 PM PST by NutsOnYew (If the world was perfect, it wouldn't be.)
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To: vespa300

Since SanFranFreako has one of the highest exodus rates, I guess they can just throw their trash FakeNewspaper curbside and let the homies have at.

That’s about all that will be left in SFFreako.....a handful of leftist elites and the homeless free-poopers.


45 posted on 02/12/2018 12:38:49 PM PST by Jane Long (Praise God, from whom ALL blessings flow.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
"Robert Mueller has the evidence"

And what is that

46 posted on 02/12/2018 12:39:17 PM PST by LibFreeUSA
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

W Post.Whad’ja expect.
I dont read anything with that source name.


47 posted on 02/12/2018 12:40:03 PM PST by CGASMIA68
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Opinion: Trump's obstruction of justice is far more extensive than Nixon's Opinion: That so called newspaper is a Pinko rag peddling 🐂💩
48 posted on 02/12/2018 12:40:25 PM PST by GoldenPup
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To: BoneHead

that be Litman, not OldEconomyBuyer.


49 posted on 02/12/2018 12:41:07 PM PST by BoneHead
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Q predicted this


50 posted on 02/12/2018 12:41:32 PM PST by proust ("The rule is, jam tomorrow and jam yesterday, but never jam today.")
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Wow! This is delusional.


51 posted on 02/12/2018 12:42:21 PM PST by Eagles6
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Couldn’t get through first sentence...


52 posted on 02/12/2018 12:44:59 PM PST by goodnesswins (There were 1.41 MILLION NON Profit orgs in 2013 with $1.73 TRILLION in REVENUE)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

They are attempting the Scooter Libby gambit on Trump.

In sum, they new all along Russia Collusion was fake (or done on their own side) but it doesn’t matter - try to catch somebody in a lie and give the political charge a foundation, even if flimsy.


53 posted on 02/12/2018 12:45:14 PM PST by PGR88
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To: Paladin2

Leftist are getting to be so boring. Yawn...


54 posted on 02/12/2018 12:45:30 PM PST by Sedona13
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To: Vendome
The play was always obstruction of justice. The editorial even alludes that valid underlying criminal probable cause isn't necessary to launch an investigation.

According to this viewpoint, law enforcement can fabricate evidence, lie on affidavits, swear out false warrants, and conduct illegal surveillance. However, the true crime is attempting to defend against civil rights violations and false prosecution under color of authority.

I concur with a commenter above: why is proglib red meat like this even posted here? What purpose does it serve? To be informed that a certain % of the population wishes so badly to remove Trump that they will entertain these kinds of notions? Don't we already know some portion of the country hates traditional culture and would do anything to see Trump supporters in concentration camps?

There is no reasoning with these people. It is actually war, and they must be defeated.

55 posted on 02/12/2018 12:45:40 PM PST by semantic
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To: sauropod
"I’d like to see said evidence."

That would be a nice idea, but since their is a consensus of Left Coast liberals they don't have to bother explaining anything about evidence it seems?

Now that a consensus is beginning to emerge that special counsel Robert Mueller has the evidence to make a compelling case of obstruction of justice against President Trump

Just lefty jibberish that makes an assumption of guilt without having to explain how they arrived at this juncture. If you are a Liberal Trump hater there is a presumption of guilt of any conservative.

56 posted on 02/12/2018 12:46:02 PM PST by Sa-teef
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Reality does not matter.
They’ve got their narrative, and they’re sticking to it.

If they capture Congress they’re impeaching Trump,
facts be damned.


57 posted on 02/12/2018 12:46:23 PM PST by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Under the law, a Special Counsel can only be assigned if there is a crime. It must be a criminal investigation, or a Special Counsel cannot legally be assigned.

Rosenstein failed to identify a crime, so the Mueller pursuit is not a criminal investigation.

Congress needs to pull the plug on it.


58 posted on 02/12/2018 12:47:34 PM PST by savedbygrace
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Litman got his J.D. at UC Berkeley, and was Pennsylvania State Counsel to the Kerry-Edwards presidential campaign and as Post-Election Counsel for Western Pennsylvania to the Obama-Biden presidential campaign.

Not hard to figure out why this clown is rooting for Trump to be charged with whatever Mueller can dream up.


59 posted on 02/12/2018 12:47:50 PM PST by ScottinVA ( Liberals, go find another country.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

I must have missed the “evidence starting to emerge” part. Anyone care to fill me in?


60 posted on 02/12/2018 12:48:12 PM PST by confederatecarpetbag
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