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A SILLY INDICTMENT
Powerline ^ | February 17,2017 | PAUL MIRENGOFF

Posted on 02/17/2018 4:10:36 PM PST by Hojczyk

Surely, Russian efforts were inconsequential in 2016. As John noted, at the height of the presidential campaign, the Russia campaign budget was only $1,250,000 per month. This pales in comparison to what the major candidates and their parties were spending. It isn’t enough to turn even a close election. Suggesting that Russia’s efforts affected the outcome of this election is like saying that dropping a bucket of water into the sea affected the tide.

In any event, what’s the point of indicting Russians over whom we have no jurisdiction? Doing so serves no apparent preventative or punitive purpose. If we want to deter or punish Russian interference, we can step up our interference in Russian politics, impose more sanctions, and/or take positions adverse to Russia on matters important to it. Each of these approaches imposes pain. This indictment does not.

I think this latest instance of “lawfare” just makes us look weak and foolish. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Kremlin is having a laugh about it. Not as nearly as big a laugh, though, as the one it’s having over the disruption of the Trump administration that the seemingly baseless Russia collusion story has produced.

Because there appears to be no chance of bringing the Russians in question to justice, I can’t help but suspect that Mueller’s indictment is about justifying the existence of a special counsel. It may also be about cementing his position. Allahpundit suggests it may be more difficult for President Trump to sack Mueller now that he has indicted Russians because doing so might cause some to believe, absurdly, that he is protecting Russia.

Here’s what the indictment is not about: it’s not about responding seriously to Russian interference in the 2016 election.

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


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS:
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1 posted on 02/17/2018 4:10:37 PM PST by Hojczyk
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To: Hojczyk

They need a crime so they can say Trump obstructed investigation of a crime.


2 posted on 02/17/2018 4:18:58 PM PST by The Good Doctor (Democracy is the only system where you can vote for a tax that you can avoid the obligation to pay.)
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To: Hojczyk
A dangerous precedent setting indictment, impacting U.S. foreign operations for who knows how long. Every tom, dick, and harry will now be itching to put our foreign officers on trial overseas and we will be shocked when we hear what they do with the “guilty.”
3 posted on 02/17/2018 4:24:25 PM PST by iontheball (lLL)
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To: The Good Doctor
Was it a crime for then President Obama to go to Israel or send his emissary to meddle in the Israel elections (Obama admin. sent taxpayer money to campaign to oust Netanyahu)
4 posted on 02/17/2018 4:32:39 PM PST by yoe
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To: iontheball
A dangerous precedent setting indictment, impacting U.S. foreign operations for who knows how long. Every tom, dick, and harry will now be itching to put our foreign officers on trial overseas and we will be shocked when we hear what they do with the “guilty.”

That is an excellent point.

5 posted on 02/17/2018 4:37:30 PM PST by SamAdams76
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To: The Good Doctor

i CAN’T respond.

2thispost.


6 posted on 02/17/2018 4:41:59 PM PST by Eddie01 (QW)
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To: Hojczyk

So, she set to blaming the Russians "just in case."

7 posted on 02/17/2018 4:47:04 PM PST by Slyfox (Not my circus, not my monkeys)
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To: Hojczyk


8 posted on 02/17/2018 5:08:11 PM PST by Bon mots
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To: Hojczyk

Smoke screen to exonerate the criminal actions of the FBI Hillary, Obama and the DNC. “Sure what we were doing broke the law but we did it for national security reasons, we didn’t know where it was coming from” desperate like rats in a sinking ship


9 posted on 02/17/2018 5:10:48 PM PST by ronnie raygun (Trump plays chess the rest are still playing checkers)
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To: SamAdams76

Cuts off the US nose to spite Donald’s face.


10 posted on 02/17/2018 5:13:02 PM PST by HiTech RedNeck (Tryin' hard to win the No-Bull Prize.)
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To: Hojczyk

Mueller is a Silly man!


11 posted on 02/17/2018 5:16:42 PM PST by Billyv ( Ephesians 6:11 for we battle not against flesh and blood...Pray for our leaders and nation!)
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To: Slyfox

12 posted on 02/17/2018 5:28:22 PM PST by Servant of the Cross (the Truth will set you free)
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To: Hojczyk
I think this latest instance of “lawfare” just makes us look weak and foolish.

That is a ProgLib goal isn't it?

13 posted on 02/17/2018 5:48:31 PM PST by TigersEye (13 Russian Facebook trolls ... and a Siberian partridge in a Russian Olive tree.)
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To: Hojczyk

What is the tab on Mueller’s millions for this legally embarrassing indictment?

I want my money back.


14 posted on 02/17/2018 5:57:34 PM PST by joshua c (To disrupt the system, we must disrupt our lives)
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To: joshua c

I see McMaster is rushing in to support join Muellers’ BS charges. McMaster is an Obongo stooge and now he’s proving it.


15 posted on 02/17/2018 6:08:03 PM PST by gibsonguy
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To: Hojczyk
All that was missing was Graham Chapman interrupting....


16 posted on 02/17/2018 6:10:36 PM PST by dfwgator
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To: All

It’s obvious the Trump administration is pouncing on this because Rosensweasel stated no Americans knowingly worked with the Russians. So they are willing to go along with this BS because they think it takes them off the collusion hook. I think it’s a mistake and now FISAgate appears to be dead. As if anyone was influenced by Facebook trolling, ridiculous.


17 posted on 02/17/2018 6:20:48 PM PST by gibsonguy
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To: Hojczyk
Okay, I do like Powerline, and I like the Powerline pundits.

That said, I differ in a major way that the apparent deceit and duplicity and indicting-off-the-point was in any way...

...silly.

Silly is a goofy clown at your kid's bday party.

Deceit is not, nor was it ever...

...silly.

Deceitful and deflecting and obfuscating abuse of the law and the trust of a nation is quite different from a mere being...

...silly.

.

18 posted on 02/17/2018 6:38:08 PM PST by Seaplaner (Never give in. Never give in. Never...except for convictions of honour and good sense. W. Churchill)
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To: All

It’s obvious the Trump administration is pouncing on this because Rosensweasel stated no Americans knowingly worked with the Russians. So they are willing to go along with this BS because they think it takes them off the collusion hook. I think it’s a mistake and now FISAgate appears to be dead. As if anyone was influenced by Facebook trolling, ridiculous.


19 posted on 02/17/2018 6:50:45 PM PST by gibsonguy
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To: Hojczyk

I have yet to hear of a single voter who actually saw those Russian ads before the election. There are statistics as to the number that saw them. But most people speculate that most views of the ads were by Bots, and not by voters.

Consider that most humans are not voters. So even if humans saw the ads, it was irrelevant to most of them.

In contrast, compare the June Townhall article by Wayne Allyn Root. That was forwarded heavily by one human Evangelical to 10 or 20 or 100 of the friends on the prayer list, or that other religious stuff is sent to. Almost every Evangelical family that received that Wayne Allyn Root article was moved by it. Without Root planting the seed, Ralph Reed would have never been able to reap the harvest.

We need to learn from this for 2018 and 2020. Each person who feels passionately about a candidate in the primary, or in November, can have big impact by making a personal appeal to friends and family.

An even bigger impact would be to make new friends and heal some of the rifts in the extended family so they too can be reached with the message.


20 posted on 02/17/2018 6:53:05 PM PST by spintreebob
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