Posted on 07/20/2018 9:29:31 AM PDT by Kaslin
Democrats in Congress demanded this week that Marina Gross, the translator in the room with President Trump and President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland on Monday, come to Washington and tell them what was discussed in the closed-door meeting. Republicans, even anti-Trump ones, are resisting the effort. When House Intelligence Democrats brought the subpoena to a vote, every Republican on the committee voted against it.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) explained why subpoenaing the interpreter could set a dangerous precedent. It could be the "last time" the U.S. president ever meet privately with a foreign leader.
"Absolutely not," Lindsey Graham said when asked if he'd support having Marina Gross, the American translator in Trump's meeting with Putin, testify before Congress.
He said that precedent could prevent foreign leaders from wanting to meet with future U.S. presidents privately pic.twitter.com/DqQD7I6HM5— POLITICO (@politico) July 19, 2018
Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), one of Trump's most vocal Republican critics, had to agree.
"I know in this particular case, the person was a direct employee, but if we are going to start getting translator's notes, I think we are moving to a precedent that - unless some crime has been committed - is unprecedented and just not appropriate."
A group of former President Obama and President George W. Bush officials are also under the impression Gross does not need to be grilled on Capitol Hill.
“For the same reasons why we need to protect our own diplomats, there is a real concern about having translators be subject to subpoenas,” said David Mortlock, Obama's director of international economic affairs at the White House National Security Council.
One Republican, however, is siding with the Democrats in their call for Gross to at least turn over her notes. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) argued in a Senate floor speech that Trump's rendezvous with the enemy demands that Congress see what was discussed.
“I would hope that those notes — all interpreters take notes — would be turned over,” he said. “We need to know."
President Trump angered both Republicans and Democrats on Monday by seemingly taking Russia's side over the U.S. intelligence community when asked if Russia had meddled in our elections.
I would say that Flake has his nose out of joint over everything.
Flake is stepping out of his Senate seat, why?
Me thinks a deal was made.
The President’s NSA team may have the goods on Flake and made a deal that he butt out of any 2018 reelection bid.
In short, the deal was “You finish your term, then quit politics.”
Me thinks the deal was too good for Flake.
The deal should have been:
“You finish your term, then quit politics and starting today you are to STFU!”
boozeman and cotton neocons from ar need to be added to that list
As one who has served as an official translator on official government business if I knew I would be the subject of political plots to use either my transcripts or my translations ex officio, I would not have taken part.
TDSers are the last to know they have TDS!
Yes, they whispered sweet nothings into Joe Arpaio’s ear that he was needed in the Senate race.
I don’t know if he knows he was needed to block for McSallycain to be the next Amnesty Senator.
I was a bit surprised when Mormon Utah went for Trump. Mormons used to be rock solid Republicans. These days they look like open borders money grubbers. Generalizing of course....
They have been so successful in Utah that their minds have turned to mush.
Gaye?
To be replaced by McSallycain.
Same result.
McCain must’ve been too sick to vote, or flake wouldn’t have been alone.
The current United States Senate is, taken in total, the worst cesspool in American history.
This flake bum is so unwanted he is resigning. Even the often-idiot voters in AZ despise this duplicitous cretin.
Flake is a RINO jerk, those are his mentionable points on this forum.
He’s most likely been in a deep freeze in the basement of his mansion for some time now.
I don’t live there, but I wouldn’t vote for him.
I voted for a Democrat for the first time in my life in 2012 when the first attempt to Cantorize the weasel Eric Cantor failed.
We got him out in the 2014 primary.
I think Heller is going to lose anyway.
We will pick up other Senate seats elsewhere.
You did not vote for Alexander or Corker?
That's nothing. At least Arizonans are consistent. Look at WI. They elected their Senators in 2011 and in 2015. Each won by the usual margins (52-46 and 50-47). One was male, one was female. One was a Dem, one was a Pub. One is among the most anti-Trump voices around (Tammy Baldwin), and one is among the most supportive of Trump (Ron Johnson). Of the last 134 bills and motions where they both voted, they have voted the same way exactly twice... representing the same constituency, and yet voting in opposition to each other 98.5% of the time.
(Trump won WIS by 22,000 votes out of 2.8 million... 47.2% to 46.4%)
Tammy Baldwin is up for reelection this NOV, and is polling ahead 50-40 over each GOP opponent, Vukmir and Nicholson (they're in a dead-heat right now for next month's primary)... while the Republican is slightly ahead for the governor's seat (Scott Walker, who won in 2010, 50-46... survived a recall election in 2012 (53-46), and won again in 2014 (52-46)). Apparently, 46% of the Cheeseheads always vote for the DEM, but somehow Tammy Baldwin is getting an extra 4-5% more than every other DEM.
Flake is out to destroy Trump and the republicans before he leave office. Count him out, so now we are 50/50 in the senate. He is burning his bridges before leave office.
Why pay a stenographer when it can just be recorded? Just wondering.
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