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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMueller has waited long enough. It's subpoena time.
By Ruth Marcus
Deputy editorial page editor, columnist
June 4 at 11:36 AM
What should the special counsel do next? Id suggest its subpoena time.
Robert S. Mueller III has proved himself a remarkably patient prosecutor. His negotiations with President Trumps lawyers have stretched on for at least six months of slow-walking and subject-narrowing. And Mueller has stayed silent, as a responsible prosecutor should, while Trump bad-mouthed his investigation as a rigged witch hunt and demeaned his team as being led by 13 very Angry and Conflicted Democrats.
But the clock is ticking on the investigation. Trumps latest lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, has been on television asserting that the president dearly wants to testify but cant be trusted to do so. (This is the reason you dont let the president testify, Giuliani said on ABCs This Week, by way of explaining shifting accounts about Trumps involvement in misleading the public about his sons meeting with a Russian lawyer.)
In any event, Giuliani added, hed need all sorts of other assurances before making his client available. Theres got to be a high bar they have to reach in terms of convincing us that theyre fair, convincing us that were going to get the things we need, he said. I want to see the Spygate report, havent gotten it. I want to see the authorization that they have, which they gave to [U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III, who is overseeing one of the cases against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort] .?.?. but Judge Ellis hasnt written an opinion yet, which convinces me theres a real problem with it.
Somehow I doubt that former U.S. attorney Giuliani would have appreciated this sort of highhandedness from the subjects of his criminal investigations. And somehow, I think Mueller may be getting the message: Absent a subpoena, and maybe even with one, Trump isnt answering his questions. In case there was any mystery about that, Giuliani all but said so: Were leaning toward not, he told George Stephanopoulos.
more
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/mueller-has-waited-long-enough-its-subpoena-time/2018/06/04/01330048-6804-11e8-9e38-24e693b38637_story.html
quartz007
(1,216 posts)Exotica
(1,461 posts)November 6, 2018 is the day of the national mid-term elections. If he moves before then it could blow up the Blue Wave (IMHO) as Trump and the Rethugs and the Trumpkin scum will go berserk with voting to "save Trump from a coup" BULLSHIT.
quartz007
(1,216 posts)If Mueller exposes something seriously criminal by Trump in middle of October, lots of republicans will stay home on Nov 6th.
Exotica
(1,461 posts)It would tear the country apart further. Either he does it by July or not until after. To do a mid October drop would give the Rethugs a massive open door to cries of election interference, just like we ourselves went through with that jackass Comey.
triron
(22,007 posts)Trump et al are just using delaying tactics.
ooky
(8,924 posts)Its get off the pot time. Subpoena or charge him already. Enough is enough.
pnwmom
(108,980 posts)Mueller's keeping DT at bay and his almost world-wide investigation continues. If Mueller thought forcing the issue by getting a subpoena would be to the overall investigation's benefit, I think he'd do it.
quartz007
(1,216 posts)Judges last a long time! I am certain most are aware of that fact.
And how long should the rape of environment by the Trump EPA should continue?
Of course I am fully aware, if Trump is impeached, we get Pence. What is really needed is at least one of the House or Senate to turn blue, to put brakes on the runaway train.
pnwmom
(108,980 posts)We'd need more than half of the GOP Senators to convict. And they wouldn't. So then what?
Our best hope is to get a majority in one of the Chambers, so we can run committees and expose everything publicly, till there is a public demand for his ouster. That is the only thing that might get us a 2/3 vote in the Senate.
We will NOT be better off if we try and fail, as the Republicans did with Clinton. Clinton had some of his best years after they failed to convict him.
quartz007
(1,216 posts)is what I am hearing.
pnwmom
(108,980 posts)We need a super majority to convict.
quartz007
(1,216 posts)some brakes on the runaway Trump train.
It will take time to change the whole congress.
treestar
(82,383 posts)It is easy to say now the Senate would not convict.
The impeachment debate and the Twitler's reactions would be epic. Would harm the Twitler even more. Who knows what his numbers might be then.
Then the trial in the Senate. It would take at least several days, maybe weeks with all of Twitler's Deplorable acts. During that time, the public would be mesmerized. It might be possible that enough Rs would be ashamed to vote for acquittal at that point.
pnwmom
(108,980 posts)if we tried while they controlled both houses of Congress.
A Democratic House and maybe a slightly more favorable Senate
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)give the Washington Post or any-other Newspaper a scoop or make their day a scoop. Mueller's team has a major Court case next month and I think the Judge set aside three months for this case.
Wish the friggin press would just do the math. Team Mueller will pull the rug on Trump when this Trail is complete. Mean while,stock the frig with you finest Liquid thrust quencher and buckle up for a interesting ride.
Kajun Gal
(1,907 posts)The time isn't right yet. When it if democrats take over Congress the time will be right.
Mr. Ected
(9,670 posts)The investigation must be kept airtight. Anything less than perfection in that regard would undermine its validity in the end.
In the end. That's the only time that matters. Trump will continue to run up the score until that moment arises. He shouldn't, and most well-represented defendants wouldn't, continue to obstruct by throwing synthetic red meat to his base, but he does, and he does often, so the current tally in the game would seem to favor Trump.
But one day will come. And that day will initiate an avalanche of devastation to Trump, to his sons, to his daughter, his son-in-law, his attorney, his former attorney, his campaign chairman, and almost every single member of his entourage. It will ensnare FOX News, Sean Hannity, the NRA, the National Republican Party, and hosts of operatives and agents that we've never heard of.
Yes, we're restless, and the bad guys are winning. They're winning by tarnishing America and its rule of law, and using propaganda to disinform the public about their actions and intentions. It's the lowest form of treason imaginable, probably the most pervasive and damaging treason to ever visit a nation in history. There are tens of millions of people who believe that Justice's middle initial is P, for politics, and nothing they hear or see from law enforcement or our Department of Justice can be trusted when the target is a Republican. Their minds have been polluted and they won't be coming back to reality for a long, long time. But justice isn't a popularity contest. There are facts, there is evidence, there are allegations, there are proffers of proof. There are convictions. There is no call-in show that follows the official adjudication that allows for a vote of the American people to confirm a conviction.
By the time the crimes are revealed to the American people, and we are finally apprised of the length and breadth of the offenses, I'm not so sure the Republicans in Congress will remain in full support of Trump. I have no faith in them whatsoever, but I think all of us undervalue the immensity of the treasons that are about to be unveiled. Never underestimate the suckerpunch of monumental surprise.
FakeNoose
(32,645 posts)quartz007
(1,216 posts)Always can use one.