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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsJames Comey Senate testimony: America braces for a historic political moment
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jun/04/james-comey-senate-testimony-donald-trump-russia-flynn<snip>
What the former FBI director tells a committee on Thursday could decide whether Trump survives his first term. The stakes have never been higher
The stakes will be as high as they have ever been at a congressional hearing. The questions Comey will be asked by the Senate intelligence committee include whether Donald Trump tried to persuade him to stop an investigation into improper contacts between a top adviser and Russian officials, whether Trump sought to extract a vow of personal loyalty, and whether Comey was fired because he did not comply.
Trump has denied trying to make Comey drop the case, but if Comey contradicts him and is supported by other evidence, it would represent potential obstruction of justice by the president and mark a long leap down the road towards impeachment.
Even in the Teapot Dome scandal that shook Warren Hardings administration in the early 1920s, and in the Watergate affair half a century later, it was not alleged that the president himself tried to intimidate an investigator.
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Shame and disgrace are heading your way Groper Don the Con!
Little Star
(17,055 posts)maybe we'll have to wait for Robert Mueller. I hope we don't have to wait that long because we may not have our country by then if Putin gets his wish.
Egnever
(21,506 posts)Comey to come out and scream FUCK TRUMP HE IS A CRIMINAL!
I expect the damage from Comeys testimony will be much more subtle. I think many will be mad after it is over because he does not directly come out and accuse Trump of crimes.
malaise
(269,026 posts)and that would be subtle enough for me.
L. Coyote
(51,129 posts)It is the role of others to make criminal indictments.
NastyRiffraff
(12,448 posts)I can't wait!
malaise
(269,026 posts)canetoad
(17,167 posts)Thurs. 8 June 10am Eastern.
NastyRiffraff
(12,448 posts)I'll tune into CSpan at 10am sharp!
L. Coyote
(51,129 posts)How many times did Trump obstruct justice? That is the real question, not whether or not he did. How many co-conspirators are there? How many people committed perjury to hide their Russian meetings? How many failed to disclose Russian meetings on their security clearance questions? How many meetings?
Trump's New Impeachable Offenses: Obstruction of Justice, Conspiracy, Abuse of Power
malaise
(269,026 posts)memos
L. Coyote
(51,129 posts)Did Trump have someone seize Comey's computer and all his files? Did Comey have his files with him on a secure device? Was everything encrypted? That sort of questioning.
What specifically would you ask Comey to elicit a yuuuge surprise?
malaise
(269,026 posts)I like yours about the files. I almost hope they broke in. I expect Comey had several backups.
L. Coyote
(51,129 posts)And who else in the Trump administration contacted you Mr. Comey?
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)spanone
(135,843 posts)wishstar
(5,270 posts)In order to try to discredit him and waste time Repubs will probably ask him why he didn't previously mention the fake Russian email falsely stating that Dems were in cahoots with Loretta Lynch and how that influenced his actions. The new info probably got leaked by Repubs in order to divert from Trump scandal.
malaise
(269,026 posts)I expect ReTHUG obfuscation
Boomerproud
(7,954 posts)Sorry.
roamer65
(36,745 posts)If the report from Steve Clemons on MSNBC is true, Dump is gonna have an awful week.
malaise
(269,026 posts)and fruit
roamer65
(36,745 posts)SHRED
(28,136 posts)I'm looking forward to it!
blueinredohio
(6,797 posts)any bombshells b/c most stuff is classified but Ihope he shows proof that Trump tried to shut down the investigation. (ROCK SOLID PROOF)
malaise
(269,026 posts)obstruction of justice
moonscape
(4,673 posts)phone calls where 45 was, um, trying to be persuasive, which will put another nail in the obstruction coffin. But, when asked if T ordered him to stop investigation re Flynn, he will say no. Republicans will make much of this.
While I'm prepared for his testimony not to live up to my fantasies, I also will be surprised if there isn't an oh-wow! moment - Comey likes those.
Zorro
(15,740 posts)and not the fireworks a lot of people are hoping for.
No bombshells, just the facts that will only corroborate what's already been reported.
bucolic_frolic
(43,173 posts)just like he tried to dance around HRC emails midsummer, October, or at
least he appeared to be.
I think he'll leave the evidence for Mueller.
Who would want to have two former FBI Directors investigating them?
I know, Comey's not active in it, but he has testimony and evidence
gathered.
George II
(67,782 posts)peggysue2
(10,829 posts)And I mean 'the very least," the Trumpster can join Nixon on obstruction of justice charges. Nixon, however, did not get cozy with the then, Soviet Union. As one former Bush appointee remarked, "Nixon was a crook but at least he was our crook." Also, Nixon was intelligent and politically astute about most things. He shaved the edges during the Watergate debacle but he was never in bed with a hostile government nor guilty of blabbing American/Israeli intelligence to save his own neck.
The Trumpster is in a class of his own: the ultimate Loser.
BigBearJohn
(11,410 posts)ProudLib72
(17,984 posts)and thawed when it's all over? It's like new presents every week, and there is always that big one over in the corner that you just want so badly to get to.