#OBSERVATIONS: A few thoughts in reflecting on the Trump legal team letter that argues the President is above the law.
1. TRUMP'S LAWYERS BASICALLY CONCEDE HE OBSTRUCTED JUSTICE.
They aren't saying he didn't obstruct. They're saying because he's the President, it's not a crime.
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2. TRUMP'S TEAM LEAKED THE LETTER, DESPITE TRUMP ACCUSING MUELLER'S TEAM OF THE LEAK.
Trump tweeted this week that he doesn’t have time to focus on the Russia investigation b/c he's so busy president-ing...
WHICH IS THE SAME ARGUMENT MADE IN THE LETTER.
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Here's Trump accusing Mueller's team of leaking...
We know the Special Counsel doesn't leak.
It's NOT A COINCIDENCE that the claims in the letter mirror Trump's tweets this week. Once again, just like the #49Questions by Sekulow, it's from Trump's side.
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3. TRUMP'S LAWYERS ARGUE HE CAN WEAPONIZE HIS PARDON POWER AND NULLIFY MUELLER'S INVESTIGATION.
The fact that they're saying it confirms the widely-held belief that Trump’s pardons have been strategic & intended to send signals to witnesses implicated in Mueller's investigation.
#RELATED: Trump's pardons are exactly what you think they are...
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4. THE LETTER PAINTS A PICTURE OF AN AUTHORITARIAN RULER OF THE UNITED STATES, AND THREATENS DEMOCRACY.
If this is truly Trump and advisers' view on his power, we're ALREADY in a Constitutional Crisis.
#BREAKING: THE WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL, DON MCGAHN, HAS COOPERATED EXTENSIVELY W/ MUELLER'S OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE INVESTIGATION.
He has detailed the most damning episodes in at least 3 voluntary interviews that have totaled 30 hours over the past 9 months. nytimes.com/2018/08/18/us/…
#FLAG: McGahn has disclosed details surrounding...
- The firing of former FBI Director James Comey.
- Trump's obsession with putting a loyalist in charge.
- Trump's repeated urging of Sessions to claim oversight of the investigation.
- Trump's attempts to fire Mueller himself.
#FLAG: MCGAHN AND HIS LAWYER COOPERATED...BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT TRUMP WAS GOING TO SET HIM UP AS "THE FALL GUY."
They were suspicious when Trump didn't protest letting him be interviewed...
So McGahn cooperated extensively to cover to demonstrate that McGahn did nothing wrong.
#FLAG: I don't want to read too far into it, but for the jury in the Manafort trial to be asking for the definition of "reasonable doubt," after one day of deliberation, is concerning, at least for me...
Meanwhile, JOINT MILITARY EXERCISES with our allies in South Korea were "too expensive."
They act as a deterrent to North Korea, China and Russia, and are essential to ensure preparedness with our allies should Kim Jong Un launch an attack.
#REMINDER: The Trump Administration's position on the suspension of joint military exercises with South Korea was CONDITIONAL.
The annual August exercises were suspended...AS LONG AS North Korea acted in "GOOD FAITH" in working towards denuclearization. washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-ca…
#FLAG: U.S. Officials, from the Military Intelligence Agency in the Pentagon to the Secretary of State, have ACKNOWLEDGED...
North Korea is ACCELERATING their nuclear program, continuing missiles production, and hiding assets from the U.S..