Dat Comey testimony.

But that's the thing, we can't! Trump’s Tweets ‘Official Statements,’ Spicer Says So that would the president misleading the public in an official statement -- that would be "yuge"

No I'm not. As an American I want the truth brought to light. I'm not hiding under my bed with a partisan blanket over my head.

ya, not fooling anyone.

For anyone who is curious (because I heard them talking about this on CNN) an obstruction of justice ruling featuring "I hope..." language

United States of America v. Collin McDonald

and another

@R3FURBISHED: well this whole debate about the specific words Trump used is lawyering from people who are being far too cute.

I mean, if you're married and your wife says "i hope someone cuts the grass before it rains today," assuming you're not a moron, you know your wife just told you to cut the grass. And you also damn well know if you don't cut the grass and then say, "well you didn't ask me to cut it," the look she's going to give you.

In any case, even if you think there's enough evidence to prosecute an obstruction case (i personally don't), good luck convincing enough Republicans to impeach as you'd likely have to do that before you could charge the president with anything (courts are unclear here). Even with the Nixon smoking gun tape, half of the republicans were against impeachment and with this hyperpartisan crowd...

@Ish_basic: And when you boss tells you they hope you do/don't do something it's implied it's what they want.

Don't even wanna imagine how much lower in the shitter Trump's approval rating will now go after this hearing.

Illegal or not, he seemed like such an absolute dickwad from all of Comey's accounts. Apart from his rabid base, I do not see many people hearing this full testimony and having positive outlooks on Trump's behavior in the matter.

@Ish_basic: I'm not saying this is it, and impeachment hearings should be held an hour ago. I'm just making known something that was made known to me.

We need more proof to generate impeachment hearings. The Comey memos need to come out. The 'tapes' need to be either shown to exist or not exist (if they don't, that's another matter entirely). Mueller needs to delve deeper into the Russian investigation.

What today is is a stepping stone to whatever comes next, IMO.

EDIT: It was Sen. Risch who said this during the hearing, and why I posted what I posted. The Senator's point was to show that Trump only brought it up, what he would like to see rather than a direct order.

This Trump lawyer... So Comey is guilty of being a leaker, but everything he said is false. So basically he's guilty of leaking stuff that didn't happen. How does that work? And why do the Trump people continue to think this is a good line of argument (recall an earlier accusation of leaked "fake news")?

"Who told you?!...about all those things that never happened?!"

@R3FURBISHED:

EDIT: It was Sen. Risch who said this during the hearing, and why I posted what I posted. The Senator's point was to show that Trump only brought it up, what he would like to see rather than a direct order.

I get why you posted it. There are a lot of pundits hanging onto that phrasing and making the argument that this proves there was no obstruction. And those people are ridiculous. Again, i don't think there's enough yet, but that conversation is certainly a data point. Denying that is just being obstinate or deceptive. And they know how damaging it is or Trump's lawyer wouldn't have denied Trump ever said it.

Comey confirmed all of the negative things people thought about trumps personality, that he's thin skinned, shallow, and vindictive. The fact that the Russian peepee tape story actually got to him is pathetic.

Today was glorious. Delusions of impeachment, shattered in one day. Not just that, but Comey really screwed up hard.

and

Now that this Russian-collusion charade is nearing it's end...

Senator Lindsey Graham: “I don’t know what caused the appointment. I haven’t seen any evidence of a crime yet. The bottom line is I respect the decision, but this pretty much shuts Congress down. Democrats, you got what you wanted. You got a special counsel. Now we’ll just move on. We’re not prosecutors.”

“There’s a new front opening here. I have reason to believe that there are emails between Clinton campaign officials, democratic operatives to the Department of Justice regarding the Clinton email investigation that happened on Obama’s watch. I have reason to believe those emails exist.

I’m on the Judiciary Committee. And I think it’s important that the Judiciary Committee be given any emails that were directed to the Department of Justice by Clinton campaign officials or operatives because we have jurisdiction over the Department of Justice.”

Time for the Hillary/Obama investigation.

Is this a serious question? What's so hard to wrap your mind around someone leaking fake information?

Do you think just because the info was fake - the part where it was leaked doesn't matter?

His average is already really terrible. I'll be interested to see the polls around the middle of next week.

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/president_trump_job_approval-6179.html

@KHAndAnime: You have a "BUT HER EMAILS!!!" tattoo don't you?

If the former FBI director recalling Trump as a liar who left him stunned and speechless is glorious...........I don't even want to know what you consider as the bad days. He shat on Trump the whole way through.

The consensus appears to be it was not a good day for Trump by a significant number of reports.

The fact that it is 11pm EST and our President still has not touched Twitter today says everything you need to know about today. He is experiencing real ultimate red-ass right about now lol

The FBI Director just outed himself as a leaker, a drama queen, and a liar all in one session. This didn't only vindicate Trump, but embarrassed the MSM and liberals to the point where they're living in a delusion.

What were you watching again?

During the hearing, Comey did not paint a positive picture of Trump. It actually made Trump look like a complete and total tool.

This most certainly was not a good day for Trump.

However, it also clearly wasn't disastrous for him either. Comey went hard on him, as he should have, but nothing seemed to point at a clear obstruction of justice. Overall bad, but not game breaking.

So yeah, its as much of a ****show as we all thought

Why is this even necessary, much less indicative of obstruction than something that's already occurred that transcends ambiguity that required no testimony to substantiate: that Trump fired the man investigating him and then admitted that Russia was the reason to the entire world on TV. How is that blatant admittance of getting in the way of an investigation any less damning than Trump's statement of "hope you can let this go" is?

A question of semantics I really see no need for here, for evidence for a case of obstruction has already come from the horse's mouth. That Trump admitted Russia was the reason he fired Comey is, IMO, far more concrete evidence of obstruction than the statement "I hope you can let this go...." is, a statement granted much more leeway to interpretation/intention. I agree with you that you don't need to be Einstein to question the implications in that, only the necessity for it, but in a court of law, I don't think that it would hold nearly as much merit than Trump's own stated rationale for such an action.

Lets see:

President said something to the effect "I hope you would let this go". Comey says he took this as indicating a direct order. Trump will dispute that it was a direct order.

He fired James Comey. He doesn't need any reason to fire the FBI Director even if that's frown upon. President Donald Trump has said he was thinking of "this Russia thing" when he made his decision to fire him. What does "thinking of this Russia thing" means? The President's supporters will say potato, people looking to impeach him will say potatoe.

People need to get through their heads that this is like a championship boxing fight where you have to beat the champion convincingly. Ties go to the champion.

So far this is "muddle" enough and will be muddle enough by Trump and his minions that the Administration will be hurt politically by it but won't die from it, or at least that's how it stands so far.

That doesn't mean this is over. Are there any actual tapes? And of course the Mueller investigation. Maybe if the President numbers tank and I mean tank tank, 20% and lower thus moving public opinion enough to prompt Congress to move the ball.

But if you are expecting the Republican House to impeach the Republican President and the Republican Senate to convict him with what we have so far then I got a bridge to sell you. This doesn't mean it is right or wrong, it just is. And those thinking that impeachment is closer tonight than it was yesterday I would like for you to show me that evidence?

Show me the House of Representatives in crisis? Paul Motherfucking Ryan excused the President Trump of asking Comey "to let go" because he (meaning Trump) is "new" at this. That's the Speaker of House of the United States of America.

Do you even know if Mitch McConnell is alive? I haven't seen or heard from him in a while. Is he secretly plotting the steps to take Trump down? Give me a break.

Point me to it, point me to the rebellion among Republican rank and file.

Better yet, show me the list of Democrats calling for impeachment proceedings to start.

And yes, Trump hasn't Tweeted in like 24-36 hours. I expect a Tweet from him in the early morning (not necessarily regarding the Comey situation).

Republicans are just buying some time until next week. Unless something juicy comes out Republicans will try to pass the page. The Climate Paris Agreement controversy seems to have die down and by next week it will be mostly be out of the headlines. California and other amongst their communist brethren will go ahead with individual agreements on it (there is something to be said about seemingly parallel foreign policies by the states vis a vis the Federal government but lets leave that for another time) and everyone gets a little bit of what they want. Can always count on Democrats to re-discover Federalism every once in a while. Good for them.

As for the whole Russia thing both Chambers will continue their investigations. And Mueller will be in some bunker doing his thing and might re-appear 10 years from now with his findings.

That's the way the cookie crumbles.

Are you drunk?

Vote out Trump? we are not in 2020 yet.

Dershowitz Grades Toobin's Case For Obstruction "C-Minus Answer," What If He Pardoned Flynn?

Jonathan Turley weighed in on Comey leaking memos

Judge Napolitano: ‘Credible and Compelling’ Case That Donald Trump Has Not Been Honest

Clearly I meant to say impeach.

Bad idea.

Ive noticed a lot of people who suggest impeachment and removal, have not really considered that next up is Mike Pence.... the dumb man's Dick Cheney.

@kod: It is wierd isnt it.

Trump is a buffoon who's low intellect will get very little done, and he doesnt seem to be particulary religious either. Mike Pence is not only smarter. But he is also a wannabe theocrat, if Pence becomes president after trump is removed, Americans will suffer. The US doesnt need any more blue laws than it already has.

Its extremely weird, how has no one considered this? It seems to me that "well, who would we be replacing Trump with?" would be one of the first questions asked. But apparently not.

If you remember though, it was the same thing with Bush. We heard the exact same thing about impeaching Bush because of the "illegal" Iraq war. Did anyone consider that Cheney was next up? President Dick Cheney? The man who shoots people in the face? Who was really behind how we acted in our Iraq invasion.

Not being american, and roughly 11-12 at the time. I didnt really follow US politics, or politics much at all for that matter. So nah, I dont remember. Hell I didnt even know people tried to get Bush impeached. Considering any president that has been in office since I was alive (except for maybe H.W. Bush), had people trying to get them impeached, You probably wouldnt blame me for almost assuming this is part of partisan hack culture :P

It kind of is.

Its a lot like this Trump thing, where you could say there is a real issue here, but because people seem to be unable to have detailed and nuance discussions it will go right to the extremes. With Bush jr it was "impeach because the Iraq war was illegal!". Of course, this is not true but there were plenty of issues to take with the Iraq war, like tax dollars being spent at record numbers on related industries that the Bush family and Cheney family had a very large vested interest in or garnering public support through 911 rhetoric. But this is a very different conversation than "Iraq war is illegal!", but some people cant seem to handle this.

@KHAndAnime: According to court cases the phrasing is indeed able to be defined as obstruction. Also those where Comey's memos to himself so it's not actually leaking no matter what the orange ass wants to believe.

@kod: Unnuanced indeed. Getting called a Trump supporter, despite opposing him in nearly everything, because you dont believe in this conspiracy theory. Due to a lack of supporting evidence.

The media and seemingly the establishment focusing nearly entirely on this, while actual issues that we know are actual happening are getting ignored in favor of this conspiracy theory which has yet to provide any concrete results.

You do come across as a Trump fan in your posts. As for throwing around the conspiracy label......we want an investigation. There are series and proven questions to this administration's ties to Russia. It's not a conspiracy but a fact that Russia interfered. Until the investigation is done we won't know how far it went but to dismiss it is simply what Trumpettes do. If you're not one then I would think you'd want to see the truth.

I dont think he does, i think he comes across as a reasonable contrarian and critical thinker.

Someone who recognizes the difference between a claim being made, and a claim being proven and someone who does not simply want to go with the word of a government agency that has spent 60 years lying to us in order to propagate things of this vary nature. I also don't think he is dismissing it, we seem to be eye to eye on this one.. Which is that we've been hearing this shit for a year now, the claims are all over the place none with any real evidence aside from what CIA/DHS says, and its a topic that has overtaken our media and still, nothing has been demonstrated... meanwhile we have a guy in office who seems to be following some blueprints that George Orwell wrote. This is not a dismissal, its saying "hey lets put this aside since in a year nothing of value has been demonstrated and focus on the fascism thing"

Only to a fan boy would using the word conspiracy to an investigation sound logical.

Sadly the word "conspiracy" (and term, false flag) have been destroyed by the internet and youtube comments section.

I think he is calling the whole thing a conspiracy by the DNC and IMO its more obvious than not, that it is. But the thing is, most people he, myself, most progressives, are responding to are not saying "hey lets see what the investigation says" they are the people with these shifting goal posts, who are convinced for seemingly partisan reasons, and over the past year have really demonstrated they dont care about an investigation. Their minds are already made up... it really is the democratic Benghazi. Every issue any thinking person had with Benghazi, we are seeing the exact same thing here.

No it's not a conspiracy and the US isn't the only country Russia interfered with. At some point you party fan boys need to move past that little R next to your candidates name.

I can't believe anything Comey says after he let Hillary get away with destroying thousands of emails worth of evidence.

You have these emails in your possession? Why didn't you turn them in? In the US we investigate and gather evidence. If there is nothing to show for the investigation it's over.

If i had to be called anything than im a Marxist, which would be the Green party i guess, so.... my party is not represented in America and i have never supported a republican candidate in my life.

BTW, you just went back to one of my older points about how many of the people who are convinced of this conspiracy without actual evidence, can never respond to someone without doing so in a partisan manner. Which is very telling IMO.

What's really telling is that I didn't read the rest of your post. I have no respect for your opinions.

Yah, this is the expected response by shills, that or attacking someone as a right winger, which you already failed miserably at.

Only a right winger would see an investigation into Russian influence in US elections as a conspiracy. You make yourselves look foolish suggesting it.

Sounds legit. Right wingers definitely dont have a history of ramping up issues with Russia do they..... or... wait..... maybe the idea that those supporting the establishment democrats......omg........are actually right wingers! Meh. Maybe you just missed the whole shift to the right that the democrats have been doing for 30 years. That shift that the wonderful Bill Clinton started.

LOL KOD owned you. Liberal meltdown confirmed.

Russia interfering with USA is objectively not a conspiracy theory. That just simply isn't the definition of the word.

At most you can say it's a false conclusion by the entire IC and prevailing facts(lol), and reasons showing why you think this way (so far none have been presented).

To suggest Russia did not interfere, is actually closer to the definition of a conspiracy theory. You think it's a huge over arcing ploy by every IC agency, and several other nations. Alex Jones level stuff.

What you're specifically describing is a conspiracy.

A conspiracy theory would be to suggest the FBI, Homeland, CIA, and NSA are all formulating a grand lie. You would have to prove this (you can't, because it's just a nutjob conspiracy theory.)

Considering that every intelligence agency (including former members, such as Comey) has come to a very very strong and unwavering consensus, with leaked documents pretty much proving their position without a shadow of a doubt, It's safe to say the "deniers" are the conspiracy theorists. No one in Washington will come within a mile of denial anymore.

Comey's words yesterday pretty much said it all, if the leak aleady didn't. Russia interfered, it's a fact. I'll continue to use it as a fact, regardless of what a small handful of citizens may laughably say otherwise.

@LJS9502_basic: In the US it's illegal to destroy evidence after receiving a subpoena demanding said evidence. Or didn't you know?