• White House looking at ethics rule to weaken special investigation
    31 replies, posted
[URL="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-mueller-idUSKCN18F2KK"]Source[/URL] [QUOTE]The Trump administration is exploring whether it can use an obscure ethics rule to undermine the special counsel investigation into ties between President Donald Trump's campaign team and Russia, two people familiar with White House thinking said on Friday. Trump has said that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein's hiring of former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel to lead the investigation "hurts our country terribly." Within hours of Mueller's appointment on Wednesday, the White House began reviewing the Code of Federal Regulations, which restricts newly hired government lawyers from investigating their prior law firm’s clients for one year after their hiring, the sources said. An executive order signed by Trump in January extended that period to two years. Mueller's former law firm, WilmerHale, represents Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who met with a Russian bank executive in December, and the president's former campaign manager Paul Manafort, who is a subject of a federal investigation. Legal experts said the ethics rule can be waived by the Justice Department, which appointed Mueller. He did not represent Kushner or Manafort directly at his former law firm. If the department did not grant a waiver, Mueller would be barred from investigating Kushner or Manafort, and this could greatly diminish the scope of the probe, experts said. The Justice Department is already reviewing Mueller's background as well as any potential conflicts of interest, said department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores. Even if the Justice Department granted a waiver, the White House would consider using the ethics rule to create doubt about Mueller's ability to do his job fairly, the sources said. Administration legal advisers have been asked to determine if there is a basis for this. Under this strategy, the sources said the administration would raise the issue in press conferences and public statements. Moreover, the White House has not ruled out the possibility of using the rule to challenge Mueller’s findings in court, should the investigation lead to prosecution.[/QUOTE]
Yeah this is what an innocent person does. Right?
Clearly the moves that an innocent man makes.
He won't stop trying to stop the investigation until he's in jail.
Jesus H Christ, please let impeachment come sooner than later.
If they're really going to try and obstruct the special counsel they're virtually guaranteeing a full independent commission will be established. But of course Trump and his handpicked stooges are too dumb to realize that.
This is fine guys, they were OK when Obama tried to undermine the birth certificate investi... Oh...
"I'm innocent but could we maaaaybe make the investigation not work as well?" Like come on what the fuck.
[QUOTE=archangel125;52251187]If they're really going to try and obstruct the special counsel they're virtually guaranteeing a full independent commission will be established. But of course Trump and his handpicked stooges are too dumb to realize that.[/QUOTE] Pfft, you think an independent investigation is even remotely guaranteed with the currently hyper-partisan GOP in place, constantly defending or deflecting attention away from Trump's collusion however they can?
[QUOTE=BlindSniper17;52251195]Pfft, you think an independent investigation is even remotely guaranteed with the currently hyper-partisan GOP in place, constantly defending or deflecting attention away from Trump's collusion however they can?[/QUOTE] Somewhere along the line, someone is going to have to bite a bullet. The GOP is running out of time or they are going to start losing credibility within their own party. There is no rug woven large enough to keep this hidden forever.
Honestly, this is practically shouting from the rooftops that he has incriminating shit to hide.
[QUOTE=Revenge282;52251200]Somewhere along the line, someone is going to have to bite a bullet. The GOP is running out of time or they are going to start losing credibility within their own party. There is no rug woven large enough to keep this hidden forever.[/QUOTE] Consider the DNC breaking fundraising records. The GOP are already running out of time.
[QUOTE=Revenge282;52251200]Somewhere along the line, someone is going to have to bite a bullet. The GOP is running out of time or they are going to start losing credibility within their own party. There is no rug woven large enough to keep this hidden forever.[/QUOTE] I had originally thought so too, but recent events are showing that the GOP - be it passively or directly - endorses some pretty messed up stuff in the name of having someone on "their team" in the White House, no matter the cost. Not to mention, they've already stood by him bragging about sexual assault and the whole other onslaught of constant signs and allegations pointing towards collusion with Russia, just so that a democrat wouldn't be President and so that they could push out tax reform and kill ObamaCare. I'm not as hopeful as you are that the GOP will wake up, outside of a few members alongside some token gestures from """mavericks""" like McCain.
Obstructing the investigation of you obstructing justice... amazing
[QUOTE=Judas;52251246]Obstructing the investigation of you obstructing justice... amazing[/QUOTE] We've gone full circle, and reached meta-obstruction.
[QUOTE=BlindSniper17;52251221]I had originally thought so too, but recent events are showing that the GOP - be it passively or directly - endorses some pretty messed up stuff in the name of having someone on "their team" in the White House, no matter the cost. Not to mention, they've already stood by him bragging about sexual assault and the whole other onslaught of constant signs and allegations pointing towards collusion with Russia, just so that a democrat wouldn't be President. I'm not as hopeful as you are that the GOP will wake up, outside of a few members alongside some token gestures from """mavericks""" like McCain.[/QUOTE] I am hoping that it whittles away at their power, and eventually gives way to a collapse. The GOP is not a fit for any part of the globalized world, and no matter how hard nationalists fight, you cannot undo globalism. Welcome to a world with technology. A new party needs to come up to take their place. That party can be conservative, that's fine, we need the balance. But the current state of the GOP and their agenda is just extremely incompatible with the direction the world is going. They exist to be a massive speed bump in the road rather than a guiding force.
You all seem to be forgetting that he's not under investigation. He said so himself. [sp]/s[/sp]
[QUOTE=BlindSniper17;52251254]We've gone full circle, and reached meta-obstruction.[/QUOTE] Maybe if we all wish hard enough, we can convince him to obstruct himself from obstructing those he's currently obstructing.
[QUOTE=BlindSniper17;52251195]Pfft, you think an independent investigation is even remotely guaranteed with the currently hyper-partisan GOP in place, constantly defending or deflecting attention away from Trump's collusion however they can?[/QUOTE] It makes you wonder how far down this goes, because I'm pretty sure if the only person implicated were trump they would have already thrown him under the bus.
[QUOTE=Revenge282;52251277]Maybe if we all wish hard enough, we can convince him to obstruct himself from obstructing those he's currently obstructing.[/QUOTE] But then somebody else would most likely decide to obstruct him from obstructing himself from obstructing those he's currently obstructing.
Since when does Trump's administration care about ethics? They've never shown any concern about it before so why start now?
[QUOTE=Alice3173;52251379]Since when does Trump's administration care about ethics? They've never shown any concern about it before so why start now?[/QUOTE] It feels like they're trying to pull every string they have to get out of this
[QUOTE=ChicagoMobster;52251392]It feels like they're trying to pull every string they have to get out of this[/QUOTE] And only incriminating themselves further in the process though. It's like they're totally lacking in self-awareness and they just don't realize that it's only making them look more guilty. At this point it'd probably actually work out better for them if they just gave up.
How is this straight up not illegal?
[QUOTE=Spetsnaz95;52251420]How is this straight up not illegal?[/QUOTE] Because the GOP always turns a blind eye when it comes to their own.
[QUOTE=NeonpieDFTBA;52251298]It makes you wonder how far down this goes, because I'm pretty sure if the only person implicated were trump they would have already thrown him under the bus.[/QUOTE] That entire party is corrupt to the core. Trump's going down, 98% sure of it at this point, it's more a question of who follows him down the chute of disgrace.
[QUOTE=Spetsnaz95;52251420]How is this straight up not illegal?[/QUOTE] It is
The best thing I can say about this presidency is that it will probably make a great movie 5-7 years down the line.
[QUOTE=Lambeth;52251544]The best thing I can say about this presidency is that it will probably make a great movie 5-7 years down the line.[/QUOTE] No, that would be too soon really. There does need to be a serious movie, series or maybe even a game about what's happening around the world in all different countries, maybe two, three decades after it happened. The censorship, the violence, the terrible nationalism that lashes out at whatever is different to it. It needs to be remembered in those decades. As a warning, of what can happen. We do live in interesting times. And we suffer for it so much.
[QUOTE=Marcolade;52251365]But then somebody else would most likely decide to obstruct him from obstructing himself from obstructing those he's currently obstructing.[/QUOTE] Eventually it'll be an MC Escher painting of obstruction.
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