4 ms·

Was it Trump or one of his staff? I've only seen it reported that it was directly Trump, which seems beyond stupid even for Trump. Would make more sense it was

by braum 9y ago

Was it Trump or one of his staff? I've only seen it reported that it was directly Trump, which seems beyond stupid even for Trump. Would make more sense it was someone on the staff.

Larrikin 9y ago
It was reported yesterday that Trump himself was going around to Congressmen trying to get them to drop their investigations and we only have the special investigation because Trump directly pressured Comey. Its not exactly a stretch that Trump himself was directing someone in his closest inner circle
adventured 9y ago
That won't matter unless Flynn was directed to do something illegal. 'Having conversations with the Russians,' is not illegal. People should remember, Nixon wasn't brought down by Watergate. He was brought down by an attempt to cover it up. The way Trump can get impeached, is if he lies. Ordering Flynn to talk to the Russians (eg to see what they had on Clinton or similar), won't get Trump in anything even remotely close to enough trouble to get him impeached.
- dboreham 9y ago
  Having conversations with the Russians before taking office is illegal, isn't it?
  - adventured 9y ago
    No, the Clinton camp also talked to the Russians in the lead-up to election day. Is it illegal to talk to the British or Israelis or Japanese before election day? I mean, comeon. It is not illegal to "talk to the Russians." Russians are not some special illegal class of humans. What matters is what actions were directed or not, etc. For example, did Trump knowingly instruct Flynn to break the law, can that be proven, did Trump have knowledge of something illegal going on (even if he didn't direct it), what was it, and so on and so forth.
    - dboreham 9y ago
      So... Are you saying this : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logan_Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logan_Act doesn't apply?
- enraged_camel 9y ago
  >> 'Having conversations with the Russians,' is not illegal. It totally depends on the nature of those conversations.
  - adventured 9y ago
    Obviously. The point is, people seem to be commonly regarding the mere act of talking to the Russians as both proof of guilt and as being something inherently illegal. It's extremely far off base from a legal standpoint (that's the witch hunt aspect that has been present since Hillary lost, revenge lust, etc). There is a lot to prove yet, even if Trump did something illegal.
- keyboardmonkey 9y ago
  "The way Trump can get impeached, is if he lies"... what about him insisting that there's no links to Russia, and there actually being direct links to Russia?... that kind of lie, or some other kind of lie?...
dboreham 9y ago
Beyond Stupid seems a distinct possibility though.
enraged_camel 9y ago
You're right, it was Trump (according to NBC's reporting of Flynn's prepared testimony).

by braum 9y ago

Was it Trump or one of his staff? I've only seen it reported that it was directly Trump, which seems beyond stupid even for Trump. Would make more sense it was someone on the staff.

Larrikin 9y ago

It was reported yesterday that Trump himself was going around to Congressmen trying to get them to drop their investigations and we only have the special investigation because Trump directly pressured Comey. Its not exactly a stretch that Trump himself was directing someone in his closest inner circle

adventured 9y ago

That won't matter unless Flynn was directed to do something illegal. 'Having conversations with the Russians,' is not illegal. People should remember, Nixon wasn't brought down by Watergate. He was brought down by an attempt to cover it up. The way Trump can get impeached, is if he lies. Ordering Flynn to talk to the Russians (eg to see what they had on Clinton or similar), won't get Trump in anything even remotely close to enough trouble to get him impeached.

dboreham 9y ago
Having conversations with the Russians before taking office is illegal, isn't it?
- adventured 9y ago
  No, the Clinton camp also talked to the Russians in the lead-up to election day. Is it illegal to talk to the British or Israelis or Japanese before election day? I mean, comeon. It is not illegal to "talk to the Russians." Russians are not some special illegal class of humans. What matters is what actions were directed or not, etc. For example, did Trump knowingly instruct Flynn to break the law, can that be proven, did Trump have knowledge of something illegal going on (even if he didn't direct it), what was it, and so on and so forth.
  - dboreham 9y ago
    So... Are you saying this : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logan_Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logan_Act doesn't apply?
enraged_camel 9y ago
>> 'Having conversations with the Russians,' is not illegal. It totally depends on the nature of those conversations.
- adventured 9y ago
  Obviously. The point is, people seem to be commonly regarding the mere act of talking to the Russians as both proof of guilt and as being something inherently illegal. It's extremely far off base from a legal standpoint (that's the witch hunt aspect that has been present since Hillary lost, revenge lust, etc). There is a lot to prove yet, even if Trump did something illegal.
keyboardmonkey 9y ago
"The way Trump can get impeached, is if he lies"... what about him insisting that there's no links to Russia, and there actually being direct links to Russia?... that kind of lie, or some other kind of lie?...

dboreham 9y ago

Beyond Stupid seems a distinct possibility though.

enraged_camel 9y ago

You're right, it was Trump (according to NBC's reporting of Flynn's prepared testimony).