It’s been a good day. Not least because you know he’s got to be shitting bricks. One of the most amazing things is, revelations of this magnitude take literally months to absorb and play out. Moreover, if the perception becomes that this ship is going down, many of the vermin will start to jump ship. So there can be some excellent cascading effects that start to come into play.
And this monumental ego that thought he could do anything he wanted without consequence to win the most powerful position in the world could pay for his arrogance with his liberty. I can’t imagine a finer consequence, except the same thing happening tonight. Without delay. I confess I would like to see Giuliani locked up, too, and Pence seriously undermined, if not compromised outright, himself.
More below!
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One question I am not hearing discussed yet is how will his donors react to the knowledge that their contributions went to pay off women with whom he had extramarital affairs, rather than for campaign expenses. I know if I was a contributor to a campaign, I’d have a reaction to it, and not a casual one. Is there a civil case to be made? Could fraud charges be pressed?
Another question is what happens if an individual (who just happens to be president) NOT committed to the country, to the citizens of the country, decides to exact revenge on the people and that country? What happens, basically, if he decides to out and out FUCK the people of our country? Of course, some of us might suggest that’s what he has been trying to do and doing all along. But it is a hypothetical scenario I don’t recall ever being mentioned with any prior president. In this case, I think we are talking about an individual with an unprecedented degree of instability and lack of character. I don’t know what he could do.
I’m happy about the developments. Still, I would be fine with the news that Manafort and Cohen are going to spend most of their remaining years in prison. No sympathy for them. Nor for Duncan Hunter and his wife.
I’m delighted that the legitimacy of his election is being called into further question. Surely he will find a way to blame President Obama for this. What a coward.
I’ve received many emails in past months soliciting me to sign petitions to Twitter to have his account shuttered. I’ve never been a fan of that, primarily because I believe very strongly that he does himself (and his miserable party) far more harm than good with them. He makes statements that can cause him great trouble in court, not just with the American people. I hope he keeps screwing himself with his blabbing.
I have seen many comments (here and in the larger world outside) about the catastrophe that Pence being elevated to the presidency would represent. I never felt that way. If there is a fire, you put that out first. But my feeling has also been that a Pence presidency in the aftermath of developments like we are seeing would be significantly if not totally hamstrung,. I wish them that. I wish the entire party that.
If he pardons Manafort prior to the second trial, can that trial go forward? Would he have to issue a second pardon for subsequent convictions? If he issues a pardon for today’s convictions, can the charges on which mistrial was declared be retried?
Is it legal for him to make an agreement with his vice president about a pardon for him if he is removed from office prior to the conclusion of his term? Could Pence be compelled to answer the question about whether that was discussed?
Should it come to charges being filed against a sitting president, could that case be defended on the basis that the defendant was not competent to participate in his defense? I ask that because it is a question I would have were I to be his attorney. He won’t read memos and complex documents. He has no patience for lengthy briefings. Can you participate in your defense if you can’t comprehend all that’s happening? Look back at all his tweets that PROVE that he doesn’t understand what’s going on in the world. Could those be used as evidence in his incompetence defense? Could YOU imagine ever having a more incompetent client?
Can these developments put the brakes on the Kavanaugh nomination? And, if they don’t, and questions come before the court pertaining to questions about the president’s legal problems, do Kavanaugh and Gorsuch recuse themselves? In my opinion they unquestionably should. But will they? And can anything be done if they don’t?
The final question I’m going to mention tonight is, what preparations has Mueller made to make sure that the fruits of his investigation … come to full maturity in the event the felon in chief DOES fire him? If I were him, it’s something to which I would have devoted considerable thought. And there’s no way that I would let it ALL be swept under the rug were he to take one predictable and foreseeable step. How about you?
More good news lies ahead, but I’m afraid it won’t be as quick and comprehensive and smooth as we would like.
Still, it’s been a good day, and I’m going to sit back and appreciate it. It’s been quite a few months since I felt better like this. Time to savor.
Please join me!
On to tonight’s comments!
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