Trump’s Lawyers, in Confidential Memo, Argue to Head Off a Historic Subpoena [edited title]

[JimandChristy 1,689]

President Trump’s lawyers believe that he is above the law when it comes to obstruction of justice, per a bombshell new report in the New York Times. In a leaked 20-page letter, they have told Special Counsel Robert Mueller that Trump cannot be charged with the crime, asserting that his presidential power gives him unchecked authority over the Justice Department. The January memo, the Times reports, “contends that the president cannot illegally obstruct any aspect of the investigation into Russia’s election meddling because the Constitution empowers him to, ‘if he wished, terminate the inquiry, or even exercise his power to pardon.’”

The letter, which was written by Trump lawyers John M. Dowd and Jay A. Sekulow, is reportedly part of a legal campaign to prevent Trump from having to answer Mueller’s questions, or from being compelled to testify, out of fear that Trump would expose himself to another crime — lying to federal investigators — which he could be impeached for.

The lawyers also made the broad claim that “every action that the president took [amid the Russia investigation] was taken with full constitutional authority pursuant to Article II of the United States Constitution,” and thus, “these actions cannot constitute obstruction, whether viewed separately or even as a totality.”

 

It's confirmed, the Fat Orange Nixon sees himself above the law. His lawyers are saying he can't break the law because he is the law. 

Edited June 4, 2018 by TBoneTX
Thread title edited to match cited article

[jg121783 3,915]

Not a dictator. Simply stating what his lawful authority as president is.

[Keith & Arileidi 437]

My question is... If his lawyers really think he has such grand authority to do such things. 

Why not just advise Trump to do such things? 

 

Play his "Trump card".

[Jacque67 7,328]

Tara Palmeri reports Giuliani confirms the letter. Says if Mueller tries to subpoena we're going to court. The GOP must raise more money to pay legal fees for Hope Hicks!!! Busy days at Camp David...so much more leaking to do! Giuliani on ABC tomorrow. What a show.

 

Read the 20-page letter. It’s not a serious attempt to persuade Mueller of anything or even to get him to do or not do anything. It was always designed for public consumption. The question is why Trump’s team chose to leak it now.

1 hour ago

Bill Kristol.

 

[jg121783 3,915]

56 minutes ago, Keith & Arileidi said:

My question is... If his lawyers really think he has such grand authority to do such things. 

Why not just advise Trump to do such things? 

 

Play his "Trump card".

Probably because it's so entertaining watching Mueller making a fool of himself. In all seriousness though Trump and his lawyers understand that Mueller has nothing and it is more politically expedient to let this just play out. Legally Trump could fire Mueller right now and end all of this nonsense but he knows what the temper tantrums from the lefty snowflakes would be like. A sitting president can be tried for crimes but only through impeachment proceedings in Congress. There is a reason for this. It is to prevent politically motivated whitch hunts from removing a duly elected president. Kind of like what Mueller is attempting right now.

[TBoneTX 45,266]

2 minutes ago, jg121783 said:

A sitting president can be tried for crimes but only through impeachment proceedings in Congress. There is a reason for this.

True.  In another thread, I noted that the Justice Department, in both 1973 and 1990 (Republican administration & Democrat administration, respectively) issued a memorandum in which it concluded that a sitting president can't be indicted for crimes.  This is because of the disruption and chaos that an indictment could cause.

[Jacque67 7,328]

Dude who claims he's innocent has lawyers write 20 page letter that doesn't explain how innocent he is...

 

So Jay Sekulow, Trump's lawyer, lied in July 2017. He in effect retracted the lie privately in a January 2018 letter to the Special Counsel--but it seems never to have occurred to him that he had any obligation to the American people to acknowledge and correct his lie to them. twitter.com/jimsciut…

11 minutes ago

Bill Kristol

[yuna628 9,671]

I'm not going to get into massive walls of text that prove how completely bogus and grasping at straws such a letter is. It's flat out wrong, and it would be easy to devise a ton of scenarios at why such a 'thesis' would open up a pandoras box and take us down a bad path. Sekulow always was a terrible lawyer, and not a pleasant human being either. Shame how far he's fallen.. but that started years ago.

 

Anyway, I can't wait for the Supreme Court to laugh their butts off at this nonsense.

Edited June 3, 2018 by yuna628

[Dashinka 24,488]

Considering everyone is saying Trump is not a target of the Mueller investigation it seems to be overkill.

[Jacque67 7,328]

Oh, Jay!

a full on public liar.

 

[Jacque67 7,328]

What is Jay Sekulow's defense to being a full-on public liar here? twitter.com/marshall…

13 minutes ago

preet bharara

[Dashinka 24,488]

9 hours ago, Jacque67 said:

What is Jay Sekulow's defense to being a full-on public liar here? twitter.com/marshall…

13 minutes ago

preet bharara

Isn’t everyone in Washington being exposed as full-on public liars?

[Jacque67 7,328]

Hope Hicks and Jr. territory. Mark Corallo resigned over this and talked with Mueller. Plausibly violation  of 18 US Code 371.

 

tiffany must be busy giving great legal advice to the crooked team at Camp David this weekend.

[jg121783 3,915]

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the TOS say that if you post part of an article the title of the post has to match the title of the article and you have to give a link to the original article? Looks like this post may be in violation of the TOS. Perhaps a moderator might want to look into that.

[Jacque67 7,328]

 

 

Wut?