So what if there was collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government? Is that a crime, as everyone seems to assume? According to Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz, “collusion” between the Russian government and President Trump and/or his campaign is not a crime, unless the collusion involved the act of hacking itself. Pretty startling, right? And based on the public record as it now stands, there is no evidence of collusion between the campaign and the Russians involving the act of hacking. No aiding or abetting by the Trump campaign in the hack attacks. Without other evidence, there’s simply no crime here. Let’s look a little further at Professor Dershowitz’s analysis. Continue reading “Collusion Between Trump and the Russians? No Crime Unless It Involved Hacking”
Tag: Trump
The Donald Trump Criminal Theory? Donald Trump the Fool
Is Trump the fool? There really are only two possibilities regarding President Trump. Maybe he’s a liar and a criminal. Did he collude with the Russian government in the 2016 election? If he did, that could never be fully hidden, and crime after crime would inevitably ensue. The whole thing would inevitably blow up. Would that explain his possibly “asking” former FBI Director Comey to “just let Mike Flynn go?” Perhaps. Could that explain his subsequent firing of Comey because the FBI was relentlessly pursuing the collusion thesis? Or maybe the FBI was just getting too close to the hard proof of collusion (though we doubt Trump would know it)? Again, perhaps.
But we have an alternative theory. It’s a simple theory. Perhaps President Trump is just a fool. Not even a knave – it’s just Trump the fool. Continue reading “The Donald Trump Criminal Theory? Donald Trump the Fool”
Nominate Judge Merrick Garland as FBI Director – A Brilliant Political Move
Nominate Judge Merrick Garland as the new FBI Director. This is the brilliant idea of Utah Senator Mike Lee. His suggestion, if implemented, would solve a multitude of President Trump’s problems. More importantly, it would provide the country with a full, independent and conclusive judgment regarding the entire “Russia” matter once and for all. It eliminates the silly comparisons to Watergate. And it diffuses any notion of a “constitutional crisis.” But is President Trump up to the challenge? Continue reading “Nominate Judge Merrick Garland as FBI Director – A Brilliant Political Move”
President Obama’s Failure to Fire FBI Director Comey – It Was All Politics
President Trump’s decision to fire FBI Director Comey has rightly led to questions about his motivations and judgment. We discuss that elsewhere. But President Obama’s failure to fire Director Comey is troubling, albeit for different reasons. Why didn’t President Obama fire Comey immediately after Comey’s initial conclusion of the Hillary investigation? Obama’s judgment was also poor. But we believe his primary motivation was something altogether different. It was just politics, pure and simple. And it’s yet another example of a President placing politics above the needs of the country. Continue reading “President Obama’s Failure to Fire FBI Director Comey – It Was All Politics”
Comey Deserved to Be Fired, But Trump’s Judgment Was Terrible
The firing of FBI Director James Comey was long overdue. Comey deserved to be fired. But President Trump was wrong to do it now. Rants to the contrary notwithstanding, this is not the Saturday Night Massacre. Not by a long shot. But President Trump’s decision is yet the latest example of poor judgment – very poor judgment. Poor presidential judgment jeopardizes a President’s ability to effectively lead. The nation becomes weaker in the eyes of friends and foe alike. The subsequent need to show decisiveness and leadership grows, as is the risk of making follow-on poor judgments. This is the underlying risk of President Trump’s decision, and it cannot be understated. Continue reading “Comey Deserved to Be Fired, But Trump’s Judgment Was Terrible”
Trump, Russia and the Democrats – A New Dreyfus Affair
Trump, Russia and the Democrats. A 2017 Dreyfus affair, but without any espionage. A “scandal” looking for an act. The cause? Childish and churlish behavior from a President and Senators and Congressmen. In one corner tweets the petulant president. He agitates and provokes with no discernible or conceivable advantage to the interests of our country or its people. A president who would do himself a world of good to study the life of George Washington. There was a man revered and respected by friend and foe alike because he lived and breathed honor and virtue. But not this President, version 45.
And in the other corner a sanctimonious group of opposers who fire at every decoy and launch aimless attack waves. They’ve formed a phalanx to battle every twitch. They shrill for resignations and special prosecutors but come to the public’s court with nary a scintilla of evidence or basis in fact. They too care not for the deep wounds they inflict on the country, harms they will never appreciate so long as it all furthers their selfish interests. Oh, they plead that they do it for us. Balderdash!
Trump, Russia, they scream! The country has been overrun. And they, with their infinite wisdom and Yoda-like virtue, will save us from it all! Continue reading “Trump, Russia and the Democrats – A New Dreyfus Affair”
No Illicit Relationship Between President Trump and the Russian Government – Here’s the Analysis
There is enough information in the public domain to conclude, with a high degree of confidence, that there is no illicit relationship between President Trump and the Russian government. Similarly, there is very likely no relationship of any consequence between associates of the President and the Russian government. We now believe that political motivations and agendas drove these suspicions. These suspicions are not supported by facts.
We examine in detail the bases for these critical conclusions. We review the events surrounding the Democratic National Committee (DNC) hacking affair, the major arrests inside of Russian intelligence and what those arrests tell us, and the circumstances surrounding U.S. intelligence and Michael Flynn. It’s a long story to tell, but it leads to a critical conclusion contrary to the oft-repeated claim of an untoward relationship between the President and the Russians. It’s a story that screams for further analysis.
Here’s what we can piece together so far regarding any possible illicit relationship between President Trump and the Russian government. Continue reading “No Illicit Relationship Between President Trump and the Russian Government – Here’s the Analysis”
The Media Distortion of Michael Flynn – Truth Suffers Another Blow
Yet again our most revered news organizations let us down. We must read between, over and above their written lines to try to get to the truth. Reporters no longer take photographs of what they see, or simply record and report what they hear. Instead, they paint pictures with broad brushes, using shades and color to reveal their personal portraits. They weave a web instead of knitting a stitch. The “stories” of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, and of “contacts” between persons involved with the Trump administration and Russia, are just the latest sorry watercolors. The media distortion of Michael Flynn is another sad tale of truth taking a shot to the jaw.
We take a look in this piece at the reporting of the Flynn “story.” We save for another piece the ongoing reporting addressing Russian “connections” to the Trump administration. Continue reading “The Media Distortion of Michael Flynn – Truth Suffers Another Blow”
Impeach President Trump, So Says Congresswoman Waters – But There’s the Constitution…
That didn’t take long. It’s time to impeach President Trump. So says California Congresswoman Maxine Waters. She is ready for articles of impeachment barely three weeks into his presidency. Now we may or may not be fans of the President. Staying faithful to the rules of our blog, we take no side on this one. At least not yet. But Congresswoman Waters does a disservice to herself, her constituents, and the country, with talk of impeachment. There is no constitutional basis for it. The Congresswoman would do well to bury herself in the constitution that she took an oath to uphold.
So we will take a look at the impeachable offenses, according to Congresswoman Waters. We see four possible counts, according to the Congresswoman. And we also turn to the Constitution, and history, for a little guidance on what’s required to impeach a president. Is Ms. Waters right? It is already time to impeach President Trump?
New Immigration Executive Order From President Trump, and the Many Flaws in the Ninth Circuit’s Ruling
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling on the Trump immigration order (the “Trump Order“) is flawed on several levels. The court’s analysis is shockingly poor and disturbing for a variety of reasons. We do not reach this conclusion because we agree with the Trump Order, for we take no position on it. Rather, the court’s ruling would set dangerous precedents, particularly regarding a president’s power to act quickly to protect the country. At the least, the key parts of the ruling addressing (or failing to address) constitutional issues for non-resident aliens will likely not survive the Supreme Court. But the court’s ruling makes clear at least one thing. The Trump Order was poorly drafted. President Trump will likely soon follow with a new immigration executive order, if he truly believes national security requires it.
We briefly look at the what and why of a new order. Then we provide a detailed review of the numerous flaws in the Ninth Circuit’s analysis. Continue reading “New Immigration Executive Order From President Trump, and the Many Flaws in the Ninth Circuit’s Ruling”