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Of course, that does not change the fact that the question by Trump was wildly inappropriate. Yet, it also raises questions of Comey’s judgment. The account suggests that Comey was so concerned about the conversation that he wrote a memorandum for record. But that would suggest that Comey thought the president was trying to influence the investigation but then said nothing to the Justice Department or to his investigation team. The report says that, while Comey may have told a couple of colleagues at the FBI, he did not tell the investigation team “so the details of the conversation would not affect the investigation.”
However, Nixon’s impeachment involved a host of clear criminal acts from slush funds to burglaries. There is still no compelling evidence of an actual crime at the heart of the Russian investigation. Flynn is facing allegations of basic reporting or disclosure violations under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) which is rarely actually prosecuted. Indeed, there have been only seven prosecutions under FARA since 1966, when the law was revised.
The investigation of Flynn has not produced any reported evidence implicating Trump. A FARA violation is a relatively minor federal violation for a president if that is the scope of the FBI investigation. Obviously, if there is some undisclosed major crime implicating the president, the seriousness of the alleged statement would grow in the same proportion. However, Trump has insisted that he was told repeatedly by Comey that he was not under investigation.
Bonifaz said that the president through his business dealings violates the U.S. Constitution's foreign and domestic Emoluments Clause, and other federal law. (The Emoluments Clause in Article I of the Constitution, states: "No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States: and no person holding any office of profit or trust under them, shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state.") "(Trump cares more) about his business interests than his interests in the United States," Bonifaz said. "This is not a debate. He is enriching himself. "(This is) a dangerous moment in American history," he said.
But Chemerinsky, dean of the University of California, Irvine Law School, is hardly in Trump’s corner. He believes that the president has repeatedly violated the Constitution, and has joined other prominent attorneys in filing suit against Trump for his alleged breach of the emoluments clause, which prohibits officeholders from receiving benefits of any kind from foreign governments.
There’s far more at stake here than the etiquette of information-sharing among friends. The United States depends heavily on foreign governments for on-the-ground espionage against terrorists in the Middle East.
Donald Trump could become president of the United States and still keep his day job as chairman of the Trump Organization and impresario of all things Trump-branded. He could even promote policies that advance his business interests. Historically, presidents have gone to great lengths to avoid these conflicts of interest, but there’s no law requiring them to do so. And Trump has said little about how he would separate his economic interests from his presidential responsibilities.
originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: Mike.Ockizard
Sorry, the "intent" card has already been played. You will have to wait for a re-shuffle to use it again.
I'd like to have the tapes released first, so when the memo turns out to not exist, lots of folks look like the tools they are.
originally posted by: xuenchen
"The Hill" article is attempting to making everybody automatically believe the memo story is true.
I think there is no memo in this context.
originally posted by: EartOccupant
Just let the Man do his job.
Why is everybody attacking the ELECTED president?
Come up with better ideas and policies and in 4 years minus 120 days you are up.