Comey hearing

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jonh
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Re: Trump leaks classified ISIS intel to the Russians

Post by jonh »

I was expecting some mention of Comey's testimony on here. Are we reaching the saturation point for Trump news?

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Nodack
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Re: Trump leaks classified ISIS intel to the Russians

Post by Nodack »

As expected Comey said Trump was lying and Trump said Comey was lying. Believe who you want. I believe Comey.

Not expected was Comey's revelations that Rice asked Comey to call the investigation into Hillary something else to make it sound better.

"Are we reaching the saturation point for Trump news?"

I guess I am getting sick of hearing Trumps name all day every day good or bad.

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ShelC
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Re: Trump leaks classified ISIS intel to the Russians

Post by ShelC »

I think you mean Lynch? He said that Lynch told him to call Hillary's emails a "matter" and not an "investigation". "Matter" is what Hillary referred to her email investigation while campaigning. Will Dems push to revisit that? Will they call for Lynch to resign? Doubtful.

I think, as much as people can/want to infer that Trump was obstructing, Comey stopped short of saying so. It's funny because Trump, according to Comey, never outright said "stop the investigation". He danced around with Flynn ("hope you can let this Flynn thing go"), demanded loyalty (not exactly a crime?), and made reference to the Russian stuff to...the Russians. What they'll probably get him on is the firing of Comey to make the Russian investigation go away.

I'm of the opinion (perhaps a naive one), that Trump maybe didn't think or realize so many of his people were speaking with or connected to Russians/foreign Govts (Flynn with Turkey). I don't think he nor his campaign colluded with Russia on the hacks or fake news stories. I think they were complicit and were OK benefiting from it all, but there was no collusion. But then when more and more stuff started coming out about Flynn, Sessions, etc., he went to Comey to try and just make it go away so he could move on and proceed as POTUS.

Ironically, it might not be collusion with the Russians that brings him down (which is what everyone thought and were after him for), but him simply wanting to make the story go away.

Either way, I'm sick of the Trump stuff. I'm sick of CNN and MSNBC/Rachel Maddow (I don't really watch Fox News) and not seeing actual news. I'm sick of the NYT and WaPo and every other media outlet on social media because everything is Trump related.

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Indy
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Re: Trump leaks classified ISIS intel to the Russians

Post by Indy »

The argument Trump didn't know he was asking for something he shouldn't have goes out the window when he took so much care to ensure every single person left the room before asking Comey (specifically his boss).

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ShelC
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Re: Trump leaks classified ISIS intel to the Russians

Post by ShelC »

Did he? I thought the conversation happened over dinner?

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Indy
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Re: Trump leaks classified ISIS intel to the Russians

Post by Indy »

ShelC wrote:Did he? I thought the conversation happened over dinner?
The question where he asked if he wanted to keep his job, and said he needed loyalty happened over a dinner (that he first said would be families, but changed it to just the two of them in a room by themselves when the servers would come in an out). The conversation where he said "let it go" on Flynn was in the Oval Office after another meeting, and he specifically asked the room to be cleared. Two people (Sessions and someone else I forget) stayed behind, but then were asked to leave. Sessions still stayed, and then was asked to leave again. Sessions knew he shouldn't go, and Trump knew he shouldn't be asking. But he did anyway.

I think the fact Trump and his lawyer called Comey's testimony a lie is a clear basis for a slander case. I would be surprised if nothing comes of it. Those are pretty brazen claims.

Also, I think the IC testimony, under oath, the day before was more telling. Not a single person leading an IC department would say that Trump did not ask them to lighten up or push past the investigation into Flynn or Russia. That is crazy. He asked every single one of them to. Crazy.

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Indy
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Re: Trump leaks classified ISIS intel to the Russians

Post by Indy »

By the way, I feel like you and I are the only posters on here this time of day/eastern time.

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ShelC
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Re: Trump leaks classified ISIS intel to the Russians

Post by ShelC »

Maybe I wasn't paying close enough attention to the IC testimony but it seemed like they were stonewalling? I didn't see too many headlines with the IC heads statements which made it seem like they had him on anything. If anything, it was the opposite. And if the IC heads had anything on Trump, his people and the Russians, wouldn't that have been the time to say so? Don't they have the info, the documents, the transcripts of conversations?

Apologies if I'm hazy on this, just a lot to keep up with and hard to decipher what's accurate. I don't feel like there's been any "gotcha" moment or smoking gun.

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ShelC
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Re: Trump leaks classified ISIS intel to the Russians

Post by ShelC »

Haha...yea I'm in NYC and I wake up early so I'm always posting early and often.

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Indy
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Re: Trump leaks classified ISIS intel to the Russians

Post by Indy »

ShelC wrote:Maybe I wasn't paying close enough attention to the IC testimony but it seemed like they were stonewalling? I didn't see too many headlines with the IC heads statements which made it seem like they had him on anything. If anything, it was the opposite. And if the IC heads had anything on Trump, his people and the Russians, wouldn't that have been the time to say so? Don't they have the info, the documents, the transcripts of conversations?

Apologies if I'm hazy on this, just a lot to keep up with and hard to decipher what's accurate. I don't feel like there's been any "gotcha" moment or smoking gun.
There aren't any headlines because they said, "I refuse to answer that question in an open forum" over and over and over again. At the same time, they also said the chief counsel has not invoked executive privilege. At one point one (I think Coats) said I have no legal basis to refuse to answer, but I can't answer that question.

If the answer is no, there is no reason to not say so (way too many negatives in there). "Did the president ask you to influence the russia or flynn investigation?" "No. Next question." But they were under oath, and they all remember what happened in many other congressional hearings when someone is caught lying under oath.

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Superbone
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Re: Trump leaks classified ISIS intel to the Russians

Post by Superbone »

I like how Trump asks all these question of Comey like a mob boss. Everything in generalities. "Do I have your loyalty?" Classic mob boss.
"Be Legendary."

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Nodack
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Re: Trump leaks classified ISIS intel to the Russians

Post by Nodack »

I think you mean Lynch?
I think you are right. She asked him to call it something other than an investigation to soften the appearence and he didn't buy it. I'm not sure what the legal ramifications of that are. She didn't ask him the stop the investigation and she wasn't Comey's boss so, she couldn't fire him.

Trump did ask him to stop the investigation, was his boss and did fire him after he refused to stop the investigation. Comey called Trump a liar five times in the session yesterday. He said he doesn't normally take notes but feared Trump would lie about the meeting and he did.

If you are sick of MSNBC, CNN, etc. reporting it on Trump you probably shouldn't watch those channels. They report the news which is 90% politics. MSNBC is a liberal station and they are always going to be going after Republicans the same way FOX is always going to be going after Democrats. CNN in the past has generally tried to come across as unbiased reporting but, since Trump declared them fake news and has declared war on them they have definitely come e out guns blazing against Trump.

The was watching CNN yesterday and one of the guests was talking about the Trump experiment. They said it was an experiment because Trump was the first President elected who wasn't a politician. Americans were sick of politicians and the same old same old and wanted somebody to shake things up and start looking out for the little guy. I think a lot of Trump supporters fall into that catagory. I think the idea is a good one.

Unfortunately Trump IMO isn't the guy. He isn't what he claims to be. I think he is a con man and has conned Americans into believing his many lies. I don't trust him at all. I don't believe he is looking out for the little guy. I don't believe he is draining the swamp. I don't believe him when he says he will make health care affordable for all. I've seen him insult so many different groups of people that didn't deserve it just because he is a spiteful guy and cannot take any sort of criticism. He brags about sexual assault. He has been documented lying over 300 times in just the past year. I find the guy totally distasteful and am embarrassed that he represents my country.

The experiment in this case failed. Ignoring all of Trumps personal flaws we stil have a guy who is a fish out of water in this job. He doesn't know all the rules he should in his position. That's where his appointments and staff should be helping him out but, Trump it appears does not listen to any advice and just does what he wants and that has gotten him into trouble.

I think going outside of Washington to pick a President was a bold statement by America and should have woken up Washington. I have witnessed politics in Washington for a long time and my take is they never wake up and they never learn lessons. After Trump I fear America might be reluctant to try that experiment again but, then again we Americans have the memory of gnats.

One thing I do know and that is America is divided and the hate between the two party's has gotten extreme. Somebody or something had better start uniting us. It won't be the two party's and it won't be the media. Somebody out there needs to be a real leader for all Americans and stop the partisan BS.
Last edited by Nodack on Fri Jun 09, 2017 11:45 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Cap
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Re: Trump leaks classified ISIS intel to the Russians

Post by Cap »

Superbone wrote:I like how Trump asks all these question of Comey like a mob boss. Everything in generalities. "Do I have your loyalty?" Classic mob boss.
But instead of a cat in his lap, he has a tribble on his head.

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Nodack
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Re: Trump leaks classified ISIS intel to the Russians

Post by Nodack »

And the trouble with Tribbles...

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Superbone
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Re: Trump leaks classified ISIS intel to the Russians

Post by Superbone »

Cap wrote:
Superbone wrote:I like how Trump asks all these question of Comey like a mob boss. Everything in generalities. "Do I have your loyalty?" Classic mob boss.
But instead of a cat in his lap, he has a tribble on his head.
Nodack wrote:And the trouble with Tribbles...
Ha! Cyrano Jones up to his old tricks.
"Be Legendary."

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Mori Chu
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Comey hearing

Post by Mori Chu »

I was so busy doing my final exams at work that I couldn't get around to making a thread on this. These hearings were amazing. Seriously gripping testimony. I think this will be in the history books for sure.

Among the big revelations in the testimony, Comey says that Trump:

- reminded Comey that many other people want his job
- had a closed-door 1-on-1 meeting with Comey in which he said that he "needs loyalty"
- said he "hoped" Comey would find a way to make Flynn/Russia investigation "go away" and lift a "cloud" over the administration
- made Comey feel quite uncomfortable/scared by doing so, causing Comey to take detailed notes of every conversation they had
- fired Comey when he did not stop the investigation
- said on national TV that the firing was *BECAUSE* Comey did not stop the investigation.

The above is stunning. I think this is quite damning for our President. It's utterly inappropriate and unfitting of the office, first of all. It's also clearly obstruction of justice. Comey did not call it such, because it's not for him to decide. But it's a prima facie case. I don't think he will be prosecuted because the GOP owns the entire US government, but it's still clearly criminal behavior in my opinion.

Another tidbit from Comey's testimony was that he said Attorney General Jeff Sessions has enough dirt on him that he ought not to be part of any Russia decisions. They probably are / will investigate Sessions thoroughly now.

1tinsoldier
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Re: Comey hearing

Post by 1tinsoldier »

this is my take on the whole thing:

1. russia has a blackmail dossier on Trump including him doing nasty things with hookers in a Russian hotel and his russian business dealings (which his taxes would reveal)
2. since it would be hard to cover up among his own top staff, trump hired people with similar strings to russia
3. one or more of his staff gave helpful info to russia on how to influence the election
4. trump's team needed a back channel to russia for maintenance purposes
5. trump will disregard any ethics to ride out his presidency as far as he can, quit before facing any legal consequences, blame it on the left and media, then launch his own media network.

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Mori Chu
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Re: Comey hearing

Post by Mori Chu »

Now there's an internal leak suggesting that Trump may fire Mueller, the independent counsel who's investigating this stuff. That would be so brazen and evil. How would the GOP / Trump defenders justify it?

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Superbone
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Re: Comey hearing

Post by Superbone »

It wouldn't surprise me. It would be par for the course.
"Be Legendary."

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Mori Chu
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Re: Comey hearing

Post by Mori Chu »

AG Jeff Sessions had his public hearing today. The two big take-aways for me were:

- Sessions refused to answer almost any question related to his conversations with the President, citing some rule he claimed that prevented him from disclosing private conversations. Dems questioning him were flummoxed; as far as they know, there is no such rule. I think Sessions made it up and should be held in contempt of the investigation for obstructing it.

- Sessions claims that the reason Comey was fired was due to mismanagement of the FBI, and particularly for mishandling the Clinton email investigation in 2016. But that's preposterous. Sessions himself praised Comey's running of the FBI and handling of the Clinton case in mid- and late-2016.

Not much else came of the hearing. He didn't give much.

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