Yesterday officials from the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Southern District of New York (SDNY) enacted a search warrant for the office, home, and hotel room of Trump’s “fixer” Michael Cohen for what seems obvious to me would be documents about the payments made by Mr. Cohen to Stormy Daniels and maybe others. With all the public knowledge about Trump’s lawyer paying off Ms. Daniels to keep her quiet weeks ahead of the 2016 election it would be MORE surprising to me if there was no action taken regarding what was CLEARLY an illegal action – possibly on many fronts. Cohen, himself, admitted to making the payment and Trump has publicly denied knowing anything about it. Trump said, when asked about the payment, “You’ll have to talk to Michael Cohen.” Talk about someone being “thrown under the bus.”
Trump referred to this action as “an attack on our country.” This would suggest he believes he’s above the law. This coming from the man who doesn’t consider the Russian interference in our election (and more) to be an “attack on this country.” He’s tweeted “attorney client privilege is dead” and “total witch hunt!” regarding the raid on Cohen’s office. Trump believes Jeff Sessions “made a terrible decision for our country” when he recused himself from the Russia investigation (and, investigations of the Trump and Clinton campaigns). Of course, Sessions did exactly what he was honor bound to do once he took the oath of office to head the Department of Justice. Had he chosen to look upon himself as the president’s “fixer” from his position as Attorney General – that would have been a terrible decision for our country. I’ve written this before, but I’ll say it again, Trump is acting as if he’s a MAFIA BOSS! He’s got to go and it appears it’s just a matter of time until Mueller makes his report that is going to take the veil off of all of Trump’s misdeeds – which likely go well back prior to his choice to run for president.
Trump suggested this is a partisan attack coming from either “democrats or republicans who’ve worked for democrats.” (I’m assuming he was meaning Mueller because he’s worked for presidents of both parties as FBI director) The reality is that it takes many layers of the Justice Department to get a warrant to search the office of ANY attorney, let alone the president’s. And, the people who authorized this warrant were actually REPUBLICANS who were appointed by Trump, himself. The acting US Attorney for the SDNY was appointed by Trump, The FBI director was appointed by Trump (republican), and the Assistant Attorney General (Rod Rosenstein) is a republican appointed by Trump. Of course, Robert Mueller is a long time republican who is the special counsel because of Trump’s (STUPID) decision to fire James Comey – and then, shortly thereafter, admit on NATIONAL TV that he did so because of the “Russia thing.” (Additionally, a day or two later, Trump [STUPIDLY] met in the Oval Office with two Russian officials telling them “I got rid of Comey to take the pressure off the Russia investigation”)
Trump continues to call this investigation a “disgrace.” I can tell you, as with most of the words that come out of his mouth, the TRUTH is essentially the OPPOSITE. Trump continues to be the disgrace and he’s contemplating now to make matters even worse by FIRING the special counsel. Trump, in his rambling spur of the moment press conference – while he was faced with a decision about the Syria problem (which he may have indirectly created) tried to pin Comey’s firing back on Rod Rosenstein. If you remember, he originally requested a letter from Rosenstein about Comey to justify firing him – which Mike Pense and other minions used the next day to justify the firing – only to have Trump BACK STAB them with his interview with Lester Holt where he admitted that “I was going to fire him no matter what, ………….it was about the Russia thing.” Trump is scrambling now to continue his attempt to keep his misbehavior secret.
I don’t believe it’s going to work and I think Trump is becoming aware that he’s not above the law which he’s apparently felt during his years in New York when his actions have tied him together with some really suspicious characters. I think we may discover we’ve got a “white collar criminal” in the “White House.” Of course, the “base” (mainly of the “white nationalists” in America) won’t care. They’ve been brainwashed to believe Trump is being attacked by a partisan “witch hunt.” Trump is encouraging the divisiveness that has brought this country to the point where we’re losing our standing in the world. The ONLY way to regain it is to get RID of this nightmare which is Trump as our so-called president. And, as I’ve said many times, it’s up to the republicans in Congress to “grow a pair” and take their oath to the constitution above their allegiance to their party. In fact, I believe the ONLY way for republicans to give themselves a chance to minimize the so-called “blue wave” coming in 2018, is to rid the country of the Trump problem.
The constitution calls for impeachment of the president for “high crimes and misdemeanors.” Well, that’s a very vague phrase that gives members of Congress much leeway – but, I (and, many others) believe Trump has already met the criteria for “high crimes and misdemeanors.” The Constitution prohibits the president from receiving “emoluments” from both foreign forces and domestic forces. Clearly, Trump by not getting rid of his business interests – for example, a Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue has become the place where foreign dignitaries pay well above standard rates to stay in Trump’s Hotel (I believe it’s in the Old US Post Office building) ostensibly to gain Trump’s “favor.” Every time Trump takes money from these people it’s a violation of the emoluments clause. And, there are many other examples of this same phenomenon.
Then there’s ALL of Trump’s adventures to his golf resorts where he takes his associates, the Secret Service, and others to his personal properties where they all pay (including Trump himself) premium rates for rooms and other “emoluments.” All of this is in violation of the Constitution of the United States – a copy of which most republicans in Congress carry in their lapel pockets – that members of Congress (republicans) refuse to even debate in the House – where any impeachment proceedings would begin. I guess it’s going to take something catastrophic for republican members of Congress to act. That’s exactly what causes me the most “pause.”
Originally when I was writing about Trump, I suggested republican members of Congress would act against Trump once their own jobs were in jeopardy. What we’re seeing instead is a bunch of republicans who see “the writing on the wall” leaving – “retiring from” Congress as they realize getting re-elected is getting to the almost impossible stage. I guess the idea of showing courage and standing up to Trump – as “the right thing to do” – is not something they consider. Paul Ryan got his tax scam through – which, contrary to his pronouncements, will increase our national debt, over the next 10 years, by OVER two TRILLION dollars. So much for the great republican “budget genius.” Ryan is leaving Washington “with his tail between his legs!”
When Trump refers to the Mueller probe as “an attack on our country” he’s just showing his IGNORANCE once again. The reality is that Trump’s actions are “an attack on our country.” The Russian “intrusion” is an “attack on our country.” And, the republicans, who for years have claimed to be the ‘stalwarts’ of a “strong national defense” are, once again, showing themselves to be frauds. This has happened over and over again since the days of Ronald Reagan. Here’s what has to be puzzling our allies around the world – when are “we the people” going to figure this out? Are the American voters really this STUPID? People who call themselves “conservatives” and then support what Trump – and Ryan – are doing are fooling themselves. To me, brazen thoughtless actions on the world stage and constantly raising the national debt in order to placate their “donors” is not “conservative.” Let’s call it what it is.
I’ve said this would all be comical if it wasn’t so serious. Right now we the people are at the mercy of the thought process of a completely unstable person who could be, potentially, leading us into another world war. Syria is a serious problem because the Russians are aligned with Assad and may very well by supplying the nerve gas Assad is using on his own people. Trump’s bloviating, along with whatever response he gives in his attempt to show the world he’s a real “tough guy,” is not likely to be very effective. It could be catastrophic! And, keep in mind, Trump has to be considering the kompromat the Russians very likely are holding over him as he prepares his “response” the the Syrian “gassing.”
As all this is going on I can’t get Trump’s words out of my head where he said the Justice Department’s search of Michael Cohen is “an attack on our country.” I’ll say it again, the attack on our country came (and is coming) from the Russians via their cyber warfare. Not only should Mr. Cohen by searched, but I now feel Steve Bannon should be searched. Bannon was/is the head of Cambridge Analytica which stole the data of over 80 MILLION Facebook users in order to spread the REAL fake news during the 2016 campaign. I believe they worked with the Russians to target this “fake news” toward key constituencies they knew were susceptible to their PROPAGANDA. That’s where the attack on this country is coming from and I’m thankful that Mueller is going to figure it all out and explain to “we the people” how we’ve been “had.” But, I’ll say it once more: Earth to Trump, the attack on our country is coming from Russia NOT from our Justice Department! Let’s hope the Justice Department demonstrates to “we the people” AND those watching around the world that we really are a “nation of laws and not men” and that “no one is above the law.” Especially, Donald Trump!