philbo wrote: ↑Sat Sep 08, 2018 4:45 am
Jusme wrote: ↑Fri Sep 07, 2018 6:10 pm
Yep, he lied about doing something that wasn't a crime.
Lying to officials (federal statute 18 USC Section 1001) was the lesser of crimes he pled guilty to as part of a plea agreement. His lies enabled at least one suspect to escape US jurisdiction before they could be questioned and possibly charged. Perhaps you're comfortable with that level of obstruction, but many are not.
If he didn't want to speak, he should have remained silent; but, as the late Justice Antonin Scalia once explained, “Neither the text nor the spirit of the Fifth Amendment confers a privilege to lie.
‘[P]roper invocation of the Fifth Amendment privilege against compulsory self-incrimination allows a witness to remain silent, but not to swear falsely.’
And for those who believe one might
"damage the country by promoting the negative about our president."... how would you justify your hypocrisy for the rant's you have invoked about the former president's? Or, did you only espouse the positive about Obama & Bush and remain silent when you disagreed with their actions and policies?
My point was, it was not a crime, to meet with the Russian. Even, if he had "dirt" on HRC, that does not constitute, any criminal action. Just like the meeting with the female Russian, that Trump Jr. attended. If it was, why hasn't Mueller, indicted, him? Popadopolous, lied to investigators, true, but even the Judge stated, that their was no proof that anything, he did by meeting with him, would have been actionable. You are correct, his best course of action was to keep his mouth shut, and let them prove, a crime was committed.
I have made my points against BHO, very clear. I disagreed with him almost unilaterally, on his policies. However, I never once, expressed, hatred towards him. I am a Patriot, first and foremost, and when I see the travesty, that is the Mueller investigation, perpetrated, by those who wish to try to de-legitimize, a duly elected President, I would have criticized that type of investigation, against BHO. As BHO said, "Elections have consequences" and just because they don't turn out like we want, does, not mean that they somehow need to be subverted. Donald, Trump, went up against, the best this country had to offer, as far as Republican, candidates, and beat them all. Is he a polished speaker? No, is his personality, what we are used to seeing from out leaders? No. Do his morals, perfectly align with mine? No. But he has done everything, he said he would do if elected. He has exposed, the swamp, for what it is, along with the bias, in the MSM, the DOJ, and the intelligence community. That is not the case, with any of our recent POTUS. This investigation, is just what Trump said it is, a witch hunt. They have made up a charge, "collusion" and using the same false information, they used to spy,on his campaign, are now looking for gnat poop, in pepper. JMHO
It seems like your latter suggestion, the Grassy Knoll reference, might be the most likely prospect. Otherwise, why would the president bother to give the op-ed so much attention??? The president's reaction is effectively giving NYT and the author credibility that would not likely be given to some tabloid seeking sensation. And, it does seem like NYT would not be easily conned so that official acting like a "traitor" did a great job.
