Ask not for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee

This is getting interesting. MSNBC just reported that Donald Trump’s criminal defense attorneys are in contact with the DOJ to determine what if any communications between Trump and his advisors may be privileged from being brought before the federal grand jury investigating the J6 insurrection.

OK, this is hinky. Usually, especially in a federal investigation, there’s a kind of elaborate legal Kabuki that goes on. The DOJ announces a criminal investigation, and the empaneling of a grand jury. The defense immediately comes forward and says that the DOJ is full of shit, and that their client hasn’t done anything wrong. And then the investigation goes on under the radar.

It’s only if the DOJ’s investigation and grand jury testimony uncovers enough damaging information that the DOJ issues a Target letter, or as it’s better known in legal circles, a Heart attack letter, advising the defense that their client was now a target in the criminal investigation, and inviting the defense to come in and show them any plausible reasons why the government shouldn’t go ahead and indict in the grand jury.

As far as I know, and I think we’d already know, no Target letter has been sent to Trump’s defense team, advising them that he is now an active criminal target in an investigation. And yet Trump’s highly paid, but yet likely unpaid lawyers are in contact with the DOJ over the admissibility of testimony before the grand jury.

Which begs the question, What are they arguing about? It turns out that it’s really quite simple, they’re arguing claims of Executive Privilege. Sweet Jesus, how many times do we have to flog this dead horse? US courts, including the Supreme Court have ruled that executive privilege rests with the sitting President, and not his predecessor. SO why are they arguing this now?

Gee, maybe this. In the last couple of weeks, former Vice President Mike Pence’s two closest advisors have both testified in front of the grand jury. Who knows what they can tell about Trump’s campaign to intimidate Pence into literally stealing the 2020 election for him. And now his dormer White House Counsel Pat Cipollone, as well as his top aide are under grand jury subpoenas. And while the J6 committee may have bumped up against Cipollini’s claims of privilege, it won’t stand up in front of a grand jury with the crime/fraud exemptions. And Trump’s lawyers know it.

The walls are closing in on Traitor Tot. But he remains blissfully ignorant. According to reporting today, Trump is deeply skeptical that he will be indicted. That’s good Emperor Numbus Nuttus, you keep that shit up right until the steel bracelets clamp down over your wrists. Don’t touch that dial.

 

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14 COMMENTS

  1. His father was a follower of Norman Vincent Peale and his “Power of Positive Thinking.” Dotard apparently is also an adherent. The part he didn’t accept was doing the right thing to begin with. He has had setbacks in his life, but he has never really been held to account for anything. So, of course, this won’t amount to much. I wouldn’t want to be within 5 miles of him when the indictments come through.

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    • I can’t believe two asses like Trump’s father and Karl Rove are followers of Dr. Peale! I’ve enjoyed reading his books over and over. Amazing you can use “positive thinking” to destroy people! I hate their names are even linked with Dr. Norman Vincent Peale.

      • Not confirmed in Rove’s case but listen to his noxious quote about “We create our own realities” and tell me he didn’t swipe that from Peale.

  2. “US courts, including the Supreme Court have ruled that executive privilege rests with the sitting President, and not his predecessor.”

    And not only that, in US V Nixon, the SCOTUS specifically ruled that executive priviliage cannot be used as an excuse to withhold evidence that is demonstrably relevant in a criminal trial.

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  3. I was trying to figure out how to describe the ignorant, thin skinned, megalomaniac known as loser Trump, but the wurds got in the way. Peace out.

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  4. Perhaps his attorneys are talking about attorney client privilege, and not executive privilege, trying to determine what information they can keep private, if any, and what must be disclosed.

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  5. US vs. Nixon is relevant until one considers this: we have 5-6 s.c. members who are quite happy to overturn precedent. Stare decisis means nothing to these political hacks. I cannot imagine they wouldn’t jump at this chance especially since 5 of the 6 fervently wish to overthrow our democratic republic in favor of a x-tian taliban type of government. Allowing former guy to merely say “executive privilege” whenever he pleases would go far toward installing our very own taliban rulers.

    • Yeah but you’re forgetting that US vs Nixon was a UNANIMOUS court decision and Nixon had appointed THREE of the eight justices who heard the case–Justice Rehnquist recused himself as he’d served as an Associate Attorney General under Nixon before being appointed to the Court by Nixon. (Also, Nixon-appointee Warren Burger authored the decision.)

      And while members of the current court do like to play “I’m sorry–stare who,” let’s not forget that they’ve been playing that game on social issues, not matters of significant LEGAL importance. They did refuse to hear some of Trump’s team’s challenges and I can’t see any of them wanting to overturn US v Nixon merely as a political ploy because then they’d have no recourse but to overturn their own decision if Joe Biden decided to invoke “executive privilege” if a GOP Congress decided to run their own investigation of Biden in 2025. Even Thomas and Alito realize they can’t run too roughshod over stare decisis without completely turning the entire judicial process into a farce. (It’s sort of like the way Roy Moore wanted to flout the Supreme Court’s decision over his Ten Commandments rock by saying he didn’t have to heed the Court’s ruling because of his freedom of religion but you could damn well be sure that Moore wouldn’t allow anyone appearing before him just decide they didn’t have to heed any of his rulings if they felt the ruling violated their own freedoms.)

  6. I can’t believe two asses like Trump’s father and Karl Rove are followers of Dr. Peale! I’ve enjoyed reading his books over and over. Amazing you can use “positive thinking” to destroy people! I hate their names are even linked with Dr. Norman Vincent Peale.

  7. Just picking up Aug 9 .. FYI ICYMI murph and URSULA
    AND NOTE BREAKING TODAY Aug 9 the DC COURT OF APPEALS SAYS Trump taxes are fair game!)

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