We stand at a tipping point: do we fire up the popcorn maker or start digging a fallout shelter in the garden? (Trump cont)

[boatyardblues]

Old thread here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3207431-When-a-nation-s-children-marched-and-their-President-ignored-them-Trump-cont

I’m all out of inspiration for the rest of this opening post. Send the St Bernard with the brandy please.

www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/comey-trump-morally-unfit-president-w519022

THREAD: What should we make of the filing by Trump’s lawyers demanding that Trump be permitted to review the documents seized by the government and remove any he believes are privileged?
twitter.com/renato_mariotti/status/985696333234401281?s=21

NorthWest - Sounds like when a cheating husband knows he’s rumbled and is trying to find out how much his wife knows before giving his cover story. ie Does she only know about mistress A or A&B? Just the affair or the love chold too?

@boatyardblues

That's not even a metaphor in this case. (Or a simile?)

It's also one of the exact situations.

Ha! Yes - he's a Mumsnet CF to be sure! Too bad we can't all LTB.

Long time lurker here....

Thought you might find this to be of interest, especially the comments afterwards.

The article is by a legal team who often comment on major legal events in the public domain, with comments (mainly!!) by people who have a legal interest.

www.popehat.com/2018/04/09/the-search-of-trump-lawyer-michael-cohens-office-what-we-can-infer-immediately/

Good read!

We can sew prawns into his living room curtains though (Mueller).

I really can't soften to Comey. Much as I enjoy his observations on Trump, I can't forget that he reopened the investigation into Hillary Clinton's emails in the final days of the election campaign. I didn't listen to or watch the interview, but I understand he didn't express any regret for doing that.

Thanks for the updates, everyone! I'm not bothering with the news these days, just hitting the Refresh button on this page

I liked that document on the previous page. Although of course carefully couched in appropriate legal language, it read quite as if the person writing it were laughing. And rightly so; it's a completely ludicrous request. I look forward to the time when the redactions can be restored.

They didn't use the precise words "The USAM is more like guidelines than actual rules", but I definitely read it there between the lines :)

Re: the BBC's mania for providing balance: yes, it's what they do, they have to find balance somewhere even if the opposite narrative is barking.

Thanks for the link WhatdoImean and hello!

It's a good read I have so much to catch up on from these threads that my pile of books next to the bed is gathering biggly dust. Archeological scholars will be able to sift through it and gauge the key stages of Trump's downfall from the various dust-strata!

Comey was 'overthinking it' is how someone described the situation with regard to the Clinton investigation. He was trying to pre-emp criticism and did something that probably counts as a monumental blunder and possibly changed the course of history ....

Hello What and thanks for that link.

thehill.com/policy/healthcare/383106-trump-order-targets-wide-swathe-of-public-assistance-programs

Still lurking to protect my sanity, but came across the Comey transcript on Twitter

http://abcnews.go.com/Site/transcript-james-comeys-interview-abc-news-chief-anchor/story?id=54488723

Comey is being interviewed by Maitlis on BBC Newsnight on Thursday.

I'm looking forward to Rachel's questions, also Thursday. This week may be big for popcorn, Comey and Cohen, or it could just deflate as Trump wheedles his way out of danger again

sunlightfoundation.com/2017/04/14/secrecy-on-white-house-visitor-logs-shows-trump-administration-allergic-to-transparency/

Yes. Thanks for the link, What.

I agree that there were no 'bombshells' of info in the Comey interview but I never expected any. He isn't the type to play that game for publicity. There was insight into his motives behind relaunching the Clinton email probe, as well as a reiteration of his convos w/Scrotus and his feelings about them.

I think he's an honourable man who was thrust into a 'dishonourable situation'. Unfortunately, in today's world acting with honour often gets you slammed.

Still a fan though .

I think he's very conflicted about the Clinton business. He tried to explain but didn't do a very good job. I doubt he really knows himself. Maybe Across has the truth of it?

This a is clip from this morning, CNN' s New Day. Discussion of Comey interview, starting at around 7 mins in., is worth a watch. I think David Gregory is spot on here, particularly his critique of Comey's interactions with T. Thank you, Gump, for the transcript link. I'm just settling down with a to read it.

Another white collar lawyer has turned down the opportunity to represent President Trump, citing an unidentified conflict, as the President struggles to add to the legal team representing him in the special counsel investigation.
www.cnn.com/2018/04/15/politics/white-collar-lawyer-trump-representation/index.html

This is a problem for Trump, because Jay Sekulow is completely unqualified to represent him in the Mueller investigation. Trump should consider using the attorney representing him in the Cohen matter, Joanna Hendon, who would be qualified.
twitter.com/renato_mariotti/status/985824309791920128?s=21

A comment on Twitter points out that Tiffany (daughter no.2) is studying law at Georgetown University - how long before she's heading up his legal defense?

Thanks for all the links everyone and welcome whatdoimean

I thought Comey came across as believable too but to be frank, anyone comes across as believable, sane and eloquent compared to 45.

That's true.

Legal fees made up more than 20% of Trump's campaign spending so far this year

Trump's campaign has also spent about $150,000 at Trump businesses. That includes about $68,000 at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC, to cover costs including event rental space, hotel stays and parking. The campaign spent another $58,000 on costs listed as "rent" divided between three recipients: Trump Plaza, Trump Restaurants and Trump Tower.

edition.cnn.com/2018/04/15/politics/trump-campaign-legal-fees/index.html

I was thinking about it, cozie. He's in one of those 'if you knew then what you know now' situations. I'm sure we've all been there. We proclaim "Of course we'd do things differently!" but all the while that little voice inside is saying 'no, you know you wouldn't'. I just think Comey is honest enough to admit to himself (and us) that 'no, he wouldn't'.

It'll be interesting to see him on The View. The hosts have a well found reputation for asking pretty 'bald' questions then not letting the guest get away with side-stepping. Not that I noticed Comey side-stepping, but he did carefully consider his answers (as he should).

Oh god, another Russian journalist killed.

Russian reporter Borodin dead after mystery fall
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-43781351
A Russian investigative journalist who wrote about the deaths of mercenaries in Syria has died in hospital after falling from his fifth-floor flat.
Maxim Borodin was found badly injured by neighbours in Yekaterinburg and taken to hospital, where he later died.
Local officials said no suicide note was found but the incident was unlikely to be of a criminal nature.
However, a friend revealed Borodin had said his flat had been surrounded by security men a day earlier.
Vyacheslav Bashkov described Borodin as a "principled, honest journalist" and said Borodin had contacted him at five o'clock in the morning on 11 April saying there was "someone with a weapon on his balcony and people in camouflage and masks on the staircase landing".
Borodin had been looking for a lawyer, he explained, although he later called him back saying he was wrong and that the security men had been taking part in some sort of exercise.

I don't know how they have the courage to keep going. I'm absolutely in awe of the Russian investigative journalists and opposition politicians who have kept at it despite knowing that they may very well be killed at any moment.

Maxim Borodin had been writing about Wagner PMC – Russian mercenaries in Syria.

Syria war: Who are Russia's shadowy Wagner mercenaries?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-43167697