According to Article III of the US Constitution Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason.  Many have argued that, there can be no treason, because the US is not at war.  However, the evidence in indictments of Russian GRU Officers, make it clear that Russia committed an act of War against the US by interfering with our electoral process, and that state will continue as long as the result that attack occupies the oval office.  Therefore the aid and comfort Trump provided for Putin yesterday qualifies as treason.

President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a joint press conference on Monday — and the two men both made multiple jaw-dropping statements.

During the event, Trump and Putin repeatedly showered each other with praise, and the two men regularly defended one another from criticisms being leveled against them within the United States and from other NATO allies.

Below are the most jaw-dropping moments of the Trump-Putin press conference.

1. Putin trolls America by offering to have his own intelligence agencies “investigate” their interference in the 2016 presidential election — and Trump praises him for it. Putin’s offer to have his own intelligence officials probe themselves was generally seen as an attempt to subtly mock the United States, since no one believes the GRU would fairly investigate its own activities.

Trump, however, called Putin’s proposal an “incredible offer.”

2. Trump denies a report that he called Putin a “rival” — and insists that what he actually said was meant to be flattering. When asked by a Russian reporter why he had referred to his Russian counterpart as a rival, Trump pushed back and said he’d only referred to Putin a “competitor.” Trump went on to say that he meant it as a “compliment” because Putin was so good at competing.

3. Trump would not say whether he believes his own intelligence agencies when they claim Russia directly interfered in the 2016 presidential election. Even though Trump hedged on whether he believed his own appointees to the nation’s intelligence agencies, he did say that Putin was “extremely strong and powerful in his denial today.” He then said that he “didn’t see any reason” why Russia would interfere in America’s elections…

Inserted from <Alternet>

I covered the first three out of six.  Click through for the other three.

I’m not the only only that thinks he’s a traitor.  Check out the first page of the Daily News!

For 28 minutes of in depth coverage, here’s Rachel Maddow.

Even some Republicans were critical of Trump varying degrees.

• Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE): "This is bizarre and flat-out wrong. The United States is not to blame. America wants a good relationship with the Russian people but Vladimir Putin and his thugs are responsible for Soviet-style aggression. When the President plays these moral equivalence games, he gives Putin a propaganda win he desperately needs."
• Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC): "Missed opportunity by President Trump to firmly hold Russia accountable for 2016 meddling and deliver a strong warning regarding future elections. This answer by President Trump will be seen by Russia as a sign of weakness and create far more problems than it solves. … if it were me, I’d check the soccer ball [that Putin gave Trump] for listening devices and never allow it in the White House."
• Sen. John McCain (R-AZ): "Today’s press conference in Helsinki was one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory. The damage inflicted by President Trump’s naiveté, egotism, false equivalence, and sympathy for autocrats is difficult to calculate. But it is clear that the summit in Helsinki was a tragic mistake. President Trump proved not only unable, but unwilling to stand up to Putin. He and Putin seemed to be speaking from the same script as the president made a conscious choice to defend a tyrant against the fair questions of a free press, and to grant Putin an uncontested platform to spew propaganda and lies to the world."
• Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC): Vladimir Putin is not our friend and never has been. Nor does he want to be our friend. His regime’s actions prove it. We must make clear that the United States will not tolerate hostile Russian activities against us or our allies."
• Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA): "For the president to cast doubt is not unreasonable … Having said that, Putin is an evil man."
• Rep. Pete King (R-NY): "[I] strongly disagree" with Trump’s statement that Russia did not interfere in the 2016 election. "[I’m] disappointed, not flabbergasted." King added that having Russia cooperate with Special Counsel Robert Mueller "would be like bringing ISIS into a joint terrorism task force."
• House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI): "There is no question that Russia interfered in our election and continues attempts to undermine democracy here and around the world. That is not just the finding of the American intelligence community but also the House Committee on Intelligence. The president must appreciate that Russia is not our ally. There is no moral equivalence between the United States and Russia, which remains hostile to our most basic values and ideals. The United States must be focused on holding Russia accountable and putting an end to its vile attacks on democracy."

Inserted from <Axios>

Most have remained silent.  One is goose-stepping, Idiot, Son of Idiot, Named after Idiot, Rand Paul.

While President Donald Trump’s statements on Russia at a joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin were widely condemned by a group of bipartisan lawmakers, at least one US senator took a stand and said he was "absolutely" with the president.

"I think engagement with our adversaries, conversations with our adversaries, is a good idea," Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky said during an interview with CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer. "Even in the height of the Cold War, I think it was a good thing that [President John F. Kennedy] had a direct line to [Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev]."

Paul then went beyond backing Trump’s comments and blamed partisan leanings for the ongoing outrage.

"I think there is a bit of Trump-derangement syndrome," Paul said. "I think there are people who hate the president so much that this could’ve easily been President Obama early in his first administration setting the reset button and trying to have better relations with Russia."…  [emphasis added]

Inserted from <Business Insider>

Disgusting!  Hannity called it a Witch Hunt.

This how I see it.  Republicans face a crossroads.  Those who goose-step, stay silent, and voice meaningless platitudes also giving aid and comfort to the enemy are are as guilty as Trump.  Those who join hands with Democrats to oppose Russia and Trump deserve another chance.  Sadly, there will be far too few.

RESIST!!

VOTE BLUE!!