The most important elements needed to establish a criminal conspiracy between Trump and Putin are mens rea and quid pro quo. To establish mens rea, Mueller needed to prove that Trump intended to commit that crime. Mueller could not establish legal intent without interviewing Trump to determine his state of mind. To establish quid pro quo Mueller needed to prove an exchange of value (this for that). He established quid. Quo is self evident. Even Trump’s lackeys can’t explain it.
President Trump on Friday seemed to adopt Vladimir Putin’s talking points, saying after a phone call with the Russian president that Russia was “not looking at all to get involved in Venezuela.” He said this even though his own secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, said Russia had “invaded” the South American country. Pompeo even said Russia persuaded embattled President Nicolás Maduro not to flee the country.
So in a series of appearances on the Sunday shows this weekend, Pompeo was tasked with some explaining. But his explanation doesn’t make much sense. And a closer look at the situation reinforces just how soft Trump has been on Russia — at least rhetorically.
Appearing on CBS, ABC and “Fox News Sunday,” Pompeo suggested he wasn’t familiar with the “context” of Trump’s Friday remarks but argued that they did not contradict anything.
“I didn’t see the full context of the quote there. I don’t know what context that was in,” Pompeo told CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “I do know this: The president has made clear, we want everyone out, and that includes the Russians.”
He added on “Fox News Sunday”: “President’s been very clear on this. He said — I think it was in a tweet several weeks back — the Russians have to get out. That remains our view.”
It’s a truism of politics that whenever a surrogate says their boss has been “very clear” about something, it usually means they haven’t. And that’s certainly the case here.
Trump has indeed said that Russia should get out of Venezuela, but it was hardly a proactive declaration. It came not in a tweet (as Pompeo thought), but in response to a question during a Q&A with reporters. And Trump seemed anxious to get past the question…
Inserted from <Washington Post>
Furthermore, when Putin said he had no involvement in Venezuela, and Trump backed him up on it.
Putin is enjoying his quo. Here’s a video.
I’ll say one thing. Treason is a high crime.
RESIST!!
13 Responses to “Does Putin Like His Quo?”
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IMHO, it is more important that Democrats focus on defeating Ofvladimir in 2020 than on impeaching him. Losers don’t make policy. Yes, tRump needs to be punished for his crimes; but we may have to wait till he has been hove out of the Oval Office for that.
Freya – I am with you 100%
I’ve become a “single-issue” voter: DEFEAT TRUMP!
You’re absolutely right – losers (even if they passed every “progressive purity test” to get the nomination) don’t make policy.
By the same token, if some smoking gun were to be revealed by Mueller during his House Hearing testimony – or revealed in the unredacted Report and/or supporting evidence – that would convince a solid majority of Americans that Twitler did commit some “high crime or misdemeanor” that warranted impeachment – then I’d say “Full speed ahead”.
And as I’ve previously mentioned – support for Nixon impeachment at the start of the Watergate hearings was only 19%. Polls show we’re ahead of that at this point. So there’s no reason to rule it out.
But a thorough investigation – including Mueller TELEVISED testimony will be critical.
But that’s not where our energies should center.
Don’t get me wrong – I’m all for all appropriate House committees to continue to pursue investigations, subpoenas, contempt charges and all legal avenues in pursuit of the facts. But it’s highly likely that Twitler’s aim at this point is to throw up as many roadblocks as possible so as to run the clock out until November 3, 2020.
Keep investigating.
W/watch later, spot on convo. Thanks, Tom for getting this out for us to view/listen.
“Treason is a high crime.” Yes. Possibly the highest – certainly it was according to Dante.
I get frustrated myself by people who, in comments at sites other than here, complain that Democrats “are not doing anything,” “are dragging their feet,” “won’t use their power,” and the like. Just one example, someone commenting they “have to hold Barr in contempt right now” – and this after the date vote for holding him in contempt had been announced. Sorry, but I don’t want any Dem acting like a dictator, rushing into something without a vote that needs a vote. One of those is enough.
Just a reminder, Trump does not have to be convicted of a crime to be impeached. All that’s needed is a Congressional vote to impeach, no matter why the Congress reached that vote.
And to convict, they need 67 votes in the Senate.
“Look dysfunctional?” “Look?” With this POS in office we simply ARE!! “Look” at McConnell, and his bragging about his role in stymieing congress for the 1st two years of the POS’s administration! “Hope that we are smarter now?” Ha! How about a new Meme: “Hope rises eternal, but rots in hell!” Come on, America, please surprise me.
Jerry is right.
It wouldn’t surprise me if Drumpf has been told by Putin over the phone to stop meddling in Venezuela because he, Putin, is already doing that. Hence his umpteenth flip-flop which even his lieutenant Pompeo didn’t see coming.
As Nameless has already brought to the table so eloquently, “Twitler’s aim at this point is to throw up as many roadblocks as possible so as to run the clock out until November 3, 2020.” And that goes beyond juridical roadblocks for the Mueller report right into ‘looking for a war to start’. Putin has taken North Korea from Drumpf’s board by having summit talks with Kim himself, and now Venezuela is off-limits too. So that leaves Iran, right? So guess where Pompeo, who has become a liability over Venezuea, just went?
Pompeo Makes Unscheduled Trip to Iraq to Press U.S. Concerns About Iran
All I can say it that it’s really disgraceful to see our country being lead by a foolish creep that kisses the behind of foreign leaders’ How the house/congress can allow this is continue right in front of them each and every day, I’ll never understand???
tRump has no right having these secret type calls to pUtin. That includes the ones like when he went there.
Too much hush hush going on. Makes me think of bratty type kids in their early schools years having secret meetings.
Shameful, is what it all comes down to.
Thanks and hot Hump Day Hugs!
Don’t care about those love birds!
BERNIE 2020