Comey's opening statement is out.

[Dill]

(06-09-2017, 11:18 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: Yes, the POTUS has the discretion to direct investigations. But, this does not mean that the POTUS is exempt from the idea of obstruction of justice in doing so. Were a POTUS to have an investigation ended, or even impede one in any way, and Congress felt something was off about it, they could bring proceedings forward for impeachment based on obstruction of justice. The idea of justice being served is above the office of the POTUS, so if Congress feels that the POTUS obstructed justice with their actions, even if they are powers of the executive, then Congress can rightfully impeach on those grounds.

Well explained, Bels. Though I would add that in the case of the POTUS, it very difficult to penalize obstruction. The punishment, impeachment, is so consequential for party and country that the offense has to be both blatant and serious enough to secure bipartisan agreement, and that in turn often requires loss of public support for a president.

Thus, unlike obstruction at other levels of government, prosecution of a president requires a complex alignment of usually counter interests. It is quite possible that in Trump's case even more evidence of obstruction emerges over the next two weeks, and there might still be no indictment referred to the House, and if there is, no conviction.