Trump demands information.

[hollodero]

(05-22-2018, 10:36 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: The answer to all of your questions (except the last one) is yes. What he is doing he has the Constitutional authority to do. The independence of the DoJ has been a norm in Washington, but it is a department of the executive branch which the POTUS is the head of. POTUS is not above the law, however, as there is a method for holding the position accountable: impeachment. That is the simple, and legal, answer.

One of the things that this administration has brought to light for many people is just how many things in government we have taken for granted as laws were actually just unofficial norms. What is going on is troubling to me and many others, but this is our current legal administrative framework in this country and holding the POTUS accountable is a political act, not a legal one.

Now, I will say that this is just more bluster that is either him trying to rally his base or is him not understanding how these things work. The whole reason an informant was used was to not politicize what happened. The FBI caught wind of contacts members of the campaign made with foreign agents. Instead of pulling people in for interviews, which would be SOP, they used an informant to more subtly gain more information. This was done because of the timing in the election cycle. The DoJ/FBI was aware of what it would look like if they pulled campaign staffers in. This was not a spy embedded in the campaign, and this was not an attempt to tip the scales against Trump. The DoJ and FBI actually aided Trump in his election win, which is why I always find it ridiculous when this type of thing gets hyped.

 much appreciated, as always. Thanks.

I find nothing to add on to, except I guess I still challenge the "above the law" part. I heard he maybe can not get indicted, he might not have to comply with a subpoena, yeah some say he can of course pardon himself. This looks like being above the law stuff to me. 
Now I get it, the answer is impeachment. But if Congress doesn't move on that, and seeing how there's a neuter... [10.000 page rant about the obsequious GOP], they let anything pass. Would he ever get impeached by those folks in congress? Ever?

It's not necessarily true for any president, but in this constellation, it looks like a factual truth to me that he is above the law. For now at least.