Executive privilege...

[Dill]

(05-24-2019, 06:18 PM)hollodero Wrote: Yeah I get the system, ours is almost the same, minus the fact that the chief executive has such broad powers to overrule and claim privileges. But right now Trump seems to bet on the fact that the executive branch - and hence, he himself - beats all others if need be. It kinda worked already with the legislative branch (their subpoenas fell flat already, and no congress police arrested anyone for that), it's now up to the courts, and can they actually execute their rulings? If you say so, I will believe you, but I wasn't so sure about that. After all, a president obviously cannot be indicted (which is a weird and to me dangerous rule to begin with).

You've gotten good info from Benton, Fred and Bels.

A couple more points.

1. Nixon did invoke executive privilege. The courts ruled he could not invoke it to protect himself against investigation. 

2. There is enough evidence for a criminal indictment of Trump. That a president cannot be criminally indicted is only a policy, a kind of guideline at the moment. But this is a fluid situation, rapidly building to crisis. Trump has already met the Nixon bar for impeachment (obstruction, lying) but he is carrying his obstruction a step further, by setting the DOJ to go after his "enemies."  This may be enough pressure to push that policy to a court challenge.

3. This is different from 1974, when so many Republicans were still invested in rule of law and the system of checks and balances. Nixon did not have a Barr or Fox News "alternative facts." The autonomy of the DOJ is gone. Now the fundamental problem is not Trump or Congress, but that 40% who support Trump no matter what and dismiss legal forms and reasoning.

Fired by belief that surveillance of foreign actors interacting with the Trump campaign was a "coup attempt" on the part of Dems and FBI and CIA working together, it is this base, not the law, which make impeachment difficult or impossible at the moment.  Mass group think is the "weakness" in the US system--tens of millions who believe Mueller proved "no obstruction" and shut out the failing NYT's reports to the contrary. 

Tens of millions who believe that defending Trump is defending democracy and the nation against TREASON.