Tonight saw a Friday night news dump that will go into the history books. Trump tried to fire the US Attorney from the Southern District of New York, Geoffrey S. Berman, who has managed a series of cases against Trump and his allies, including Trump fixer Michael Cohen, Trump lawyer Rudolph Giuliani, and Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, who were indicted for funneling Russian money to Republican candidates for office. Berman is reported to be investigating Trump’s finances, among many other things.
Agree - I look forward to this year's election (and the January inauguration) but really worry about the next 6 to 7 months - afraid we are in for a very bumpy ride. It downright scares me!
As an historian of the Pacific War, this feels like the Battle of Midway, with Trump's side playing the role of the Japanese fleet. Bear in mind that, until Bombing-Six commander Dick Best sank the Japanese carrier Akagi, the battle was going against the US, and from beginning to end it could have ended differently than it did. The result history records is that never again did the Japanese make an offensive move in the war. What I am trying to say as a metaphor here is, this is Huge, and right now the ultimate outcome is unknown. But if the several threads go - as they so easily can - against Trump, this is the battle that could see him sunk.
His own appointees are turning against him and showing the remnants of their integrity an courage. First in the intelligence services then the the supreme court and now in the justice system. Let's hear it for them! Go for him Berman. The rats will leave the sinking ship when it is clear that Trump won't or can't protect them any longer.
Professor Richardson, this Letter is one for the history books: I forwarded it to my students this morning.
Thank you for illuminating the encroaching darkness in a way that diminishes a measure of its malign power and converts it into information we can process, and use constructively to find our way.
It feels like we are moving closer to a Trump resignation so that he can be pardoned. The house of cards is shaking, and Berman may be what moves the cards to tumble. And, I ask the obvious question, although I know the answer..."Where is the outrage at Barr lying to the Senate during hearings for his nomination?"
He can't resign without setting himself up to be indicted--pretty much immediately--by any number of entities. A pardon won't protect him from the state and frankly, I don't think Pence of the Senate has the stomach right now to pardon him, especially knowing full well that a pardon is on limited protections that won't keep him out of jail. They will look like straight up conspirators in his criminal activity. The world is about to throw Donald Trump under the bus.
But even so, he can’t be pardoned for state crimes and I believe there may not be too big a difference between his state and federal crimes. Maybe the better word is “overlap.”
Time is of the essence. In this instance, he has yet to be formally tried and charged. He may not be charged until he and Pence are out of office. I don't see Biden pardoning him.
It has become so common for the president to stir up, obfuscate, and threaten that last night's actions are, in a way, just another page in the same book. But I do feel hope this book might end well, even though there is quite possibly a great deal more chaos in store. If this was a football game, my brother knows this, I would hate it. I like my team to be ahead by 35 points at halftime. I want to know they are winning. No such luck here. My beloved country is in a fight for its life, and while we may win, the outcome is not yet visible. And the stakes are so high. The American experiment in democracy, despite many failures, is still a political wonder and gift.
Yes, we absolutely cannot take anything for granted in this climate. We must make sure EVERYONE gets out to vote and that they have the opportunity to do so.
I gotta say. I was happy to be awake to witness it unfolding in front of our eyes. It was just a "WOW" moment. Finally someone with balls stood up. Finally.
It took Nixon three days to announce his resignation after the transcripts of the tapes were released. If SCOTUS rules against 45 by ordering the release of his tax returns this next week could 46 be sworn in by Fourth of July? Could things move that fast? Let's all pray Tulsa ... and across the entire country ... stays calm and peaceful throughout the weekend! We must hold onto the opportunity of a lifetime this momentous movement toward Justice and Equality. We must hold onto our Republic as Ben Franklin would tell us.
Frankly, I'm not very sure if I want Trump to resign early or not; who has Biden a better chance to beat, Trump or Pence? Or whoever else the Republicans throw up? At least with Trump, the choice is becoming increasingly clear...
Pence can't command Trump loyalists. Whether he could pick up GOP moderates who have abandoned Trump isn't clear. Could go either way. But with the loss of the base, he's probably cooked. At the end of his governorship his approval rating was abysmal-- something like 17% (although I am not looking that number up, so it might be off).
And frankly I’d like to see peaceful protests in Tulsa in defiance of Trump’s threat. Let Trump overreact and confirm he is ready to act the dictator. He says he’d bring in the National Guard. Could they even be mobilized quick enough if when he arrives he sees protesters?
I'm also rubbing my hands as this also says to me that SCOTUS will also rule against him on revealing his accounts and forcing his people to answer Congress's questions. I think we are going to see confirmed that he is not only a criminal but that he is also "broke"
Yeah he's broke. I am a business owner, and apply the same legal practices in my business. Except I don't use investors. It's all my own money I deal with.
What really surprises me is how, instead of trying to pretend that he is not a Trump flunky, Barr is ramping up the politicization of the DOJ seemingly with enthusiasm. Is this in response to the Bolton book, because they realize they haven't got a chance of stopping its contents from coming out? Is this simply Barr tugging the forelock to his puppet master? What the heck does Trump have on these guys that they turn themselves inside-out to do his bidding? I am very anxious about how the next five months will play out--and the battle royal possibly for months after to get him out of the White House if he loses.
Barr is very deeply religious, and would like to see a theocracy in America. Trump and he have parallel interests in a dictatorship. It's likely they disagree about who should be the dictator.
What exactly is this theocracy that he wants to see. A homogenous pious white christian America where it is okay to teargas citizen so that the president can hold a bible in front of a church without the consent or the blessing of the clergy inside?
If he loses (I would say WHEN, but I didn't think there were enuf stupid ppl to elect him in the first place) he will have from the first week of Nov to the third week of Jan to burn the house down. That scares me because he is insane.
Agreed. Of all the things that have happened lately, this scares me the most. If one investigates the people who are in line to take over, it is horrifying. Bannon acolytes. Homophobics. Right wing conspiracy theorists.
Barr is a true believer from both religious and political grounds. If you feel like seeing where he is coming from, read the unsolicited opinion he wrote to Trump to get the AG job. Basically, Barr thinks of the Presidency as a monarchy with no constraints on the power of the President. The other thing reading the opinion will show you is Barr parses words meaning he breaks down words in a sentence or more specifically in a question he might be asked to gain wiggle room in how he replies. For example, watch his confirmation hearing and how he plays with the wording of questions he is asked.
I don’t think it is only what info Trump, McConnell and Barr has on them, but also what can be done to them. I think the hanging of Epstein and the Deutsche Bank banker who handled Trump’s loans was a big statement.
HCR obviously focused on the new news tonight, understandably. But it's interesting that recently unredacted parts of the Mueller report came out and basically baldly said Trump lied, under oath, in writing about WikiLeaks. Is this SDNY a false flag operation? This US Attorney was going to get blocked by Democrats for a reason. I hate the tinfoil, but we have no idea what's really going on in SDNY. This US Attorney gave Trump a fairly significant campaign contribution. I mean, if you needed a really big distraction this would be a good one.
Doubt that. SDNY is not just Berman. There are a lot of career people there and the idea that all of them would sit quietly for this seems a bridge too far for me.
I am mindful that we, members of the public, can only respond to what we see and hear. I don't begin to imagine that we see and hear everything that transpires day to day, or in history. I am not a conspiracy aficionado, just a therapist, who knows we only ever get parts of the story, whatever it is. I believe it is fair of you to ask your question.
Berman gave $2700 to the Trump campaign. In my book that's not enough to qualify as a significant amount, (for a person in his position), or to ruin a career over, (stand by Trump).
I wouldn't sell my soul for anything. But note I believe it's actually uncommon for a US Attorney to give any campaign contributions. They want to appear unbiased. Also, this is the maximum amount he can illegally admit to. Also, if $2700 is what it took to make POTUS give you that seat it might be tempting. And contrary to belief, $2700 is a lot for any one in any Government position. I don't recall his previous work, but even POTUS isn't an extremely high paying job. Don't get me wrong, it's high enough, but not so high $2700 wouldn't make you blush. Bill Gates made more than $2700 while I wrote this. But even a highly paid lawyer will think about $2700, and Government lawyers are not highly paid relative to their counterparts in the private sector.
He was a top-flight NY lawyer. Not disagreeing with the concept here, but $2700 is close to pocket change for someone like that. Partners in that sort of a law firm can clear $10 million annually.
What if, when he got to that position, he became more familiar with the charges and had a change of heart? As you say, we can’t know, but quite a few folks are having a change of heart right now.
All that meant to Trump is that he would think he had Berman under his thumb bec he's that small minded. Berman may not see it that way: not over $2700
But, as I recall, Mueller did not directly recommend charges, so I am not sure news of the unredacted portions of the report about Trump's lies is particularly significant. The GOP refused to remove Trump from office notwithstanding indisputable evidence of his abuse of office that threatens national security, so I suspect they'd refuse to remove him from office for lying to Mueller.
A few days ago I said that the reason he will not resign from a job he loathes is that he knows SDNY will be waiting on the White House lawn with indictments? Well today he tried the fire the guy HE PICKED to run SDNY after he fired Preet Bahara. Perhaps because--like SCOTUS--that did not insure Michael Berman would not do his job after all. Or that Berman would not have the heft to fight back.
Good point that the Bully Trump may have underestimated the integrity of Berman. Berman's actions seem to demonstrate the old saw that the only way to handle a bully is to stand up to him. We fortunate citizens have had a number of fine patriots in the last several years standing up to the bully. I would like to think that their courage is catching.
But...IS it that the worms are finally beginning to turn, or is this another orchestrated scenario designed to distract us from some other dirty shennanigans?
Although really not germane to HCR’s 6/19/20 letter, of all of the labels that have been attached to 45, the one that I prefer is “Gas-lighter in Chief”. Just sayin’.
This experiment with fascism can’t end soon enough.
Amen.
Agree - I look forward to this year's election (and the January inauguration) but really worry about the next 6 to 7 months - afraid we are in for a very bumpy ride. It downright scares me!
As an historian of the Pacific War, this feels like the Battle of Midway, with Trump's side playing the role of the Japanese fleet. Bear in mind that, until Bombing-Six commander Dick Best sank the Japanese carrier Akagi, the battle was going against the US, and from beginning to end it could have ended differently than it did. The result history records is that never again did the Japanese make an offensive move in the war. What I am trying to say as a metaphor here is, this is Huge, and right now the ultimate outcome is unknown. But if the several threads go - as they so easily can - against Trump, this is the battle that could see him sunk.
Absolutely beautifully put. Any interest in writing for my history magazine, We're History? If so, email me.
Can we know how to access your history magazine, please?
Check your FB messages - I've sent you my e-mail.
His own appointees are turning against him and showing the remnants of their integrity an courage. First in the intelligence services then the the supreme court and now in the justice system. Let's hear it for them! Go for him Berman. The rats will leave the sinking ship when it is clear that Trump won't or can't protect them any longer.
Professor Richardson, this Letter is one for the history books: I forwarded it to my students this morning.
Thank you for illuminating the encroaching darkness in a way that diminishes a measure of its malign power and converts it into information we can process, and use constructively to find our way.
Glad it's useful. If they have questions, shoot them my way.
Thank you.
It feels like we are moving closer to a Trump resignation so that he can be pardoned. The house of cards is shaking, and Berman may be what moves the cards to tumble. And, I ask the obvious question, although I know the answer..."Where is the outrage at Barr lying to the Senate during hearings for his nomination?"
He can't resign without setting himself up to be indicted--pretty much immediately--by any number of entities. A pardon won't protect him from the state and frankly, I don't think Pence of the Senate has the stomach right now to pardon him, especially knowing full well that a pardon is on limited protections that won't keep him out of jail. They will look like straight up conspirators in his criminal activity. The world is about to throw Donald Trump under the bus.
But even so, he can’t be pardoned for state crimes and I believe there may not be too big a difference between his state and federal crimes. Maybe the better word is “overlap.”
The Constitution seems to suggest that Trump cannot be pardoned because he was impeached. Article II, sec. 2, #1.
I think this is still very hotly debated among constitutional scholars.
But I'm unclear about it; I've read that Article multiple times.
Can he be pardoned because he was acquitted not convicted? To me it's vague.
True. If Trump resigns and Pence tries to pardon him, we may find out.
It would be delicious if Pence refused to try.
Time is of the essence. In this instance, he has yet to be formally tried and charged. He may not be charged until he and Pence are out of office. I don't see Biden pardoning him.
Biden already publicly promised he would not.
Biden has said out loud that he would leave this to law enforcement and the judicial system.
It has become so common for the president to stir up, obfuscate, and threaten that last night's actions are, in a way, just another page in the same book. But I do feel hope this book might end well, even though there is quite possibly a great deal more chaos in store. If this was a football game, my brother knows this, I would hate it. I like my team to be ahead by 35 points at halftime. I want to know they are winning. No such luck here. My beloved country is in a fight for its life, and while we may win, the outcome is not yet visible. And the stakes are so high. The American experiment in democracy, despite many failures, is still a political wonder and gift.
Yes, we absolutely cannot take anything for granted in this climate. We must make sure EVERYONE gets out to vote and that they have the opportunity to do so.
I gotta say. I was happy to be awake to witness it unfolding in front of our eyes. It was just a "WOW" moment. Finally someone with balls stood up. Finally.
I couldn't look away, even though I was exhausted.
It took Nixon three days to announce his resignation after the transcripts of the tapes were released. If SCOTUS rules against 45 by ordering the release of his tax returns this next week could 46 be sworn in by Fourth of July? Could things move that fast? Let's all pray Tulsa ... and across the entire country ... stays calm and peaceful throughout the weekend! We must hold onto the opportunity of a lifetime this momentous movement toward Justice and Equality. We must hold onto our Republic as Ben Franklin would tell us.
Frankly, I'm not very sure if I want Trump to resign early or not; who has Biden a better chance to beat, Trump or Pence? Or whoever else the Republicans throw up? At least with Trump, the choice is becoming increasingly clear...
I think Pence would be easier to beat. He's such a milquetoast. I could be wrong of course.
Pence can't command Trump loyalists. Whether he could pick up GOP moderates who have abandoned Trump isn't clear. Could go either way. But with the loss of the base, he's probably cooked. At the end of his governorship his approval rating was abysmal-- something like 17% (although I am not looking that number up, so it might be off).
Correct. He is not a dynamic personality.
And frankly I’d like to see peaceful protests in Tulsa in defiance of Trump’s threat. Let Trump overreact and confirm he is ready to act the dictator. He says he’d bring in the National Guard. Could they even be mobilized quick enough if when he arrives he sees protesters?
Pence would be sworn in immediately after Trump's resignation is submitted to the Secretary of State and the official seal is affixed.
The problem with the resignation scenario is that Pence's first official act would be to pardon Trump.
There is still the State of New York indictments which whoever is President can not pardon.
I'm also rubbing my hands as this also says to me that SCOTUS will also rule against him on revealing his accounts and forcing his people to answer Congress's questions. I think we are going to see confirmed that he is not only a criminal but that he is also "broke"
Yeah he's broke. I am a business owner, and apply the same legal practices in my business. Except I don't use investors. It's all my own money I deal with.
I hope you are right.
I admire your optimism. I am not so sure.
ProPublica with the podcast Trump Inc. have been digging into the Deutsche Bank debacle for quite a while. https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/trumpinc/episodes/trump-inc-trump-deutsche-bank-its-complicated I've been following this story for years, so this attempted Friday night firing of Berman terrifies me.
Thank you for this. I have not heard this podcast, but will chase it down.
It’s called Trump Inc. and is a production of ProPublica and, i think, the NYT.
What really surprises me is how, instead of trying to pretend that he is not a Trump flunky, Barr is ramping up the politicization of the DOJ seemingly with enthusiasm. Is this in response to the Bolton book, because they realize they haven't got a chance of stopping its contents from coming out? Is this simply Barr tugging the forelock to his puppet master? What the heck does Trump have on these guys that they turn themselves inside-out to do his bidding? I am very anxious about how the next five months will play out--and the battle royal possibly for months after to get him out of the White House if he loses.
Barr is very deeply religious, and would like to see a theocracy in America. Trump and he have parallel interests in a dictatorship. It's likely they disagree about who should be the dictator.
What exactly is this theocracy that he wants to see. A homogenous pious white christian America where it is okay to teargas citizen so that the president can hold a bible in front of a church without the consent or the blessing of the clergy inside?
That and I feel they want women at home and at the mercy of men’s whims again. White Christian men like that never learn.
Had they had enough respect for women, women wouldn’t have needed to fight for liberation.
African Americans are sick of their crap that they protest again to not be treated as second, third, and fourth class citizens.
They need stop trying to make themselves out to be a master race by crapping all over people.
One of my favorite authors, Ilona Andrews wrote,
“A better world bought with atrocities will be rotten at the core."
So true.
Love this!
If he loses (I would say WHEN, but I didn't think there were enuf stupid ppl to elect him in the first place) he will have from the first week of Nov to the third week of Jan to burn the house down. That scares me because he is insane.
Agreed. Of all the things that have happened lately, this scares me the most. If one investigates the people who are in line to take over, it is horrifying. Bannon acolytes. Homophobics. Right wing conspiracy theorists.
Barr is a true believer from both religious and political grounds. If you feel like seeing where he is coming from, read the unsolicited opinion he wrote to Trump to get the AG job. Basically, Barr thinks of the Presidency as a monarchy with no constraints on the power of the President. The other thing reading the opinion will show you is Barr parses words meaning he breaks down words in a sentence or more specifically in a question he might be asked to gain wiggle room in how he replies. For example, watch his confirmation hearing and how he plays with the wording of questions he is asked.
What the heck does Trump have on these guys that they turn themselves inside-out to do his bidding?
The entire republican party is on the Putin payroll via Maria Butina, Lev, Igor and who-knows-whom else. What else is needed?
I don’t think it is only what info Trump, McConnell and Barr has on them, but also what can be done to them. I think the hanging of Epstein and the Deutsche Bank banker who handled Trump’s loans was a big statement.
Wait . . . . WHAT?!?!?!?
I did not mean to imply those three made those arrangements, but it sure seems like an ugly coincidence.
https://huecri.wordpress.com/2020/05/03/deutsche-banks-bowers-suicide-in-malibu-trump-gatekeeper/
Thank you so much for using the gift of your intellectual genius to save our democracy!
HCR obviously focused on the new news tonight, understandably. But it's interesting that recently unredacted parts of the Mueller report came out and basically baldly said Trump lied, under oath, in writing about WikiLeaks. Is this SDNY a false flag operation? This US Attorney was going to get blocked by Democrats for a reason. I hate the tinfoil, but we have no idea what's really going on in SDNY. This US Attorney gave Trump a fairly significant campaign contribution. I mean, if you needed a really big distraction this would be a good one.
Don't worry-- I hadn't missed that... or VOA either. But this deserved a stand-alone post.
Doubt that. SDNY is not just Berman. There are a lot of career people there and the idea that all of them would sit quietly for this seems a bridge too far for me.
I am mindful that we, members of the public, can only respond to what we see and hear. I don't begin to imagine that we see and hear everything that transpires day to day, or in history. I am not a conspiracy aficionado, just a therapist, who knows we only ever get parts of the story, whatever it is. I believe it is fair of you to ask your question.
Berman gave $2700 to the Trump campaign. In my book that's not enough to qualify as a significant amount, (for a person in his position), or to ruin a career over, (stand by Trump).
Not in that world. That is pocket change, not career making.
Exactly.
It's a maximum contribution. It'd be illegal for him to give more.
Yes, but would you sell your soul for 2700?
I wouldn't sell my soul for anything. But note I believe it's actually uncommon for a US Attorney to give any campaign contributions. They want to appear unbiased. Also, this is the maximum amount he can illegally admit to. Also, if $2700 is what it took to make POTUS give you that seat it might be tempting. And contrary to belief, $2700 is a lot for any one in any Government position. I don't recall his previous work, but even POTUS isn't an extremely high paying job. Don't get me wrong, it's high enough, but not so high $2700 wouldn't make you blush. Bill Gates made more than $2700 while I wrote this. But even a highly paid lawyer will think about $2700, and Government lawyers are not highly paid relative to their counterparts in the private sector.
He was a top-flight NY lawyer. Not disagreeing with the concept here, but $2700 is close to pocket change for someone like that. Partners in that sort of a law firm can clear $10 million annually.
It is a lot of money to me, too. I'm hoping that this is a show of ethical behavior on Berman's part, not political theater.
What if, when he got to that position, he became more familiar with the charges and had a change of heart? As you say, we can’t know, but quite a few folks are having a change of heart right now.
All that meant to Trump is that he would think he had Berman under his thumb bec he's that small minded. Berman may not see it that way: not over $2700
But, as I recall, Mueller did not directly recommend charges, so I am not sure news of the unredacted portions of the report about Trump's lies is particularly significant. The GOP refused to remove Trump from office notwithstanding indisputable evidence of his abuse of office that threatens national security, so I suspect they'd refuse to remove him from office for lying to Mueller.
Mueller believed he could not bring charges against a sitting President.
A few days ago I said that the reason he will not resign from a job he loathes is that he knows SDNY will be waiting on the White House lawn with indictments? Well today he tried the fire the guy HE PICKED to run SDNY after he fired Preet Bahara. Perhaps because--like SCOTUS--that did not insure Michael Berman would not do his job after all. Or that Berman would not have the heft to fight back.
Good point that the Bully Trump may have underestimated the integrity of Berman. Berman's actions seem to demonstrate the old saw that the only way to handle a bully is to stand up to him. We fortunate citizens have had a number of fine patriots in the last several years standing up to the bully. I would like to think that their courage is catching.
But...IS it that the worms are finally beginning to turn, or is this another orchestrated scenario designed to distract us from some other dirty shennanigans?
Why not both?
Although really not germane to HCR’s 6/19/20 letter, of all of the labels that have been attached to 45, the one that I prefer is “Gas-lighter in Chief”. Just sayin’.
Some folks are satirically calling tonight's rally in Tulsa the COVID-fest. Public health officials tried in vain to get Trump to cancel it.
and I just saw reports of staffers testing positive...
My favorite is “white emotional support group” rally.