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[NeoGold123]

When Trump was eleven I knew things would be bad. I had no idea things would be this bad this fast. Jeepers.

You knew sixty years ago and told no one?! This is the real crime...

 

[Apathy]

I want Trump see his children get sent to prison one by one like Cersei.

Remember how that ended?

 

[LiK]

Mueller is coming.

 

[SwordStruck]

Mueller is coming.

The question is if he will before Trump finds a way to fire him.

 

[thecouncil]

When Trump was eleven I knew things would be bad. I had no idea things would be this bad this fast. Jeepers.

Are you his mom?

This bad this fast? It's been 60 years.

 

[Wilsongt]

He'a going to pull a Sessions. "i don't recall"

 

[TheRagnCajun]

"Sure I'll speak to your committee - but I can't promise I'll tell the truth"

Just forget it. We'll wait till the Mueller investigation is done and subpoena him if necessary.

 

[GodofWine]

So the assumption here is he is guilty of something, and a lying to cover his ass, and hoping it never gets to any form of trial.


Some fame hungry insider who doesn't actually like the Trumps would be my fear if I were him...someone might know something, and have proof...or maybe the Russians will just hand it over and destabilize more, they are the anti-PS4 system update.

 

[tbm24]

I don't understand what's the point of this meeting then if he's not under oath.

 

[Kremzeek]

Cool, so next time we get called to court and go on the witness stand and they give us that bible to swear on, we can all just say "nah, I'm good."

 

[Conciliator]

Those guys will do anything to not be under oath. That's the exact appropriate behavior for people who, you know, committed treason or whatevs. They're stupid, but not stupid enough to testify publicly under oath at this point.

 

[rjinaz]

It doesnt really matter, Jeff Sessions Perjured himself multiple times under oath and nothing happened to him. The house and senate has far too many republicans to allow anything to happen anyways, all of our hope rests with Mueller.

Obviously this makes him look incredibly guilty though,and Fox is going to have to change their gameplan this weak to explain how refusing to go under oath is normal for innocent people, and even if he isnt innocent then its not a big deal, and if it is a big deal then its not his fault.

My guess is they will largely ignore the story, now that they can't play the "open transparency, he's such a good American bravely facing these accusations" angle.

 

[Felix Lighter]

What kind of deal is this? What is the Senate even getting out of this? Trump Jr. testifies but is free to lie. It's so pointless and Trump and company will use this as an example of them cooperating with the Senate investigation, when they absolutely are not.

 

[UberTag]

I don't understand what's the point of this meeting then if he's not under oath.

Republican dog and pony show.

We're not allowed to talk about Russian collusion once the Senate Committee on the Judiciary find the Trumps innocent of all charges.
The focus will then shift to more important matters... namely Hillary's acid-washed Emails.

 

[Skinny Pete]

I'm confused by this as well. What's the point? Trying to set a trap or something?

 

[rjinaz]

I'm confused by this as well. What's the point? Trying to set a trap or something?

Well some will get the chance to butter up to the President's son. I guess there's that.

 

[skullmuffins]

Here's some thoughts from a former white house & congressional committee lawyer about why we shouldn't freak out too much about the private interviews:

A few thoughts on Senate Judiciary's agreement to interview Paul Manafort & Don Trump Jr. next week instead of public hearing testimony 1/

CNN reports on the deal here 2/

Trump Jr. and Manafort reach deal with Senate panel to avoid public hearing
cnn.com

There is lots of appetite for Manafort & Trump Jr public testimony but private interviews are better from an investigative standpoint 3/

It is unclear from reporting but these may be transcribed interviews. They were our bread & butter investigative tools in the House. 4/

The Committee extracted interviews under subpoena threat; gets documents, interviews, avoids Fifth assertions & keeps subpoena leverage 5/

Manafort & Don Jr nonpublic interviews are still regulated by false statements & congressional obstruction statutes, ie, a crime to lie 6/

In my experience on the Hill, one thing Chuck Grassley will not tolerate is challenge to his oversight prerogatives. 7/

Also, it is telling that Sen. Feinstein signed on to the agreement. Dems on staff see this agreement as a benefit rather than snow job. 8/

Senate Judiciary can/will still have a public hearing later on, but it will be informed by the info due to Manafort/Trump Jr. agreement 9/

This creates perjury trap exposure for Trump Jr. & Manafort vis-a-vis the Mueller, Senate & House Intel investigations & future hearings 10/

A (transcribed) interview is a MUCH better format for obtaining information than a hearing. No Member grandstanding, no 5-min rounds 11/

Comey & Yates hearings were bombshell but Congressional hearings tend to be better at presenting information than ferreting it out. 12/

In all, Senate Judiciary has a good deal on PM & DJTJr: trade time for info & voluntariness w/o sacrificing legal power or next moves 13/

A few more thoughts about this week's Russia investigation interviews of Manafort (Judiciary), Trump, Jr. (Judiciary) & Kushner (Intel) 1/

Lots of outcry on Twitter: Will the Trump Troika will testify ”Under Oath"? Formal testimony is important but it is legally a red herring 2/

”Under Oath" is a prerequisite for Perjury but not False Statements. Both are felonies that carry up to a 5-year sentence 3/

See this blurb from the U.S. Attorney's Office here on Perjury & False Statements linked 4/

(link: https://www.justice.gov/usam/crimin...jury-overview-18-usc-1621-and-1623-violations) justice.gov/usam/criminal-...

.@PreetBharara agrees w/ Grassley that it is criminal to lie to congressional investigators ”Under Oath" or not 5/

Preet Bharara @PreetBharara
This is true. And presumably witnesses will be advised that lying is a crime. It's how FBI and federal prosecutors conduct interviews too. (link: https://twitter.com/chuckgrassley/status/889167355716263936) twitter.com/chuckgrassley/...

For example, Michael Flynn's criminal exposure lies, in part, in his reported dishonesty during an FBI interview 6/

Criminal false statements liability is an issue for various reported omissions by Kushner on SF-86 security clearance forms 7/

So whether in an informal briefing, transcribed interview, deposition, or formal hearing on C-SPAN, it is a felony to lie to Congress 8/

That is not to say there are not benefits to the images & substance of Oath-taking at a formal congressional hearing 9/

Taking an Oath signals to the witness & public the solemnity of the proceeding. It requires public accountability by the witness 10/

OTOH a transcribed interview is less formal, out of public view—initially—and tends to put a witness at more ease 11/

A (false) sense of security why a transcribed interview can be better than a formal hearing for ferreting out information from a witness 12/

In the House we used less formal interviews to great effect to get witnesses to cooperate, especially those beyond our subpoena power 13/

For example, investigating US contractor protection payments to Taliban-affiliated warlords, See Warlord, Inc. 14/

(link: http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/HNT_Report.pdf) cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/HNT...

The American people deserve a full public accounting of Russian interference in our elections, as I have argued since last year 15/

In 8/16 I called for a 9/11 commission approach to the DNC Hack—long before I thought Trump would be President 16/

I wrote that piece b/c I foresaw partisan strain that could overwhelm congressional & executive branches' credibility 17/

But here we are: relying on a Special Counsel on the criminal side; fragile bipartisan Senate efforts; and who knows about House intel 18/

Nothing about the Manafort, Trump, Jr. & Kushner Senate interviews will preclude subsequent formal public hearings 19/

The American people must insist on later public congressional hearings but don't unload on Congress for abdication today 20/x

https://mobile.twitter.com/AndyMcCanse/status/888728920245379073
https://mobile.twitter.com/AndyMcCanse/status/889444932477485057

 

[Shadybiz]

I wonder why they would get cold feet about testifying under oath...hmm.

 

[Skellig Gra]

Eh, what does a toothless public hearing get us anyway? Other than some work day entertainment.

 

[Doctoglethorpe]

It may be illegal to lie on a technical level, but until "I don't recall" stops being a legitimate excuse to do it anyways, it's still essentially legal.

 

[Nappuccino]

Mueller is coming.

The question is if he will before Trump finds a way to fire him.

I've just had a great idea for a porno.

 

[theWB27]

Eh, what does a toothless public hearing get us anyway? Other than some work day entertainment.

I'm sure a large contingent of people feel the toothless public hearings have a little bite because of public scrutiny. Without that they most likely feel it's nothing at all.

 

[Bitch Pudding]

In its current state, the US really is a fucking banana republic.

 

[Various Artists]

Are you his mom?

This bad this fast? It's been 60 years.

Damn phone auto correct. Didn't catch it. Meant elected sorry. Though when he was eleven he was probably narcissistic and had other personality problems.

 

[thecouncil]

Damn phone auto correct. Didn't catch it. Meant elected sorry. Though when he was eleven he was probably narcissistic and had other personality problems.

ha. i knew what you meant though. i was just teasing.

 

[SwordStruck]

I've just had a great idea for a porno.

Something something golden shower.

 

[Agent Gibbs]

I guess daddy won't pardon him so no more oath

 

[3rdman]

No oath means he can lie to his heart's content and his handlers at Fox can spin his words as gospel to their legions of brain-dead followers. America is great again!

At this point, they should just cancel this whole farce of a song and dance show.
Might as well invite Kellyanne Conway to speak if you're going to treat them with this level of kid gloves.

The dems should (if they had a spine) refuse to be part of this unless he is under oath. What is the point of any of this other than to give the guy cover?

Edit: Just ready the blurb above...I'm glad to be wrong. I will look at this as a step in the proceedings but I don't look forward to the immediate future and how things will be spun by Fox and co.