On Tuesday night, Donald Trump gave a speech where he succeeded in reading from a teleprompter and didn’t lie as much as he usually does. The media fawned all over it, declaring that Trump had finally pivoted into acting “presidential”.
Except that early Saturday morning, less than four days later, Trump had another twitter tantrum, accusing Obama of tapping his phones during the election. Of course, he provided absolutely no evidence.
Apparently, Trump is finally having an “outright personality breakdown in public view”. As one twitter user responded, “Keep him away from the nuclear codes today. Please.”
What makes this really scary is that if Trump’s phones were actually tapped, it would mean that a FISA judge decided that there was compelling evidence that Trump was doing something very illegal. You know, like conspiring with the Russians to throw the election. Obama would have had nothing to do with it.
We are supposed to be a nation of laws. Nobody, not even the president, is above the law. The Justice Department has (and must have) independence to protect us from executive power. This independence means not only that Obama does not have the power to wiretap anyone he pleases, but that Trump does not have the power to stop an investigation that was started because of “probable cause”.
Otherwise, we become no better than a banana republic led by a petty dictator.
5 Comments
I have read in the past, that FISA almost never denies a request. If that’s true then it might have been a pretty weak case. I hope not, but it’s a possibility. I guess I’m tired of being disappointed.
It needn’t be throwing the election. It could be simple corruption; a shady business deal between the Russians and Trump. Such corruption is Putin’s and Trump’s style.
Wildwood, that doesn’t matter — it would not have been Obama making the request (as Trump claims).
IK that never occurred to me when he accused Obama of it. Funny how some accusations are believable and some aren’t. I just assumed that Obama was not involved. I was hoping that FISA had been shown good and strong evidence of the need for the warrant. In which case our mighty texter may have just shot himself in foot. Or somewhere higher on his plump hide. And once again, where are the white hat hackers? We certainly can’t count on Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III to investigate.
Obama is a trained Constitutional lawyer, former editor of the Harvard Review. Trump is a former reality show star, failed casino owner and Trump U. founder fraudster.
There is no conceivable upside for Obama to initiate or approve a wiretapping operation without credible intel, legal council and a FISA warrant. Not even an amateur poker player at one of his failed casinos would be that stupid.
Trump’s legal and ethical morass gets deeper with every tweet. Even Comrade Vladimir has distanced himself lately. Keep it up, Agent Orange, you’re on a roll!