Robert Mueller Must Finish Investigating Before Trump Gets His Supreme Court Pick

[DonViejo]

A profound, debilitating constitutional crisis awaits if we find out that the Senate confirmed an illegitimate president’s nominees.

DAVID LITT
06.28.18 8:15 PM ET

Our country faces a potential political crisis—and Mitch McConnell’s rush to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy is about to make it much, much worse.

I’m not referring to the Senate GOP’s eagerness to vote on a nominee only months, or weeks, before an election. This is hypocritical, given the way they treated Merrick Garland. But it’s unsurprising given the way McConnell and his caucus have conducted themselves for a decade or more.

Instead, I’m talking about the Russia investigation. There is a chance, far from certain but also far from unlikely, that we will soon be forced to consider the following question: Is Vladimir Putin allowed to rewrite the Constitution of the United States?

Of course, it’s always possible that sometime this fall, special counsel Robert Mueller’s team will announce that results of their investigation into Russia and the Trump campaign has turned up nothing shady. Those Trump Tower meetings really were about adoption. The president’s fondness for Putin is due to bromance and not blackmail.

But it’s also quite possible that there is fire behind the smoke. Consider the following alternate scenario, one entirely plausible given what we currently know: Russian spies handed over stolen intelligence to the Trump campaign. The Trump campaign promised Russia something (an easing of sanctions, for example) in return. And Trump himself knew about it. Such findings would describe actions that fall somewhere between collusion and outright treason. It would trigger the most dire political crisis in modern American history.

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[Hoyt]

1. Nomination and the upcoming election make it imperative for Mueller to release a status report now.

If he doesn't have enough to shock the nation and Congress at this point, he likely never will. Waiting for trump to purger himself again is a waste of time. Perjury and/or obstruction won't bring trump down.

Crossing all the Ts sounds nice if all we want is a chance to prosecute trump after he leaves office. It would likely fail anyway. But removing trump from office, or at least neutering him, is far more important. If there is evidence of significant wrongdoing -- and I think there has to be -- now is the time to release it if for no other reason than to give voters information they need in November to determine the direction of the country. That includes whether trump deserves another Court nomination.

If Mueller's investigation is just another Fitzgerald pile of crud, we need to know that too.

[madville]

2. It's a double-edged sword

Anything comes out that could take Trump down means Pence gets to pick.

Obstruction of justice or perjury won't be enough, it would likely get referred to Congress and the Senate would never convict.

Or Meuller comes out and says we don't have anything else right now and Trump takes an "I told you so" victory lap.

The Republicans in Congress are not going to wait for there to be a chance of the Democrats taking over the Senate and even then there is a chance the Republicans could gain a Senate seat or two and then have some leeway on votes after January.

All the scenarios are dangerous. The only real way to delay is for a few Republicans to vote No and for Manchin and Heidkamp to also vote No (which they don't have a history of doing and will put them in political peril this November, so a No vote now may help their Republican opponent win in November and turn it into a Yes vote anyway).

[Hoyt]

5. I agree, but doing nothing is dangerous too. And as much as I despise trump, if there is nothing

there by now, there is no reason to go on with what would be a charade as far as trump goes. Finish up with the underlings and end it. I think there is something there, but waiting only allows trump to do more damage.

Plus, something there might mean more votes for Democrats in November. Pence can't be any worse than trump at this point.

[Garrett78]

9. It may be possible to leak just the right amount of info.

Enough to stymie a SCOTUS appointment without actually impeaching that evil orange turd. Or not. Who knows.

[BSdetect]

3. So an idiot lying thief can run the country but we are helpless to do anything about that?

The entire system needs a major overhaul yet that same system mitigates against such essential change.

[Garrett78]

4. I wish damaging info would be leaked, but Mueller's investigation is in its infancy.

It's been going for a little more than 400 days and is probably far more complex than investigations that have lasted thousands of days.

[Hoyt]

6. Of course, we assume Mueller wakes up everyday bent on taking trump down. Not so sure anymore.

[Garrett78]

7. Yeah, Mueller is just doing his job.

He may be somewhat motivated by what happened to his friend Comey, but I doubt he has any motivation to help Democrats win back Congress or prevent a SCOTUS appointment.

A leak will have to come from elsewhere.

[Amishman]

8. I was initially suspicious of Mueller, then was won over, now I am getting suspicious again

I doubted him as he was selected by Trump's own DoJ. I couldn't imagine Trump's own people picking someone who would run an honest investigation.

Then more dirt came out and some decent indictments landed, and I got onboard.

Now I am getting suspicious again as a lot of time is passing and we still haven't gotten to the main course.

[Garrett78]

10. But, really, not that much time has passed.

And there have been quite a few indictments in 400 days of investigating.