Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

spinbaby

(15,090 posts)
Tue Feb 19, 2019, 02:39 PM Feb 2019

Intimidation, Pressure and Humiliation

A long NYT article about Trump’s operation. Well worth the read.

WASHINGTON — As federal prosecutors in Manhattan gathered evidence late last year about President Trump’s role in silencing women with hush payments during the 2016 campaign, Mr. Trump called Matthew G. Whitaker, his newly installed attorney general, with a question. He asked whether Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York and a Trump ally, could be put in charge of the widening investigation, according to several American officials with direct knowledge of the call.

Mr. Whitaker, who had privately told associates that part of his role at the Justice Department was to “jump on a grenade” for the president, knew he could not put Mr. Berman in charge, since Mr. Berman had already recused himself from the investigation. The president soon soured on Mr. Whitaker, as he often does with his aides, and complained about his inability to pull levers at the Justice Department that could make the president’s many legal problems go away.

Trying to install a perceived loyalist atop a widening inquiry is a familiar tactic for Mr. Trump, who has been struggling to beat back the investigations that have consumed his presidency. His efforts have exposed him to accusations of obstruction of justice as Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel, finishes his work investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election.

(More at link)

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/19/us/politics/trump-investigations.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&smid=nytcore-ipad-share

9 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

demmiblue

(36,865 posts)
3. NOTE: Whitaker told the Judiciary Cmte. Trump never pressured him over the various probes.
Tue Feb 19, 2019, 02:53 PM
Feb 2019
Trump once asked Whitaker whether the U.S. attorney for SDNY, a Trump ally, could be put in charge of the Cohen probes, NYT reports. Whitaker couldn't do it.

NOTE: Whitaker told the Judiciary Cmte. Trump never pressured him over the various probes.


maxsolomon

(33,345 posts)
6. "you can't blame him for trying", right?
Tue Feb 19, 2019, 03:04 PM
Feb 2019

whitaker said no, so NBD. why all the fuss?

is all I have left...

gratuitous

(82,849 posts)
9. Needy Amin still hasn't quite grasped the concept
Tue Feb 19, 2019, 03:21 PM
Feb 2019

The Attorney General is not his personal attorney, to be ordered about at whim. Even Meatball has a concept of how the Department of Justice works, and that's what got him on Needy's shit list.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Intimidation, Pressure an...