Trump: My Crimes Can't Be Investigated While I'm President

[babylonsister]

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/09/donald-trump-tax-returns-lawsuit

Levin Report
Trump: My Crimes Can’t Be Investigated While I’m President
The president’s latest attempt to keep his tax returns hidden is a novel one.
By Bess Levin
September 19, 2019


As you may or may not have heard, Donald Trump refused to release his tax returns while running for president, claiming, falsely, that an audit prevented him from doing so but that the public would see them just as soon as he got the green light. Two years and 242 days after moving into the White House that, of course, has not happened. Instead, Trump has sicced his Treasury secretary, attorney general, and various personal lawyers on anyone attempting to get their hands on the information, in a manner suggesting the details within could make a person look quite bad. Typically, Trump’s attorneys have argued that such requests, like the ones from various House committees, constitute “PRESIDENTIAL HARASSMENT” or supposedly lack “a legitimate legislative purpose.” On Thursday, though, they came up with a novel new argument: It’s illegal to investigate a sitting president for any crimes he may have committed.

In a lawsuit filed today against Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., who recently subpoenaed eight years of Trump’s tax returns to determine if the Trump Organization falsified business records relating to Stormy Daniels payments, the president’s lawyers claim such a request is unconstitutional because the founding fathers believed sitting presidents should not be subject to the criminal process. “The framers of our Constitution understood that state and local prosecutors would be tempted to criminally investigate the president to advance their own careers and to advance their political agendas,” the suit reads. “And they likewise understood that having to defend against these actions would distract the president from his constitutional duties.”

Strangely, actual legal experts aren’t entirely convinced of this argument. “Even assuming that the president cannot be indicted while in office, it does not follow that his business and associates are likewise immune from investigation,” Harry Sandick, a former federal prosecutor, told Bloomberg. “The complaint makes light of the idea that ruling in their favor would elevate the president above the law, but it certainly seems as if the president views himself as above the law.”

Vance, who agreed not to enforce the subpoena—issued to Trump’s longtime accounting firm Mazars USA—until a scheduled September 25 hearing, is investigating if executives at the Trump Organization filed false business records concerning hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who both claim to have had affairs with Trump, charges he, naturally, denies. The president’s former fixer, Michael Cohen, admitted to arranging the hush money payments and released audio of him discussing the Daniels payment with Trump.

Thursday’s lawsuit is just one of a handful of attempts by the president to keep his totally legit finances secret. He’s also sued to block House Democrats’ demands for his tax returns and is seeking a court order to stop Congress from obtaining his New York state returns, which a recently passed law allows them to do. Additionally, his legal team is challenging California’s new requirement that any presidential candidate must release their tax returns to get on the primary ballot. And he’s appealing orders by federal judges in Washington and New York that would let three House committees receive his records from Mazars, Capital One Financial, and Deutsche Bank, the latter of which reportedly has seen at least some of his taxes.

It’s almost as though someone has got something to hide!

[Maxheader]

1. I don't give a fuck..

What the law says..if you have a sitting president that flaunts the law..hurts the people...starts wars..has numerous assault charges against them..personal business disasters, on an apparent regular basis...

That's a crime against americu and a violation of national security...put it in chains...

[democratisphere]

2. This a**hole actually thinks he is above all laws.

No wonder he acts like a dictator. He has made himself one!

[brutus smith]

3. When will our Dem leaders go on the offense instead of playing defence all the time?

[SMC22307]

11. That's an excellent question. I want to see more Barry Berke, Esq. thrashing...

rather than "consideration" and hand-wringing.

[COLGATE4]

14. Any day now... just wait... they're having meetings...

Nadler is pissed... Pelosi seems to be considering moving towards thinking about considering...

[ProudMNDemocrat]

4. King Charles I of England thought he was above the law....

As history tells us that not even a King is above the law. He lost his head as England suffered a Civil War between the Royalists and Common people in the 17th century, that put the British Monarchy on hold under Oliver Cromwell. Then Cromwell made a mess of things and the people demanded that the Monarchy be restored, but with conditions that Parliament would be the Checks and Balances, the Judicial system be fair, and NOT even a King was above the law, ordained by God or no.


But fast forward to now. What Donald Trump has done is become drunk on the title of President. Thinking that he can do whatever he wants, violating the US Constitution. He is on purpose misconstruing the Constitution, rendering the Congress and the Courts impotent to follow the rule of law as he changes the rules to benefit himself and his family. Precedence has been set. The next Republican President will follow Trump's examples, while Democrats play by the Rules, unless they decide that the Rules need changing once again to reflect the values, foundations, intentions of which this Nation was founded.

Unless Donald Trump is soundly defeated in 2020, we as a Nation, will continue to founder like the TITANIC in 1912. Kiss Democracy goodbye.

[duforsure]

5. So his oath taking office

Means nothing, and he flaunts he and those of his choosing are immune from the same laws everyone else has to follow or be held accountable, and face prison for, but not him or his family, or people that gravel over him showing praise. Who in their right mind believes that's making this country great are either criminals, or are very stupid and conned easily. Any president who lies, threatens, and hurts people daily like he's doing should never have any place in OUR government, ever.

[colsohlibgal]

6. So He Thinks He Is A King?

We have never been here, Nixon was a petty crook but in the end he saw he was toast and quit.

Of course back then Republicans put country over party and forced him to resign. That is not going to happen with Moscow Mitch.

Who knows what the next 15/16 months will bring.

[Firestorm49]

7. Good Lord, Republicans complained about Obama! Happy slap in the face to them.

[Kid Berwyn]

8. "I've got an Article II."

“...where I can do whatever I want as President. But, I don’t talk about it.”

Moron.

[jayschool2013]

9. The Costanza Defense

[Paladin]

10. So he'll do everything possible to stay in office, just as long as he can.

Legally or illegally. McConnell and Barr will take care of the illegal part.

If you believe otherwise, you're just not paying attention to current events. We're staring a dictatorship squarely in the face.

[dalton99a]

12. "The Constitution Says I May Continue My Crime Spree Without Interference"

[Farmer-Rick]

13. So, as executive of the federal gov't he thinks no one can prosecute him.

So, what about the executive of the state gov't? What about the executive of a city gov't? And what about the vice president, or the speaker of the house, or the majority leader of the Senate?

How far do these just discovered magical powers, kingly powers, from prosecution go?

And how long do they last? Is the minute they are no longer the executive are they accountable for their crimes? The second, the hour, the day or the week? And what if they flee while in office? Can we bring them back to prosecute them? Can we send troops in to get the criminal?

If the hand selected Supremes go along with these royal demands...which I really think they will...they need to define it. They need to structure it so it applies fairly and equally to all executives. It would be exactly the process our legislatures were designed for that the Supremes will take on themselves.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

15. K&R. My first thoughts as well.

The GOP would even be perfectly happy for corporate officers and high-level officials of foreign governments to be exempt from the long arm of our laws as well.

KY.....

[rockfordfile]

16. Yes they can. That un-American S.O.B thinks he's a dictator

[Stuart G]

17. This statement, " My Crimes Can't Be Investigated While I'm President." shows how stupid Trump is.

This is the bottom ring of ..."stupid"...something like, "I am not a crook"

[SWBTATTReg]

18. I wonder if anyone who is involved w/ preventing authorities etc. from seeing this papers/...

returns, would be possibly subject to aiding and abetting a crime? Sure sounds like it to me.