The Trump Administration was so corrupt that

[edhopper]

Last edited Sat Jun 12, 2021, 10:43 AM - Edit history (1)

it is an open question of who ordered the surveillance of reporters and members of Congress.
"It might not have been Trump" because it literally could have been any senior member of that crime syndicate.

I want to point out that Nixon did not know about the Watergate break in until after it happened. He just set up a criminal enterprise and gave them carte blanche.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

1. How obvious is it now that Trump ran his Administration like a Mob family

All things point to Trump.

[sop]

2. And like every mob boss, Trump knows how to issue orders so he can't be held legally responsible.

[edhopper]

3. Yes

But when lawlessness is the MO, they didn't need a directive or go ahead from him to commit specific crimes. It was just what they always did.

[Firestorm49]

12. Agreed. To think that he was unaware is wishful thinking. It's who he was and ever will be.

[Deuxcents]

4. I'm of the opinion he knows

And directed all four years of mayhem. Now, of course, they all have amnesia and that’s part of the plan, too.

[malaise]

5. An important question is how many

of these criminals are still working at DOJ or in other Federal institutions

[bluestarone]

6. THIS

To the millionth degree!!!

[dalton99a]

8. +1

[c-rational]

13. +2

[xxqqqzme]

14. I think there are more plants

in the State Department. Even ole Rex seemed a little skittish about people placed there.

[malaise]

19. +1,000

although I suspect they are everywhere

[Claire Oh Nette]

20. any one appointed...

and any one with a R after their name.

We need a housecleaning with the DOJ and the Military.

[MiHale]

22. +3

[Chainfire]

7. "I was only following orders."

[soothsayer]

9. The fact that he went after kids' phones means he's using his kid's (and grandkids' phones)

Should get those records (legally of course).

[edhopper]

10. True

because we know how he projects his own failings on his enemies.

[sop]

11. Probably sends the maid out to buy a dozen burner phones at Walmart every month.

[malaise]

15. Great point

He literally tells us what he's doing by accusing others of the same thing.

[TheBlackAdder]

16. Wanna bet there will be another ball dropping that certain news and media types were spied on too?

.

No doubt Jeff Bezos and Tim Apple. They probably have dirt of Zuckerberg too.

.

[Martin68]

17. edhopper, you are correct that there is nothing on Nixon's tapes that suggests he directly ordered

the Watergate break-in. However, he never expressed surprise about the break-in, and his minions would never have conducted the operation unless they knew he would have approved it. Once the break-in was discovered and the WH was implicated, Nixon knew the tapes might be discovered and probably avoided incriminating himself on tape any more than he already had. He may even have tried to cover his ass with denial of knowledge about the break-in. Pure speculation on my part, of course, but I'm not sure there is enough evidence either one way or the other.

[KPN]

18. J. Edgar Hooverism in the Oval Office.

[gulliver]

21. Trump picks people like Barr and phrases orders so he can deny issuing orders.

Barr or some other stooge would just assume (correctly) that Trump doesn't care what means are used. And Trump will just say, "I hope you find something for me."

[edhopper]

23. Like "finding" more votes in Georgia.

[BobTheSubgenius]

24. Drumpf was a curious combination.

Some things, he liked to micromanage, mainly because his trust level was not high...in virtually anyone and everyone. In other areas, he was incurious to the point of belligerence.

I believe he knew, at least in principle.