Mueller should investigate the attack on Franken

[McCamy Taylor]

Since he is the one who uncovered Sessions collusion with Russia and his attempts to hide his Russian contacts. That makes the Roger Stone directed smear attacks against Franken potential obstruction of justice in that it appears to be intended to dissuade other
Congressmen from doing their duty to uphold the law. In particular evidence that the first accuser was In contact with Trump Jr suggests that this was attempted obstruction of justice.

[Beakybird]

1. Nonsense

Tweeden did her Me Too moment, most likely out of political vengeance. Franken probably crossed the line with her. This wouldn't have gone anywhere if it had been an isolated incident. But it wasn't. Evidently, Franken liked to get a little T & A when he could, and this history has come back to bite him and hurt the good cause that we all espouse here on DU.

Let's lick our wounds and move on.

[INdemo]

14. I totally DISAGREE

Bullshit

[LakeArenal]

19. Glad you spoke up...

Always like to know who is ready to condemn a man and ruin his career on specious evidence, anonymous accusers, suspicious political motivations with no due process.

[Mr. Evil]

20. Bullshit!

She has been in public with him several times well after the USO thing. She was all smiles and they appeared to be having a very nice time.

[FreepFryer]

2. Something tells me he is. (n/t)

[McCamy Taylor]

3. Me too. But just in case I thought I would post this.

There is so much criminal activity associated with Trump Russia that it must be difficult dealing with all of it.

[getagrip_already]

21. well, if he is already investigating stone....

and he has wiretaps and email taps in place, life could get interesting when he gets around to the crimes he detected along the way to russia........

[Baitball Blogger]

4. I don't think the Dem Senators are behind a coup in retaliation to Franken's Session interrogation.

I just think they're being useful idiots.

[McCamy Taylor]

6. Could actually be that they want to stop the distraction

And that no one (Democrat)wants Franken to go anywhere.

[Beartracks]

18. Sure, stop the distraction. And then Repubs cause another *distraction*...

... and fellow Dem Senators force out THAT distraction. And because it's working so well for them, Republicans cause yet another so-called distraction... and Democrats dutifully keep assisting Republicans with getting Democrats off the playing field.

How nice of us.

===========

[INdemo]

11. Democrats threw Franken to the Wild dogs before he presented his case.

Its BULLSHIT

[byronius]

16. +1

[mountain grammy]

24. Yes, indeed they are,

but there's that nagging thing in my head that won't go away. This is such an obvious hit job, to me anyway. McCarthy era tactics. I'm scared.

[wcmagumba]

5. I say yea...

clearly a political hit (imo), variety of anonymous and unverifiable attacks on a leading drumph/putin conspiracy
investigating Senator...

[FreepFryer]

7. Roger Stone tweeted about Franken 'in the barrel' beforehand, just like DNC/Wikileaks... HMMM.

For more info : https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029950477

[fountainofyouth]

8. Y'all are starting to lose the plot

Not every bad thing that happens to our party is a conspiracy. That's Alex Jones thinking.

[womanofthehills]

12. except - Roger Stone is probably behind this

[ProudLib72]

17. And Hannity

And, hell, now we know Tweeden is a YUGE buddy of Don Jr's.

[Scruffy1]

9. i am sure that they are looking at it.

My hunch is that it would start with old Hubbard, the crazy media billionaire. The reason I feel this way is it seemed based in good ole Minnesota.

[geardaddy]

10. The Hubbard Broadcasting guy?

Yeah, he's a real piece of work.

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

13. They wont.

At this stage of the investigation they likely already have their targets in mind. They will concentrate on making their cases airtight against them, they won't waste time and resources on something like this.

[getagrip_already]

22. he is already looking at stone...

it's been reported anyway. And once you get under the microscope, any crimes seen become fair game. It would wait for the cleanup charges, but they could certainly be included.

[brooklynite]

15. What crime would you point to that warrants investigation by a special prosecutor?

[McCamy Taylor]

27. Conspiracy to obstruct justice by intimidation of lawmakers

That is what I would call the case.

[brooklynite]

31. In that case they did a pretty bad job...

...since apparently none of the Democratic Senators and candidates see it as are intimidation.

[Rene]

23. yes he should especially given the Jr collusion with the first accuser from USO show

actuall email/twitter trail exists between them.

[angstlessk]

25. Wishful thinking is for when you go to sleep and dream.

[Wednesdays]

26. I would love to see this happen, but...

I think it's way too big of a stretch as far as relevancy. Lawyer-type people here can correct me if I'm wrong.

[McCamy Taylor]

28. Some Should ask John Dean

[rockfordfile]

29. you would think so

[riverwalker]

30. He should hire an investigator

A private detective should talk to witnesses, whatever. Clear his name. Tell Leeann either you tell the truth or I will, have a joint presser.

[McCamy Taylor]

32. Link about "Obstruction of Justice" and Why I Think it applies here.

https://criminallaw.uslegal.com/crimes-against-justice/obstruction-of-justice/

Section 1503 offers broad protection to the “due administration of justice” by stating that a person who “corruptly or by threats of force, or by threatening letter or communication, influences, obstructs, or impedes, or endeavors to influence, obstruct, or impede, the due administration of justice” is guilty of the crime of obstruction of justice.

The government must prove that there was a pending federal judicial proceeding, the defendant knew of the proceeding, and the defendant had corrupt intent to interfere with or attempted to interfere with the proceeding, in order to obtain a conviction under section 1503. Under the statute, actual obstruction is not necessary as an element of proof to sustain a conviction. The defendant’s endeavor to obstruct justice is sufficient. The courts define “endeavor” as an effort to accomplish the purpose the statute was enacted to prevent.

The "judicial proceeding" is Mueller's investigation which could lead to the impeachment of Trump. Note that if Trump is impeached, the Senators will be jurors--which makes this an attempt to obstruct justice by intimidating a juror (which, if successful) would serve to influence other (Congressional) jurors. Since Congress also has the power to launch its own criminal investigations of executive branch crimes, this attempt to force Franken from office could also be construed as an attempt to dissuade the other members of Congress from doing their jobs in checking the power of the executive branch.

I am not a lawyer, but I think a skillful lawyer could turn this into an obstruction of justice case.Particularly if it can be proved that false or misleading statements were made and that two or more people conspired before the fact to make false or misleading statements.