The GOP House and Senate and Justice Dept cannot investigate the Flynn affair...

[kentuck]

....because they are part of the investigation.

It is highly probable that Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell and members of both the House and Senate Intelligence committees knew about the conversations going on with Russian officials during the campaign. It would be totally inappropriate for them to investigate themselves.

Likewise, the Justice Dept, now being run by Atty-General Jeff Sessions, would not be able to run an honest investigation, since he was the first Senator to endorse Donald Trump and was likely familiar with the campaign shenanigans from the beginning?

The only solution is to have a bi-partisan, competent, independent investigation. They should not be partisan politicians. We need the truth, not more bullshit from the Republicans.

[Hortensis]

1. House and senate committees have Democrats on them,

and Sessions' ability to quash the FBI investigation? Well, just remember Watergate, including the Saturday Night Massacre when Nixon fired the special prosecutor investigating him. Of course Sessions would not resign in protest the way Nixon's AG did, but others in the Justice Department would.

Btw, people employed by the executive branch have duties to support the administration that end once they leave... Nondisclosure agreements do not cover criminal acts, subpoenas can get around them, and resignations can generate more than just brief headlines.

And with all the leaks from our intelligence services, and some from other, sympathetic governments, I suspect any attempt to close these investigations down after taking out a couple of lower-level fall guys would only generate new, incendiary leaks.

I'm wondering, how much "plausible deniability" does Pence have?

[kentuck]

2. "I'm wondering, how much "plausible deniability" does Pence have?"

Not much, in my opinion. He seems to be the target they are most interested in protecting at this time, moreso than Trump.

[Hortensis]

5. You're seeing that? Anything beyond insisting that Pence's

statements resulted entirely from being lied to?

Hardly surprising in any case. Koch-type plutocrats are very jazzed about what they can destroy and restructure, and of course the religious rightcases are sure they're watching God's plan at work.

[mgardener]

7. I wonder about Pence too.

If he didn't know bout the Russian contacts, then it appears to me that they did not trust him.
And if he did know and did nothing that he is as complicit as Trump.
And did McConnell and Ryan know.

Remember when the Democrats were briefed about Russia and the election? They appeared truly upset about what they found out.
What was that?

Just checked and found an article that stated that Flynn was going to be Trump's pick as early as 11/16. What else did he do before being confirmed as NSA.
And was Sally Yates fired as retaliation for her knowledge about Flynn and his activities or because of the Muslim ban?

[Hortensis]

13. I'd be beyond astonished if McConnell didn't know, M.

McConnell is a very powerful man and he got that way by being extremely well informed and putting that knowledge to work to accumulate more power. After all, Putin had Trump's people REVERSE the previous GOP position on the Ukraine in the GOP platform to one favoring Russian aggression. That story is only a little exclamation point in a big, thick collection of stories about McConnell's world.

As for Sally Yates, it really seems she was fired because she wouldn't cooperate with unethical and probably unlawful orders. An ethical AG, even acting temporary, was an unacceptable obstruction for 45 and the various scummy factions that have ridden him into power. After all, whatever she knows she took with her.

As for the Democrats, remember that FBI Director Comey spent the spring and summer watching two Russian intelligence agencies spying on the DNC and copying their emails without notifying the DNC leadership. They didn't know. They would of course have known about Comey's unsavory history regarding the Clintons, but I'm guessing they were shocked that he actually enabled hostile Russian actions against Democrats even one day after they were discovered. We know now, of course, as Comey did while it was happening, that Putin also tried to throw at least several Democratic down-ticket races to Republican opponents.

[spike91nz]

3. Jimmy Carter

the pope and Malala Yousafzai. Complete and honest report on the level of corruption and what needs to be done to correct this mess that has come from undermining campaign finance efforts.

[riversedge]

4. Obama, Trump and several Senators were in on the late October Intel briefing as I recall.

[kentuck]

6. We should not assume that Democratic Senators knew everything some Republicans might have known...

Republicans are a secretive lot.

[watoos]

8. The very best option

is to appoint a special prosecutor, but I have zero faith in that scenario happening.
Republicans and the M$M have been going out of their way protecting Pence, making him out to be the victim. I'm guessing that Paul Ryan doesn't want to be appointed president he wants to run in 2020 so keeping Pence away from the mud is critical for Repubs.

[kentuck]

9. I think you are correct.

Protecting Pence is a priority for them.

[onethatcares]

10. I saw that in the TampaBayTimes this a.m.

that the con knew about Flynn but kept it from Pence for 3 weeks. To me, just a carpenter here, that sounds like someone is not
to be trusted or they are laying the teflon on a bit thick.

[bdamomma]

11. repigs

PARTY OVER COUNTRY IS THEIR MOTTO.

[bucolic_frolic]

12. Agree a commission is best

but it's got to be appointed, agreed upon. You'd have to overcome that
hurdle as well as convince the Republicans it would be a whitewash and
the Democrats it would actually mean something.

I sure don't recall, didn't follow it, the Starr commission investigating
the Clintons, 1990s version, how did that originate?

[volstork]

14. I agree,

but good luck with that.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

15. Yes, they can investigate. Especially Justice Department & especially if Sessions recuses himself

Anybody can investigate anybody, but it can be meaningless, as in the case of Benghazi and the emails. You can investigate the Flynn-Russia-election-Trump affair if you like.

Sessions would definitely have to recuse himself because he was a member of the transition team, a critical period of involvement.

An investigation by a clean sector of the FBI would work, but Comey would definitely have to recuse himself. Ultimately the intelligence community will have to be involved.

The issue of the election and governance has to be resolved for the sake of faith in government and the stability of the US now and in the future.

[ProfessorGAC]

16. Think About What You Wrote, Bernardo

Sessions has to recuse himself, Comey has to recuse himself, and we need to find some clean sector of the FBI. Man, that is a distressing state of affairs.

BTW: You're right. Just commenting on how dirty all this is.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

17. Oh, I agree with you, very distressing. . . . nt