Thursday, May 11, 2017

Obstruction of Justice

It has its own chapter in the US Code: 18 USC 73.

The relevant matter may be under section 1505:

...Whoever corruptly, or by threats or force, or by any threatening letter or communication influences, obstructs, or impedes or endeavors to influence, obstruct, or impede the due and proper administration of the law under which any pending proceeding is being had before any department or agency of the United States, or the due and proper exercise of the power of inquiry under which any inquiry or investigation is being had by either House, or any committee of either House or any joint committee of the Congress
Shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years or, if the offense involves international or domestic terrorism (as defined in section 2331), imprisoned not more than 8 years, or both.

trump is using Comey's firing as both threat and promise of force: anyone who keeps investigating his and his campaign's ties to Russia will lose their jobs.

Obstruction is a serious matter. Just ask Scooter Libby. Just ask Richard Nixon.

trump is openly admitting to it now. His recent interview with Lester Holt revealed he'd wanted to fire Comey for weeks, that he questioned Comey three times about the investigations into the possibility Russia hacked the 2016 election, and that "the Russia thing" was on his mind.

Jesus FUCKING Christ, Congress.

This is what you're defending every time you curl up into a ball, roll over, and play dead.

1 comment:

dinthebeast said...

We must beat them in the midterms. They will cheat, again (see also: Kobach, Kris).
This Republican congress will not do the right thing, and the best we can hope of them is for the Democrats to stop them from doing the wrong thing whenever possible.
The last generic ballot poll gave us a 16 point advantage, and it was taken before Comey's firing. Between gerrymandering and the cheating efforts (which will be ramped up due to even more Republican control at the state level) and the massive amount of money they will use I have little confidence that even that advantage will be enough.
So we must fight, for we must win. Way too much is at stake this time.

-Doug in Oakland