Reckless Accusation a High Crime or Misdemeanor?

[donquixote99]

FBI Director Comey is doing an odd thing: asking the Justice Department to deny that there were wiretaps as alleged by Trump, instead of denying it himself. Probably relates to Trump being a sitting president, while Hillary Clinton, one week before the election, wasn't.

Trump calls for a congressional investigation. I agree. I'd like the House to investigate whether this reckless libel against the previous President, this blatant huge lie, itself rises to the level of a 'high crime or misdemeanor.'

[nailer]

Originally Posted by donquixote99

FBI Director Comey is doing an odd thing: asking the Justice Department to deny that there were wiretaps as alleged by Trump, instead of denying it himself. Probably relates to Trump being a sitting president, while Hillary Clinton, one week before the election, wasn't.

Trump calls for a congressional investigation. I agree. I'd like the House to investigate whether this reckless libel against the previous President, this blatant huge lie, itself rises to the level of a 'high crime or misdemeanor.'

To which alleged libel of Obama are you referring?

Libel is a civil court issue, not congressional.

[donquixote99]

Originally Posted by nailer

To which alleged libel of Obama are you referring?

Libel is a civil court issue, not congressional.

I think a 'high crime or misdemeanor' is whatever the Congress says it is. This would be a misdemeanor. Ordinarily, of course, a libel is a tort, not a crime, but we can call this 'malicious mischief.'

What makes it 'high' is who did it, and who they accused.

Bottom line is we can't have a president who goes around acting like this.

[JCricket]

we can hope he steps into a bear trap like nixon did.

[nailer]

Originally Posted by donquixote99

I think a 'high crime or misdemeanor' is whatever the Congress says it is. This would be a misdemeanor. Ordinarily, of course, a libel is a tort, not a crime, but we can call this 'malicious mischief.'

What makes it 'high' is who did it, and who they accused.

Bottom line is we can't have a president who goes around acting like this.

Regardless of your bottom line, Trump is our President.

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by nailer

To which alleged libel of Obama are you referring?

Libel is a civil court issue, not congressional.

This country really does not have libel laws.

[d-ray657]

Originally Posted by merrylander

This country really does not have libel laws.

That's right. Now it is known as defamation, which encompasses both libel and slander.

[whell]

Or, he might have knowledge that someone at Justice was involved in such a request, and wants to shift the focus there.

[JCricket]

Paranoia? Libel or slander? Free speech?

Treason? Any crime at all?

Unbelievably poor judgement and or BS from Trump. More of the same old Trump. Should there be any consequences? For a normal person? How about because he is president?


Rambling thoughts before my first cup of coffee. Good morning all.

[sheltiedave]

The question has arisen whether Trump and his confederates have had significant and consequential contact with Russian interests before, during, and after the election that either

-involved any type of conspiracy to influence the outcome of the election
-involved any type of negotiation regarding sanctions prior to Trump being sworn in
-involved any type of financial or governmental illegality with Russia.

Seeing that Trump can ask Congress and the Senate to fire up an investigative committee and any hour of any day of any week re. Wiretaps, with every apparatus being under Republican aegis, I find his baying at the moon on Twitter to be both repugnant and oddly counterproductive. He probably will get his investigations, and create a very large and divisive Republican faction opposed to Trump's Russian pogrom.