John Dean - "...and it's just getting started."

[mobeau69]

Link to tweet

[ScratchCat]

1. And this is why

it is impossible for there to be any type of "deal" struck where Trump will resign, admit to the acts and in return not be prosecuted - there are too many investigations into too many financial crimes at this point. He messed up when he attacked the criminal justice system and career professionals.

I'm not sure what Trump is going to do when he completely loses it, but his Presidency has become untenable at this point and he will be forced to step down by Easter at the latest. Its just become too obvious that he will face criminal charges at some point, and we have to move on as a country with a legitimate leader. The GOP will begrudgingly accept this within the next month or so and he will have to resign in lieu of being impeached and removed.

[ffr]

3. I think it goes even further. I think the Trump brand is finished. It's sooo tainted.

What organization would want to have that label associated with them? I certainly cannot think of one.

[Achilleaze]

7. republicans are cozy with trumpy traitorism & grifting & lying

they long ago let out a submissive whimper of surrender

[lindysalsagal]

46. THat was true before all of these people went to jail. I believe there is a tipping point for much o

of his base and the senate. At some point, they won't look the other way anymore.

[Ferrets are Cool]

53. No tipping point for his base...

I live in the deep south and do not believe ANYTHING unless it comes from faux snooze. They will stand by him even when he and his evil family is frogmarched to prison, while he screams "NO CONSPIRACY!!!".

[shanny]

38. yep. Sad!

[Grasswire2]

10. Can't simply let him go away.

Many considerations.

1. He now possesses national defense secrets. He could try to leverage that to damage America somehow.

2. He could, as a cult figurehead, start some crazy shit with his deplorable base.

3. A marker must be laid via severe punishment for the unprecedented crimes against the American people and their Constitution.

4. He won't stop, even if it means garnering power through foreign or underworld sources.


He and his family must be rendered powerless and incapable of further damage. They must be made an example, as well.

Riker's Island, perhaps.

[docgee]

17. We we're just speculating how Rikers would be the perfect place for him.

All great points. Especially number 3. If we would have not let Bush, or even Regean off the hook for their crimes, we would not be in this situation. He and his family and his accomplices need to be made into an example.

[diva77]

34. agree - letting off Reagan, Dubya, Cheney & Co allowed for where we are now to happen

[shanny]

40. And that rat bastard Nixon.

This has been coming for a long time and it seems Gerald effing Ford was dead wrong: our long national nightmare was just beginning, in no small part because of him.

[Perseus]

18. On your points, which are very valid

1. He now possesses national defense secrets. He could try to leverage that to damage America somehow.
I am hoping that Muller finds out if he has already used those secrets to gain favours from Putin
2. He could, as a cult figurehead, start some crazy shit with his deplorable base.
He has already started doing that by saying that if he gets impeached people will revolt, what people are those? His base of nuts.
3. A marker must be laid via severe punishment for the unprecedented crimes against the American people and their Constitution.
Correct
4. He won't stop, even if it means garnering power through foreign or underworld sources.
Correct, he must be stopped ASAP, he must be stripped of his powers before he uses them, which he will to try to get away from jail.

He and his family must be rendered powerless and incapable of further damage. They must be made an example, as well.
This goes back to your 4th point, it should be now, more even because of the prospect that Kushner may become Wite House Chief of Staff.

[Grasswire2]

27. this is why I am suspicious of those advocating leniency (those with media presence)

When Richard Painter urges simple resignation, I remember that he may not want a close examination of the Bush-Cheney years. Bush-Cheney were allowed to go free, as were many other GOP criminals before them.

[PJMcK]

42. Isn't Rikers a city jail?

Besides, it’s going to be closed.

[Volaris]

51. Number 1: he wouldn't do it to damage America, he would do it to enrich himself.

State Secrets? I get a hundred mil for the 'noc list'.
Yeah, he'd do it.

[ffr]

2. It is truly incredible. And yet, Paul Ryan doesn't lift a finger to investigate.

What does Individual-1 have on Paul Ryan that prevents him from even asking the question?

[shanti]

4. With two weeks left in his post

Ryan most likely doesn't GAF.

[Traildogbob]

16. Ryan's guilt

If or when Ryan is found to have been involved, his tax payer pension and health care for life must be revoked, same as McTurtle et al. Maybe then they may GAF.

[BigmanPigman]

20. I want a harsh sentence. They betrayed the country.

We pay for them to represent us, not their private bank accounts and reelection campaigns. They owe the American people and must be punished harshly for their crimes. Make an example of them for future traitors who constantly cover for a treasonous POTUS and allow party over country to be their motto. Make them pay with jail time, fines, penalties, etc. Drag their names through the mud in history books.

[Grammy23]

33. Part of that punishment is to make sure his place in history is well

Preserved as a criminal and traitorous bastard. He should get no recognition as a former President without a huge reminder of what he did to sully the office. No pension, no goodies, no perks, no secret service protection for him or any of his family.

And this is in addition to any prison time he so richly deserves.

[BigmanPigman]

35. EXACTLY, make his name a synonym for the worst of the worst.

Benedict Arnold is synonymous with being a traitor. I want the "tRump brand" to be synonymous with whatever is the most vile and horrific thing a person could be. Someone last night said, "Oh damn, I just stepped in some tRump and have to clean off my shoes off now". I want that to be his fame and legacy. What a blow to the biggest ego and narcissist on Earth.

[3catwoman3]

54. And no portrait hanging next to that of...

...President Obama.

[sheshe2]

55. Unless it is one of him in an orange jump suit.

[machoneman]

24. Oh, I do think Ryan GAF...that's why he announced long ago he wanted to spend time with his family!

I do believe he's had a spy in the FBI for some time. He's known a lot IMHO about Trump's transgressions and decided to not get caught up (any more than he was already with Russkie money) by leaving the Speaker's position.

Think about it. After achieving such a high office (3rd in line to the Presidency no less) he decides as a relatively young man to retire his seat? A position other would kill for?

No, he decided to get out while the 'going' was relatively good.

[flibbitygiblets]

36. He was VPOTUS candidate in just 2012, but he did NOT want to be speaker

As I recall he had to be courted into the job, partly because it's so clearly a miserable post (look at how much happier ol crybaby Boehner looks these days--hell, he's even pro-pot for gods sakes).

Anyway I assumed Ryan also didn't want the speakership because he wanted to run for POTUS in '16. Then he got Trump and his spine and his soul seemed to have taken permanent vacations, and gone with them are any hopes of ever being POTUS again.

[yonder]

5. The wholesale silence from the GOP House and Senate has been remarkable.

For two years, hardly a peep.

[triron]

47. Many of them are in on it.

[Moostache]

6. Russian money, via NRA sources and much, much more...

The entire GOP leadership is dirty and either in on the cover-up or complicit in the campaign finance crimes at a MINIMUM...the corruption likely runs far deeper than anyone yet is willing to say...but I will...the KGB simply brought over covert spy tactics to compromise the dupes that sprang from the "Tea Party" cesspool. They were by and large stupid, non-serious people to begin with and when faced with professional spies and KGB verterans, it was like the Washington Generals against the Globetrotters....the former Soviets and Putin's minions simply toyed with them.

McConnell was in on it.
Ryan was in on it.
Rohrbacher was CLEARLY in on it all.
As was McCarthy, Nunes, and many more.

Trump was simply doing what the rest of the "team" was because let's be honest...cheating, lying and stealing are like breathing, walking and excreting to him...100% second nature and involuntary responses.

This scandal will one day remind people the world over how fragile the rule of law and democratic institutions are at their cores...if we don't end up with a dictator yet in the USA. We are perilously close to Trump declaring an end to the existing order and installing himself as emperor in the meantime...the GOP is compromised and will NOT check him on it in any way.

[DontBooVote]

8. I have a feeling that, as some point - possibly soon, there's going to be...

...a nationwide raid on all those known to be involved. People, like Pence, McConnell, and Ryan (and McCarthy!) are going to be swept up and made to explain themselves.

The BIG question is, will this presidency eventually be declared illegitimate? And if it is, which is already obvious to a lot of people, then what? What does this mean for Hillary? Would she, as is the case when cheating by Olympic medal athletes is discovered, be declared as the runner-up to be the rightful holder of the title?

And if that is found to be the case and Hillary ascends to the presidency, how will the rightwingnuts react?

We sure do live in interesting times.

[Grasswire2]

11. there is no path for Hillary to ascend to the presidency.

Nancy Pelosi, perhaps.

Hillary, not going to happen.

[MsLeopard]

19. Here's a path

After Jan 3rd, investigations take out Trump and Pence. Pelosi becomes president, appoints Hillary VP, Pelosi resigns the next day and we have President Clinton. Just a possibility.

[machoneman]

25. Oohh! I like your thinking here! n/n

[The_Counsel]

37. I Don't Think a "Pesident Pelosi" Can Just Appoint a VP...

I believe the VP has to be nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate, much the same way Supreme Court Justices are made...

[shanny]

41. Not quite.

VP is nominated by the President and must be approved by a majority vote in both houses of Congress.

[The_Counsel]

43. Gotcha.

I knew there was "advise and consent" in there somewhere, though.

Either way, this Senate would never confirm Hillary Clinton for VP. The House? You betcha. But only after 1/3/19.

BTW, ascension would still be a mess should Trump resign. Pence would become President, sure, but that's the easy part. He'll probably never get a VP nominee past the House. Not unless all this comes down by 1/2/19.

[shanny]

45. +1

[maryallen]

12. You nailed it, Boo!

However, "we the people" didn't play our card when we should have done so. That would have been Election night or the day the Electoral college met. We should have declared the election tainted and the president-elect illegitimate. Sadly, at that time, our constitution did not allow such an action, but this is where we should begin to fix our elections.

[DontBooVote]

13. New paths can be forged. I do agree, however, that the Constitution will have...

...the final say. Unfortunate.

[BigmanPigman]

31. I still have my notes from Jan. 6, 2017.

That was when Congress had to certify the vote of the Electoral College. House member could object and some did, but they needed senators for a formal challenge. Reps Sheila Jackson Lee, Maxine Waters and Barbara Lee spoke out, begging for senators to support them. None did. Reps from FL, TX, CA, GA, AZ, MA all objected (I know since I called all to thank them).

We need to change the Electoral College since it is out of date.

[spanone]

14. mitch mcconnel yawns and goes about his day

[malaise]

21. Never forget that it was Lin' Ryan who told fellow ReTHUGs to

keep it secret when McCarthy told them that Putin pays the Con and the California loser.

[Gothmog]

9. Yep

Link to tweet

[Cha]

56. Thanks Goth.. music to our eyes!

Link to tweet

[Lonestarblue]

15. Once a criminal, always a criminal.

This is what happens when voters choose the head of a New York crime family as their president.

[LuckyLib]

23. Anyone who had done any reading in the last 20 years+ knew the Trumpster was a mobster.

All of New York knew it. The whole east coast knew it. That's why Michael Bloomfield said with such disdain "New Yorkers know a con when they see one." It's money laundering and justice officials in New York who will finally bring him down.

[NewJeffCT]

39. Sadly

outside of the Northeast, most Americans knew him as the "you're fired" guy from The Apprentice and Celebrity Apprentice.

The states that knew him best - New York, NJ and Connecticut - is where he lost bigly. My ex-wife was originally from the Atlantic City area and I think her family still lives down there and I know she hated him back in the mid to late 90s.

[PaulX2]

22. Leave The Fuhrer Alone - Says All The Deplorables

They think Trump is being attacked because "we are sore losers". I swear to god a deplorable told me this yesterday.

[Turbineguy]

26. Watergate was a college prank

compared to this. Never the less, if Nixon were still around I wonder if he would say, "I wish I'd thought of that!"

[SHRED]

28. I think it's past "just getting started"

[PaulX2]

29. More Like Picking Up Steam

And with Trump it is all downhill.....

He's such a scumbag.

[SHRED]

30. Yup

[mobeau69]

44. Long after he's gone (paramount importance of course)

people will be discussing countless, intricate aspects of the Trump Crime family and their crimes. There'll be some great movies and books.

[PaulX2]

32. There's Thousands Of Trump Like Career Criminals Avoiding Prosecution - The Poor Not So Much

The poor get to go to jail.....

AmeriKKKa.

[Baltimike]

48. kick

[MFGsunny]

49. As the stomach Turns :: Trumpista Grifters, the short-lived pResidential series

[DallasNE]

50. Correct

This is now bigger than Teapot Dome, Watergate and Iran-Contra combined.

[James48]

52. In the NAVY, a "Clean Sweep"

Is when a submarine completely destroys every target it engages. In World War Two, a submarine captain would raise a broom and lashing to the periscope when entering the Harbor to signify a “Ckean Sweep”.

https://goo.gl/images/whfCL3

I wonder if Mueller will soon fly a broom from The Office of Special Counsel in honor of this “Witch Hunt” being recognized as a “Clean Sweep”.

[mickswalkabout41]

57. Enough leniency already

3 months for one guy, three years for another. These sentences are a joke and show the American people that white people can get away with heinous crimes. Bottom line the Republican Party, nra Fox News and all involved orchestrated a fixed election funded by an ememy of the state. Whether it’s boots on the ground or bombs in the synagogue, or cyberwar, it is an act to overthrow our government and the crimes and conspirators, every single one of them, should be treated as such.

[BootinUp]

58. It's a dirty job, but...

Necessary.

[Honeycombe8]

59. John Dean probably grasped early on just what had & has been going on.

He's been on the inside.

Good man.