Canadian Politics Today

Something very fishy was happening between the Trump campaign and the Russians.  The exact specific nature of this activity still seems...obscured.  The likelihood of collusion or some other kind wrongdoing seems high.  I think the impeachment was the right thing to do.

Minor point... Trump was impeached for attempting to bribe/blackmail Ukraine into interfering with the 2020 election (by announcing an investigation into Biden's family). None of the articles of impeachment had anything to do with Russian interference (and conspiracy) in the 2016 election.

I'm saying we just still don't have evidence.

Ummm... yes we do.

As I pointed out before, we have Manafort (You know, the guy who was Trump's campaign manager for a time) giving polling information to a Russian contact. We have Trump (You know, the guy who is actually the "Trump" in "Trump campaign" in discussion with Roger Stone over wikileaks (which got its information from Russian hackers). Sounds to me like there is some evidence there.

And that's just what I pointed out earlier that was part of the senate report. You also have:
- The Trump tower meeting with Russian actors (along with attempts to cover up the meeting)
- Attempts to arrange meetings between Trump and Putin
- Trump publically calling for Russia to "hack" Clinton's emails (and before anyone suggests that it was just some sort of joke/campaign stunt, Trump also followed up with Flynn about that in private)
- Trump's post-election activities with respect to Russia
So yes, there is plenty of evidence regarding the Trump campaign working with Russian actors. And that's just what's known publically. Who knows what is in the redacted portions of the Mueller report, or what might be uncovered with more investigation. But there is enough to definitely conclude that yes, Russia interfered, yes, the Trump campaign was aware of the interference, acted at least partly with the russians, and was receptive to other types of assistance.

It should also be pointed out that neither Mueller nor the senate investigation were actually looking for "collusion"... in part because that is not a precise legal term. Plus, Mueller was constrained by DoJ rules that suggested a sitting president cannot be indicted (as well as the looming threat of having his investigation cut short).

We have all the evidence to describe a criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Russians, without anyone in charge actually using that term.  Its a little like saying "We don't have any evidence a bank was robbed.... we just know some people walked into a bank, pulled out a gun, and got the bank teller to give them money".

There's no smoking gun, hence he was not removed from office.  Maybe one day we'll find out.

Trump was not removed from office because (as another poster indicated) the republicans were in control of congress, and they lack integrity.

Don’t confuse Conspiratard Graham with facts....

Yes my mistake.  I meant the investigations and whatnot.

I think it's more like accusing Trump & his admin/campaign of selling illegal drugs, because they've been seen hanging out with known drug dealers before and during a big drug deal going down, and then the Trump admin messing with the investigation of possible drug dealing.

Obviously something is very off, and anyone would be an idiot to think something bad didn't go down, and also it just being damning that Trump is conversing with drug dealers at all.  We just don't have footage or emails of Trump dealing drugs.  Whatever the Trump people hid, they hid it well enough, probably knowing Trump could pardon anyone guilty of obstructing justice.

Trumps blatant misuse of the pardon power has given rise to a movement that wants to take a way that pardon power. I can certainly see why considering how donny is using it.

Trumps blatant misuse of the pardon power has given rise to a movement that wants to take a way that pardon power. I can certainly see why considering how donny is using it.

Everything Trump touches dies.

Under normal circumstances, giving the ability to pardon/commute a sentence to a president would make some sense... new information can come to light, society norms might have changed, etc. Its a shame that a power that could be a good thing when used by a decent president is now seen as a problem now that its been mishandled by Stubby McBonespurs.

However, for better or worse, removing the ability to pardon would require a constitutional change, and in this polarized environment it is doubtful that it would pass.

Everything Trump touches dies.

Under normal circumstances, giving the ability to pardon/commute a sentence to a president would make some sense... new information can come to light, society norms might have changed, etc. Its a shame that a power that could be a good thing when used by a decent president is now seen as a problem now that its been mishandled by Stubby McBonespurs.

However, for better or worse, removing the ability to pardon would require a constitutional change, and in this polarized environment it is doubtful that it would pass.

If there’s a problem with laws, or convictions, laws should be changed or new trials should be held.  The power to pardon is dependent on who can get the ear of the president.

Yes POTUS pardons are probably the most legal abuse of power a POTUS can use.  It's a disgusting get out of jail free card.

Well there's a difference between commuting the sentence of a convicted drug trafficker who has already served 35 years behind bars, and allowing a group of convicted murderers who wore US military uniforms to foreign countries and murdered children. Unfortunately some of the trumptards around here don't seem to want to understand the difference. I guess that's why they are trumptards.

It's not so bizzare when we figure American politicians prefer to be immune to crimes.

Donny thinks he's immune. Boy does he have a surprise coming!

Donny thinks he's immune. Boy does he have a surprise coming!

It will be interesting to see if a Biden admin does anything to Trump and his people legally.  I know about the NY possibilities.