The investigation into Donald Trump’s alleged collusion with Russia and obstruction of justice has reached a critical stage, with Special Counsel Robert Mueller announcing he is now ready to interview Donald Trump himself. So, why are attorneys for “The Donald” telling him to avoid a Mueller interview at all costs??
Politics
Unless you’ve been living on the dark side of the moon, you’re aware that Donald Trump is a loud-mouthed, free-wheeling blowhard who thinks he’s the smartest man alive. Or, to put it another way, he’s Fred Flintstone in a suit. So, it should come as no surprise that the Trump legal team wants him to treat even the suggestion of a Mueller interview like the plague. The only problem is, Donald’s bloated ego simply won’t allow him to. Naturally, Robert Mueller is very aware of this and has set the bait perfectly.
Trump attorneys are about as scared as a chicken at a Colonel Sanders barbecue that the loose-lipped Trump could walk into a Mueller interview and say too much. Or, in other words, they’re afraid he might be baited to tell the truth. Naturally, they don’t want their client to incriminate himself. However, the Special Counsel wants the truth and, based on the case he has spent the past several months building against the Oval Office occupant, he’s going to get it one way or the another.
Let’s be clear: the very invitation for a sit-down Mueller interview is a carefully concocted trap. Mueller has a series of questions he wants to ask “The Donald” under oath — except, he already knows the answers to those questions. He simply wants to hear Trump’s own answers. Will he or won’t he tell the truth?
“I am looking forward to it, actually. Here is the story: There has been no collusion whatsoever. There is no obstruction whatsoever. And I am looking forward to it.” – Donald Trump
Politics
A potential Mueller interview is a Catch-22 and a lose-lose scenario for Donald Trump. If he agrees to the interview, he will back himself into a corner and be left with 2 choices: tell the truth and admit to collusion and/or obstruction of justice, which is an impeachable offense, or lie under oath and perjure himself, which is a felony.
The only other option is for Trump to follow the advice of his attorneys and not subject himself to a Mueller interview. However, the optics will appear as if he is a coward with something to hide.
Donald Trump would NEVER dare allow himself to appear as a coward — and Mueller knows it. So, the trap is set. Now, all Mueller has to do is sit back and wait for “The Donald” to walk himself directly into the quicksand.
Well it looks like Trump doesn’t have a choice. He has to testify or else look like a scared chump. Since he thinks he can talk his way out of anything that big ego of his is about to get him in some big trouble.
Once again DJ you’ve given me something to chew on as I consider several aspects of the situation in which Trump now finds himself.
He’s NOT my president. But he does represent the U.S., as the president. And what he says and does can affect the lives of ALL Americans -especially when it comes to critical matters such as Respect for (or the lack thereof) the *Rule of Law* …as well as our National Security,
You wrote: “A potential Mueller interview is a Catch-22 and a lose-lose scenario for Donald Trump”
If Mueller wanting to interview Trump is perceived by some as “setting a trap” for Trump ..then it is a “Trap” set by Trump himself. And YES. He would undoubtedly hang himself, one way or another.
But here’s where it really gets troubling for me. While it APPEARS that Trump is *d*mned if he does and d*mned if he doesn’t” meet with Mueller, I cannot ignore that fact of: 1. ALL that Trump has gotten away with thus far w/o having to pay a price. And…2). He’s being aided and protected by the Republicans on Capitol Hill.
Frankly I don’t know that he’d actually be made to pay a price for NOT meeting with Mueller(?)
WHO would determine what that “price” would be? And WHO, pray tell, would enforce it?
Certainly NOT the Repubs…not while they are the majority party controlling the U.S. Congress.
Honestly, I think we’re looking at a looming Constitutional Crisis.
In the last sentence of my initial response I wrote:
“I think we’re looking at a looming Constitutional Crisis.”
Let me add: That’s if…IF the U.S. Constitution actually means anything anymore to the majority of Americans(?) The truth is, I’m not so sure that it does – given the rise of Trump and what his rise strongly indicates about America (and many Americans) today.
From CNN:
The news out of the White House goes like this: Despite all legal urgings to the contrary, President Donald Trump wants to sit down for an interview with special counsel Bob Mueller.
“He thinks he can work this,” one person familiar with Trump’s thinking told CNN’s Sara Murray. “He doesn’t realize how high the stakes are.”
Because, of course he does (and doesn’t).
This is all psychological to Trump. Think about it.
He believes to the bottom of his heart that he is 100% completely innocent of anything having to do with Russia’s interference in the election or any possible collusion with his campaign.
When he calls the whole thing a “witch hunt” and a “hoax,” he means it in relation to himself. “I’m the President and I didn’t do anything wrong” is what Trump is really saying. “People under me? Who knows? But I am innocent and this is all a distraction.”
Now remember that Trump believes himself to be his own best advocate in all things — business, politics and, yes, the law. He has already expressed frustration on multiple occasions about how slow the process is moving.
To his mind then, the best (only?) way to solve the problem of the Mueller investigation is to sit down with Mueller — no matter what the (overly cautious) lawyers say.
Think about it this way. Trump is a big TV watcher. So you know he’s familiar with the 100 iterations of “Law and Order” currently on the air. In how many of those does the totally innocent defendant not take the stand to defend himself? It’s close to 0%.
Not taking the stand — in the dramatic arts — is a sure sign that you are (a) hiding something, (b) guilty or (c) both.
In the real world, of course, lots and lots of people don’t testify — for all sorts of reasons including the possibility they might incriminate themselves or because they may be a less-than-stellar witness and actually hurt their case.
But, Trump is blessed with perfect self-confidence and, therefore, unconcerned about either of those issues. He’s innocent! What does he need to worry about incriminating himself or not helping his cause?
Then there is the mano-a-mano element of a showdown with Mueller that Trump clearly relishes. He has read all of the positive press about Mueller — how he is the smartest, most dedicated, most trusted man in law enforcement. How his integrity is unquestioned. How he could never embark on a partisan witch hunt.
That eats away at Trump. His natural instincts are to take down these idols that people hold. Jeb Bush. Barack Obama. John McCain. In Trump’s mind, he cut all of these people — and lots more — down to size when they came up against him. He almost certainly wants to make Mueller the most recent name on his wall. And he can’t do that if he won’t sit down with Mueller.
Add it all up — and combine it with the fact that Trump almost always gets what he wants — and there’s every reason to believe that he will ignore his lawyers’ advice and push for some short of exchange with Mueller.