# Comey Memo: Trump Told Him - Shut Down Flynn Probe **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 16, 2017, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792 "2017-05-16T21:40:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 31
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/601 "2017-06-09T03:10:32Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Did he say which section of federal code contains the “abuse of power” law? > > Don’t get me wrong, if he did something like in my hypothetical, I think it’d be very, _very_ bad politically for him. I think it would be an immoral act, bad for governance, etc. I just don’t know which _law_ it would be a violation of. Neither does Comey apparently. “Abuse of power” is what is generally believed got Nixon in trouble, not the break-in, and was [explicitly named](http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/impeachments/nixon.htm) in his articles of impeachment, along with obstruction of justice and contempt of Congress. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/602 "2017-06-09T03:24:14Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > You weren’t the only one. > > The following was in the _Washington Post_ this evening. McCain’s words _(I have added a couple of line breaks so this doesn’t look like a wall o’ text)_: [Source](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/06/08/sen-john-mccains-bizarre-questioning-of-comey/?hpid=hp_hp-banner-low_fix-mccainquestions-150pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory) And his later statement is not the least bit related to the questions he was asking. He kept asking, over and over again, why Comey had gone public to clear Clinton in the Russia affair and not done the same for Trump. He even called Trump “President Comey” twice. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/603 "2017-06-09T03:24:26Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > I’m picturing dozens of WH staffers gathered around the Cheeto-in-Chief, taking turns pinning him down. > > Or playing Keep Away with his phone. > [@The\_Tooth](#): > > Just hide it in a book, he’ll never find it. Give it to Melania. She’s had plenty of practice slapping his hands away. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/604 "2017-06-09T03:27:55Z")
> [@The\_Tooth](#): > > I can’t really get behind blaming non-Republicans for the fact that Republicans nominated, then elected, Trump. No one is responsible for a person’s vote but themselves; it’s not as if Republicans will vote for the Republican nominee, any nominee, unless non-Republicans can convince them otherwise. They aren’t NPC’s following their programming unless we make the right speech checks. They saw what Trump was like and decided to vote for him anyway. On their heads be it. Trump voters and the Republican Party are most responsible for electing Trump. Why is this a debate? Sure, the lamestream media certainly owe their fair share for chasing ratings (and corresponding ad revenue) & false equivalency instead of calling a liar a liar, Comey tipping the scales, Bill meeting with Lynch, Hillary mis-steps, and not to be swept under the rug our buddy Putin at least attempting to tip the scales. But, Trump voters and by extension the Republican Party elected Trump. Own it bitches. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/605 "2017-06-09T04:03:33Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > And his later statement is not the least bit related to the questions he was asking. He kept asking, over and over again, why Comey had gone public to clear Clinton in the Russia affair and not done the same for Trump. He even called Trump “President Comey” twice. To give McCain the benefit of the doubt - I didn’t see the entire hearings, just heard parts of it. And it was painfully clear which people had been lawyers in their previous life and knew how to lay out a series of questions in order to draw a conclusion and how to pivot their line of questioning based on the answers that they were giving…and which ones had watched a few episodes of Perry Mason and Law & Order. This is out of McCain’s skill set. He prepared (or his staff gave him) horrible questions and he doesn’t know how to recover once it started going very wrong. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/606 "2017-06-09T04:10:29Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Trump voters and the Republican Party are most responsible for electing Trump. Why is this a debate? Sure, the lamestream media certainly owe their fair share for chasing ratings (and corresponding ad revenue) & false equivalency instead of calling a liar a liar, Comey tipping the scales, Bill meeting with Lynch, Hillary mis-steps, and not to be swept under the rug our buddy Putin at least attempting to tip the scales. But, Trump voters and by extension the Republican Party elected Trump. Own it bitches. Amen. THREE MILLION people and I didn’t fall for the distractions (a numerical majority). The Republicans buttered their bread. Now they have to lie\* in it. - So to speak. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/607 "2017-06-09T04:19:35Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > To give McCain the benefit of the doubt - I didn’t see the entire hearings, just heard parts of it. And it was painfully clear which people had been lawyers in their previous life and knew how to lay out a series of questions in order to draw a conclusion and how to pivot their line of questioning based on the answers that they were giving…and which ones had watched a few episodes of Perry Mason and Law & Order. > This is out of McCain’s skill set. He prepared (or his staff gave him) horrible questions and he doesn’t know how to recover once it started going very wrong. Here’s the video. It’s not just bad questions. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/S0V_7PR4dYI/hqdefault.jpg "WATCH: Everyone Is Talking About John McCain's Bizarre Questioning To James Comey (FNN)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0V_7PR4dYI) ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/608 "2017-06-09T04:36:52Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > Here’s the video. It’s not just bad questions. > > [https://youtu.be/S0V\_7PR4dYI](https://youtu.be/S0V_7PR4dYI) holey shit, that was painful to watch. I don’t thing there is any acting going on, just that McCain is officially now a few cans short of a 6 pack. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/609 "2017-06-09T05:14:28Z")
Kept expecting someone to come out and quietly lead him back to his room. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/610 "2017-06-09T07:55:26Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I think it’s along the lines of “Trump could not have committed obstruction of justice, because he’s too stupid to understand how government works.” I’m not calling you out for this statement because I know you are paraphrasing the opinion of others that I do not think you agree with. But your quote reminded me that I have seen this argument far too many times, the tepid excuse that Trump is too goddamn dumb to be a criminal. Since when is ignorance a defense? “You see, Your Honor, because of Mr. Escobar’s poor grasp of English he had no means to equate ‘category one controlled substance’ with illegal activity, hence he had no idea that the cocaine he was selling was illegal. He thought he was doing his best to be a lawful and productive immigrant whose only hope was to live the American dream!” If Trump wishes to argue that his ignorance is a shield against all things illegal that he is not aware of by all means let him make that argument. The law is prepared for it. And let his supporters continue to make that argument on his behalf. The more he hears it repeated the more likely he is to believe it. But ignorance is not a defense and Trump is not about to make it one regardless of how hard he tries. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/611 "2017-06-09T10:22:14Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > Here’s the video. It’s not just bad questions. > > [https://youtu.be/S0V\_7PR4dYI](https://youtu.be/S0V_7PR4dYI) I must be off to work, so I only watched 4 minutes or so of that. Holy. Fucking. Dog Doo. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/612 "2017-06-09T10:40:47Z")
It’s quite possible that the biggest loser in yesterday’s testimony was John McCain. It seemed like he was trying to play the role of GOP partisan _“You shut down the investigation into Clinton’s emails - why couldn’t you just shut down the investigation into Russians corrupting our voting process?”_ – Duuuuhhhh, because it’s Russians trying to corrupt the voting process, you cowardly senile moron! I used to have a lot of respect for McCain but Christ he has become an attention-whoring weakling over the years. A far cry from the bad-ass ‘maverick’ everyone thought he was. I was aghast at the time and I’d obviously never typically make light of a veteran’s war service, but I am beginning to think that Trump was onto something when he ridiculed McCain during the campaign. McCain may have been an honorable war vet, but he has also shamelessly used that experience to further his political career. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/613 "2017-06-09T11:49:40Z")
I listened to a bit of WJR (We’re Just Rednecks) Detroit on my afternoon commute yesterday. They seemed to think they found a smoking gun to discredit Comey. They were going on an on about his leaking about his own memo came before Donald’s tweet (the one that said Comey better hope there isn’t a tape recording) and therefore his whole testimony can be ignored. The only thing was, it didn’t happen that way. What is it about conservatives that they can make stuff up out of whole cloth and then every one of them parrots it as if it came down from Mount Sinai? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/614 "2017-06-09T11:51:38Z")
It seems to me that Republicans don’t think or understand; they believe or feel. ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/615 "2017-06-09T12:20:00Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > Since when is ignorance a defense? Roughly speaking, this is [Paul Ryan’s view of the current kerfuffle](http://edition.cnn.com/2017/06/08/politics/paul-ryan-donald-trump-new-to-this/): > [@](#): > > “Of course there needs to be a degree of independence between (the Justice Department), FBI and the White House, and a line of communications established,” Ryan said during his news conference, which occurred at the same time as Comey was testifying across Capitol Hill before the Senate intelligence committee. > > “The President’s new at this. He’s new to government. So, he probably wasn’t steeped in the long-running protocols that establish the relationships between DOJ, FBI and White Houses. He’s just new to this.” > > Pushed further by CNN, Ryan said, “I’m not saying it’s an acceptable excuse. It’s just my observation.” > > “He’s new at government, and so therefore I think that he – he is learning as he goes,” Ryan said. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/616 "2017-06-09T12:37:36Z")
Funny how playing golf doesn’t cure that ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![Gus\_Gusterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@Gus\_Gusterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gus_Gusterson)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/617 "2017-06-09T12:42:13Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I used to have a lot of respect for McCain but Christ he has become an attention-whoring weakling over the years. A far cry from the bad-ass ‘maverick’ everyone thought he was. McCain was never a maverick. He just said that he was and the media repeated it. He has always voted with his party, except for when he had to appear mavericky when running for president. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/618 "2017-06-09T13:03:11Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > You’ve been hoping that this thing was imminently ending for the past four months, and it’s done nothing but gain momentum. You’re losing [Foxnews](http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/337017-napolitano-credible-and-compelling-argument-that-trump-lied-to). Consider that for a moment. > > Sure I do. He fired Comey for the Russia thing, and Flynn is absolutely a major part of that. > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > No; the context was Trump putting his assets into a financial trust as recommended by an ethics expert. > > You specifically called his expertise into question and said he may not know what may be practical for Mr. Trump to do. > > You even elaborated on that with links to 2 articles that talked about Mr. Trump’s non-efforts to avoid conflicts of interest. > [@Ravenman](#): > > Of course the conflict of interest problems are within his power to solve. He can follow the advice of ethics experts, or he could have decided two years ago (just like some of his nominees decided very recently) that he would rather prioritize his business interests over public office. I have no clue why you’re arguing about this. > > What is your definition of “practical” in this context? Sure seems like you’re saying it is not “convienient.” Let me tell you, I fill out financial disclosure forms and I would love to claim it isn’t practical for me to do that, because it is about 50 times harder than doing my taxes. > Do you prefer that ethics officers not maintain principles? > > I glanced at these and you appear to be saying that two journalists are better sources of ethics advice than someone who was the ethics advisor to a President. Very weak, dude. WRT all the above: at this point if you get it you get it, if you don’t you don’t. Not going to keep rehashing this. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/619 "2017-06-09T13:07:12Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > holey shit, that was painful to watch. I don’t thing there is any acting going on, just that McCain is officially now a few cans short of a 6 pack. Memo to Republican Leadership: When selecting a spokesman to muddy the waters and conflate obstruction of justice, seditious collusion with a hostile foreign power, etc on the one hand with ONOZ HER EMA1LZ! on the other hand, get someone whose mental faculties are such that he himself isn’t actually confused as to which hand is which. > [@DWMarch](#): > > Since when is ignorance a defense? “You see, Your Honor, because of Mr. Escobar’s poor grasp of English he had no means to equate ‘category one controlled substance’ with illegal activity, hence he had no idea that the cocaine he was selling was illegal. He thought he was doing his best to be a lawful and productive immigrant whose only hope was to live the American dream!” I’m reminded of a gag from _The Love Boat_ where the doctor sent whats-his-name on a snipe hunt to go ashore and find medical supplies. Unable to speak the local language or find someone who spoke English, he was reduced to saying slowly and distinctly (since everybody can understand English if spoken slowly and distinctly enough, dontcha know) “I want… to buy drugs… for my friend… on the ship.” Predictably, the first person who understood what he was saying was a local cop. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792/620 "2017-06-09T13:11:28Z")
[QUOTE=D If Trump wishes to argue that his ignorance is a shield against all things illegal [/QUOTE] Heh, just wait until someone gets to ask Trump if Ryan is correct that he’s too ignorant to understand how government works. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792.md?page=30) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comey-memo-trump-told-him-shut-down-flynn-probe/786792.md?page=32)