DOES TRUMP ASK HIS AIDES: WILL YOU LIE FOR ME?

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     I'm wondering about the interview process in the mind of Donald Trump.

     At various times throughout the second half of last year, reporters asked everyone from White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders...to Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway...to Donald Trump himself...and many others... whether Trump wanted to have Special Counsel Robert "Bob" Mueller fired.  Each and every time that the question was asked, the answer was that Trump was not considering to dismiss Mueller.

     The fact of the matter is...the President of the United States cannot give Mueller his walking papers.  The Department of Justice rules the roost over Mueller...and since the nation's chief law enforcement officer - Attorney General Jeff Sessions - recused himself from the Russia investigation in March 2017 because it was discovered that he held two undisclosed meetings with the Russian ambassador during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign...the only person who could give Mueller the boot is Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.  But The New York Times - on January 25th, 2018 - published its bombshell report that Trump had indeed given the order that getting rid of Mueller was near the top of his "things to do" list.

     According to The New York Times, Trump approached White House Counsel Don McGahn and gave him the assignment to tell Rosenstein that it was time for Mueller to take a hike.  But the newspaper says that McGahn refused to obey the command and that he threatened to resign if Trump pursued the matter.  Trump reportedly backed off.  And as I've written in the past, if Donald Trump was able to get the Justice Department to fire Bob Mueller, it would be one more nail in Trump's political coffin...and it would ultimately bury his presidency.

     Trump - while in Davos, Switzerland - called The New York Times story, "fake news."  But The Washington Post, NBC News, and other news organizations - including Trump's pet, Fox News - have also confirmed through their own reporting... via sources "close to The White House"...that Trump, in fact, wanted Mueller fired last June.  Therefore, Trump can call The New York Times - and anybody else for that matter - "fake news"...all day long...but there are too many people who have corroborated that it's "real news."

     The only reason to terminate Mueller as Special Counsel is because Donald Trump knows he is guilty of an impeachable offense...and, therefore...he has to do whatever he can to stop the Russia investigation.

     Either Trump was involved in a conspiracy to collude with Russia...to interfere with the 2016 presidential election so that Hillary Clinton would lose...or Trump took a page from the "Richard Nixon playbook" and is part of another White House cover-up.  But who would Trump be protecting?  His son, Donald Trump, Jr.?  His son-in-law, Jared Kushner?  His daughter, Ivanka Trump?  Perhaps all three?  

     Let us remember that two of the three aforementioned Trump family members - Trump, Jr. and Kushner - along with some Russians...gathered together at a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York City...where they allegedly shared secrets with each other about America's presidential campaign.  According to a chain of e-mails - which Trump, Jr. released to the public last year - the plan for the conference was to discuss getting "dirt" on Hillary Clinton.

     And then of course, there's the issue of obstruction of justice.  Twice now there is circumstantial evidence that Donald Trump has attempted to put the brakes on the Russia probe by giving the ax to the person leading the inquiries.

     On May 11th, 2017, NBC News anchor Lester Holt - along with the rest of the world - heard Donald Trump admit that he fired James Comey as FBI Director, in essence, because of the Russia investigation.  The following are Trump's exact words.  "When I decided to do it, I said to myself, I said you know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story.  It's an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an election that they should have won."

     The bottom line is that Trump tried to twist Comey's arm...to end any examination that would tie Trump and/or his campaign to Russia's meddling in our country's election.  But when the former "top cop" wouldn't succumb to Trump's pressure...Trump put the screws to Comey and he was later out of a job.  About a month afterwards - on June 8th, 2017 - Comey testified before Congress in a live television broadcast and he told the Senate Intelligence Committee..."I was fired in some way...to change...or the endeavor was to change...the way the Russia investigation was being conducted.  It's my judgment that I was fired because of the Russia investigation."

     Then, of course - as I noted at the outset of this column - Trump made an effort, seven months ago, to fire Bob Mueller...so, therefore, to once again try to put the lid on the Russia investigation.  But with that cat out of the bag...the first question Mueller should ask Trump - when they finally sit down to talk - is..."Why did you want to fire me?"  

     All of the above being said...I think Donald Trump sees the handwriting on the wall.  It's becoming more and more likely that Mueller will eventually have enough direct evidence to either convince the House of Representatives to impeach Trump with a Senate conviction to follow...or Mueller will push Trump in to a corner that he will have to resign before any impeachment proceedings get underway.  As regular readers of The Controversy are well aware...I have been predicting for more than a year that Trump will resign the presidency before his term is over, as he will not put himself through an impeachment.

     Trump can smirk to reporters and call the media "fake" and the Russia probe "a hoax," but I've got to believe that he is scared to death of Robert Mueller.  Oh he can shout out his arrogant ad-libs...as he did at The White House on January 24th when he told reporters that he is "looking forward" and "would love to" meet with Mueller "under oath"...but Trump's stomach has to be churning whenever he utters such remarks.  After all...Trump is a delusional, narcissistic liar who is mentally unfit to be President...but he's not stupid.  So I really think he knows...that his goose is cooked.

     Whether Trump speaks with Mueller under oath or not...really doesn't matter... because it's a distinction without a difference.  The Federal False Statements Statute...in Section 1001 of Title 18 of the United States Code...makes it a felony to lie to a federal agency.  Therefore, lying to a federal counsel such as Mueller...or a federal agent such as those working with Mueller from the FBI...is against the law. Knowing that...Trump's lawyer Ty Cobb - in a recent interview with CBS News - indicated concern that Trump could be caught off-guard and fall in to a "perjury trap" with Mueller.  But here's my answer to attorney Cobb.  All his client has to do is "tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth" so help him God.  Americans deserve to hear Donald Trump - the "liar-in-chief" - tell the truth...for once.

     And that takes me back to the beginning of this commentary and my curiosity about the Donald Trump process when he interviews someone for employment. 

     Time and time again, Trump and his sidekicks have denied any plan to remove Robert Mueller as Special Counsel.  Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Kellyanne Conway, White House Director of Legislative Affairs Marc Short, and Trump lawyers Ty Cobb and John Dowd...have insisted, in various interviews, that there has never been any consideration by Donald Trump to fire Mueller.  They have looked in to the eyes of reporters...and in to the eyes of cameras...and they lie, lie, lie.  So I do wonder... when Trump conducts a job interview...does he ask the following question?  Will you lie for me?

     And that's The Controversy for today.

     I'm Gary B. Duglin.

     "We'll talk again."

The Controversy is a publication of GBD Productions.  Founder and Editor-In-Chief of The Controversy is Gary B. Duglin.

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