“It’s called oppo research”
In an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, the president admitted that he would accept information on a political opponent from a foreign government.
“It’s not an interference, they have information – I think I’d take it,” President Trump said. “If I thought there was something wrong, I’d go maybe to the FBI – if I thought there was something wrong. But when somebody comes up with oppo research, right, they come up with oppo research, ‘oh let’s call the FBI.’ The FBI doesn’t have enough agents to take care of it. When you go and talk, honestly, to congressman, they all do it, they always have, and that’s the way it is. It’s called oppo research.”
Knowing the nickname for it doesn’t make it legal.
Stephanopoulos asked about Donald Trump Jr. and the regretable role he played in the Trump Tower meeting in June 2016. He asked if Trump’s son should have brought the Russians’ offer for “dirt” on Hillary Clinton to the FBI.
“Somebody comes up and says, ‘hey, I have information on your opponent,’ do you call the FBI?” Trump responded.
“I’ll tell you what, I’ve seen a lot of things over my life. I don’t think in my whole life I’ve ever called the FBI. In my whole life. You don’t call the FBI. You throw somebody out of your office, you do whatever you do,” Trump continued. “Oh, give me a break – life doesn’t work that way.”
“The FBI director said that is what should happen,” Stephanopoulos replied. (During congressional testimony last month, FBI director Christopher Wray told lawmakers “the FBI would want to know about” any foreign election meddling).
“The FBI director is wrong, because frankly it doesn’t happen like that in life,” Trump said. “Now maybe it will start happening, maybe today you’d think differently.”
The fact that Trump thinks life doesn’t work that way doesn’t make it legal to accept campaign help from a foreign government.
This is the president, and he appears to have no understanding of the law, even though it’s been discussed endlessly for the past three years, even though it applies to him, even though he swore an oath to uphold the constitution.
Does he really think he can violate a law with impunity simply by saying what he thinks the law should be?
Watch Stupid being stupid.
EXCLUSIVE: Pres. Trump tells @GStephanopoulos he wouldn't necessarily alert the FBI if approached by foreign figures with information on his 2020 opponent: "It’s not an interference. They have information. I think I’d take it." https://t.co/7gvoAViw9r pic.twitter.com/k5Yqd9YxdC
— Evan McMurry (@evanmcmurry) June 12, 2019
[…] Read More from the Source […]
Essentially telling foreign governments who will wish to meddle in US elections that he’s open to their assistance. But, totally not something that represents collusion or anything to be concerned about.
Ken White, pithy as usual.
https://twitter.com/Popehat/status/1138956552251961345
But look at it this way: If Trump (sorry, Captain Bonespurs) didn’t do it, someone else would.
“Does he really think he can violate a law with impunity simply by saying what he thinks the law should be?”
[glances at Susan Collins’s mildly furrowed brow, then sees Mitch McConnell’s smug grin]
Yep. And for once, he’s right.
Ah, Omar, the Dr. John philosophy of life.
But hey, he’s wearing a flag pin in his lapel, so it’s all ok. He’s a True Patriot.