There is a phrase in legal practice that is commonly described as “consciousness of guilt.” It refers to behavior by a defendant’s actions that proves he knew he was guilty. And Donald Trump is providing material for a whole textbook on the subject as he tries to malign special counsel Robert Mueller while vindicating the sleazeballs who remain loyal to him.
In addition to his actions demonstrating consciousness of guilt, they are also a public display of the fear and desperation he is experiencing as the walls close in around him. But by acting out in this way he is ultimately harming his own legal position and even committing more crimes. This was noted succinctly by George Conway (husband of Trump’s White House counselor, Kellyanne Conway) who tweeted:
File under “18 U.S.C. §§ 1503, 1512” https://t.co/e4ZGVn1kJi
— George Conway (@gtconway3d) December 3, 2018
The federal codes referenced in that tweet address two violations of the law. First, any “endeavor to influence, intimidate, or impede” any officer of the court (Mueller) “in the discharge of his duty.” And second, “knowingly using intimidation” to “influence, delay, or prevent the testimony” of a witness. And these are the tweets in Trump’s Monday morning tweetstorm that Conway was reacting to:
“Michael Cohen asks judge for no Prison Time.” You mean he can do all of the TERRIBLE, unrelated to Trump, things having to do with fraud, big loans, Taxis, etc., and not serve a long prison term? He makes up stories to get a GREAT & ALREADY reduced deal for himself, and get…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2018
….his wife and father-in-law (who has the money?) off Scott Free. He lied for this outcome and should, in my opinion, serve a full and complete sentence.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2018
Michael Cohen, of course, is a witness in the Mueller probe. Trump should not be passing judgment on him or recommending punishment. As for the charges being “unrelated to Trump,” is he referring to Cohen’s testimony that cites Trump as an unindicted co-conspirator? Or is he referring to Cohen’s testimony about Trump Tower Moscow? Those seem pretty related to Trump. Nevertheless, Trump is also accusing Cohen of lying to Mueller, a charge for which he has zero evidence. And if that weren’t bad enough, Trump is implicating Cohen’s family in these alleged crimes. And then Trump goes on:
“I will never testify against Trump.” This statement was recently made by Roger Stone, essentially stating that he will not be forced by a rogue and out of control prosecutor to make up lies and stories about “President Trump.” Nice to know that some people still have “guts!”
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2018
It’s cute the way he puts “President Trump” is sarcasm quotes. But more to the point, Trump is hailing his pal, and notorious dirty trickster, Roger Stone, for having the “guts” to continue lying on Trump’s behalf. However, before getting in too deep, he may want to recall the Cohen once said he would “take a bullet” for Trump. Funny how reality, evidence, and the prospect of prison changes one’s mind. And finally Trump fired this one off:
Bob Mueller (who is a much different man than people think) and his out of control band of Angry Democrats, don’t want the truth, they only want lies. The truth is very bad for their mission!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2018
What Trump might mean is that Mueller is “a much different man” than Trump thinks, or is able to comprehend. Trump’s disparaging remarks clearly fit the above criteria for criminal acts. He can’t support any allegation against Mueller for lying or encouraging others to do so. This tweet is simply a vindictive personal attack on an officer of the court. What’s more, it’s disrespectful of a lifelong Republican who has spent his whole career in public service, and is a decorated veteran. So much for Trump’s phony admiration for our vets.
How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.
One thing that Trump may have gotten right is his concern about a “band of Angry Democrats” There are at least 65,000 000 of them. And add to those the disgusted independents and woke Republicans. They are responsible for the walloping that Trump suffered in the midterm election last month. And they aren’t going to cover up for Trump the way the lily-livered Republicans did. With the House of Representatives flipping to majority Democratic control, some real oversight is about to begin. And the truth that Trump pretends to want will finally come out, whether he likes it or not.
When he first started campaigning and made one of his hundreds of insulting, ignorant, bullying attacks, we all wondered who could possibly vote for him. Vladimir Putin had his grubby fingers up Trump’s behind- and made it so. A constant deluge of vicious Lies repeated over and over on Facebook, in Republican owned Fox news, and across the internet by his boy Assange gave the anti-Americans their control. The ones who took NRA money from Vladimir Putin by way of the “NRA”, Family Values Republicans, knew where it came from.