Trey Gowdy talking about not investigating because it would divulge classified info? **** you!! You people hold public offices.

Seeing anecdotes like this in the main Politics forum too and of course Congressional Rs are burying their heads in sand because that is what the base wants. Republican party is becoming the party of Treason, and mean that quite literally.

Repubs would support a bill to launch Earth straight into the Sun as long as they could taste liberal tears on the way there

Obligatory **** Joe Lieberman

I've been holding off on the TREASON cries only because they feed into the "liberal hysteria" narrative. But I do agree: this is treason, by the legal and lay definition.

I asked several people what they would do if, as the next President, they were tasked with deciding whether the DOJ should pursue execution or a lesser sentence. All answered "lesser sentence" because of the optics and ethics of choosing otherwise, and because it eliminates martyrdom, and therefore wins the battle. Think I agree.

firing squad is super humane 'n' stuff afaik

This is already exactly what they did with Hillary. Not just the Comey letter but the afterward "leaks" about how damning and new the Huma emails were and how it'd be jail for Hillary.

He's withdrawing his name from consideration because, and I **** you not, "He is very tired of the abuse."

Nah man, if Rs continue with their shameful behavior then 2018 is a referendum on whether you are pro-TREASON or anti-TREASON, its that simple. People across the board need to decide whether they really are AMERICAN PATRIOTS when the chips are down. As we have already seen, huge numbers will disappoint us and expose themselves as frauds but that is no reason to blur the battle lines.

so was his wife

Treason is a pretty strong word to use. Here is the legal definition:

Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.

As someone that practices law, what are your thoughts?

I cannot even imagine how providing information to a foreign government and bartering the reduction of sanctions enforced under the prior administration in exchange for favorable media and leak coverage and goal-oriented espionage against America during the campaign is anything other than providing aid and comfort specifically to Russia, which is obviously an enemy that was cooperating with these very Americans for the purpose of attacking the democratic process of America - it was literally engaged in offense against America at that time.

Aiding that effort is treason under 18 U.S. Code § 2381. I don't even understand an argument to the contrary. I find it laughable that anyone could question the conclusion.

Aid and Comfort seems pretty obv, think the real question is whether Russia is an Enemy

That is beyond question given that it was literally committing acts of cyber warfare against America at that time according to our own intelligence analysts - which Trump explicitly encouraged it to continue doing when he said he hopes they continue to hack Hillary: “I will tell you this, Russia: If you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing . . . I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press.”

honestly just lol at even wondering about this

They literally have nuclear weapons pointed at us.

If there's anything interesting to wonder about at all, it's whether these complete imbeciles REALIZE they're committing treason or not.

I mean yeah I'm just wondering if there's a legal definition of "enemy" and if Russia fits that definition. Black's seems to be suggesting that "enemy" means "someone you are at war with" which would seemingly mean we have no enemies aorn?


http://thelawdictionary.org/enemy/

ETA: this discounts case law obviously, of which I am almost entirely ignorant

Like what if I slipped some nuke codes into Bibi's pocket during his visit? Israel isn't an enemy so have I committed treason?

#SocraticPoasting

Yeah what if Canada was the alleged cyber attackers? Is that treason?

I suppose that one could be guilty of committing espionage without it rising to the constitutional definition of treason

Vox has this "it's not treason" article that discusses the law. http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politi...er-treason-law

Alt DOJ puttin in some work

If the Trump administration can get put on trial for treason for their dealings with Russia so far then I guess it's a slam dunk conviction for Obama over the Iran nuclear deal.

I'm in favor of doing both or neither but would prefer both.

Espionage charges seem like an easier thing to bring and should definitely happen against folks in the Trump administration.