The Donald Trump Score Card

Did you post a video for VG?

If not, then he doesn't...

 

OR he is out to make a buck with his sour grapes about getting fired

 

So it's John We are pretty sure Iraq has weapons of mass destruction Bolton now

 

In the confusing act of firing Berman, Trump said he had nothing to do with Barr disposing of Berman just hours after Barr said that Trump had fired Berman.

When Berman refused to leave at Barr's request, Barr knew that he couldn't force him to leave without Trump signing an order to fire him.

In the end, it was Trump who fired Berman. Trump is trying to deny this fact by saying that he simply signed something that was a formality and that Barr supposedly was the one who actually fired Berman.



Who Can Fire a Court-Appointed U.S. Attorney? An Abrupt Legal Fight, Explained
The top federal prosecutor in Manhattan had refused to let the attorney general fire him, but acquiesced after William P. Barr invoked the president.
By Charlie Savage
June 20, 2020

Who Can Fire a Court-Appointed U.S. Attorney? An Abrupt Legal Fight, Explained

excerpt:

"“It’s probably the case that Trump, but not Barr, would have to remove Berman and take the political responsibility for doing so,” said Martin S. Lederman, a Georgetown University law professor who served in the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel in the Obama administration, before the rapidly evolving dispute was resolved.

The Trump administration swiftly adopted that same interpretation as it sought to quash the show of defiance. In a letter to Mr. Berman, Mr. Barr wrote, “Because you have declared that you have no intention of resigning, I have asked the president to remove you as of today, and he has done so.”

Mr. Trump further confused matters by then telling reporters that he was “not involved” in Mr. Berman’s firing and that it was up to the attorney general. But Mr. Barr had also backed down on installing someone other than Mr. Berman’s deputy, Audrey Strauss, as his successor, and Mr. Berman essentially declared victory and said he would depart rather than pressing for greater clarity."

 

Trump seems to get himself into much trouble over firing people.

 

Trump's firing of Berman was untimely with an election a few months away.

The question as to why Trump fired him hasn't been adequately answered.



Three Plausible—And Troubling—Reasons Why Barr Tried to Force Berman Out
Some are worse than others, though none represents what one would like to see from the Department of Justice.
Jume 22, 2020 10:13 AM ET

Three Plausible—And Troubling—Reasons Why Barr Tried to Force Berman Out

excerpt;

"This is not the first time President Trump has picked a fight with the Southern District of New York. He fired Berman’s predecessor, Preet Bharara, just months into his administration, and after Bhararar ejected unwelcome overtures from the White House. Also, in 2018, the president asked Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker to exert control over the ongoing SDNY investigation into Cohen—ironically, by placing Berman, who was already the U.S. attorney but had recused himself from the probe, in charge. And in his new book, former National Security Adviser John Bolton writes that Trump told Erdoğan that he would force the SDNY to scuttle the Halkbank investigation by putting in his own people."

 

Barr was hoping that Berman would voluntarily step down without Trump having to sign anything. Barr put words in Berman's mouth in a late Friday press release by saying they he was stepping down. Berman denied he was stepping down. It forced Barr to go to Trump to actually fire Berman.

Either way it looks suspicious. If Trump didn't fire Berman, it calls into question the justification for Barr to manipulate the Southern District of NY and put words into the mouth of Berman by using a press release which was a surprise to Berman.

If Trump fired Berman, the question still remains as to why he did it and why he tried to make it look like he didn't and say that the firing was all the work of Barr..

It's another example of how Trump deliberately works in the gray area to try to cover up what people would see as nefarious behavior and to avoid being held accountable. Similar to the Stormy Daniels scandal, the act of Trump trying to cover it up itself makes Trump look suspicious.

 

Because "Trump is ten steps ahead of everybody else..."

 

lol

 

It's questionable why was Berman fired before the Senate could confirm a replacement.

Firing Berman places another burden on the Senate a few months before an election when Trump needs all the help he can obtain from the Senate for other pressing issues.

Trump's selection was Clayton with whom he had golfed shortly before Berman's firing.

All of it sounds like the typical rash behavior of Trump.




Five Questions About Geoffrey Berman’s Removal
By Benjamin Wittes
Sunday, June 21, 2020, 8:26 PM

Five Questions About Geoffrey Berman’s Removal

excerpt:

"On the other hand, the entire episode, as mentioned above, followed a recent golf outing at Bedminster between the president and Clayton. And, as noted above, the president is not fond of Berman. So was this a situation in which Barr was acting at Trump’s behest or a situation in which Trump was acting at Barr’s behest?

The question is important because it goes to whether this is another episode of Trump’s abuse of law enforcement, or whether it reflects some effort on the part of Barr himself to impose control over the Southern District.

The final key question is the extent to which and the reason that Barr has been less than truthful about the events in question. It is rather rare for the attorney general to issue a public statement about a U.S. attorney that is immediately contradicted on the Justice Department’s own website by that very U.S. attorney. But that is what happened on the evening of June 19, when Barr announced in a press release that Berman “is stepping down after two-and-a-half years of service as United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York.” Berman almost immediately issued a press release declaring that “I learned in a press release from the Attorney General tonight that I was ‘stepping down’ as United States Attorney. I have not resigned, and have no intention of resigning, my position.” Barr’s letter the next day did not dispute Berman’s account of the matter."

 

Even Trump's close ally Lindsey Graham isn't fully siding with him on the issue of Berman.

Graham was caught off-guard by the behavior of Trump and Barr.



Why it will be a tough climb to confirm anyone new to Berman's post before the November elections
By Manu Raju, Kara Scannell and Erica Orden, CNN
Updated 6:40 PM ET, Sat June 20, 2020

Replacing Geoffrey Berman will be tough before the November election - CNNPolitics

excerpt:

"The fast-moving developments seemed to catch by surprise Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham, a close ally of Trump's and Barr's, who said Saturday he had not been told about the effort to fire Berman.

And in a significant announcement Saturday, Graham announced that he will honor tradition to let home-state senators sign off on a replacement for Berman's post, meaning that Democrats essentially have veto power over a replacement to a position considered the most powerful US attorney job in the country."

 

If we had an actual grown man as president, he would understand that he should not "kid around" about a pandemic that's killing hundreds of thousands of people. People dying is no subject matter for "kidding around."

 

I think that if states do vote-by-mail, everyone who is too lazy to go to the polls will vote against him...

 

Silicon Valley has scorned Trump for his later maneuver on visas.



Tech companies slam Trump's executive order restricting work visas
By Rishi Iyengar and Brian Fung, CNN Business
Updated 3:29 AM ET, Tue June 23, 2020

H-1B visa program: Silicon Valley slams Trump's executive order restricting immigration - CNN

excerpt:

"Silicon Valley is pushing back against President Donald Trump's latest immigration curbs, this time targeting visa programs that tech companies use to bring in thousands of skilled foreign workers.

Trump signed an executive order on Monday expanding restrictions on several work visas until at least the end of this year, including the L-1 visa that allows companies to transfer employees from overseas offices and the H-1B program for workers in specialty occupations.

Both visas are popular with the United States' tech giants, and many were quick to condemn the executive order.

"Immigration has contributed immensely to America's economic success, making it a global leader in tech, and also Google the company it is today," Google CEO Sundar Pichai said on Twitter. "Disappointed by today's proclamation — we'll continue to stand with immigrants and work to expand opportunity for all," he added."

 

In a Trump-style hostage-ransom maneuver, the governor of Nebraska is withholding federal money to local officials who require face coverings to be worn.



Nebraska governor tells local officials they can't require face masks if they want federal coronavirus-relief funding
By Kelly Mena, CNN
Updated 2:17 PM ET, Fri June 19, 2020

Governor Pete Ricketts tells local Nebraska officials they can't require face masks if they want federal coronavirus-relief funding - CNNPolitics

excerpt:

"Washington, DC (CNN)Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts has told local government officials that they won't get federal coronavirus relief funding if they require individuals to wear face masks in government buildings.

Ricketts, a Republican, made the statement on Monday, the same day he set as the deadline for county courthouses and offices to be opened while encouraging but not requiring the use of face masks.

Nebraska has allocated $100 million for reimbursements to local governments for direct expenses incurred in response to the Covid-19 emergency."

 

Reports are indicating that two secret service people tested positive for the coronavirus after Trump's rally in Tulsa.

It's another in a string of embarrassments for Trump whose administration is now considering other types of venues for his rallies.



Two more Trump staffers test positive for coronavirus after Tulsa rally
By Ryan Nobles, Donald Judd and Kate Sullivan, CNN
Updated 4:55 PM ET, Mon June 22, 2020

Two more Trump staffers test positive for coronavirus after Tulsa rally - CNNPolitics

excerpt:

Attendees at Trump's rally were not required to wear a mask or practice social distancing, despite the Trump administration's top public health officials stressing the importance of both measures in preventing the spread of coronavirus. Several administration officials at the rally did not wear masks, though campaign manager Brad Parscale was seen in one.

After Trump finished speaking in Tulsa, a person familiar with matter told CNN that two Secret Service agents had also tested positive for coronavirus.

Those attending the rally had to agree to not to sue the campaign if they contract coronavirus, acknowledging the "inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present."

 

Former assistant attorney general Rocah made comments on Barr's Friday night maneuver to fire Berman.



U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman Steps Down After Standoff With Attorney General Barr
Heard on Weekend Edition Sunday
June 21, 20207:58 AM ET

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman Steps Down After Standoff With Attorney General Barr

excerpt:

"ROCAH: It has. It's incredible what just unfolded. But you know, I just want to be sure that we frame it in the right way, which is that Barr - you know, it is a back and forth, obviously, but Barr - you know, we can't lose sight of this. He tried, in the middle of the night, basically, on a Friday night, thinking no one would notice, I guess, to lie about trying to fire a U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.

It's, one, that he was trying to get rid of him for - you know, we don't know exactly why, though there are a lot of things that come to mind, right? I mean, obviously, the Southern District of New York has been a place where there have been investigations of people surrounding Trump, including Giuliani. That's been widely reported. And the Southern District is historically independent from the Department of Justice, which we know Bill Barr does not like. He wants to control everything."