BAD PRESIDENT
Donald Trump Just Made His Most Nixonian Move Yet

Trump Just Made a Desperate Move That Will Have Huge Consequences
President Donald Trump just made his most Nixonian move to date. Clearly unhinged and in meltdown mode on Sunday, Trump dove deeper into his rage-filled attacks, and “officially” demanded the Department of Justice investigate if the FBI infiltrated the Trump campaign, and if so, if it was directed by the Obama administration.
I hereby demand, and will do so officially tomorrow, that the Department of Justice look into whether or not the FBI/DOJ infiltrated or surveilled the Trump Campaign for Political Purposes – and if any such demands or requests were made by people within the Obama Administration!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 20, 2018
Trump’s assertions are direct from the Fox News obstruction factory, and multiple legal and justice experts have made it crystal clear neither the DOJ nor the FBI infiltrated and spied on the Trump campaign.
CNBC’s John Harwood sums up what just happened:
Trump’s most consequential interference in our system of justice since he fired the FBI director who was investigating him https://t.co/Q5SL8kTNMv
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) May 20, 2018
This is unchartered territory. For decades there has been an impenetrable wall between the Dept. of Justice and the Oval Office.
Trump’s latest allegation is just as unhinged as his previous but more dangerous in its implications. The President is officially knocking down the firewall between policy and law enforcement–an indispensable element of the rule of law. And for his own personal ends, too. https://t.co/zsQPiicFA7
— Ned Price (@nedprice) May 20, 2018
The president under no circumstances is supposed to use the DOJ or FBI to investigate his enemies – which is what disgraced President Richard Nixon did.
In fact, using – and abusing – the Justice Dept. for political purposes was part of the articles of impeachment of Richard Nixon.
Here’s how some experts are responding to this extraordinary development:
A presidential order to investigate the FBI’s secret source, which forces a showdown with DOJ. If DOJ does not comply order, things could get very, very messy. https://t.co/hVtdnkV8sv
— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) May 20, 2018
Trump appears to be setting up his own Attorney General (Sessions) and Deputy Attorney General (Rosenstein) to be forced to refuse a presidential order.
Which he might then use as justification for firing them.
Now THIS? This feels like a Rudy Giuliani inspired move.
— Leah McElrath (@leahmcelrath) May 20, 2018
This is a nakedly corrupt attempt on the part of the President to derail an investigation of himself at the expense of a human source to whose protection the FBI and DOJ are committed.
See @qjurecic and my piece on this from yesterday. /5/ https://t.co/TsMMdPGp9g
— Benjamin Wittes (@benjaminwittes) May 20, 2018
In other words, this tweet is different from other Trump craziness tweets. It’s one that promises a specific action on a specific date (tomorrow) with respect to a specific agency that will, if it takes place, precipitate a showdown. /7/
— Benjamin Wittes (@benjaminwittes) May 20, 2018
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