Republicans are attempting to blackmail the Democratic Party.

[kentuck]

How?

They are threatening to begin hearings on the FISA Court and to put in jail the guilty parties. They are following the lead of Putin's puppet, Donald Trump. "Lock 'em up!", they yell.

It should not be seen as idle threats. AG Barr has already said that he is looking at the origins of the investigation. He has been egged on by Senators, like Lindsey Graham, to get to the bottom of it. The scary part is that they have the power to do it. There is no reason to believe they would not use that power.

They want the Democrats to drop their investigation and their hearings and accept the Mueller Report as AG Barr interpreted it, and let it go. They are attempting to blackmail the Democrats into no oversight of Donald Trump.

AG Barr had the very uncomfortable moment with Senator Kamala Harris the other day, when she asked if the White House or anyone had asked or suggested that he open an investigation on anyone? He did not answer because he did not want to tell the truth.

It was pretty obvious that there were discussions of investigating the political enemies of Donald Trump. They have their own enemies list. And there is no guarantee they would not use their power to start putting people in jail.

Democrats will not surrender to these blackmail tactics.

[pangaia]

1. Dictatorship behavior.

Serious, very serious...

[tritsofme]

2. It seems like a complete dead-end only trotted out for propaganda purposes.

There is nothing untoward about the origins of the investigation. I don’t see how Democrats are vulnerable to blackmail.

[kentuck]

4. Dn't assume they will act honorably...

...in their charges.

[Cosmocat]

23. Democrats cant back down, but all it takes is Barr

And getting in front of one the MANY right wing loons they have foisted into the courts to prosecute...

[lark]

3. PUtin's coaching him on this - OMG.

This is exactly what is done in russia with every single campaign against PUtin or his allies - lock them up or kill them. I believe that is one arm of what drumpf is planning in his 2020 joint stealing of our country's election systems with Russia.

[Buckeyeblue]

10. Yes it is.

And that was started in 2016 when he started calling for Hillary to be put in jail.

At what point does Hillary say enough is enough and move out of the country?

[UniteFightBack]

5. Are they willing to FABRICATE 'evidence'...because it was all lawful singed off by a Repub judge...

so just how far are they willing to go with this?

[kentuck]

6. They will begin with the "spy" that talked to Papadopolous

...and try to tie Hillary to the Steele Dossier and say that they were not honest with the FISA Court because they did not tell the FISA judges about the information they used from the dossier.

That it was all illegitimate from the beginning. And that Stzrok and Page were working with the deep state to spy on the Trump campaign.

And so forth....

[UniteFightBack]

8. That has all been debunked already...it's good fodder for Hannity but unless they are willing to

actually fabricate evidence this won't work.

[kentuck]

9. Do you think they would not fabricate?

That they would never put an innocent person in jail?

I think that might be naive?

[UniteFightBack]

11. I think some of them would yes....but that would take a lot of people in on it and people have

a hard time keeping their mouths shut and then I would HOPE there would be some folks that this would not sit well with this.

But no I don't put it past them.

[kentuck]

12. They tend to march in lockstep.

They are not independent thinkers.

[mopinko]

7. they think they can crucify hillary so that 2020 is just 2016 all over.

replay the movie, and hope it comes out the same.
and yes, they will try to muddy whoever our candidate is, preferably immediately.
hell, they will slime them all, just to make the whole party look bad.

[Iliyah]

13. Are the Republicans willing to risk more exposure concerning

more "proof" of collusion? I think not.

[Captain Zero]

14. Right, there would have to be discovery if any cases were brought

Not sure they could get everything redacted that was requested in discovery by the new 'targets'.

[Mustellus]

15. Poor General Flynn.....

.. had the head Russian Spy in the USA on speed dial. He had headed the Defense Intelligence Agency, and at some point must have heard that we do eavesdropping on known spies... and that there is a process of 'unmasking' when an American calls the spy. To find out who the spy is dealing with, and if the American is a ... wait for it .... traitor.

Poor General Flynn.... got off with a plea bargain for minor stuff, when there's probably a lot of taped convo's... enough to establish "conspiracy"...

.. or maybe even treason?

And the Republicans are so concerned about "spying". But not by Trump's national security adviser, apparently.

[former9thward]

36. So you think Mueller ignored the "taped" evidence you think exist?

[2naSalit]

16. Tis the season...

for marches and strikes I'm thinking.

[hughee99]

17. Exactly! The "if you have nothing to hide" argument doesn't apply here.

[kentuck]

18. They have a way with propaganda...

...and persuading people to believe that which is not true.

[PoliticAverse]

27. It never seems to apply when it's the side one supports on the receiving end. n/t

[TeamPooka]

19. We don't need to win in 2020, we need to destroy the GOP electorally in 2020.

We need to crush them.

[Volaris]

20. There are no guilty parties, so no one should need to be jailed.

Let the Senate majority run all the fake investigations they want. It won't keep their criminal president (or anyone who covered for him) from going to prison.

Fuck them.

[kentuck]

22. I think there is a fear amongst some in the Democratic Party....

...that they can be falsely accused and driven from office, even if not charged with a crime. Republicans are very good at tearing down their opposition. Democrats will not be intimidated this time, in my opinion.

[Volaris]

25. I hope you're correct about the not intimidated part...

We are in dire need of a congress in which the Dems hold a traditional majority for another 50 years, as they did beginning with FDR.

The Reagan revolution needs to be reversed (finally), and for the good of the REPUBLICAN party, I think.
Left to their own devices, they will destroy themselves and as an objective , that's not good for a democracy.

We NEED that party of William F Buckleys to call us on our own hubris occasionally (I think), but if left to their own devices their go-to will be to 'stop' ALL forward progress.

This criminal presidency needs to be stopped post haste, and Republicans won't do it. If we need to provide cover for the ones who would help us do that, I'm in.

It's a day drink Saturday, so YMMV here, lol!

[Nitram]

28. I don't think so, kentuck. Republicans can accuse all they want. If they don't take it to court and

prove a crime was committed, they have nothing.

[kentuck]

34. They have the corporate media...

and the right-wing scream machine

[Nitram]

37. They do not have the corporate media. They do have the right wing scream machine.

[EveHammond13]

21. if they do this, we need to be in the streets and shut this country down

[displacedtexan]

24. So republicans will investigate John Roberts' appointees to the FISA Court?

The Supremes will really love that!

https://theconversation.com/3-questions-about-the-fisa-court-answered-91208

[PoliticAverse]

31. Yeah, the current Republican Supreme Court majority loves secret courts like FISA. n/t

[Nitram]

26. You can only blackmail someone who has actually committed a crime.

[dlk]

29. Given the Scorched Earth Tactics of Republicans, This Post Emphasizes Why Bipartisanship is a Joke!

[GoCubsGo]

30. What you describe is not "blackmail." It's extortion.

Blackmail is demanding payments or benefits in return for not revealing compromising information. Extortion is obtaining what you want with threats and force, no compromising information involved. Just flat-out threats. If the Dems have not done anything illegal or otherwise compromising, then there's nothing to blackmail them over. Most likely, the GOPers are making these threats because they believer everyone is as corrupt as they are, and therefore guilty of something. If Deranged Donald wants to investigate the Dems, it will backfire on him, especially when the people realize how many millions of their tax dollars will be wasted on actual witch hunts.

[Cold War Spook]

32. So what is to keep the House from investigating the investigators?

Are they allowed to investigate the Senators or at least any ex-Senator or representatives? How about any Republican that works for the AG? Investigate all Republicans that there are rumors about that may have committed a federal crime. Check all their tax records. Go after all members of Trump's cabinet. Investigate all their wives, husbands and adult children. Let's see who blinks first.

[Martin Eden]

33. We are in a war for the soul of America

Democrats MUST NOT BACK DOWN.

Now is the time for STRENGTH and COURAGE.

[kentuck]

35. They have to get the truth out there about Donald Trump.

People need to know what they are voting for.