I hear the crickets chirping...

[Jon Estes]

Where is the collusion rant? I thought that crime was the end of Trump? No escape for his colluding with the Russians seemed to be the thought from some here. What happened?

My bet - Those who cried collusion are just as wrong on the other claims that they have assured us will bring DT down.

Wishful thinking is not where you ought to put your money.

[Sandy]

Crickets chirping? Must be those warm desert nights. It certainly can't be anything related to the Mueller investigation, which has identified the specific Russians who were involved in the election interference, the specific conversations they had with Trump campaign officials, including recordings of American spies, laid down indictments with specific charges, got guilty pleas from the conspirators and made deals in exchange for testimony, and last week moved Trump's status to being a "subject" of the investigation. Maybe the crickets on the Arabian peninsula are much louder than the ones over here, where the evidence for collusion between Trump and the Russians is drowning out the chirps.

Let's see. They've got Flynn, Page, Van der Zwaan, Papadopoulous, Gates and Manafort, and the specific dates of either the meetings they had with the Russian operatives known to have been involved in the collusion, or those who helped make the contact, or the attempts to cover it up and obstruct justice.

There's really not a lot to say that you can't easily pick up in the daily media reports. I'm just watching and waiting. I got pretty excited when they raided Cohen's office and a red-faced, blustering, stammering, slurring Trump started threatening to fire Mueller. That would be the quickest path to a Trump-free America. He can't directly fire Mueller anyway, that pathway would have to go through Sessions, and since he recused himself, Rosenstein. But even though the leading Republicans haven't really done much except hide out for months, it seems pretty clear that McConnell and Ryan will step in to protect both of them. Option two is to simply wait until the investigation is finished and the results come out. I'm confident, along with 70% of the voters, that it is chock full of evidences of direct collusion, and will produce an indictment that will force an impeachment proceeding.

No need to comment, the investigation is proceeding merrily along and we'll just wait for it to conclude.

Here's something to get rid of those pesky crickets for you.

https://billmoyers.com/story/trump-russia-timeline/
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show

[KeithE]

[Sandy]

[Tim Bonney]

Trump's lawyer's office is raided by the FBI and you hear cricket's chirp? There are several steps that Trump might take now that would amount to obstruction of justice. Trump is very careful to use the word "collusion" because it isn't a legal term. But obstructing a government investigation is legal. He fired Comey. If he fires Mueler the liklihood obstruction charges is so high that Charles Grassley said for Trump to fire the special council would be suicide. And Grassley isn't one of those liberal Dems wants to see Trump gone.

Rather than crickets, you may be hearing gears turning on a very methodical and careful investigation which will lead to the truth, rather than anyone's political opinion.

[Jon Estes]

[Sandy]

[JE Pettibone]

Ed: So Sandy, are you ready for a Pence residency?

[Sandy]

If that's how it turns out, then yes, especially with what appears to be the likely prospect of a Democratic-controlled Congress after November's election. That is, if he isn't named in the indictments and subject to impeachment himself. He's also under investigation.

[KeithE]

[William Thornton]

I felt bad for my mod/lib friends when I woke up this morning after the election and saw the Hil lost, but I got over that as soon as the venom started flowing. I almost feel bad that some of the brethren have invested so much into impeachment or resignation. I placidly accepted Obama's election. We survived. The worm turned. It will turn again and the rabid left may be slightly happier for it.

[KeithE]

[William Thornton]

[Haruo]

[William Thornton]

[Sandy]

[Tim Bonney]

[Joseph Patrick]

From Gerry Milligan,
I cannot hear crickets chirping, but does a noose tightening make a sound? I think a lot of people might be listening for that.

[Sandy]

[Jon Estes]

[Jon Estes]

[Tim Bonney]

Jon, "collusion" isn't a legal term. That is why Trump likes it so much. He can say, "no collusion" all he wants and a lawyer may never counter him on that. But, is there obstruction of justice? Will he tell the truth if interviewed in the investigation and lead to perjury? Did he participate in Russian attempts to influence the election violating election law?

He has chosen the word "collusion" quite carefully.

[Jon Estes]

[Sandy]

[KeithE]