Yes, I've seen the reports of Trump's unscheduled health check-up at Walter Reed yesterday and the press lid today. Yes, I agree it's odd. Yes, I've read the theories: 1) heart health issue 2) panic attack 3) looking to set up a narrative for resignation and a pardon... [thread]
Could be nothing. Could be something. [2]
Walls are closing in round him. Career diplomats & even VP Pence's top aid have lined up to testify how alarmed they were by Trump's actions. Courts aren't ruling in his favor. He's watched his best buds be convicted. He knows the last of 'em are already under investigation. [3]
Trump needs to make a move. And fast.
But even his best move might not help him. [4]
But even his best move might not help him. [4]
If Pence is implicated in any of Trump's crimes, he cannot pardon a co-conspirator. Yes, Trump could tap Pence to resign & put someone like Nikki Haley in to pardon him & Trump both when Trump resigns. But if Trump wants a pardon, he has to do it *before* he is impeached. [5]
And pardons from the president don't cover state crimes.
Remember Manafort? Remember how minutes after his conviction in the Eastern District of Virginia, New York charged him with 16 state crimes? Yeah, they did that to render a pardon for Manafort useless. [6]
Remember Manafort? Remember how minutes after his conviction in the Eastern District of Virginia, New York charged him with 16 state crimes? Yeah, they did that to render a pardon for Manafort useless. [6]
Stone? Stone was convicted in Virginia too, but his New York apartment in the Bronx and his friend's apartment in Manhattan were both raided during his investigation. No charges have been issued over anything found in those searches.
Doesn't mean that there won't be. 😉 [7]
Doesn't mean that there won't be. 😉 [7]
Even tho Stone's case is largely over, judge still has him gagged. To save him from himself maybe? To keep him from interfering in other investigations? To give him a chance to flip on his co-conspirators & save himself from charges no presidential pardon can save him from? [8]
We'll see, won't we? [9]
It's no secret that Trump Org, Trump Foundation, Trump's Inaugural Committee, Trump himself, & kids are all in legal jeopardy. That Trump keeps losing in the courts makes the likelihood of getting his tax records that much greater. [10]
And if you don't think there'll be any state crimes resulting from shaking that gnarly tax tree of his, I've got a bridge in Queens to sell you. [11]
Hint: Filing a state tax return is separate from filing a federal tax return. So filing both fraudulently are separate, prosecutable acts. And Trump's recent changing of his residence from New York to Florida won't save him from any of that either. [12]
That and New York recently closed their double-jeopardy loophole right on up. 😎governor.ny.gov/news/governor-…
In short, Trump is F#@&ED. He knows it. We know it. Everyone knows it.
All in all, it's really no wonder he's having his health check-up early. Heart palpitations or no, there's panic at Donald's Disco.
All in all, it's really no wonder he's having his health check-up early. Heart palpitations or no, there's panic at Donald's Disco.
[end thread] Please unroll, @threadreaderapp
