Obstruction of Justice

These are such surreal times. Imagining a president might be impeached or forced to resign after just 117 days is almost inconceivable. But with today's revelation that he asked FBI director Jim Comey to stop investigating potential White House-Russian collision before firing him--a day after the world learned he bragged secrets to BFF Sergei Lavrov--well. At this point it's more inconceivable to imagine him surviving to 2020 than meeting some inevitable, humiliating end.

He's already admitted to obstruction of justice (firing Comey over the "Russia thing"). He's a witless boob who brags away secrets, a man too scattered to learn the rudiments of government. He could easily start an accidental war. His nepotism and petty corruption is transparent, and he's almost certain to have committed major corruption and possibly even treason.

All congressional Republicans needed was a breathing body to sign legislation and act as a pass-through for judicial nominations. They entered 2017 clearly willing to put up with almost any behavior from Trump so long as it didn't endanger their individual seats and accomplished the first two ends. But there was always going to be a point when Trump was too big a liability and they'd turn on him. When we look back from a place of knowledge sometime in the future, I think we'll look at this week and particularly today as the beginning of the end.

If it goes to the full impeachment, we have months of drama left (special prosecutors and/or select committees) before he could be convicted by 2/3s of the Senate. That will grind legislation to a halt and almost certainly kill the chances of the GOP holding both chambers in 2018. Who knows--maybe Pence will cut a deal to pardon Trump so they can get him out by the fall. Self-interest is a powerful motivator, and the dominoes could fall quickly if Republicans see it in their interest to sacrifice Trump.

I really can't believe any of this is happening. I wouldn't buy it for a second in a novel.