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Napolitano on Explosive Report of Trump-Whitaker Call: Would Clearly Be 'An Attempt to Obstruct...
Fox News’ Napolitano on Explosive Report of Trump-Whitaker Call: Would Clearly Be ‘An Attempt to Obstruct Justice’by Josh Feldman | Feb 19th, 2019, 3:26 pm
Fox News’ Judge Andrew Napolitano said today if the latest New York Times report on President Donald Trump‘s call with former Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker is true, it’s evidence of “corrupt intent” and “clearly an attempt to obstruct justice” from the president.
To recap: the Times reported that Trump spoke to Whitaker a few months ago about whether US Attorney Geoffrey Berman could oversee the SDNY Michael Cohen investigation despite his recusal. The report notes Whitaker “knew he could not put Mr. Berman in charge” and Trump ultimately “soured” on him in the end.
Napolitano noted to Shepard Smith that Whitaker could be in some trouble if this report his true, given his recent congressional testimony. But, he continued, it’s really bad news for Trump:
SMITH: This phone call––if the Times reporting is accurate… the phone call would be evidence of what?
NAPOLITANO: Corrupt intent. That is an effort to use the levers of power of the government for a corrupt purpose, to deflect an investigation into himself or his allies.
NAPOLITANO: Corrupt intent. That is an effort to use the levers of power of the government for a corrupt purpose, to deflect an investigation into himself or his allies.
When Smith brought up the question of obstruction, Napolitano it would only be actual obstruction if it succeeded, “but if you try to interfere with a criminal prosecution that may knock at your own door by putting your ally in there, that is clearly an attempt to obstruct justice.”
He also expressed some amazement at the part of the report concerning Trump “using his allies in the Congress to interfere with an ongoing criminal investigation.”
“This breaks new ground,” he said.
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https://www.mediaite.com/tv/fox-news-napolitano-on-explosive-report-of-trump-whitaker-call-would-clearly-be-an-attempt-to-obstruct-justice/
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A bombshell new report about Trump's alleged interference with federal investigations 'raises serious questions' about whether Matthew Whitaker misled Congress, aides say
A bombshell New York Times report said that President Donald Trump pressured Matthew Whitaker, then the acting attorney general, to exert control over a federal investigation into Trump's role in several hush-money payments to women during the 2016 US election.
There is no evidence that Whitaker acted on Trump's request, but The Times reported that Whitaker later told colleagues the SDNY was in need of "adult supervision."
One aide on the House Judiciary Committee told INSIDER the alleged conversation "raises serious questions" about Whitaker's "candor" when he testified to Congress that the White House never asked for — and he did not provide — any "promises or commitments" about any ongoing investigations.
Another aide confirmed that House Democrats are investigating whether Whitaker perjured himself.
- Business Insider
There is no evidence that Whitaker acted on Trump's request, but The Times reported that Whitaker later told colleagues the SDNY was in need of "adult supervision."
One aide on the House Judiciary Committee told INSIDER the alleged conversation "raises serious questions" about Whitaker's "candor" when he testified to Congress that the White House never asked for — and he did not provide — any "promises or commitments" about any ongoing investigations.
Another aide confirmed that House Democrats are investigating whether Whitaker perjured himself.
