Why Volunteer to be Burned at Stake?

President Donald Trump has repeatedly denied Russian collusion.

He further said he is willing to speak to special prosecutor Robert Mueller. But if the president speaks without preconditions, he’s utterly insane.

Even with preconditions as to the scope of the interrogation, he’s insane. Here’s why.


Mr. Trump could go in expecting to be questioned about Russian collusion—and “any matters that ... may arise directly from that investigation.” But Mr. Mueller’s powers are even broader. If Mr. Mueller feels a full investigation requires him to inquire into additional matters, Mr. Trump might suddenly find himself being examined on foreign investment violations pertaining to a hotel he built 10 years ago in Timbuktu, or on claims that he willfully understated his income to avoid taxation in 2013.

If you think that’s fanciful, consider that Paul Manifort has already been charged with money laundering, which seemingly bears no relationship to Russian meddling. Special counsel (prosecutor) Mueller was appointed to investigate the “Russian government’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election.” But the law also allows prosecution of related perjury, lying to the FBI, etc.

And if the special counsel feels that additional jurisdiction is necessary to fully investigate, that could be granted, upon his request, by acting Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed him.

One danger Mr. Trump faces is prosecutor Mueller deciding that the president has lied during the interview—even if the statement in question was not made under oath.

This danger is real, even if Mr. Trump is pure as the driven snow on the collusion issue. He still is in grave danger of saying something contrary to what one or more other witnesses have already said, and being charged with lying to the FBI, or some similar process crime.

Prosecutor Mueller and his team—many of whom are Democrat donors—have been investigating the president and his associates since May 17, 2017. They must have piles of statements. It is almost inconceivable that among that mountain of transcripts, Mueller wouldn’t be unable to find some statements of material fact that will contradict something the president says. That will afford the prosecutor a basis for charging the president with lying.

It matters not that that prior statement itself may be a lie, as long as it has the appearance of truthfulness to Mr. Mueller. Just consider the damage that has already been done by the bogus “Fusion GPS Dossier.”


What the president is up against, is equivalent to being dragged before the Papal Inquisition, circa 1250 A.D. Imagine the following taken scenario from “The Inquisition of the Middle Ages.” Would you voluntarily appear?

“The Inquisitor summons everyone within a certain radius to come forward and reveal to him whatever they have known or heard of anyone leading to the belief that he might be a heretic ... or that he had spoken against any article of faith ....


“In a trial by the Inquisition, a man would be reported to the Inquisitor ... for heresy, or his name would occur in the confession of another prisoner. A secret investigation would be made, and all accessible evidence against him would be collected. He would then be cited to appear or arrested. ... The accused was presumed to be guilty—or he would not have been put on trial!

“The Inquisitor prepared himself by collecting and studying all the adverse evidence that could be produced, while the prisoner was kept in sedulous ignorance of the charges against him.”

Generally, the Inquisitor was a well-educated cleric; the accused, more often than not, was illiterate, and entirely unfamiliar with mortal danger of being a witness against himself on a charge of heresy, while facing a trained interrogator.

This is what President Trump faces unless he sets limits on the scope of the interrogation: an educated and astute businessman facing a squad of trained prosecutors, most with Democratic leanings, who are looking to charge him with making false statements, while sitting on a mountain of depositions.

It is inconceivable, that with all the evidence already gathered, the president will not say something that an earlier depositions belies. If he talks to them at all, he’s insane.

If he goes in without preconditions, limiting the scope, he’s utterly insane.

If Mueller insists, without strict preconditions, the president should sue at least to delimit the scope of the investigation.

Posted: QCOline.com February 8, 2018
Copyright 2018, John Donald O'Shea