Rand Paul warns gloating Trump critics: Mueller’s ‘great overstep’ a danger to all Americans

[TomSea]

Rand Paul warns gloating Trump critics: Mueller’s ‘great overstep’ a danger to all Americans

By Douglas Ernst - The Washington Times - Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul says all Americans should be worried about civil liberties in the wake of the FBI’s raid on President Trump’s attorney Michael Cohen.

The nebulous limits to special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russian investigation, coupled with his willingness to test them, had the Republican lawmaker ringing alarm bells Tuesday. Mr. Paul told a Fox News’ Bill Hemmer that the FBI’s legal tendrils have wandered far from their original target — the truth about possible collusion between Russian state actors and Mr. Trump’s presidential campaign.

“The first question we ought to ask is what does this have to do with Russia,” Mr. Paul said during an “American Newsroom” appearance. “I thought the special prosecutor was investigating Russian collusion. Going after someone’s personal attorney is a great overstep, I think, in the authority of the prosecutor.

Read more at: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/apr/10/rand-paul-warns-gloating-trump-critics-muellers-gr/

A lot of this really smacks of being unconstitutional.

[edpc]

A lot of this really smacks of being unconstitutional.

How?  A warrant was issued for the search, which complied with the 4th Amendment and there is no reference to attorney client privilege in the constitution.

[DB]

How?  A warrant was issued for the search, which complied with the 4th Amendment and there is no reference to attorney client privilege in the constitution.

One would hope that the warrant was issued because of serious actual evidence of wrong doing. They have to know it is going to face a huge amount of scrutiny so it better stand on its own. But this is also DC and politics reign supreme...

[libertybele]

One would hope that the warrant was issued because of serious actual evidence of wrong doing. They have to know it is going to face a huge amount of scrutiny so it better stand on its own. But this is also DC and politics reign supreme...

Agreed.  On what basis was the warrant issued and why?? What did the warrant have to actually do with Russian collusion? Why was Mueller going beyond the scope of what he was authorized to investigate? If there was no evidence of collusion than anything after that is simply a witch hunt and he's looking under any rock possible and hoping to find something. 

Perhaps not unconstitutional but seemingly unlawful and certainly unethical.  He overstepped his authority period; except Rosenstein really never set down any defined parameters making it an on going investigation that won't end until they completely derail his presidency.

[Sanguine]

Agreed.  On what basis was the warrant issued and why?? What did the warrant have to actually do with Russian collusion? Why was Mueller going beyond the scope of what he was authorized to investigate? If there was no evidence of collusion than anything after that is simply a witch hunt and he's looking under any rock possible and hoping to find something. 

Perhaps not unconstitutional but seemingly unlawful and certainly unethical.  He overstepped his authority period; except Rosenstein really never set down any defined parameters making it an on going investigation that won't end until they completely derail his presidency.

Do we know the scope of what Mueller is authorized to investigate?

[DB]

Agreed.  On what basis was the warrant issued and why?? What did the warrant have to actually do with Russian collusion? Why was Mueller going beyond the scope of what he was authorized to investigate? If there was no evidence of collusion than anything after that is simply a witch hunt and he's looking under any rock possible and hoping to find something. 

Perhaps not unconstitutional but seemingly unlawful and certainly unethical.  He overstepped his authority period; except Rosenstein really never set down any defined parameters making it an on going investigation that won't end until they completely derail his presidency.

If one stumbles onto a crime does one ignore it? White water went far beyond its original charge.

I don't think much of anyone in DC could survive a full on legal enema with a microscope.

[endicom]

If one stumbles onto a crime does one ignore it? White water went far beyond its original charge.

Whitewater began as a criminal investigation and not as a hunt for some crime having been committed by someone, somewhere.

[edpc]

Whitewater began as a criminal investigation and not as a hunt for some crime having been committed by someone, somewhere.

Not exactly.  Whitewater had been submitted a few times as a criminal referral and various agencies declined to investigate.  Only after David Hale was indicted on unrelated charges did he start talking.  Only after that, Madison Guaranty and Whitewater got attention.

[libertybele]

Do we know the scope of what Mueller is authorized to investigate?

That's just it, we don't.  Rosenstein said special counsel Robert S. Mueller III can investigate any crimes that he might discover within the scope of his probe.  That's pretty non-specific. 


https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/rosenstein-special-counsel-mueller-can-investigate-any-crimes-he-uncovers-in-russia-probe/2017/08/06/2209365a-7aae-11e7-83c7-5bd5460f0d7e_story.html?utm_term=.af83e08f5bcd

[Sanguine]

That's just it, we don't.  Rosenstein said special counsel Robert S. Mueller III can investigate any crimes that he might discover within the scope of his probe.  That's pretty non-specific. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/rosenstein-special-counsel-mueller-can-investigate-any-crimes-he-uncovers-in-russia-probe/2017/08/06/2209365a-7aae-11e7-83c7-5bd5460f0d7e_story.html?utm_term=.af83e08f5bcd

And, that's one of the bigger problems with this.