Thursday, May 18, 2017

Former Watergate Counsel: Trump-Nixon Comparisons ‘Border on the Absurd’



Former Watergate Counsel: Trump-Nixon Comparisons ‘Border on the Absurd’
by Ben Kew 17 May 2017
The former Assistant Minority Counsel to the Watergate committee, Michael Madigan, has described comparisons between the Watergate scandal and the firing of FBI Director James Comey’s as “bordering on the absurd.”

Since Trump’s decision to fire Comey last week, a number of politicians and left-wing commentators have compared it to the 1972 Watergate scandal that led to Richard Nixon’s resignation. 

Earlier this week, former Comey associates leaked a memo asserting that Trump asked him not to investigate his former national security adviser Mike Flynn over his meeting with the Russian ambassador.

However, Michael Madigan, currently the Democratic speaker for the Illinois House of Representatives, dismissed the claims, pointing to the fact that numerous Democrats had previously called for Comey’s dismissal. In a statement, he said: 

Having served as Assistant Minority Counsel to the late Senators Howard Baker and Fred Thompson, it borders on the absurd to hear the comparisons from a gaggle of politicians and pundits between Watergate and the firing of the FBI Director by President Trump. Leaving aside that numerous Democrats have themselves ‘demanded’ the firing of Comey and that Comey himself notes that the FBI Director can be fired for ‘no reason’ at all, the comparisons are not only blatant partisan nonsense, they diminish the historic process which lead to President’s Nixon’s resignation in the summer of 1974.

Watergate involved a clear crime for which those involved were indicted, tried in a jury trial or pleaded guilty to clear criminal actions.  Having missed the mark with such comparisons, this politically driven gaggle has now moved on to argue that our President’s suggestion (if there was one) that the FBI should have its priorities in stopping the damaging leaks around classified information and not chasing down a former employee is equally weak and frankly an insult to both Democrats and Republicans who served this country so well at a critical time under the impartial guidance of Senators Ervin and Baker.

James Comey
James B. Comey was the director at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and a director at the HSBC Holdings plc.

Note: HSBC Holdings plc was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.
John J. Studzinski was a co-head of investment banking for HSBC Holdings plc, is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), and a director at the Human Rights Watch.
Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), and the Human Rights Watch.
George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, was a benefactor for the Human Rights Watch, and the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Human Rights Watch, the Committee for Economic Development, and the Common Cause.
Henrietta Holsman Fore is a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development, and a member of the Belizean Grove.
Belizean_Grove is the equivalent to the male-only social group, the Bohemian Club.    
Richard M. Nixon was an honorary member of the Bohemian Club, the president of the Richard M. Nixon administration, and the Watergate scandal led to end of his presidency.
Mary Agnes Wilderotter is a member of the Belizean Grove, and a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development.
Richard J. Davis was a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development, and an assistant special prosecutor for the Watergate Special Prosecution Force.
Archibald Cox was a chairman for the Common Cause, and a prosecutor for the Watergate Special Prosecution Force.
Watergate Special Prosecution Force investigated the Watergate scandal.
Melanne Verveer was a field manager for the Common Cause, Hillary Rodham Clinton’s chief of staff, and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).
Hillary Rodham Clinton’s chief of staff was Melanne Verveer, and was a director at the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.
HSBC Holdings plc was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.
James B. Comey was a director at the HSBC Holdings plc, and the director at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).  
John J. Studzinski was a co-head of investment banking for HSBC Holdings plc, is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), and a director at the Human Rights Watch.

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