If Donald Trump were to wield his Sharpie and draw a feral Chihuahua, it would look like Corey Lewandowski.
The former MAGA campaign manager – “a perfect Trump character…a pathological liar,” according to Republican strategist Stuart Stevens – predictably wrecked havoc yesterday during his sneering gig at the House Judiciary Committee witness table, aided and abetted by Republican lickspittles who practice subservience to Dear Leader.
Before the session took a late dramatic turn at Lewandowski’s expense (and we’ll get to that soon), his defiant ‘tude brought to mind the congressional appearance of mob moll Virginia Hill, who testified in 1951 that she didn’t know “anything about anybody” and marched out with these parting words: “I hope the atom bomb falls on every one of you!” Indeed, Twitter commentators spent much of yesterday savaging the committee Democrats for indulging Lewandowski’s tiresome agitprop (MAGA is “the greatest political movement in our nation’s history!”) and failing to slap him with a contempt citation.
But despite Team Trump’s orchestrated chaos, something wonderful happened: Lewandowski confirmed, albeit grudgingly and no doubt unwittingly, that Trump committed a federal crime – violating the statute that prohibits obstructions of justice. Thanks, Corey!
As detailed in the Mueller Report (with help from Lewandowski, speaking under oath with Mueller’s investigators), Trump summoned Lewandowski on June 19, 2017 and gave him an urgent task. Lewandowski was a private citizen at the time – indeed, he never worked at the White House – so it was clear that Trump wanted a toady who was off the books, as it were. The task: Deliver a message (which Trump dictated) to Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Tell Sessions to curb the Russia investigation, and ensure that the probe should focus on future elections, not on what happened in 2016. And Trump followed up with Lewandowski on July 19, 2017, asking whether the message had not been delivered.
Yesterday, Lewandowski confirmed this narrative. He said he intended to deliver the message to Sessions in a “relaxed atmosphere,” probably at dinner. But ultimately, he decided instead to fob off the task to senior White House aide Rob Dearborn (who refused to testify yesterday). When Trump had dictated the message to Sessions, Lewandowski had taken notes – which he locked away in a safe at his home.
Why is this episode so important? Because even though Trump’s message never reached Sessions (Dearborn didn’t deliver it either), it’s clear under federal law – 18 U.S.C. 1505 – that Trump still committed an obstruction of justice. Let’s read the passage (with my italics): “Whoever corruptly, or by threats of force, or by any threatening letter or communication, influences, obstructs, or impedes, or endeavors to influence, obstruct, or impede the due and proper administration of the law, shall be punished” with fines and imprisonment.
Not even Lewandowski’s constant yapping – and his hilarious insistence that his meetings with Trump were confidential, under the rules of executive privilege (which only covers White House employes) – could mask the truth about Trump’s intent to stymie the Russia probe.
And then, at the tail end of the Judiciary hearing, chairman Jerry Nadler ceded the questioning to the Democrats’ hired counsel, white-collar criminal attorney Barry Berke. Those 30 minutes were more delicious than a rack of barbecued ribs. Trump’s errand boys on the Judiciary panel fought fiercely and futilely to bar Berke from participating, and it was soon obvious why they’d done so.
Berke quickly exposed Lewandowski as a blatant liar, by airing a 2019 clip of the Trumpist on national TV, telling the American people: “I don’t remember the president ever asking me to get involved with Jeff Sessions or the Justice Department in any way, shape or form.” Berke asked Lewandowski to explain why he’d lied.
Lewandowski: “I have no obligation to be honest with the media, because they’re just as dishonest as anybody else.”
Berke pointed out that Lewandowski, according to the Mueller Report, toyed with meeting Sessions for a “relaxed” dinner because he didn’t want to sign the public log at the Justice Department and thus leave a record. Was he worried that signing the log might make him complicit in wrongdoing?
Lewandowski’s non-answer: “I’ve never been to the Department of Justice, I don’t know what goes on in the Department of Justice.”
Did Lewandowski ultimately shy away from delivering the obstruction message, and fob it off on Dearborn, because he knew it was improper or worse?
Lewandowski: “I didn’t go to Harvard Law School.”
Wasn’t it true that Trump saw you as a loyal messenger because, one month earlier, in May ’17, Trump had dangled the possibility of you working for him in the White House?
Lewandowski: I can’t disclose my confidential discussions.
Berke: “Sir, didn’t you publish a book in which you disclosed these very conversations?” (Yes indeed. Lewandowski’s book is titled “Let Trump Be Trump.”)
And so on. Whether House Democrats ultimately move to impeach (despite the mountain of evidence) is almost beside the point. As evidenced by their day with Lewandowski, they are methodically demonstrating – and will continue to do so, despite their hesitations and gutless moments – that Trump is by far the most dangerous foe of democracy this nation has ever suffered. They’re building a record to share with the ’20 electorate, which will be tasked with standing up for American values, and ending this farce once and for all.
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