The Morning Briefing: The New York Times Gets a Letter and Much, Much More

Good Monday morning.

Here’s what is on the President’s agenda today:

The President receives his intelligence briefing
President Trump has lunch with the Vice President and the Secretary of Defense
The President meets with Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum
President Trump and First Lady Melania host Gold Star Families Memorial Day Reception

Trump letter to Mueller leaked

On Saturday, a letter from Trump campaign lawyers to witch-hunter Robert Mueller appeared in The New York Times. Highly-skilled forensic journalists pounced into action. Basically, the letter outlines the limits of the special counsel regarding the office of the presidency. The letter was sent back in January by John Dowd, a lawyer who is no longer on the Trump legal team. Politico explains:

“In a brash assertion of presidential power, the 20-page letter — sent to the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, and obtained by The New York Times — contends that the president cannot illegally obstruct any aspect of the investigation into Russia’s election meddling because the Constitution empowers him to, ‘if he wished, terminate the inquiry, or even exercise his power to pardon.’ Mr. Trump’s lawyers fear that if he answers questions, either voluntarily or in front of a grand jury, he risks exposing himself to accusations of lying to investigators, a potential crime or impeachable offense.

Of course the President is worried he will be accused of lying to investigators. The witch-hunters are the ones who decide if he’s lying. It’s a trap. Besides, it’s not clear why the special counsel needs to interview the president. Do they need information from him that no one else was able to provide? He can just submit his answers in writing. But it doesn’t look like that’s what they want. They want to go fishing.

Giuliani hits the Sunday circuit

The political celebrity class was giddy after the Trump letter was revealed, war-gaming themselves into a tizzy about hypothetical scenarios like Trump pardoning himself. But for what crime? Remember, there’s no crime at the foundation of the Mueller probe. It’s a counter-intelligence investigation, albeit one just investigating domestic folk who happened to have been involved with the Trump presidential campaign.

When Stephanopoulos asked if the president has the power to pardon himself, Giuliani said he “probably does.”

“He has no intention of pardoning himself,” said Giuliani, a former New York City mayor who is Trump’s lead attorney in negotiating an end to Mueller’s ongoing investigation. But it is a “really interesting constitutional argument: ‘Can the president pardon himself?'”

Giuliani added, “I think the political ramifications of that would be tough. Pardoning other people is one thing. Pardoning yourself is another. Other presidents have pardoned people in circumstances like this, both in their administration and sometimes the next president even of a different party will come along and pardon.”

Rudy also said that the legal team is leaning toward not having the president testify.

“Jay [Sekulow] and I want to keep an open mind. We’re leaning toward not [doing an interview],” Giuliani said on ABC’s “This Week.”

“But look, if they can convince us that it will be brief, it will be to the point, there were five or six points they have to clarify, and with that we can get this long nightmare for the American public over,” he added.

Trump Questions Why Comey, FBI Never Alerted His Campaign About Manafort Investigation

Experts split on whether Trump can pardon himself

Preet Bharara says Trump pardoning himself would be ‘almost self-executing impeachment’

Other morsels:

Portland sees bloody fighting as Antifa activists storm Patriot Prayer rally

Cops look for links after 4th fatal shooting near Phoenix

What to Know About the Bizarre Murder of the JonBenét Ramsey Expert Psychiatrist

Melania to skip summits with President Trump

Melania Trump expected to attend Gold Star event at White House

California votes to expand Medicaid to illegal aliens

House generic ballot a toss-up: poll

Dick’s Sporting Good’s pro-gun-control policies are hurting business — and the future remains bleak