V22, N36 Thursday, May 18, 2017 Trump controversies swirl by Pence tutional no man’s land. It shifted into higher gear Wednes- Freelancing Trump in ‘downward day with the Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein’s spiral’ as Pence stays positioned hiring of former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel for the Russia/Trump campaign probe. And it has By BRIAN A. HOWEY raised the specter of a potential Trump impeachment and INDIANAPOLIS – Let me make one thing perfectly the potential of a Pence presidency. clear: Vice President Mike Pence arduously sticks to highly On Wednesday, Pence filed FEC paperwork for the scripted, time-tested, narrow talking points. And President creation of a new leadership PAC. Trump? Not so much. Sad! Since Trump fired FBI Director James Comey on This past week, we’ve witnessed a honeymoonless White House teetering somewhere in a legal and consti- Continued on page 3 Trump Jr. reminds GOP By TONY SAMUEL INDIANAPOLIS – What a huge week for the State GOP and especially for original Trump supporters in Indi- ana. Having a Trump in the state six months to the night of being first on the board to elect Donald J. Trump presi- “There’s two people I think Putin dent, and one year to the week of winning the critical Indiana pays: Rohrabacher and Trump. primary, was a big-league way to Swear to God.” cap off a great year. The 20-point general - House Majority Leader election victory followed but also overshadows Indiana’s primary Kevin McCarthy, in a conver- win when candidate Trump won sation recorded in June 2016. all nine congressional districts, thus collecting all 57 Indiana House Speaker Paul Ryan delegates and knocking out his ordered the remarks kept last two opponents. Remember the surprise withdrawal by Sen. secret. Page 2 Ted Cruz that night followed by Gov. state chair Rex Early introduce the Kasich the next day? Back then, nation’s first son. After more than a Donald Trump Jr. was in the state in year of campaigning and traveling the April, stumping for his Dad. Having state with him, I knew that Rex was him back was a cool reminder of how honored, excited and nervous to be important Indiana was for the Trump on that stage and again in the spot- nomination. light. Of course he came through like That May 3 primary win, at a true Marine and added some humor a time when pundits could only focus when sharing how Don Jr. took time on what would keep Donald Trump out from hunting for votes to do some Howey Politics Indiana from the nomination, propelled him turkey hunting while in Indiana last WWHowey Media, LLC 405 on a clear path to well over the 1,237 spring, a passion shared by Rex. Massachusetts Ave., Suite delegates needed without having to The reminder of all of the 300 Indianapolis, IN 46204 worry about any further competition. hard work and how rewarding the Don Jr. acknowledged it in his speech payoff has been was followed by a call www.howeypolitics.com before over 1,000 loyalists, saying that to stay vigilant and continue the effort it all started in Indiana. in 2018 to win back the Senate seat Brian A. Howey, Publisher Kudos to Kyle Hupfer, do- held by Joe Donnelly, “My father will Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington ing a terrific job in his new role as need that vote,” said Don Jr. Jack E. Howey, Editor state chairman, for asking Don Jr. to Another reminder from the headline the first state Mary Lou Howey, Editor GOP dinner under new Thomas Curry, Statehouse leadership. I am especially Mark Curry, photography pleased that Republicans in Indiana have unified around our president. Subscriptions Hopefully it stays HPI, HPI Daily Wire $599 that way after the latest HPI Weekly, $350 round of unsubstanti- Ray Volpe, Account Manager ated stories coming out of 317.602.3620 the Washington Post and New York Times and pure email: [email protected] hypocrisy coming from Contact HPI national democrats follow- [email protected] ing James Comey’s firing. Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 Not to digress, but it is funny how Comey’s firing Washington: 202.256.5822 completely confused Hill- Business Office: 317.602.3620 ary’s comeback after she had again blamed him for her loss. I primary came when Don Jr. men- © 2017, Howey Politics don’t think we’ve heard Donald Trump Jr. gets a hug from Rex Early at the Indiana Indiana. All rights reserved. from her since – what can GOP Spring Dinner. Early chaired the presidents 2016 she say now? And why Indiana campaign. (HPI Photo by Tony Samuel) Photocopying, Internet forward- are stories with unnamed ing, faxing or reproducing in sources, that are easily debunked, so tioned Bob Knight’s support and that any form, whole or part, is a quick to become the latest bombshells he wants to keep helping. Candidate violation of federal law without from the unglued media? A mob Trump held seven rallies in the last 13 permission from the publisher. mentality has now taken over the na- days before that primary win, not just tional media and national democrats. with Bob Knight but also with Gene Remember that none of the people Keady, Digger Phelps and Lou Holtz that we are hearing from have even via a video endorsement shown at seen the Comey memo. But back the South Bend rally, proving Trump to that dinner in and about Indiana, was a unifier, not a divider. He united where heads are more level. Indiana sports fans. For true Trumpers, it was April, 2016, was significant great not just to have Don Jr. in town for another reason. On April 20, the but also to have the Indiana Trump day after Trump had devastated his Page 3 opponents in the New York primary, he made his first The rest is history, but much of this story is forgot- campaign visit to Indiana, holding the first of the two ten because of the dizzying pace of events that followed, state fairground rallies. He made a stop at the Governor’s including the Republican Convention in Cleveland, the race Residence for his first meeting with then Gov. Mike Pence to the finish on Nov. 8, the transition and now four months which went extremely well and was the actual beginning into the first term. of a great partnership that was cemented again in Indiana It was great to have Donald Trump Jr. back in on July 12 and 13. On those dates, Gov. Pence had the Indiana with a positive message and as a reminder of the good fortune of a flat tire to the Trump plane after a rally events that occurred before and after that May 3 primary. in Westfield, following a fundraising event at the Columbia Incredible things have happened for Indiana and from Club. Indiana for this Trump presidency, and they will continue. That flat tire ledto an unscheduled dinner meet- v ing at a downtown restaurant attended by Donald and Eric Samuel is president of Samuel Solutions in India- Trump and Gov. Pence and First Lady Karen Pence, and napolis and was vice chair of the Indiana Trump then a hastily scheduled morning breakfast meeting with campaign in 2016. Don Jr. and Ivanka flying in to participate. impeachment territory now for the first time.” Or the 2000 Trump/Pence, from page 1 Republican presidential nominee, U.S. Sen. John McCain, May 9, we’ve witnessed him undercut his defenders, in- who described the emerging Trumpian scandals as reach- cluding Pence, acknowledging to NBC’s Lester Holt a week ing “Watergate size and scale.” ago, “I was going to fire Comey, my decision. There is no And Republican U.S. Sen. Bob Corker said the good time to do it; by the way, I was going to fire regard- Trump White House was in a “downward spiral.” less of recommendation.” New York Times reporter Charlie Savage asked the That came after Pence said on May 9, “Let me be question, what is obstruction of justice? Several federal very clear that the president’s decision to accept the rec- statutes criminalize actions that impede official investiga- ommendation of the deputy tions. While some examples of illegal attorney general and the ways to thwart the justice system attorney general to remove are specific – like killing a witness or Director Comey as the head destroying evidence – the law also of the FBI was based solely includes broad, catchall prohibitions. and exclusively on his com- For example, Sections 1503, 1505 mitment to the best interests and 1512 of Title 18 have variants of of the American people and language making it a crime if some- to ensuring that the FBI has one corruptly “obstructs, influences the trust and confidence of or impedes any official proceeding.” the people this nation.” Po- Could that cover asking the FBI litico reported, “Pence knew director to drop part of an investiga- this wasn’t about Rosenstein tion, and later firing him? In theory, writing a memo, the president seeing it and suddenly yes. Such statutes were broadly deciding to fire Comey,” said this person. “He knows better drafted. Georgetown Prof. Julie O’Sullivan, a former federal than that.” prosecutor, said the power relationship between a presi- We’ve learned that Trump pressed Comey for his dent and the FBI director could elevate a request to shut “loyalty” in February and then asked him to terminate down a case into an act that amounts to impeding an offi- the FBI investigation of former National Security Adviser cial investigation.