Is This A Question of Treason?
The New York Times has reported that: “The Senate Intelligence Committee concluded Thursday that election systems in all 50 states were targeted by Russia in 2016, an effort more far-reaching than previously acknowledged and one largely undetected by the states and federal officials at the time.”
(See: Russia Targeted Election Systems in All 50 States, Report Finds NYT 25 July 2019)
Virtually every individual, agency, and entity in the Federal Government charged with the responsibility of monitoring and reporting on matters involving national security and national defense shares and articulates the same sentiment…
American Democracy is now, and has been, under ongoing and continuous attack from Russian operatives who are
determined to undermine our political and electoral system at the behest, and on behalf of our foremost foreign geopolitical adversary…
Cyberwarfare involves the actions by a nation-state or international organization to attack and attempt to damage another nation’s information systems….
—–Wikipedia
We are at war whether acknowledged or not by the Republicans who control the country’s capacity to defend itself and respond accordingly…
Our political and electoral cybersystems are the tip of the iceberg.
Every cybersystem in America is a potential target for Russian hackers to interfere and disrupt.
Yet “Moscow Mitch” and “Troika Trump” appear to be bound and determined to do absolutely nothing at all re retaliation, defense, or deterrence.
So here’s the question:
Are McConnell and Trump commiting (or guilty of) treason for failing to act in accordance with their constitutional obligations, responsibilities, and their oaths of office?
07/29/2019 @ 9:02 am
It’s can be seen as treasonous though I doubt the Court will agree, and not just for ideological reasons. One may consider the cyber-attacks as part of a war, yet we are not at war w Russia, and this Court could easily find five Justices to hold that a president has it within his authority (legally) to ignore or welcome cyber and other kinds of help from foreign nations.
07/29/2019 @ 9:59 am
We weren’t “at war” with North Korea, North Viet Nam, Iraq, etc…
Because of the expansion of executive war powers, Congress has effectively abdicated the Constitutional responsibility of declaring war while funding a war…
Technically, Treason requires that we be at war, yet without a declaration of war by Congress. Any court could easily dismiss a criminal action brought for treason despite any and all evidence that treason has been, or is being, committed…
07/29/2019 @ 9:20 am
18 U.S. Code§ 2381.Treason
Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 807; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(2)(J), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2148.)
07/29/2019 @ 9:21 am
If Democrats had done this, what would Republicans have called it?
There’s your answer.
07/29/2019 @ 9:38 am
I certainly am for charging all of the “Russian” Republican administration and Congressional cyber warfare collude-rs.
What I wonder, however, is why we are not charging ALL current and prior Democratic, Republican administrations and members of Congress for “purposely ignoring” the cyber warfare directed at us from China, France, Germany, Israel, England and numerous countries in Eastern Europe (not affiliated with Russia)???
Seems to me that knowingly remaining silent and/or actively supporting the aims of the guilty parties with their on-going cyber spying, interference and disruption qualifies as treason just as much as with the Russians.
07/29/2019 @ 11:02 am
Treason or not, war declared or not, defeat and horrific change will result if the cyber attacks cannot be stopped. Trials and convictions will be meaningless. I see this as a modern day “Horns of the Bull” approach. The distraction of having “the chest” (traitorous politicians) forefront is allowing the threat of the horns ( our undeclared “enemy of the state”/Russia ) to gore us into submission.
Intellectual parrying only feels like it is helping.