Trump: Blackmailed into Treason — or Living His Fantasy?

. Donald Trump is not just a woefully unprepared President and not just a malignant narcissist with a total lack of intellectual curiosity. Because of his greed, his self-absorption and his actions to harm the national interest, he has become a threat to national security and possibly to national survival. Removing Donald Trump from office is the highest possible national priority.

. It is important to separate the issue of whether Russia interfered in the 2016 election from whether Donald Trump and/or anyone in his campaign helped to coordinate that assistance.

. From a legal perspective, it is important to establish if Trump and/or anyone in his campaign assisted the Russian efforts. If Trump and/or anyone coordinated with Russia, it could form the basis for prosecution of those taking part and, if Trump were directly involved, his possible impeachment, conviction and removal from office.

. That Russia acted to aid Trump is generally accepted. Every day, the news brings more revelations of persons close to Donald Trump meeting with Russians for various purposes: the June, 2016 meeting where Don, Jr. was apparently offered materials compromising Secretary Clinton (“Newly disclosed email sheds light on Trump Jr. meeting with Russian lawyer,” Washington Post, 10/9/17) and a different meeting where Paul Manafort allegedly gave polling data to an alleged Russian intelligence operative (“Manafort Accused of Sharing Trump Polling Data With Russian Associate,” New York Times, 1/8/19) and many others.