Aye, but the point isn't to advance the discussion at all.
In the end, there are a couple of criteria I'm watching. At the moment, it's true I don't quite agree with how many people are using the word "treason", according to a simple assertion that it is my understanding that Russia is not presently an enemy of the United States;
however, there are some ifs and thens that come down to aiding and abetting and giving comfort to a foreign power in the harming of the American government and endeavor, and Gen. Flynn in, say, the question of the 29 December call, is dangerously close to the line. Did Flynn help the Russians prepare for American retaliation over Russian electioneering? If yes and demonstrable, then treason is within range. Did Flynn in any way aid, abet, or comfort the Russian effort to manipulate our elections? If yes and demonstrable, then treason is within the range.
Meanwhile, Congressman Moulton (D-MA06), for instance, declares Russia an enemy and asserts a less constricted definition of treason, but his description still includes circumstances that, if accurate, would meet my threshold:
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) on Tuesday said that if members of the Trump administration or campaign have been "conspiring" with Russia, "that's the very definition of treason."
National Security Advisor Michael Flynn resigned on Monday after reports surfaced that he had spoken with a top Russian diplomat about the U.S. sanctions against Russia.
“I mean, let’s not lose perspective on exactly who we’re talking about here,” he said on CNN. "Russia is the No. 1 enemy of the United States of America.”
“If members of the administration are essentially conspiring with Russia―either through the [2016 presidential] campaign earlier or now in the administration itself―I mean, look, Wolf, that’s the very definition of treason,” Moulton told host Wolf Blitzer.
“This is a very, very serious affair. The definition of treason is putting our enemy’s interests ahead of our own. That’s what the definition is,” he continued.
Moulton said Flynn's reported talk sanctions with Russia’s ambassador before Trump entered office is the latest example of the administration’s attempts at appeasing the Kremlin.
(Hensch↱)
But the quote defies Russ' inquiry:
Quote the actual statement. It doesn't say what the headline of that non-reputable news source implies.
Interestingly, though, I notice a shift taking place. Once upon a time, Democrats and liberals couldn't hedge language enough to keep right-wing potsherds from bawling about how we're accusing this, that, or the other.
But,
"That's the very definition of treason"? Yeah, actually, what Moulton describes would qualify.
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Notes:
Hensch, Mark. "Dem rep: 'Conspiring' with Russia the 'very definition of treason'". The Hill. 14 February 2017. TheHill.com. 14 February 2017. http://bit.ly/2l650mU
