# A Thread for the Mueller Investigation Results and Outcomes (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 28, 2017, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093 "2017-10-28T20:14:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 165
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3282 "2018-03-15T20:10:28Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > If you’re going to argue, for example, that a Trump guy trying to get opposition research from someone connected to the Russian government counts as “collusion”, then that’s something else… Working with a hostile foreign power to have them commit criminal acts against your opponent goes way beyond any sane definition of “opposition research.” Come on, now, F-P. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3283 "2018-03-15T20:13:11Z")
> [@CurtC](#): > > Working with a hostile foreign power to have them commit criminal acts against your opponent goes way beyond any sane definition of “opposition research.” > > Come on, now, F-P. I’m not aware of any indication that DTjr expected to “have them commit criminal acts against your opponent”. (My impression/recollection was that it was supposed to be about alleged Russian contributions to the Clinton Foundation, or something like that.) What do you have in mind? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3284 "2018-03-15T20:14:47Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > I’d say the chances are near zero, but I like the imagery. And it completes our transition into full-blown banana republic status. Trump (i[n his African dictator uniform](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.cnn.com%2Fcnnnext%2Fdam%2Fassets%2F151002105839-trevor-noah-donald-trump-president-large-169.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Fvideos%2Ftv%2F2015%2F10%2F02%2Ftrevor-noah-proves-donald-trump-is-presidential-daily-hit-newday.cnn&docid=6nqYVG85eUVlUM&tbnid=A5GOP_QTjBX0qM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwj_m_mljO_ZAhUrjlQKHbYcABAQMwgoKAAwAA..i&w=460&h=259&safe=active&client=firefox-b-1&bih=936&biw=1680&q=trump%20african%20dictator%20image&ved=0ahUKEwj_m_mljO_ZAhUrjlQKHbYcABAQMwgoKAAwAA&iact=mrc&uact=8)) slipping out of the country one step ahead of the law. Newscasts ever after will begin “Former President Trump, now living in exile in Zimbabwe…” “Sources say that Donald “Baby Dick” Trump has fled the country, along with his current wife, children and what funds remain liquid in his bank accounts.” ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3285 "2018-03-15T20:30:38Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > “Sources say that Donald “Baby Dick” Trump has fled the country, along with his current wife, children and what funds remain liquid in his bank accounts.” “The current wife slipped out of seat 3A, ‘to check on the vegetarian option’, and deplaned just as the flight took off. The next day, she and her new roomie Monica Lewinsky were spotted brunching together on Martha’s Vineyard.” ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3286 "2018-03-15T20:32:11Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > I’d say the chances are near zero, but I like the imagery. And it completes our transition into full-blown banana republic status. Trump (i[n his African dictator uniform](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.cnn.com%2Fcnnnext%2Fdam%2Fassets%2F151002105839-trevor-noah-donald-trump-president-large-169.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Fvideos%2Ftv%2F2015%2F10%2F02%2Ftrevor-noah-proves-donald-trump-is-presidential-daily-hit-newday.cnn&docid=6nqYVG85eUVlUM&tbnid=A5GOP_QTjBX0qM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwj_m_mljO_ZAhUrjlQKHbYcABAQMwgoKAAwAA..i&w=460&h=259&safe=active&client=firefox-b-1&bih=936&biw=1680&q=trump%20african%20dictator%20image&ved=0ahUKEwj_m_mljO_ZAhUrjlQKHbYcABAQMwgoKAAwAA&iact=mrc&uact=8)) slipping out of the country one step ahead of the law. Newscasts ever after will begin “Former President Trump, now living in exile in Zimbabwe…” The money. Trump does not own money, money owns him, he is its creature, it servant and disciple. The money exists without him, he does not exist without it. You can’t threaten his dignity, his reputation. But the money… Pile up the investigations into bank transactions, real estate sales, so on and so forth. No filings, no charges, just pile them up until you have a looming avalanche of legal vexations. And then a nod and a wink, a word in a shell-like ear, pointing out how much in the ways of liens, forfeitures, and fines are possible, if a harsh and unrelenting court would have it so. Or, Mr. President, sir, you could just sign the papers. Quietly steal away, and it will be seen as a sincere and honest effort at repentance. Perhaps then such diligence and determination might not be necessary, the courts might well be more genial and forgiving. Threaten his dignity, his public reputation, he will bluster and counter-attack, but not surrender. Threaten his money, and he will blow a donkey in Macy’s window at high noon to get out from under. The money. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3287 "2018-03-15T20:34:42Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Threaten his money, and he will blow a donkey in Macy’s window at high noon to get out from under. The money. I just checked. Front row seats for the donkey show are now available on StubHub. (ps, I agree about The Money) ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3288 "2018-03-15T20:35:56Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > I’m not aware of any indication that DTjr expected to “have them commit criminal acts against your opponent”. (My impression/recollection was that it was supposed to be about alleged Russian contributions to the Clinton Foundation, or something like that.) > > What do you have in mind? Further to that point, here’s an [article from Foreign Policy](https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/10/16/heres-memo-kremlin-lawyer-took-to-meeting-donald-trump-jr/) describing the meeting, based on various people who attended as well as a memo that the Russian lawyer brought with her to pass along to Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3289 "2018-03-15T21:02:47Z")
> [@BeenJammin](#): > > Wow - pure speculation and unbridled hatred. That’s an attractive package you got going there, Ashura! 😃 [Moderating] **BeenJammin** , altering another user’s words inside an attributed quote tag is against the board rules. Please avoid doing this again. No warning issued. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![BeenJammin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beenjammin/32/448_2.png) [@BeenJammin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeenJammin)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3290 "2018-03-15T23:31:09Z")
Yeah, the yada, yada, yada part. Technicality. Nice catch. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3291 "2018-03-15T23:44:21Z")
> [@BeenJammin](#): > > Yeah, the yada, yada, yada part. Technicality. Nice catch. :rolleyes: You’re that guy that would’ve gotten off without a ticket, but you just haaaad to mock the nice policeman, didn’t ya? “Ooooh, drug dealers are zooming by, goin’ a hunnert mph, and I’m going ten over, so you get me, ME!, on a technicality. Way to protect and serve, Offiser Pup!” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3292 "2018-03-15T23:47:03Z")
I think Mueller would have a much easier time of it if he were to take it upon himself to investigate the crimes this pirate crew of an administration hasn’t committed. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3293 "2018-03-16T00:04:43Z")
> [@digs](#): > > You’re that guy that would’ve gotten off without a ticket, but you just haaaad to mock the nice policeman, didn’t ya? There’s little incentive to play strategically when you’ve got unlimited lives. Figurative sense. Not much of a real one, obviously. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3294 "2018-03-16T00:08:08Z")
June 3 email from Goldstone to Donald Trump Jr… > [@](#): > > Emin just called and asked me to contact you with something very interesting. > > The Crown prosecutor of Russia[a] met with his father Aras this morning and in their meeting offered to provide the Trump campaign with some official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia and would be very useful to your father. > > This is obviously very high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its government’s support for Mr. Trump – helped along by Aras and Emin. Don Jr. is told flat out that the Russian government is trying to help the Trump campaign. Any response to this information other than going to the FBI or cutting off all communication is probably collusion. At this point, Don Jr. knows that the goals of the Russian government and the Trump campaign are aligned. Any action to secretly coordinate those efforts is collusion and taking steps to arrange a private meeting fits the bill. Don Jr’s response… > [@](#): > > Thanks Rob I appreciate that. I am on the road at the moment but perhaps I just speak to Emin first. Seems we have some time and if it’s what you say I love it especially later in the summer. Could we do a call first thing next week when I am back? Collusion has occurred. They are secretly working together toward a common goal. It doesn’t matter what people say happened at that meeting or what they wrote on pieces of paper. Collusion means, and has always meant, secret cooperation. It doesn’t mean trying get opposition research. It is not limited to higher ups in the campaign aiding and abetting hackers. Secret cooperation. People in the Trump campaign were secretly cooperating with people they knew were acting on behalf of the Russian government. ---
**Author:** ![PigArcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@PigArcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PigArcher)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3295 "2018-03-16T00:24:12Z")
> [@digs](#): > > “The current wife slipped out of seat 3A, ‘to check on the vegetarian option’, and deplaned just as the flight took off. The next day, she and her new roomie Monica Lewinsky were spotted brunching together on Martha’s Vineyard.” I think a Frank Abagnale-style escape through a toilet service hatch would be more appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3296 "2018-03-16T00:50:01Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > This new news of Mueller subpoenas of the Trump Organization state that the subpoenas were issued weeks ago. Anyone suspect that the recent cabinet shakeups are somehow being used to justify ousting Sessions and replace him with a non-recused lickspittle? Yes, many suspect. One theory is that Trump will fire Sessions, then appoint EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt as Acting Attorney General, which would work for 210 days before Pruitt would have to face confirmation hearings, according to some views. One possible problem for Trump is that he would be using the Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 to perform these switcheroos, and the issues raised are not settled law. (One discussion: [How Trump Might Replace Sessions with Pruitt as Attorney General](https://www.justsecurity.org/53897/trump-replace-sessions-pruitt-ag/) ) The rumor is that Scott Pruitt himself is the main source of this theory of what Trump might do, by the way. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3297 "2018-03-16T02:46:51Z")
This is an old story that I just stumbled on > **[Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr. Were Close to Being Charged With Felony Fraud](https://www.propublica.org/article/ivanka-donald-trump-jr-close-to-being-charged-felony-fraud)** > > New York prosecutors were preparing a case. Then the D.A. overruled his staff after a visit from a top donor: Trump attorney Marc Kasowitz.  but I’m posting it here for a couple of reasons. 1. It’s one of the best explanations I’ve seen about the fraud involved in the marketing of the Trump Soho, the criminal case, and the dismissal of the criminal case. 2. It shows the type of skullduggery that Trump and the Trump Organization have engaged in for years. It shows how they typically deal with the law and the court system, which explains the sometimes inexplicable way that the administration thinks that they can make this whole investigation go away. 3. It shows what a complete and utter moron Donald Trump Junior is. Because when he was fraudulently marketing the Trump Soho, he reassured brokers, via, e-mail, that they would never get caught because everyone copied on the e-mail chain was in on the scam. Then he should’ve learned how e-mail really works, cause he got caught. And those e-mails were used as evidence against him. But I guess he really never learned how e-mail works . [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/f4u2jIBdnYs/maxresdefault.jpg "How Dumb's My Son - The Trump Beatles") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4u2jIBdnYs) ---
**Author:** ![BeenJammin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beenjammin/32/448_2.png) [@BeenJammin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeenJammin)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3298 "2018-03-16T04:16:10Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > 1. … Aren’t you glad you don’t typically have to go to jail for crimes your children commit? > [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > 1. … I wonder what the people think when Congress thinks it knows what the administration is thinking and things like investigations get thinked away? > [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > 1. … Moronic children. What a concept. I imagine it’s hard to comprehend how stupid some people can be when you yourself are an idiot. Enjoying YouTube Memes. Good for you! :rolleyes: Gawd I hope I got those ellipses right this time. Hate to get warned about quoting like that. Sheesh. :o ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3299 "2018-03-16T04:21:44Z")
> [@BeenJammin](#): > > Aren’t you glad you don’t typically have to go to jail for crimes your children commit? > > I wonder what the people think when Congress thinks it knows what the administration is thinking and things like investigations get thinked away? > > Moronic children. What a concept. I imagine it’s hard to comprehend how stupid some people can be when you yourself are an idiot. Enjoying YouTube Memes. Good for you! :rolleyes: > > Gawd I hope I got those ellipses right this time. Hate to get warned about quoting like that. Sheesh. :o Some reason you completely eliminated the contents of the quotes you quoted? Seems rather pointless to bother quoting. But then, you’re kind of pointless. ---
**Author:** ![BeenJammin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beenjammin/32/448_2.png) [@BeenJammin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeenJammin)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3300 "2018-03-16T04:41:00Z")
Trump is now his own competition - he’s the Hussein Bolt of Stupid! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SaneBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@SaneBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaneBill)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3301 "2018-03-16T14:33:05Z")
> [@BeenJammin](#): > > Yeah, the yada, yada, yada part. Technicality. Nice catch. :rolleyes: “It’s Miller time” - Please, please, please… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093.md?page=164) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093.md?page=166)