# 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:** 173
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3442 "2018-03-21T19:53:39Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > Perhaps this belongs in the _Clusterfuck_ thread, but I’m posting it here in the _Trump is a Criminal_ thread. > > [Two months ago Rachel Maddow reviewed some of the ties between Trump and the criminal oligarchs of Kazakhstan](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YexnrlGhNEY) and commented on the fact that the dictator of Kazakhstan, in control of possible documents incriminating Trump, was invited to the White House. The clip is 20 minutes long, but kept me on the edge of my chair! No smoking gun here, but the stories certainly confirm that Trump is in cahoots with the criminals running ex-Soviet countries. _This is all an old story_, but search shows that it was barely mentioned at SDMB, if at all. > > (A tidbit near the end of the clip amused me. Wendi Deng Murdoch — whom I did an SDMB thread on once saying she seemed like a James Bond movie villain — is, after all, supposedly a Chinese spy!) Yep. Besides Kazakhstan, I’d suggest that you also search around for Trump Stodir and Trump FL Group. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3443 "2018-03-21T23:12:57Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Lebanese/American businessman George Nader is alleged to have illegally funneled money from the UAE into the Trump campaign. He’s cooperating with Mueller. > [https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/06/us/politics/george-nader-special-counsel-mueller-cooperating-seychelles.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/06/us/politics/george-nader-special-counsel-mueller-cooperating-seychelles.html) [… and now he is fleeing the US.](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5527313/amp/George-Nader-key-witness-Muellers-Russia-probe-FLEES-US.html) ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3444 "2018-03-21T23:16:43Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > [… and now he is fleeing the US.](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5527313/amp/George-Nader-key-witness-Muellers-Russia-probe-FLEES-US.html) Have anything from a reputable news site? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3445 "2018-03-21T23:26:13Z")
> [@GreysonCarlisle](#): > > Have anything from a reputable news site? Don’t know much about the British press, sorry, but a quick perusal of the front page… yeah, I see your concern. 😉 If I hear from somebody else, I’ll let you know. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3446 "2018-03-21T23:47:39Z")
Remember how Obama was a secret Muslim bent on doing the bidding of Arab countries? Yeah, [about that](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/21/us/politics/george-nader-elliott-broidy-uae-saudi-arabia-white-house-influence.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news). \*A cooperating witness in the special counsel investigation worked for more than a year to turn a top Trump fund-raiser into an instrument of influence at the White House for the rulers of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, according to interviews and previously undisclosed documents. Hundreds of pages of correspondence between the two men reveal an active effort to cultivate President Trump on behalf of the two oil-rich Arab monarchies, both close American allies. High on the agenda of the two men — George Nader, a political adviser to the de facto ruler of the U.A.E., and Elliott Broidy, the deputy finance chairman of the Republican National Committee — was pushing the White House to remove Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson, backing confrontational approaches to Iran and Qatar and repeatedly pressing the president to meet privately outside the White House with the leader of U.A.E. Mr. Tillerson was fired last week, and the president has adopted tough approaches toward both Iran and Qatar.\* ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3447 "2018-03-22T03:51:51Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Remember how Obama was a secret Muslim bent on doing the bidding of Arab countries? Yeah, [about that](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/21/us/politics/george-nader-elliott-broidy-uae-saudi-arabia-white-house-influence.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news). > > \*A cooperating witness in the special counsel investigation worked for more than a year to turn a top Trump fund-raiser into an instrument of influence at the White House for the rulers of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, according to interviews and previously undisclosed documents. > > Hundreds of pages of correspondence between the two men reveal an active effort to cultivate President Trump on behalf of the two oil-rich Arab monarchies, both close American allies. > > High on the agenda of the two men — George Nader, a political adviser to the de facto ruler of the U.A.E., and Elliott Broidy, the deputy finance chairman of the Republican National Committee — was pushing the White House to remove Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson, backing confrontational approaches to Iran and Qatar and repeatedly pressing the president to meet privately outside the White House with the leader of U.A.E. > > Mr. Tillerson was fired last week, and the president has adopted tough approaches toward both Iran **and Qatar**.\* Well duh! He has to punish Qatar for not backing Kushner’s shitty real estate ventures (666 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan). ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3448 "2018-03-22T03:56:55Z")
As far as McCabe being fired by Sessions… Funny how he keeps interfering even though he supposedly recused himself. But in this case the firing may have been a little bit self serving. 1. Browny points with Trump, who wanted him gone. 2. McCabe had been investigation Sessions for lying about his own involvement with Russians. > **[F.B.I. Investigated Sessions for Possible Perjury Over Russia Denials...](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/21/us/politics/sessions-fbi-investigation-perjury.html)** > > Andrew G. McCabe, whom Mr. Sessions fired last week, authorized the investigation. Mr. Sessions inaccurately testified that he had no contacts with Russians. > [@](#): > > F.B.I. Investigated Sessions for Possible Perjury Over Russia Denials > Andrew G. McCabe, the F.B.I.’s deputy director at the time, authorized the investigation, the two people said. Mr. McCabe himself was recently fired for showing “lack of candor” in an internal investigation. Mr. Sessions rejected Mr. McCabe’s appeal and fired him hours before his retirement was to take effect, jeopardizing his pension. > > The investigation into Mr. Sessions began before Robert S. Mueller III was appointed special counsel to investigate Russia-related matters. Mr. Sessions’s lawyer, Chuck Cooper, said no investigation is being conducted now. > The investigation also adds a new layer to Mr. McCabe’s firing. Mr. McCabe’s lawyers have said that he did not lie and acted quickly to fix any inaccuracies or misunderstandings. Mr. Sessions has offered a similar defense, saying he never intended to mislead Congress. > > A spokeswoman for Mr. McCabe, Melissa Schwartz, had no comment. ---
**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 22, 2018, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3449 "2018-03-22T05:38:52Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Don’t know much about the British press, sorry, but a quick perusal of the front page… yeah, I see your concern. 😉 > > If I hear from somebody else, I’ll let you know. 🙂 The way I parsed the story — it is possibly Nader did leave the US - because he doesn’t live there and if he was rushing to miss his flight or something one might say he fled. And the kiddie porn stuff dates from 1985, so anything that happened in the last 33 years happened after that. So maybe technically true, but still… ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3450 "2018-03-22T15:38:28Z")
John Dowd, Trump’s lead lawyer, quit. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3451 "2018-03-22T15:46:03Z")
Ugh. Business Insider called him his “top” attorney. Cobb is, for the moment!, still the “lead” attorney. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3452 "2018-03-22T16:24:25Z")
Top. Attorney. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3453 "2018-03-22T16:52:38Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Ugh. Business Insider called him his “top” attorney. Cobb is, for the moment!, still the “lead” attorney. I think Trump has two separate legal teams, one employed by him personally, and one employed by the executive branch. Dowd was the top guy on the personal side; Cobb on the White House side. The only ones left on the personal side are newly-hired Joseph di Genova, and Jay Sekulow. He doesn’t listen to any of them anyway. Some confirmation of that [here](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/nyt-trump-lawyer-john-dowd-resigns). ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3454 "2018-03-22T16:59:52Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > I think Trump has two separate legal teams, one employed by him personally, and one employed by the executive branch. Dowd was the top guy on the personal side; Cobb on the White House side. The only ones left on the personal side are newly-hired Joseph di Genova, and Jay Sekulow. He doesn’t listen to any of them anyway. > > Some confirmation of that [here](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/nyt-trump-lawyer-john-dowd-resigns). So where does Michael Cohen fit in? ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3455 "2018-03-22T17:08:25Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > So where does Michael Cohen fit in? He is Trump’s “personal attorney” on matters not related to the Russia investigation. He appears to be a goon and a fixer who doesn’t really practice law in any conventional sense. He’s also a [very rich dude](http://https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/remember-michael-cohen-is-a-very-rich-dude). ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3456 "2018-03-22T17:16:59Z")
So I’ve seen theorizing that the resignation is a signal that Mueller is about to be fired, or the ball is about to start rolling? ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3457 "2018-03-22T17:17:36Z")
Not sure why your link didn’t work, so [try this one](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/remember-michael-cohen-is-a-very-rich-dude). ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3458 "2018-03-22T17:24:11Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > John Dowd, Trump’s lead lawyer, quit. Is this the guy who said right after McCabe was fired that the whole Russia investigation should be shut down? Or am I confusing him with one of Trump’s other lawyers? Jeez, there are so many you need a scorecard. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3459 "2018-03-22T17:29:52Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Is this the guy who said right after McCabe was fired that the whole Russia investigation should be shut down? Or am I confusing him with one of Trump’s other lawyers? Jeez, there are so many you need a scorecard. Yup, same guy. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3460 "2018-03-22T17:30:42Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > So I’ve seen theorizing that the resignation is a signal that Mueller is about to be fired, or the ball is about to start rolling? I’ve been waiting for a specific sign that the ball will start rolling- a specific clusterfuck tantrum shitshow. That is, Mueller really forcing the issue of a Trump interview/deposition. That has to happen, right? And if it does Trump will at first claim to want to cooperate, then change his mind, tantrum and shitshow ensues. Alternatively, I’d expect to see Mueller flat out fired; or the whole investigation somehow halted by the oh-so-honorable congressional Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/3461 "2018-03-22T18:01:36Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > I’ve been waiting for a specific sign that the ball will start rolling- a specific clusterfuck tantrum shitshow. That is, Mueller really forcing the issue of a Trump interview/deposition. That has to happen, right? Actually, I read an article yesterday (Vanity Fair?) that said it would be a more ominous indicator for Trump if he isn’t interviewed. It would mean he’s a target, not just a witness. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093.md?page=172) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093.md?page=174)