# 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:** 263
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5242 "2018-06-27T02:44:52Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > “Thoughts and prayers!” “Thoughts or prayers. I can’t swing both”. Even better is that she has collected exactly $345. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5243 "2018-06-27T03:21:11Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > For all the Trumpists who got excited that maybe Federal Judge T. S. Ellis was on their side because he made comments that the special counsel should not have “unfettered power” in conducting his investigation/prosecution of Paul Manafort… [Womp, WOMP](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-manafort/ex-trump-campaign-chief-manafort-loses-bid-to-dismiss-virginia-charges-idUSKBN1JM2VG). (Reuters) > > Remember, too, that Mueller provided this judge with an unredacted copy of Rosenstein’s memo granting Mueller’s team authority to pursue the charges. Wonder what he saw. This can’t be correct. I heard from Very Smart Experts in this very thread that Mueller had clearly exceeded his authority. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5244 "2018-06-27T03:46:22Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > This can’t be correct. I heard from Very Smart Experts in this very thread that Mueller had clearly exceeded his authority. Oh, how I wish he sends a shitload of politicians in the House and Senate, and flunkies, and Trump family members (including the Fat Orange Fuck) to prison. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2018, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5245 "2018-06-28T18:25:56Z")
Rep. Gowdy to Rosenstein: “Finish (the investigation) the hell up!” > **[Gowdy rips Rosenstein on Russia probe: 'Finish it the hell up'](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/gowdy-rips-rosenstein-on-russia-probe-finish-it-the-hell-up)** > > Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy tore into Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein on Thursday over the long-running Russia collusion probe -- telling the Justice Department at a public hearing to “finish it the hell up because this country is being torn... I guess only Trey Gowdy is allowed to have investigations that last longer than a month. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2018, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5246 "2018-06-28T19:48:35Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Rep. Gowdy to Rosenstein: “Finish (the investigation) the hell up!” > > [Gowdy rips Rosenstein on Russia probe: 'Finish it the hell up' | Fox News](http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/06/28/rosenstein-wray-testify-before-house-judiciary-committee-amid-battle-over-documents-related-to-russia-probe.html) > > I guess only Trey Gowdy is allowed to have investigations that last longer than a month. What a hypocritical asshole with a bad haircut! Here is my interpretation of that shit-stain: “BENGHAZI!!!” Add enough exclamation marks to make it last over two years. And then at the very end, the sound of a balloon deflating. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2018, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5247 "2018-06-28T19:56:04Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > What a hypocritical asshole with a bad haircut!,. And a different one almost every other week! Does he have the whole series of _Queer Eye for the Straight Guy_ on DVD? Just can’t seem to decide on what fashion statement he wants to make! ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2018, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5248 "2018-06-28T21:44:32Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > What a hypocritical asshole with a bad haircut! > > Here is my interpretation of that shit-stain: > > “BENGHAZI!!!” > > Add enough exclamation marks to make it last over two years. And then at the very end, the sound of a balloon deflating. “BENGHAZI!!!” “WHITEWATER!!!” “VINCE FOSTER!!!” Shit stain is being too generous to that rat fucking santorum stain. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2018, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5249 "2018-06-28T22:04:53Z")
> [@steveg1](#): > > “benghazi!!!” > > “whitewater!!!” > > “vince foster!!!” > > shit stain is being too generous to that rat fucking santorum stain. [EEEEEEEMAILZZZZZ](https://goo.gl/images/BLmfBC)! ---
**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:** [June 28, 2018, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5250 "2018-06-28T23:01:17Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > What a hypocritical asshole with a bad haircut! > > Here is my interpretation of that shit-stain: > > “BENGHAZI!!!” > > Add enough exclamation marks to make it last over two years. And then at the very end, the sound of a balloon deflating. He really is a revolting little turd, isn’t he? And ambitious as all get-out. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2018, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5251 "2018-06-29T20:41:59Z")
It looks like Little Rocket Man is rebuilding his nuclear shit. > **[North Korea making 'rapid' upgrades to nuclear reactor despite summit pledges](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/27/north-korea-nuclear-reactor-upgrades-summit-pledges)** > > Monitoring group says work shows why a denuclearisation deal rather than a ‘statement of lofty goals’ is needed New satellite imagery indicates that North Korea is rapidly upgrading its nuclear research center. Oops. So much for Mister Deal Maker. He sold us out AGAIN. Putin must be so proud of his bitch. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2018, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5252 "2018-06-29T20:45:21Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > It looks like Little Rocket Man is rebuilding his nuclear shit. > [North Korea making 'rapid' upgrades to nuclear reactor despite summit pledges | North Korea | The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/27/north-korea-nuclear-reactor-upgrades-summit-pledges) > > New satellite imagery indicates that North Korea is rapidly upgrading its nuclear research center. Oops. > > So much for Mister Deal Maker. He sold us out AGAIN. Putin must be so proud of his bitch. Important info and not unexpected either, but probably belongs in another thread than this one? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2018, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5253 "2018-06-30T01:38:26Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > It looks like Little Rocket Man is rebuilding his nuclear shit. > [North Korea making 'rapid' upgrades to nuclear reactor despite summit pledges | North Korea | The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/27/north-korea-nuclear-reactor-upgrades-summit-pledges) > > New satellite imagery indicates that North Korea is rapidly upgrading its nuclear research center. Oops. > > So much for Mister Deal Maker. He sold us out AGAIN. Putin must be so proud of his bitch. Now you know the real reason he saluted that Nork general: practice for when he reports to his commanding officer. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2018, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5254 "2018-06-30T15:23:30Z")
> [@GrandWino](#): > > Important info and not unexpected either, but probably belongs in another thread than this one? I thought it belonged, because who does it benefit besides Kim? It benefits Putin. With Trump, everything is always about Russia and what Putin wants. If all this destabilizes Asia and the USA walks away, Putin wins again. And again. And again. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2018, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5255 "2018-06-30T15:42:08Z")
I have to admit that it’s amazingly smart to figure out how to get your enemy to fight all his friends on your behalf. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2018, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5256 "2018-06-30T20:57:25Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I have to admit that it’s amazingly smart to figure out how to get your enemy to fight all his friends on your behalf. I’m not sure how far ‘smarts’ would have gotten Putin with that project if he had not had the incredible luck of living in the same time period as Donald Trump. Who else could Putin have used for the purpose? Who else is stupid enough, emotionally-needy enough, and narcissistic enough to have gotten so deeply in hock to the Russians (because his own business skills rival those of a special-needs toddler)? Who else could combine “the most easily manipulated insecure guy on Earth” with “vendor of the most plausibly-deniable racism American politics has ever seen”? Putin wasn’t smart. He was lucky + unprincipled. That was enough. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2018, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5257 "2018-06-30T21:19:56Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > I’m not sure how far ‘smarts’ would have gotten Putin with that project if he had not had the incredible luck of living in the same time period as Donald Trump. > > Who else could Putin have used for the purpose? Who else is stupid enough, emotionally-needy enough, and narcissistic enough to have gotten so deeply in hock to the Russians (because his own business skills rival those of a special-needs toddler)? Who else could combine “the most easily manipulated insecure guy on Earth” with “vendor of the most plausibly-deniable racism American politics has ever seen”? > > Putin wasn’t smart. He was lucky + unprincipled. That was enough. Smart enough to recognize the lucky break he was getting with the existence of trump. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2018, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5258 "2018-06-30T21:31:01Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > Smart enough to recognize the lucky break he was getting with the existence of trump. I’ll grant you (and him) that. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2018, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5259 "2018-06-30T21:55:17Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > I’ll grant you (and him) that. Well it is pretty easy to manipulate a Trump kind of person. Appeal to their bloated ego and their greed, and their need for constant praise. Malcolm Nance: “The type of person we tried to recruit were **self-absorbed narcissists who were insatiably greedy**. And these are the kind of people that you can manipulate. You massage their ego.” The Russians carry out a psychological warfare technique called reflexive control. And that’s where, if they’re interested in you and they think you can be an asset to them, they will use media, friends, money, or whatever tool they have necessary. They will build a framework around you of information and ideas that they have manufactured, that they think you are amenable to. And they will essentially create a perception bubble around you so that when you make decisions, you will make a decision that will benefit them. Donald Trump, in 2013, had a 2 hour meeting at a restaurant in Moscow… with the 12 richest oligarchs of Russia, including a personal representative of Vladimir Putin. When he came out he was spouting the Kremlin party line … [https://www.c-span.org/video/?447701-5/washington-journal-malcolm-nance-discusses-russian-interference-2016-election](https://www.c-span.org/video/?447701-5/washington-journal-malcolm-nance-discusses-russian-interference-2016-election) I imagine as many years as Trump’s “business” deals and money laundering go back, he was easy to turn. Plus they probably let him think he was playing them, instead of the other way around. And you never have to worry about their loyalties getting in the way when they never had any. ---
**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:** [July 1, 2018, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5260 "2018-07-01T00:53:10Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > Well it is pretty easy to manipulate a Trump kind of person. Appeal to their bloated ego and their greed, and their need for constant praise. > > Malcolm Nance: > > “The type of person we tried to recruit were **self-absorbed narcissists who were insatiably greedy**. And these are the kind of people that you can manipulate. You massage their ego.” > > The Russians carry out a psychological warfare technique called reflexive control. And that’s where, if they’re interested in you and they think you can be an asset to them, they will use media, friends, money, or whatever tool they have necessary. They will build a framework around you of information and ideas that they have manufactured, that they think you are amenable to. And they will essentially create a perception bubble around you so that when you make decisions, you will make a decision that will benefit them. > > Donald Trump, in 2013, had a 2 hour meeting at a restaurant in Moscow… with the 12 richest oligarchs of Russia, including a personal representative of Vladimir Putin. When he came out he was spouting the Kremlin party line … > > [https://www.c-span.org/video/?447701-5/washington-journal-malcolm-nance-discusses-russian-interference-2016-election](https://www.c-span.org/video/?447701-5/washington-journal-malcolm-nance-discusses-russian-interference-2016-election) > > I imagine as many years as Trump’s “business” deals and money laundering go back, he was easy to turn. Plus they probably let him think he was playing them, instead of the other way around. > > And you never have to worry about their loyalties getting in the way when they never had any. All this and more. I would not be at all surprised if Putin and pals planted the whole running for President idea in his bloated ferret-topped head. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2018, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5261 "2018-07-01T01:28:35Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > I thought it belonged, because who does it benefit besides Kim? It benefits Putin. With Trump, everything is always about Russia and what Putin wants. If all this destabilizes Asia and the USA walks away, Putin wins again. > > And again. > > And again. Really? Did Putin want Trump to strike Syria after the last gas attack? Did Putin want the Americans to wipe out 200 Russians who tried to take an American installation in Syria? For that matter, if Putin is Trump’s buddy, why did Russia stage that attack in the first place? Did Putin want Trump to expel 60 Russian Diplomats? Did he want Trump to put new sanctions on him because of the election meddling? I wonder if Putin wanted Trump to cut a deal giving Ukraine a whole bunch of weapons to fight Russian forces? Or to try to convince NATO countries to increase their defense spending? We can compare that to the Obama Administration, whose failed ‘red line’ in Syria strengthened Russia in the region, and their subsequent indifference to Russian mobilization into Syria which gave Russia the strongest middle east presence since the 1970’s. Then there was Obama’s pulling missile defense out of the Ukraine - the issue he was caught on open mic telling Dmitri Medvedev that he would have ‘more flexibility’ on once he didn’t have those pesky voters to deal with. Remember the Russian ‘reset’? Or Barack Obama mocking Mitt Romney when he said that Russia was a threat to the U.S.? “The 80’s called, and they want their foreign policy back.” I don’t think the Obama Adminstration was intentionally helping Russia- I think they were guilty of arrogance and a world view that saw Russia as a potential partner, not an adversary. But the effect of that failure of realpolitik was to give Putin a largely free hand in all the shenanigans he was up to during the 8 years of Obama’s presidency. I guess it took Trump and the last election to wake up the left and make them realize that the Russians are not our natural friends. Some of us having been saying that for decades. But the idea that Trump is in bed with Putin is laughable - or at least has a lot less evidence than the claim that Obama was as well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093.md?page=262) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093.md?page=264)