# 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:** 269
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5362 "2018-07-09T18:10:44Z")
Won’t be sure until he makes it sure. So, when he stands up and tells us that an Arctic oil exploration deal with Russia is just the perfect thing to help the American coal miners…then you’ll know. Real horrorshow, viddy well, my droogies, viddy well… ---
**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:** [July 9, 2018, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5363 "2018-07-09T18:24:21Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > …\*\* > Stone\*\*: what constipated aberration leads you to make _everything_ the fault of the “left”? I struggle to treat you as an intelligent human … and then you give us more crap like this. > > IIRC, it was America’s right-wing, much more than the left, that abetted the kleptocrat’s power grab in Russia, thinking of it as a great Friedmanist experiment, or some such crap. Do you have cites to the contrary? I’ll bet you don’t. Ten gallons of prune juice? Discussion. Is. Futile. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5364 "2018-07-09T19:22:54Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Well, there’s also the fairly common belief in America that there’s some sort of virtue inherent in being wealthy. It’s the root of a lot of our problems as a nation. That, combined with our blindness in realizing that many people have become wealthy through highly unvirtuous means. ---
**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:** [July 9, 2018, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5365 "2018-07-09T19:31:01Z")
I would like to note that if this country were 1/10th as zealous in pursuing white collar crimes as we are in prosecuting the neighborhood weed dealer, we likely wouldn’t be in this mess. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5366 "2018-07-09T19:35:43Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > I would like to note that if this country were 1/10th as zealous in pursuing white collar crimes as we are in prosecuting the neighborhood weed dealer, we likely wouldn’t be in this mess. God damn right. If you steal a few dollars you are a thief and you go to jail. If you steal several million, you are a “captain of industry” and get praised. ---
**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:** [July 9, 2018, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5367 "2018-07-09T21:00:27Z")
**Steal a little and they throw you in jail** / **Steal a lot and they make you king.** - - Bob Dylan, decades ago ---
**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:** [July 9, 2018, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5368 "2018-07-09T21:39:48Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > God damn right. > > If you steal a few dollars you are a thief and you go to jail. > > If you steal several million, you are a “captain of industry” and get praised. To paraphrase Don Corleone, one man with a briefcase can steal more than 10 men with guns. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5369 "2018-07-09T22:26:35Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > “Prosperity Theology.” If you’re rich, it means God likes you. I finally realize just how poisonous that particular heresy really is. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5370 "2018-07-09T23:13:10Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > I have a question. Perhaps it deserves its own thread in GD, but I’ll try here. > > The press makes it sound like Michael Cohen is ready to “flip” on Trumpo. If so, _ **why did Donald Trump let this happen?** _ > > Let’s stipulate that Cohen has serious dirt on Trump, that Trump is evil, and that Trump has above average intelligence. In the movies, a criminal mastermind would make Cohen an offer he can’t refuse. Along with threatening Cohen with a gangster’s ‘stick’, if Trump really were a billionaire he could offer Cohen a very generous ‘carrot.’ If Trump is broke, he could still have one of his kleptocrat friends come up with a suitcase stuffed with carrots. > > So why is Cohen still alive and threatening to flip? Is this all a show? Is Trump so self-confident he thinks he’s invincible? Are he and his children just too stupid and narrow-minded to do what it takes? It seems unlikely, but is it possible that Cohen’s testimony wouldn’t pin any felony on Trump? Well part of the problem is that up until this point if Trump wanted someone bribed or strong armed he would call Cohen. So he may not be very good at doing these things for himself. I don’t think that in ever thought that Cohen could have a thought of his own and has taken him for granted. I imagine Cohen as the Trumps equivalent of Doug Stamper in “House of Cards” (Tim Stamper for those across the pond.) ---
**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 10, 2018, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5371 "2018-07-10T00:05:34Z")
I think it’s because Trump doesn’t have a moral compass and sincerely believes he hasn’t done anything wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2018, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5372 "2018-07-10T10:56:17Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Mueller is hiring more prosecutors. Sounds like bad news for Trump. > [Mueller is adding more prosecutors. What does it mean for Trump?](https://www.msnbc.com/brian-williams/watch/mueller-is-adding-more-prosecutors-what-does-it-mean-for-trump-1271187523717?cid=sm_npd_ms_tw_ma) At this rate we’re going to run out of prosecutors. > [@septimus](#): > > The press makes it sound like Michael Cohen is ready to “flip” on Trumpo. I read this as Cohen making public noises about flipping in order to get those who have reason to fear what Cohen knows to make it worth his while not to (or at least cough up for his defense). If Cohen were seriously considering flipping, things would be much quieter. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2018, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5373 "2018-07-10T13:31:49Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > I think it’s because Trump doesn’t have a moral compass and sincerely believes he hasn’t done anything wrong. I don’t know. He’s completely amoral; but if he didn’t think he’d done anything wrong, he wouldn’t have lied about how much he knew about the Stormy Daniels payment. It may be that he’s just incredibly stupid and arrogant, and thinks he can get away with everything he does. It’s worked so far…ie, he hasn’t done any jail time yet. ---
**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:** [July 10, 2018, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5374 "2018-07-10T14:35:48Z")
“I won’t do this because it is wrong” and “I won’t do this because it will get me in trouble” are two different philosophies which can lead to surprisingly similar outcomes. 😉 ---
**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 10, 2018, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5375 "2018-07-10T15:04:29Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > I don’t know. He’s completely amoral; but if he didn’t think he’d done anything wrong, he wouldn’t have lied about how much he knew about the Stormy Daniels payment. It may be that he’s just incredibly stupid and arrogant, and thinks he can get away with everything he does. It’s worked so far…ie, he hasn’t done any jail time yet. I think he lies about everything as a matter of course. He still sincerely believes he hasn’t done anything wrong, but he also believes that everyone is unfairly biased against him and out to get him even though he hasn’t done anything wrong. And I also think he is “uncompromisable” in a weird sort of way. Don’t get me wrong, he’s totally corrupt because he will do anything that serves his personal interests without regard for legality or morality. But you can’t blackmail someone with no capacity for shame and you can’t bribe someone with no capacity for gratitude. ---
**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:** [July 10, 2018, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5376 "2018-07-10T15:11:16Z")
Judge OK’d Mueller’s request to delay Flynn sentencing in a court hearing which took all of 13 minutes: > ---
**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:** [July 10, 2018, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5377 "2018-07-10T15:16:52Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > And I also think he is “uncompromisable” in a weird sort of way. Don’t get me wrong, he’s totally corrupt because he will do anything that serves his personal interests without regard for legality or morality. But you can’t blackmail someone with no capacity for shame and you can’t bribe someone with no capacity for gratitude. I don’t agree with this. Trump is eminently bribeable because beyond his amoral character, he is also ignorant of ethical standards in government, and would tend to think of shady dealings as par for the course. You don’t need a sense of gratitude for a bribe, you just need to understand the concept of a deal, which is very much Trump’s mindset. And as for sense of shame, there’s less to that as well. Even assuming that Trump does not have a sense of shame (and I disagree with you about that) he very much understands bad PR, which would make him blackmail material. According to Comey, Trump was very agitated about the pee-tape story because he thought it would make his wife uncomfortable. He can relate to the concept that other people would look at him differently if certain stories came to light, and would not be happy about that prospect. ---
**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:** [July 10, 2018, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5378 "2018-07-10T15:28:43Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > … > And I also think he is “uncompromisable” in a weird sort of way. Don’t get me wrong, he’s totally corrupt because he will do anything that serves his personal interests without regard for legality or morality. But you can’t blackmail someone with no capacity for shame and you can’t bribe someone with no capacity for gratitude. Yeah, he calls himself a “dealmaker,” but dealmaking means that each side gives something and each side gets something. His idea of a deal is that he gets what he wants and screw the other party. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2018, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5379 "2018-07-10T15:44:17Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Judge OK’d Mueller’s request to delay Flynn sentencing in a court hearing which took all of 13 minutes: > > [https://twitter.com/MarshallCohen/status/1016695221374119937?s=19](https://twitter.com/MarshallCohen/status/1016695221374119937?s=19) Meaning no one is agitating for a quick sentencing hearing, including Flynn. Interesting that the judge made a point of stating he is not pressuring anyone to wrap up the case quickly as some others are doing, notably Trump and his cohorts. He seems to be sending a signal that he agrees it’s more important to get it right than to get it quick. ---
**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:** [July 10, 2018, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5380 "2018-07-10T15:48:16Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Yeah, he calls himself a “dealmaker,” but dealmaking means that each side gives something and each side gets something. His idea of a deal is that he gets what he wants and screw the other party. It’s his idea of a deal because people keep letting him get away with it: whatever works, eh. It’s astounding to me that this man never got his ass kicked, physically, because of the shit he’s done. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2018, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5381 "2018-07-10T15:49:53Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > It’s his idea of a deal because people keep letting him get away with it: whatever works, eh. It’s astounding to me that this man never got his ass kicked, physically, because of the shit he’s done. Maybe he has mob connections that scare off the potential assaults. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093.md?page=268) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093.md?page=270)