# 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:** 293
**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 23, 2018, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5842 "2018-07-23T17:00:53Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > But the extent to which Russia has been able to penetrate our political system is stunning OTOH, it’s not _that_ stunning when you remember that the frigging Church of Scientology was able to penetrate and compromise a large part of the US government with [Operation Snow White](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Snow_White). > [@](#): > > This project included a series of infiltrations into and thefts from 136 government agencies, foreign embassies and consulates, as well as private organizations critical of Scientology, carried out by Church members in more than 30 countries. It was one of the largest infiltrations of the United States government in history, with up to 5,000 covert agents. And that operation was concurrent with others of a similar nature, some of which are listed [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Guardian%27s_Office_operations). ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5843 "2018-07-23T17:37:48Z")
> [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > \ > Every day I wake up hoping it will be the day that Trump is taken out of the White House in leg irons. > \ I’ve seen stories that the Secret Service is preventing a subpoena from being served on Jared Kushner. What would the Secret Service do if an arrest warrant or impeachment whatever was to be served on Trump? ---
**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:** [July 23, 2018, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5844 "2018-07-23T17:57:17Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > I’ve seen stories that the Secret Service is preventing a subpoena from being served on Jared Kushner. > > What would the Secret Service do if an arrest warrant or impeachment whatever was to be served on Trump? And more importantly, is that actually a part of their duty? AFAIK, their job involves physically protecting the President and his family and some staff. It does not involve running interference against process servers. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5845 "2018-07-23T18:02:00Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > And more importantly, is that actually a part of their duty? AFAIK, their job involves physically protecting the President and his family and some staff. It does not involve running interference against process servers. Isn’t that [obstruction of justice](https://napps.org/Laws_state_interference.aspx), anyway? ---
**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 23, 2018, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5846 "2018-07-23T18:10:07Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > So it’s all a big hoax… > …and that’s why Obama kept it secret. > > That makes absolutely no sense. What’s the point of a hoax that is kept secret? Reasonable questions not permitted! _\_ Get out! No soup for you! ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5847 "2018-07-23T20:46:13Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > I’m really starting to hope this ends with final cigarettes and blindfolds for every Republican politician and apparatchik (and never has the Russian term been more appropriate). Too easy. They like to yell about witch hunts, so burn 'em. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5848 "2018-07-23T20:48:18Z")
> [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > To be fair, what he might mean is: “If Russia had been interfering with the election, Obama would certainly have told me. Since he did not tell me, this is evidence that there was no interference. Interference was only brought up later as a topic because Clinton lost.” > > This is, of course, bollocks. There was tons of Russian interference, and Trump was in on it. Every day I wake up hoping it will be the day that Trump is taken out of the White House in leg irons. But, in the interest of being scrupulously fair, I can kinda make sense of his tweet, if I assume it was written by someone who has a coherent thought process somewhere in his brain. Obama and his administration DID tell the Cheeto bastard. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5849 "2018-07-23T20:52:21Z")
Kushner’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell **finally** accepted service of the DNC’s complaint on July 18. In its filing, the DNC said it served all the defendants in their lawsuit. These include the Trump Campaign, Donald Trump Jr., Roger Stone, George Papadopoulos, Paul Manafort, Richard Gates and Emin Agalarov. The DNC suit also names foreign defendants including Russia, WikiLeaks and Julian Assange. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5850 "2018-07-23T21:53:48Z")
It’s likely that Ecuador is going to evict Assange from their embassy in London and turn him over to British authorities. > **[Ecuador 'close to evicting' Julian Assange from UK embassy](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/julian-assange-free-wikileaks-ecuador-embassy-evict-london-uk-a8460531.html)** > > Country's president allegedly meeting with British officials to discuss WikiLeaks founder's future ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5851 "2018-07-23T21:57:28Z")
The judge has named the five people who got immunity. They are James Brennan, Donna Duggan, Conor O’Brien, Cindy Laporta and Dennis Raico. They are all related to financial institutions. > **[Judge reveals identities of 5 witnesses immunized to testify against Manafort](https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/398415-identities-of-5-witnesses-immunized-to-testify-against-manafort/)** > > A federal judge on Monday revealed the identities of the five witnesses that were granted immunity to testify against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort. The witnesses, who Muel… ---
**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:** [July 23, 2018, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5852 "2018-07-23T22:29:12Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > So it’s all a big hoax… > …and that’s why Obama kept it secret. > That makes absolutely no sense. What’s the point of a hoax that is kept secret? > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Reasonable questions not permitted! _\_ Get out! No soup for you! This is the guy who offered the “defense” against the idea that Putin had compromising material on him, that: > [@](#): > > And I have to say, if they had it, it would have been out long ago. [http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1807/16/ath.02.html](http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1807/16/ath.02.html) Because, yeah. When you’re blackmailing someone, of COURSE you release what you have on them as soon as you get it! That’s how blackmailing works! :smack: (Not to detract from the excellent answer Defensive Indifference gave to Max’s post.) ---
**Author:** ![SaneBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@SaneBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaneBill)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5853 "2018-07-24T14:23:53Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > The judge has named the five people who got immunity. They are James Brennan, Donna Duggan, Conor O’Brien, Cindy Laporta and Dennis Raico. > They are all related to financial institutions. Conan O’Brien and Cyndi Lauper are gonna get some serious MAGA-hate soon enough. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5854 "2018-07-24T14:31:08Z")
Also Donna Douglas, Dennis Franz, and the estate of Walter Brennan. ---
**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 24, 2018, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5855 "2018-07-24T15:27:00Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Also Donna Douglas, Dennis Franz, and the estate of Walter Brennan. I actually looked up [Donna Douglas](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0235031/?ref_=nv_sr_1) on IMDB yesterday 'cause I thought, “What HAS Ellie Mae been up to!?” Sadly, she died in 2015 at the age of 82–I \*cannot \*picture her at that age. Up in heaven, she can have all the critters she wants. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5856 "2018-07-24T15:51:18Z")
As one of the commenters suggested, Alex Jones apparently hasbeen drinking too much Fluorinated water: [ALEX JONES THREATENS TO SHOOT ‘PEDOPHILE’ ROBERT MUELLER, ACCUSES ZUCKERBERG OF FACEBOOK ‘SHADOW BAN’](https://www.newsweek.com/alex-jones-threatens-shoot-pedophile-robert-mueller-accuses-zuckerberg-1038500) > [@](#): > > Infowars conspiracy theorist Alex Jones ramped up threats against special counsel Robert Mueller on Monday, calling him a “monster” and described shooting the former FBI Director. > > Jones’ nearly 3-hour July 23 InfoWars broadcast ranged from rants about Hollywood pedophilia to social media “shadow bans” to outlandish allegations Mueller was personally involved in a child sex ring composed of left-leaning political figures. These alt-right guys seem to have an bizarre fascination with pedophilia. Kinda reminds me of those closeted vehement anti-gay religious family-value types who are then caught having gay sex. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5857 "2018-07-24T16:37:46Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > As one of the commenters suggested, Alex Jones apparently hasbeen drinking too much Fluorinated water: > > [ALEX JONES THREATENS TO SHOOT ‘PEDOPHILE’ ROBERT MUELLER, ACCUSES ZUCKERBERG OF FACEBOOK ‘SHADOW BAN’](https://www.newsweek.com/alex-jones-threatens-shoot-pedophile-robert-mueller-accuses-zuckerberg-1038500) > > These alt-right guys seem to have an bizarre fascination with pedophilia. Kinda reminds me of those closeted vehement anti-gay religious family-value types who are then caught having gay sex. Shouldn’t he get a visit from the FBI for threatening to kill a Federal Prosecutor? ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5858 "2018-07-24T16:50:50Z")
> [@](#): > > The judge has named the five people who got immunity. They are James Brennan, Donna Duggan, Conor O’Brien, Cindy Laporta and Dennis Raico. > They are all related to financial institutions. Should I be concerned that those are also MY accountants? (Nobody wants to hear-“your accountants were given immunity otherwise they would be pleading the Fifth”.) ---
**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 24, 2018, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5859 "2018-07-24T16:58:48Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > Shouldn’t he get a visit from the FBI for threatening to kill a Federal Prosecutor? They have certainly paid visits to people making similar threats, and so yes – I think he should. This is really dangerous stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5860 "2018-07-24T17:50:18Z")
Can I ask a dumb question? We keep hearing about how the Russians went through this roundabout way to affect the election. It doesn’t appear that the voting system is all that secure, and apparently hacking was their bread and butter. So, why wouldn’t the Russians have just directly affected the vote totals? Are we going to find out at some point that they did? ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/5861 "2018-07-24T18:04:07Z")
I can only assume that they did try to affect vote totals. And, I think there’s a decent chance they succeeded in at least some states or districts. Many of our electronic voting machines have been found to have glaring security vulnerabilities, including poor internal logging in some cases. I think it’s definitely possible that some votes were manipulated, and the poor controls on the systems compounded with the decentralized way we do elections means that we will likely never be able to prove it one way or the other. I haven’t seen anything in the news to make me say there definitely was tampering, but I think the question is a serious one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093.md?page=292) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093.md?page=294)