Or he expected to be murdered by Putin if he said anything, and figured he’d gamble that he could creatively lie to earn the reduced sentence while avoiding Putin’s wrath.
I think you’ve nailed it, Rat.
Well if Trump along is impeached by the House then all Pence has to ensure the Senate removes him is to start whispering to GOP Senators that he’ll resign otherwise and then they’ll be a septuagenarian junk-food addict’s heartbeat away from President Pelosi (no way in Hell Trump is able to get a replacement VP thru the House).
And if that’s the case then Mueller knows all the things that Manafort lied about ('cause how else would he know that Manafort lied) and that Putin might not want Mueller to know.
Ima starting to feel just a little happy 
Marcy Wheeler’s analysis is interesting.
Reminds me of the famed “smartest guys in the room” from a while back.
I doubt Putin gives a flying fuck what happens to Trump or Manafort at this point. Or cares what Mueller knows. And it’s not like he’s going to feel any real pain if trump is thrown in prison.
He’s got the greatest show on earth unfolding with clowns and elephants running around and he no doubt loves it.
Yes, on one level he’s cackling gleefully while watching the USA show.
But on the other hand, he’s going to be in deep shit with his oligarch supporters who are not going to be able to get their hands on all the money that’s been tied up in sanctions/Magnitsky Act stuff if Mueller’s report sinks The Nubbin and his crowd.
I think Putin might have a lot more riding on the success of the Republican shitshow then we realize.
I completely agree. They’re also much more intertwined with the Republican shitshow than most realize (NRA, various Congress members, etc.). And those sanctions, if Mueller does his job as well as I expect him to, are going to get a lot more punitive soon.
I think that’s why Putin is making his moves now. (Reuters)
jasg, another terrific link. Thanks for sharing it. I think what is outlined by emptywheel is exactly the sort of tactic that Mueller would employ. I’ve never doubted the fruits of his labor would come before the American public, one way or another.
I’ve seen Trumpsters claim that Donald Trump is always the smartest guy in the room. As with most cases of psychological projection (either by Trump himself or his supporters), the opposite is most likely true and Trump’s the dumbest, with maybe the exception being if his sons are in the room with him.
Let’s not forget that for some reason, the joint defense agreement was still active after Manafort pleaded guilty. So, Manafort could have been communicating stuff back to Trump that went into his take-home-test so they both would agree.
But in the meantime Mueller delayed this filing until he got Trump’s answers and he seems kind of sure that Manafort lied…
The sentencing report could be very, very interesting.
I found that bit to be the most intriguing part of the supposition put forth in your link.
It would have been a perjury trap had the questions posed to Trump not related to the investigation, but of course, they did. The fact that Mueller could count on both Manafort and Trump to bald-faced lie about… ummm… everything… is simply acknowledging a universal truth. And of course, anyone can avoid a perjury trap simply by telling the truth.
I am sure Mueller already had everything he needed from Gates, who, let’s remember, also attempted to lie to Mueller in the beginning stages of his cooperation.
A good prosecutor never asks a question to which he/she doesn’t already have the answer. You’d think even Trump’s shitty lawyers would know this basic rule.
I’m looking forward to that sentencing report. As a rule, they are confidential. But this one may not be. Mueller could file an addendum as a regular pleading to the formal sentencing report that would be a part of the public record.
Trump is playing 3-D chess against a grand master. He is fucked.
Trump is extra ornery again this morning on twitter.
What did Manafort lose by conspiring with Trump? Quite a bit:
One of the tidbits is that, if breached, Manafort could be fined to cover the costs of his own incarceration. Imagine not only going to jail until your death… but then having to pay for it.
Manafort met with Assange several times before the election, and took pains to hide his tracks. Oh, and there were Russians present as well.
I was just reading this.
Wonder how long Mueller has known.
You’re right! Who was that dude who was the deputy director-then-director of the Enron task force? Did a “terrific” (to coin a phrase) job nailing them?
Oh yeah, Andrew Weismann.
We could use him on this! That skill on pulling apart a huge conspiracy! With lots of rich, white guys who think they’re smarter than everyone else! I wonder what he’s up to now…
Quite a few security people are skeptical of this. Huge if true, but it’s single sourced right now.
Very true. But remember how Trump mentioned Wikileaks no fewer than 164 times in the last month of the election? Curious, that.