# Trump associates may have coordinated with Russians, according to US officials **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 23, 2017, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799 "2017-03-23T00:28:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 125
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2484 "2017-10-04T20:21:21Z")
A metric butt ton of money! Rex Tillerson, Prime Minister of Exxon, had concluded a sweet crude deal for Russian Arctic oil, worth billions and billions. (Trouble with a kleptocracy is that when the big guys steal everything, there’s not much left for anyone else to buy vodka…). Then the sanctions, and all that sweet sweet money was…gone! The abrupt change in the Republican platform, by itself, was not a big hairy ass deal. But somebody pushed a button and poof! gone! And yeah, I want to know who. Pretty sure I can guess the “why”. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2485 "2017-10-05T00:47:07Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > I don’t know. How much money have the Russians saved just by not having Obama pushing for US interventions in the Ukraine? To you, that’s just as relevant of a question? Manafort, the foreign agent guy, made an effort to have a specific plank of the GOP platform changed. But to you, it’s just as relevant to ask about Obama? ---
**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:** [October 5, 2017, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2486 "2017-10-05T22:21:36Z")
My, my, my. News breaking that Mueller traveled to London recently and interviewed Christopher Steele about his dossier. Bet he learned some fascinating things. JMO, of course. ---
**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:** [October 5, 2017, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2487 "2017-10-05T23:26:59Z")
Heading for his plane he remarked: “It’s better to be pissed off than pissed on.” ---
**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:** [October 5, 2017, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2488 "2017-10-05T23:36:19Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > My, my, my. > > News breaking that Mueller traveled to London recently and interviewed Christopher Steele about his dossier. > > Bet he learned some fascinating things. > > JMO, of course. Does this make Steele a cooperating witness? Also, remember that the British press announced last week that one of Steele’s informants is now working with Mueller, indicating that Steele himself is giving his sources to Mueller. Bet Mueller gets fired by next weekend. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2017, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2489 "2017-10-06T00:36:44Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Does this make Steele a cooperating witness? Hard to say at this point. I don’t think we know yet. I do know that Steele successfully avoided the meeting with Devin Nunez (Mr. “I’m-Only-Sort-Of-Recused-As-Chairman-Of-The-House-Investigation-Committee”) and cohort (whoever it was escapes my memory) and failed to respond to any other requests made to meet with him, as made clear by Senate Intelligence Committee co-chairmen Richard Burr and Mark Warner in their joint statement yesterday. Steele has commented in the past that he had no wish to become a tool of the partisan back-and-forth. But he also promptly sounded the alarm when the information first came to his attention because he was so disturbed by it. The FBI had the dossier long ago – July or August 2016, I believe – as a result. Steele worked closely with the FBI for years and has an excellent reputation with them and others in the international spook community. For these reasons, I’m not at all surprised Steele was unwilling to meet with the others but was happy to meet with Mueller. Whether that will translate into him becoming a cooperating witness… maybe. > [@JohnT](#): > > Also, remember that the British press announced last week that one of Steele’s informants is now working with Mueller, indicating that Steele himself is giving his sources to Mueller. I missed that. That’s a big deal! Thanks for mentioning it. > [@JohnT](#): > > Bet Mueller gets fired by next weekend. LOL, I’m pretty sure Trump would have fired Mueller long ago if he could have. Sessions won’t do it. Rosenstein won’t do it. There’s a new nominee at DOJ, however… [Meet the new Bork](http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/25/politics/brian-benczkowski-confirmation-hearing/index.html). I wonder how the 64% of persons in the country who now say we’re headed in the wrong direction despite having confidence in the economy, will feel about a Mueller firing. I’m going to guess that Mueller has made contingency plans to safeguard the investigation in the event of him getting fired. I think Mueller is crafty like that. ---
**Author:** ![ThisIsTheEnd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisistheend/32/4713_2.png) [@ThisIsTheEnd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisIsTheEnd)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2490 "2017-10-06T01:08:04Z")
There’s not a man or woman on Earth who believes the US military will execute an order from Trump. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2017, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2491 "2017-10-06T01:57:37Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > I’m going to guess that Mueller has made contingency plans to safeguard the investigation in the event of him getting fired. I think Mueller is crafty like that. [Why guess?](http://www.politico.com/story/2017/08/30/manafort-mueller-probe-attorney-general-242191) Maddow reported that the committee heads say they want to speak to Steele. Steele is now saying he want to speak to the committee heads. We will see. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2017, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2492 "2017-10-06T02:00:35Z")
Actually, “last week” was “late August”, sorry: > **[Trump-Russia dossier sources revealed to the FBI by Christopher Steele](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/trump-russia-dossier-sources-christopher-steele-fbi-senate-judiciary-robert-mueller-a7908946.html)** > > Glenn Simpson, who commissioned the report, has appeared before the Senate intelligence committee ---
**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:** [October 6, 2017, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2493 "2017-10-06T02:13:46Z")
> [@ThisIsTheEnd](#): > > There’s not a man or woman on Earth who believes the US military will execute an order from Trump. I wish you were right, but I’m sure you’re aware, there are people on this very message board who believe exactly the opposite. > [@JohnT](#): > > [Why guess?](http://www.politico.com/story/2017/08/30/manafort-mueller-probe-attorney-general-242191) > Maddow reported that the committee heads say they want to speak to Steele. Steele is now saying he want to speak to the committee heads. We will see. Yeah, knew about all the stuff with Manhattan AG Eric Schneiderman. That’s helpful for sure, but IMO it won’t move the special counsel’s investigation along to the Congress. It assists to make prosecutions pardon-proof, but doesn’t protect the investigation at the congressional level. Just saw the stuff about Steele and Burr/Warner meeting. That’s all a little weird! > [@JohnT](#): > > Actually, “last week” was “late August”, sorry: > > [Trump-Russia dossier sources revealed to the FBI by Christopher Steele | The Independent | The Independent](http://www.independent.co.uk/news/trump-russia-dossier-sources-christopher-steele-fbi-senate-judiciary-robert-mueller-a7908946.html) No worries. Believe me, I know how challenging it is to keep track of all this stuff. Thanks for the link. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2494 "2017-10-06T03:19:53Z")
[Mueller looking into the pee tape.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/robert-mueller-pee-tape-dossier_us_59d6b2e9e4b046f5ad972628?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009) > [@](#): > > It also alleges that Russian officials are sitting on damaging information about the president, including accusations that Trump hired “a number of prostitutes to perform a ‘golden showers’ (urination) show in front of him” while staying in a hotel suite in Moscow that was under surveillance by Russian intelligence. So- is there any hard evidence, other than the Russian blackmail tape which presumably Putin still holds? Did British intelligence confirm the story by talking to any of the prostitutes? We can only hope that it exists and will be the prosecution evidence number one. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2495 "2017-10-06T12:52:17Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > I’m going to guess that Mueller has made contingency plans to safeguard the investigation in the event of him getting fired. I think Mueller is crafty like that. “Mueller’s Team Is Reportedly Researching the Limits of Trump’s Pardon Power” [https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/10/robert-mueller-donald-trump-pardon-power](https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/10/robert-mueller-donald-trump-pardon-power) ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2496 "2017-10-06T14:11:50Z")
> [@Mr.Duality](#): > > “Mueller’s Team Is Reportedly Researching the Limits of Trump’s Pardon Power” > > [https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/10/robert-mueller-donald-trump-pardon-power](https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/10/robert-mueller-donald-trump-pardon-power) From July 22nd, but still :smack::rolleyes: > [@twidiot](#): > > While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us.FAKE NEWS So the only crime is people exposing you for the criminal that you are? Great defense. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2017, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2497 "2017-10-06T16:53:55Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Does this make Steele a cooperating witness? I was thinking about this last night and I’m sure you already know, but thought it should be clarified that Steele himself isn’t actually a witness to anything. He did not, so far as we know, participate in any material way in the Trump/Russia conspiracy to tilt the US election. The important point – and the one I think you were making – is that he’s cooperating with Mueller’s investigation. It does look like he is. By the way, here’s something else that should make people go [Hmmmm](http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/353721-exclusive-jared-kushners-personal-email-moved-to-trump-organization)… Certainly not the actions of people who are innocent. Again. > [@BobLibDem](#): > > [Mueller looking into the pee tape.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/robert-mueller-pee-tape-dossier_us_59d6b2e9e4b046f5ad972628?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009) > > So- is there any hard evidence, other than the Russian blackmail tape which presumably Putin still holds? Did British intelligence confirm the story by talking to any of the prostitutes? We can only hope that it exists and will be the prosecution evidence number one. You know, to me, the pee tape is the least important aspect of the dossier. That Trump is a disgusting, perverted man is really no secret, and the particulars of his perversions are not interesting to me. I suppose it does graphically demonstrate the depth of Trump’s’ hatred of Obama, which is obviously a sick obsession. What’s fascinating (but again, not surprising) is the extent to which the Steele dossier appears to have been corroborated. Steele apparently has it right in the most important aspects as evidenced by Mueller’s main focuses in his investigation: Paul Manafort, Michael Cohen, Michael Flynn, Jared Kushner and others. A lot of these contacts were referenced in the Steele dossier. We don’t yet know what Mueller is able to prove. But I’m confident he’s not the sort of man who would carry on with an expanding, focused investigation that’s closing in on the White House if there was nothing there. He’s hired 17 prosecutors. You hire prosecutors when you intend to prosecute people. You empanel grand juries when you intend to issue subpoenas and indictments. We’re reading tea leaves at this point – but they’re pretty good tea leaves. > [@Mr.Duality](#): > > “Mueller’s Team Is Reportedly Researching the Limits of Trump’s Pardon Power” > > [https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/10/robert-mueller-donald-trump-pardon-power](https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/10/robert-mueller-donald-trump-pardon-power) I did read that piece when it was published and was very glad to learn of Mueller’s efforts in this regard. But I’m not sure how researching Trump’s pardon power limitations protects Mueller from being fired. I suppose the fact that Trump & Cohorts can be prosecuted at the state level could translate to an interpretation that there’s no point in firing Mueller, but I sure wouldn’t count on that to stop Trump from doing it. He’ll likely do it as a stalling tactic if nothing else. If (when) it happens, it will create more chaos in the process, and Trump lives for that. Is there something else I haven’t thought of? ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2498 "2017-10-06T19:12:34Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > My, my, my. > > News breaking that Mueller traveled to London recently and interviewed Christopher Steele about his dossier. Mueller probably shouldn’t be traveling around the world right now. Too easy for an “accident” to befall him. Especially in London, as I hear you have to be especially careful about the tea. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2017, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2499 "2017-10-06T19:27:20Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > Mueller probably shouldn’t be traveling around the world right now. Too easy for an “accident” to befall him. Especially in London, as I hear you have to be especially careful about the tea. Yeah, no kidding. Especially in the sushi restaurants. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2500 "2017-10-06T19:54:28Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > I did read that piece when it was published and was very glad to learn of Mueller’s efforts in this regard. But I’m not sure how researching Trump’s pardon power limitations protects Mueller from being fired. > > I suppose the fact that Trump & Cohorts can be prosecuted at the state level could translate to an interpretation that there’s no point in firing Mueller, but I sure wouldn’t count on that to stop Trump from doing it. He’ll likely do it as a stalling tactic if nothing else. If (when) it happens, it will create more chaos in the process, and Trump lives for that. Is there something else I haven’t thought of? “Mueller and Dreeben are likely planning their legal argument in advance as well as plotting out next steps in case the President issues pardons that could otherwise hinder the investigation.” It wouldn’t prevent Mueller from being fired. The point is, Mueller will be two steps ahead if Il Douche issues pardons to others in order to hinder the investigation. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2017, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2501 "2017-10-06T20:23:16Z")
I think Trump is going to make a serious go of trying to turn America into a de facto authoritarian state. All he needs is some sort of national emergency. Whether he succeeds will depend on whether there are any Republicans have enough sense to realize that the dangers of his presidency outweigh the potential benefits of being a useful idiot, and whether they have enough bravery to do anything other than just quit. So far, nobody - and I mean nobody on the Republican side - has demonstrated these attributes. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2502 "2017-10-06T20:49:39Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I think Trump is going to make a serious go of trying to turn America into a de facto authoritarian state. All he needs is some sort of national emergency. Whether he succeeds will depend on whether there are any Republicans have enough sense to realize that the dangers of his presidency outweigh the potential benefits of being a useful idiot, and whether they have enough bravery to do anything other than just quit. So far, nobody - and I mean nobody on the Republican side - has demonstrated these attributes. If he is guilty, then he knows he is guilty. If he knows that he is guilty, then what is his best play at that point? His only way out would be to leverage the power of the presidency. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2017, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/2503 "2017-10-06T20:55:20Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > If he is guilty, then he knows he is guilty. If he knows that he is guilty, then what is his best play at that point? His only way out would be to leverage the power of the presidency. That’s exactly right. That’s what I’ve been thinking, feeling, saying for a while now – that is his only way out. Nixon knew that leveraging the presidency was his only way out, too, but realized that he couldn’t defeat public opinion, a centralized media that was determined to shed light on his corruption, and a mostly united democratic congress and a GOP that still had a lot of intellectual and statesmen. Those barriers are much, much lower today. Not only does Trump have Nixonian tendencies but getting away with it is a much more plausible outcome in 2017 than it was in 1974. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799.md?page=124) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799.md?page=126)