# 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:** 281
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/5605 "2019-01-25T16:14:07Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Following or preceding? I thought Stone’s was one of those. Ahhh, yes. Re-checking the timeline I think you’re right. So only 11 outstanding? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/5606 "2019-01-25T18:16:06Z")
Well reading through the Stone indictment, my primary reaction is… Bwahahahaaaah! 😃 ---
**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:** [January 25, 2019, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/5607 "2019-01-25T18:48:19Z")
An oldie but a goodie: “Panicked Donald Trump Jr. Tries To Cover Up Contact With WikiLeaks By Deleting Firefox Icon From Desktop.” [https://t.co/ylsr1LBCo5](https://t.co/ylsr1LBCo5) ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/5608 "2019-01-25T19:09:57Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Well reading through the Stone indictment, my primary reaction is… > > Bwahahahaaaah! 😃 I think it’s pretty clear they’re about to arrest Steve Bannon. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/5609 "2019-01-25T19:53:04Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#): > > I think it’s pretty clear they’re about to arrest Steve Bannon. Bannon flipped on Trump a while ago. He’s probably safe or has already agreed to some form of slap on the wrist that will be revealed at some point after all the big fish have gone down. I think the options from here are either Trump’s kids or to move over to the Middle East branch and to start hauling in Elliot Broidy, Eric Prince, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/5610 "2019-01-25T20:50:01Z")
It’s probably also worth pointing out that all of Stone’s charges are basically variants of “obstructing the investigation”. There’s no actual crime - like theft or spying or money laundering or anything - that Stone is accused of. If he’d told the truth, he would have been free and clear of all doing. Talking to people about WikiLeaks may not have been criminal at all (it’s sort of a grey area with foreign contributions and foreign lobbying, and probably safe from hacking charges unless they made a proposal to Russia to commit the hacking). ---
**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:** [January 25, 2019, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/5611 "2019-01-25T21:04:32Z")
AKA “It’s not the crime, it’s the coverup.” ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2019, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/5612 "2019-01-26T00:47:36Z")
> [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > AKA “It’s not the crime, it’s the coverup.” You’d think that tattoo of his might have whispered that to him once or twice like that episode of the X-Files… ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2019, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/5613 "2019-01-26T08:06:39Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > It’s probably also worth pointing out that all of Stone’s charges are basically variants of “obstructing the investigation”. There’s no actual crime - like theft or spying or money laundering or anything - that Stone is accused of. If he’d told the truth, he would have been free and clear of all doing. Talking to people about WikiLeaks may not have been criminal at all (it’s sort of a grey area with foreign contributions and foreign lobbying, and probably safe from hacking charges unless they made a proposal to Russia to commit the hacking). Well, I mean, witness tampering and lying to congress are pretty serious crimes. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2019, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/5614 "2019-01-26T08:11:49Z")
EDIT: server error, hey! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2019, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/5615 "2019-01-27T15:54:03Z")
Great article from Slate the other day: “[Stone indictment proves that house probe was a whitewash](https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/01/roger-stones-indictment-proves-the-house-republicans-russia-investigation-was-a-whitewash.html)”. > [@](#): > > How did the committee reach that determination? In its “collusion” section, the HSPSCI Republican report noted under “Finding #25” that “[w]hen asked directly, none of the interviewed witnesses provided evidence of collusion, coordination, or conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.” > > These happen to be the precise areas that Stone is now alleged to have lied to the committee about. As the Democrats on the committee argued in a brutal counter-report released around the same time, the Republicans basically took Stone’s word for it (as well as those of other witnesses). > > […] > > Rep. Adam Schiff, the former ranking minority member who now leads the committee, told me last month that the previous committee leadership had basically declined to cooperate with Mueller. Schiff at the time promised he would make it a priority to hand over the committee’s previously withheld transcripts of testimony like Stone’s to Mueller. He appears to have done so, and it seems that testimony formed the basis of Friday’s principal charges against Stone. > > In turn, Mueller’s indictment proves what those who observed the Republican House Russia probe saw for a long time: That investigation was little more than a farce. Basically, the reason Stone is getting indicted is because the house democrats sent his testimony to Muller, who knew it was a bunch of lies. Which means that, had house republicans worked with Muller, we would have known this _almost a year ago_. I don’t suppose that falls under obstruction of justice in any way? ---
**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:** [January 27, 2019, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/5616 "2019-01-27T21:31:52Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > … Basically, the reason Stone is getting indicted is because the house democrats sent his testimony to Muller, who knew it was a bunch of lies. Which means that, had house republicans worked with Muller, we would have known this _almost a year ago_. I don’t suppose that falls under obstruction of justice in any way? In a just world, it would. Not sure that’s where we’re living, though. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/5617 "2019-01-28T22:55:56Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > An oldie but a goodie: “Panicked Donald Trump Jr. Tries To Cover Up Contact With WikiLeaks By Deleting Firefox Icon From Desktop.” > > [https://trib.al/Etjw6MP](https://t.co/ylsr1LBCo5) :D:D ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/5618 "2019-01-28T22:57:06Z")
This is concerning: [Whitaker says that Mueller’s probe is almost complete](https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/427339-acting-ag-mueller-probe-is-close-to-being-completed) There’s a good indication that Mueller was investigating the Middle East stuff, but no indication that he has indicted anyone on that branch. There is still the Supreme Court case against the foreign state owned business running - and one would expect that even after they get the information back from that, that they would need to follow up on whatever is revealed. And, of course, Elliott Broidy still walks the Earth a free man, and I’d be surprised as hell if he didn’t come up dirty for a half dozen things when they looked into him. With Rosenstein leaving, and this announcement coming from the actual Acting AG, I’m feeling like this isn’t just the Trump legal team leaking their personal wishes and dreams, but an actual statement of full and total closure. But, as said, it should probably not be ending. Obstruction of Justice or Russia or some subset, sure, but not the whole damn thing. I guess we’ll see, but certainly worrying. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/5619 "2019-01-29T02:01:00Z")
Various people have been saying that Mueller’s probe is almost complete since as soon as it started. When Mueller says that the probe is almost complete, I’ll believe him. Anyone else saying it is just hot air. ---
**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:** [January 29, 2019, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/5620 "2019-01-29T08:54:47Z")
There is still a big pile of sealed indictments out there, waiting to pop. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/5621 "2019-01-29T14:16:40Z")
do people think that Mueller can go on forever? At the current rate it seems Mueller might still be there after Trump finishes his 2nd term. The watergate committee only had hearings for 13 months and 2 months after they finished Nixon quit. Mueller is at almost 21 months now. ---
**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:** [January 29, 2019, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/5622 "2019-01-29T14:18:47Z")
Mueller is a special counsel investigation, not a House Committee hearing held by officials with a 2-year deadline (at best!) Different beasts. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/5623 "2019-01-29T14:23:32Z")
I’m a wee bit concerned by that, but only a wee bit. Whitaker, remember, is a crazeballs fraudster, not someone whose words should be weighted all that heavily. He might be telling the truth, but don’t bet your life savings on it. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/5624 "2019-01-29T15:32:03Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > do people think that Mueller can go on forever? At the current rate it seems Mueller might still be there after Trump finishes his 2nd term. > > The watergate committee only had hearings for 13 months and 2 months after they finished Nixon quit. Mueller is at almost 21 months now. This investigation is not remotely an aberration wrt length. > **[How Mueller’s First Year Compares To Watergate, Iran-Contra And Whitewater](https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-muellers-first-year-compares-to-watergate-iran-contra-and-whitewater/)** > > And what those past investigations tell us about where the Russia investigation might go next. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799.md?page=280) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799.md?page=282)