GOP Rep Rohrabacher, who members of his own party believe to be an an agent of Putin, attempted tobroker a pardon for Assange from Trumpin exchange for some ephemeral evidence that Russia was not responsible for any of the election hacking.
Proving a negative: riiiiight.
Of course the meat of it would be solid evidence that Trump or his people were willing to trade a pardon (for whatever sort of stuff Assange might proffer as “proof” of that negative).
If we’re using who Mueller is hiring as any indication of what he has seen, it probably means something that he just added another lawyer to the group. And he happens to be a former Justice Department lawyer who specializes in foreign money laundering. But this is just a nothingburger, I’m sure.
This is a can’t miss article. Apparently, Trump’s lawyers are arguing amongst themselves as to how forthcoming to be with investigators. Including discussions of documents locked away in a safe that one of the lawyers is complaining that not all the lawyers have access to.
This wasn’t leaked. It was overheard by a NY Times reporter over steak dinner.
The article also claims that people in the White House are all worried that everyone else is wearing a wire.
So, yeah. Just Sunday night.
I assume that this article will give Mueller complete right to call Cobb in and ask what’s in the safe and then call McGahn and ask for what’s in the safe, able to confirm that it matches what Cobb had described.
Here is a little bit more about the Trump lawyers loudly discussing the investigation over a meal, including a picture.’
They apparently also discussed the Trump team meeting with Russians in Trump tower stating that "there was no perception that there was an exchange.” I actually kinda believe that if the Trump guys might have bumbled into collusion a little bit at a time and managed to convince themselves that none of it was problematic.
First domino about to go:
CNN says FBI wiretapped Manafort from before the election and up until some time during 2017.
Anyone else intrigued by the abrupt decision by both Trump Jr. and Kellyanne Conway tocease getting secret service protection?
Planning a vacation in Russia, or some no-extradition country? Or just don’t want to have pretty unimpeachable witnesses around?
Its a gesture of defiance of all the threats of violence from Antifas fanatics. They will not be silenced!
I’m surprised anyone in that whole circus ever accepted protection in the first place. I’m pretty sure that Secret Service agents can be compelled to testify as witnesses.
Conway’s role doesn’t traditionally get protection, but she had received a number of threats early on in the administration. The threat level to her has now been deemed to be much lower, so she doesn’t need the same level of security she did before.
I have no idea what’s going on with Donnie Jr.
Perhaps they want to sneak away unobserved for a romantic interlude?
Big news. Manafort told he would be indicted. One could look at it two ways: Mueller’s job is to indict people that he thinks are guilty. Could be as simple as that. Or he wants to flip him to go after a bigger fish. A fat orange fish with blond hair.
Then we have the two guys in the restaurant talking loudly. Both are high priced lawyers. It seems to me that if they were overheard, they meant to be overheard. Or they aren’t as smart as their salaries indicate.
This White House is filled with leakers, blame-shifters, backstabbers, foreign agents, and Methodists. Totally appropriate for a gang headed by a toddler-man.
The problem is that, in this White House, both options are equally plausible.
I bet BLT Steak can’t thank these guys enough. They just became a historic landmark. A definite must on my next trip to DC.
This is just a stunning revelation. I think we all suspected that Manafort would be under investigation for illegal activities involving his political activities overseas, but one would have assumed that with all of the attention he was getting from the press (and presumably law enforcement as well) back in Summer 2016, he would have wisely watched his comings, goings, and doings after that. The fact that he was a continued focus of federal surveillance suggests ongoing activity.
The other thing about the wiretap is that convos with Trump are included. They raid the mans home… picking his lock and entering the home unannounced… 6 months after wiretapping his conversations with the President elect.
A number of people are upset about the CNN story because it’s written in such a way as to suggest the leaker was part of the team who handled the FISA warrant:
https://lawfareblog.com/latest-scoops-cnn-and-new-york-times-quick-and-dirty-analysis
(About 1/2 way down)
Key question is whether the indictment is in connection with Manafort’s activities on behalf of the Trump campaign. If it is, then the excitement is justified. If not, then it’s probably no big deal.