The Trump Investigation(s) Thread

Ralph-Wiggum · Post by **Ralph-Wiggum** » Thu Oct 26, 2017 4:42 pm

If Trump fires Mueller, is he under some legal obligation to not discuss his findings?

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Thu Oct 26, 2017 6:37 pm

Today Devin Nunes was out there claiming that DNC support for the Steele Dossier proves that the Democrats were colluding with Russia to interfere with the election.

I can't even... What reality is this?

Alefroth · Post by **Alefroth** » Thu Oct 26, 2017 7:59 pm

Holman wrote: Thu Oct 26, 2017 6:37 pm Today Devin Nunes was out there claiming that DNC support for the Steele Dossier proves that the Democrats were colluding with Russia to interfere with the election.

I can't even... What reality is this?

That's Sir Reality to you.

Zarathud · Post by **Zarathud** » Thu Oct 26, 2017 8:44 pm

Trump has always been the bizzaro dimension. Does that make Kellyanne the Mytzelplik?

RunningMn9 · Post by **RunningMn9** » Thu Oct 26, 2017 8:46 pm

Speaking of, I haven’t heard jack squat from or about Jared or Ivanka for months now. Is it just that Jared is too busy being in charge of solving every critical problem we’ve ever had, that he’s got his head down and working hard?

Or did he already fix the Middle East and overhaul the way that the entire federal govt works and I missed the press release?

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Thu Oct 26, 2017 10:23 pm

Well I just read something today about Ivanka's grammar, so apparently she's still out there misusing the language.

Remus West · Post by **Remus West** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 8:18 am

Holman wrote: Thu Oct 26, 2017 6:37 pm Today Devin Nunes was out there claiming that DNC support for the Steele Dossier proves that the Democrats were colluding with Russia to interfere with the election.

I can't even... What reality is this?

Of all the pieces of shit in congress Nunes has to be in competition for being the biggest and smelliest. He has zero moral or ethical fibers in him.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 9:50 am

Ralph-Wiggum wrote: Thu Oct 26, 2017 4:42 pm If Trump fires Mueller, is he under some legal obligation to not discuss his findings?

Not sure the exact rules applicable to a special prosecutor, but probably. The trick for Trump is that it's not easy for him to fire Mueller - because Sessions is recused, it would have to be authorized by Rod Rosenstein, who is not a Trump lackey. If Rosenstein refuses to fire Mueller, then Trump could fire him, but the next one up isn't a Trump lackey either. So if Trump was determined to fire Mueller, he might need to fire a few people until he gets someone willing to fire Mueller (a la the Saturday Night Massacre. That would be an epic political shitstorm for Trump. What would happen then would be harder to predict. Various bills to protect Mueller started floating around the Senate when Mueller's firing seemed possibly imminent a couple months ago. There's almost certainly a majority in the Senate for those. The House would be a bit harder, but even the Senate unilaterally could do things like just retaining Mueller to run a Senate investigation.

And also Mueller's been coordinating with the New York AG, who would presumably keep going full bore.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 9:56 am

Remus West wrote: Fri Oct 27, 2017 8:18 am
Holman wrote: Thu Oct 26, 2017 6:37 pm Today Devin Nunes was out there claiming that DNC support for the Steele Dossier proves that the Democrats were colluding with Russia to interfere with the election.

I can't even... What reality is this?
Of all the pieces of shit in congress Nunes has to be in competition for being the biggest and smelliest. He has zero moral or ethical fibers in him.

Yeah for whatever reason Nunes decided very early on to solely serve as Trump's bodyguard on all of this shit. The upshot is that Richard Burr in the Senate seems to be more serious about this, at least.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 12:01 pm

Oh that gag ordered being lifted on the FBI informant...Trump personally pushed for that. Totally above board.

RunningMn9 · Post by **RunningMn9** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 8:40 pm

CNN is reporting that the first charges have been filed and indictments were sealed today.

“CNN” wrote: A federal grand jury in Washington, DC, on Friday approved the first charges in the investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller, according to sources briefed on the matter.

The charges are still sealed under orders from a federal judge. Plans were prepared Friday for anyone charged to be taken into custody as soon as Monday, the sources said. It is unclear what the charges are.

Pyperkub · Post by **Pyperkub** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 9:19 pm

RunningMn9 wrote: Fri Oct 27, 2017 8:40 pm CNN is reporting that the first charges have been filed and indictments were sealed today.

“CNN” wrote: A federal grand jury in Washington, DC, on Friday approved the first charges in the investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller, according to sources briefed on the matter.

The charges are still sealed under orders from a federal judge. Plans were prepared Friday for anyone charged to be taken into custody as soon as Monday, the sources said. It is unclear what the charges are.

Linky

Skinypupy · Post by **Skinypupy** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 9:29 pm

Some interesting initial analysis from Seth Abramson: https://twitter.com/SethAbramson/statu ... 9148224512

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 9:30 pm

Oooooh, is it Hillary??

I'll bet it's HILLARY. For the Benghranium!

pr0ner · Post by **pr0ner** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 9:30 pm

I'm almost afraid to look at Louise Mensch' twitter feed. She's sure to be positively giddy with that news.

Skinypupy · Post by **Skinypupy** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 9:44 pm

Interesting that it's not being reported anywhere else at this point. CNN better hope like hell they're right about this.

EDIT: If you really feel like getting dizzy, check out this spin from Hannity.

Guess;Mueller and Media working hand in hand. Media to be tipped off. Mueller was FBI Director Who knew of Russian crimes before Uranium one

Scoop20906 · Post by **Scoop20906** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 11:33 pm

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 11:34 pm

Just in case has anyone got a basement I can hide out in?

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 11:37 pm

I hope that Manafort enjoys his weekend.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 11:46 pm

Skinypupy wrote: Fri Oct 27, 2017 9:44 pmInteresting that it's not being reported anywhere else at this point. CNN better hope like hell they're right about this.

Reuters is reporting it as well, with their own source.

A federal grand jury in Washington on Friday approved the first charges in the investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, a source briefed on the matter told Reuters.

A quick search shows lots of other stories have been published in the last hour or so, but I haven't sifted through them to see if any are corroborating from their own sources or if they're just reporting on the reports from CNN/Reuters/whoever.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 11:47 pm

Also today Dana Boente, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, resigned today. Hard to imagine that it's a coincidence with the filed charges. Some plausible speculation that Boente may be a witness in an obstruction charge.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 11:50 pm

Also explains why the Uranium story was suddenly resurrected by Trumpworld. Probably the best that they could come up with as a pre-made justification for trying to fire Mueller.

gbasden · Post by **gbasden** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 12:38 am

When will Hillary be indicted? How about when you produce evidence compelling to a prosecutor and grand jury? Your party controls every lever of government, dumbass - what is stopping you other than the fact that her crimes exist only in your fevered imagination?

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 12:46 am

Rip wrote: Fri Oct 27, 2017 11:34 pm Just in case has anyone got a basement I can hide out in?

Trolling isn't a crime in your country.

...yet.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 12:46 am

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 12:53 am

too soon for me to celebrate.

Scoop20906 · Post by **Scoop20906** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 12:53 am

GreenGoo wrote:
Rip wrote: Fri Oct 27, 2017 11:34 pm Just in case has anyone got a basement I can hide out in?
Trolling isn't a crime in your country.

...yet.

You gave him what he wanted. Should have ignored him.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 1:00 am

GreenGoo wrote: Sat Oct 28, 2017 12:53 am too soon for me to celebrate.

Way too soon. Really hard to see things going down without Trump trying to fire Mueller, issue mass pardons, or do any number of crazy anti-democratic shit to try to shut all this down before it brings him down.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 1:12 am

Scoop20906 wrote: Sat Oct 28, 2017 12:53 am You gave him what he wanted. Should have ignored him.

Oh yeah, totally reeled me in. I'm sure he feels warm and fuzzy now.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 7:22 am

GreenGoo wrote: Sat Oct 28, 2017 12:53 am too soon for me to celebrate.

Totally. I just those first two tweets were punny. And Tapper's captures the non-idiot CW well.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 7:58 am

El Guapo wrote: Fri Oct 27, 2017 11:50 pm Also explains why the Uranium story was suddenly resurrected by Trumpworld. Probably the best that they could come up with as a pre-made justification for trying to fire Mueller.

Yup. Fox is all-in on the narrative that Mueller's investigation is 100% based on Dem propaganda and that he should be fired.

Some Trump surrogates are taking it further. Gorka tweeted last night that Trump should strip Mueller's powers and have him arrested.

Roger Stone was apparently in total drunk melt-down mode, attacking reporters and calling for them to be punished, which is totally the behavior of someone confident that there's nothing to this story.

EDIT: stupid keyboard

pr0ner · Post by **pr0ner** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 8:05 am

Holman wrote: Sat Oct 28, 2017 7:58 am Roger Stone was apparently in total drunk melt-down mode, attacking reporters and calling for them to be punished, which is the totally the behavior of someone confident that there's noting to this story.

I just waded into the crazy end by checking Stone's Twitter and I see he is claiming that Carl Bernstein lied about Watergate!

Also, Louise Mensch, as expected, is tooting her own horn about Mueller's indictments, while again repeating her claim that Trump has already had sealed indictments filed against him.

Captain Caveman · Post by **Captain Caveman** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 8:15 am

Biggest indication this is really happening? Trump’s twitter feed is completely silent so far this morning.

Captain Caveman · Post by **Captain Caveman** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 8:37 am

Captain Caveman wrote: Sat Oct 28, 2017 8:15 am Biggest indication this is really happening? Trump’s twitter feed is completely silent so far this morning.m

Spoke too soon. But so far just tweeting about GDP and Jimmy Carter(?).

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 9:14 am

So U.S. Attorney Dana Boente resigned very suddenly last night. If I understand things, he is in line behind Sessions and
Rosenstein.

The rumors swirling around are:

1) He's leaving his post to serve as a witness. (Why would he have to quit?)

2) Since Sessions and Rosenstein are recused, Boente was ordered to fire Mueller and refused. (Would he have this authority?)

Do either of these make sense?

Ralph-Wiggum · Post by **Ralph-Wiggum** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 9:28 am

When did Rosenstein become recused?

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 9:33 am

Yeah, that's news to me, as well.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 10:05 am

I believe he is thought to be recused from anything touching on Comey and obstruction since he wrote the letter used to justify Comey's firing. As he was part of Trump's planning there (even somewhat unwillingly), he is expected to be a witness.

That's the narrative I've seen, anyway.

The real question is whether Boente had authority to fire Mueller. If he did, it would make sense for Trump to step down past Rosenstein (known to be Trump-skeptical) to try his luck.

Of course it's entirely possible it's unrelated to anything, but it seems to be striking all the DOJ-watchers as very sudden and strange.

Scoop20906 · Post by **Scoop20906** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 10:35 am

There is no evidence that Rosenstein has recused himself from Mueller's probe. In fact, I read all investigations have to reviewed by him. I don't think this prevents Mueller from chasing down things but there have been many calls for him to recused himself since Mueller is investigating obstruction charges on the Comey firing which he had a part in.

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Zarathud · Post by **Zarathud** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 10:58 am

Could we be looking at Trumpoween?