The Trump Investigation(s) Thread

[Rip]

Oh he picked up the Bill Clinton get me off attorney. All over but the hand waving now, reelection in the bag......

[hepcat]

I'm pretty sure Bill Clinton can't actually get reelected.

[Kraken]

I don't know much about sports, but I do know that Ty Cobb is an old-timey baseball player who is very likely dead. So Trump's legal team is better off without him. Perhaps Babe Ruth is available.

[tgb]

I don't know much about sports, but I do know that Ty Cobb is an old-timey baseball player who is very likely dead. So Trump's legal team is better off without him. Perhaps Babe Ruth is available.

Yes, but Ty Cobb was a notorious racist and anti-Semite, which is why he was such a good fit.

[Rip]

I don't know much about sports, but I do know that Ty Cobb is an old-timey baseball player who is very likely dead. So Trump's legal team is better off without him. Perhaps Babe Ruth is available.

Yes, but Ty Cobb was a notorious racist and anti-Semite, which is why he was such a good fit.

Yea, um no.

https://nypost.com/2015/05/31/how-ty-co ... -a-racist/

[Enough]

I don't know much about sports, but I do know that Ty Cobb is an old-timey baseball player who is very likely dead. So Trump's legal team is better off without him. Perhaps Babe Ruth is available.

Yes, but Ty Cobb was a notorious racist and anti-Semite, which is why he was such a good fit.

Yea, um no.

https://nypost.com/2015/05/31/how-ty-co ... -a-racist/

Here you go.

Cobb once beat up a teammate, the pitcher Ed Siever, continuing to punch him after he was probably already unconscious and then kicking him in the face. He went into the stands and severely assaulted a heckler who was missing seven fingers, having lost them in a workplace accident, even as surrounding spectators yelled, “He has no hands!”

And consider: These incidents are recounted in Charles Leerhsen’s new biography, “Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty,” a book largely intended to rehabilitate its subject’s reputation.

In writing this combination early-­baseball history and legal brief, Leerhsen, a onetime editor at Sports Illustrated, has chosen a formidable reclamation project. Cobb’s image is not a fixer-upper; it’s a Superfund site.

Cobb once beat up a teammate, the pitcher Ed Siever, continuing to punch him after he was probably already unconscious and then kicking him in the face. He went into the stands and severely assaulted a heckler who was missing seven fingers, having lost them in a workplace accident, even as surrounding spectators yelled, “He has no hands!”

In several cases, Leerhsen absolves Cobb of a larger sin but leaves the underlying sin intact. In others, the biographer goes too far in sympathizing with his subject. In wrapping up the anecdote about Cobb attacking Siever, Leerhsen mentions the belated but sustained hazing the young Cobb had undergone at the hands of teammates, and writes, “At some point enough had to be enough.” But at some point did someone have to lose consciousness? Cobb may have liked children more than we’ve been led to believe, and he may have been a big reader (he tackled “Les Misérables” more than once), but he would still appear to be, in the final accounting, a jerk.

[Rip]

I don't know much about sports, but I do know that Ty Cobb is an old-timey baseball player who is very likely dead. So Trump's legal team is better off without him. Perhaps Babe Ruth is available.

Yes, but Ty Cobb was a notorious racist and anti-Semite, which is why he was such a good fit.

Yea, um no.

https://nypost.com/2015/05/31/how-ty-co ... -a-racist/

Here you go.

Cobb once beat up a teammate, the pitcher Ed Siever, continuing to punch him after he was probably already unconscious and then kicking him in the face. He went into the stands and severely assaulted a heckler who was missing seven fingers, having lost them in a workplace accident, even as surrounding spectators yelled, “He has no hands!”

And consider: These incidents are recounted in Charles Leerhsen’s new biography, “Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty,” a book largely intended to rehabilitate its subject’s reputation.

In writing this combination early-­baseball history and legal brief, Leerhsen, a onetime editor at Sports Illustrated, has chosen a formidable reclamation project. Cobb’s image is not a fixer-upper; it’s a Superfund site.

Cobb once beat up a teammate, the pitcher Ed Siever, continuing to punch him after he was probably already unconscious and then kicking him in the face. He went into the stands and severely assaulted a heckler who was missing seven fingers, having lost them in a workplace accident, even as surrounding spectators yelled, “He has no hands!”

In several cases, Leerhsen absolves Cobb of a larger sin but leaves the underlying sin intact. In others, the biographer goes too far in sympathizing with his subject. In wrapping up the anecdote about Cobb attacking Siever, Leerhsen mentions the belated but sustained hazing the young Cobb had undergone at the hands of teammates, and writes, “At some point enough had to be enough.” But at some point did someone have to lose consciousness? Cobb may have liked children more than we’ve been led to believe, and he may have been a big reader (he tackled “Les Misérables” more than once), but he would still appear to be, in the final accounting, a jerk.

None of that says racist or anti-semite. Asshole sure but the world is full of assholes.

[Enough]

I don't know much about sports, but I do know that Ty Cobb is an old-timey baseball player who is very likely dead. So Trump's legal team is better off without him. Perhaps Babe Ruth is available.

Yes, but Ty Cobb was a notorious racist and anti-Semite, which is why he was such a good fit.

Yea, um no.

https://nypost.com/2015/05/31/how-ty-co ... -a-racist/

Here you go.

Cobb once beat up a teammate, the pitcher Ed Siever, continuing to punch him after he was probably already unconscious and then kicking him in the face. He went into the stands and severely assaulted a heckler who was missing seven fingers, having lost them in a workplace accident, even as surrounding spectators yelled, “He has no hands!”

And consider: These incidents are recounted in Charles Leerhsen’s new biography, “Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty,” a book largely intended to rehabilitate its subject’s reputation.

In writing this combination early-­baseball history and legal brief, Leerhsen, a onetime editor at Sports Illustrated, has chosen a formidable reclamation project. Cobb’s image is not a fixer-upper; it’s a Superfund site.

Cobb once beat up a teammate, the pitcher Ed Siever, continuing to punch him after he was probably already unconscious and then kicking him in the face. He went into the stands and severely assaulted a heckler who was missing seven fingers, having lost them in a workplace accident, even as surrounding spectators yelled, “He has no hands!”

In several cases, Leerhsen absolves Cobb of a larger sin but leaves the underlying sin intact. In others, the biographer goes too far in sympathizing with his subject. In wrapping up the anecdote about Cobb attacking Siever, Leerhsen mentions the belated but sustained hazing the young Cobb had undergone at the hands of teammates, and writes, “At some point enough had to be enough.” But at some point did someone have to lose consciousness? Cobb may have liked children more than we’ve been led to believe, and he may have been a big reader (he tackled “Les Misérables” more than once), but he would still appear to be, in the final accounting, a jerk.

None of that says racist or anti-semite. Asshole sure but the world is full of assholes.

Just making sure to share "the rest of the story" confirming he was a violent bastard that predictably was missing from the NY Post writeup on the book.

[GreenGoo]

None of that says racist or anti-semite. Asshole sure but the world is full of assholes.

And racist anti-semites, unfortunately.

[malchior]

DO YOU THINK?

Rosenstein and top F.B.I. officials have come to suspect that some lawmakers were using their oversight authority to gain intelligence about that investigation so that it could be shared with the White House.

[El Guapo]

[Holman]

More from Giuliani's awesome and totally not guilty-incompetent interview with Sean Hannity.

Rudy Giuliani just said on Fox that Trump fired Comey because Comey wouldn't tell Trump that he wasn't a target of the FBI's investigation.

[msteelers]

Can Giuliani really be this incompetent? I know the answer is yes, but it still amazes me.

[raydude]

None of that says racist or anti-semite. Asshole sure but the world is full of assholes.

fixing tgb's quote:
Yes, but Ty Cobb was an asshole, which is why he was such a good fit.

Better?

[pr0ner]

This gem popped up in Giuliani's interview last night, too:

Giuliani just referred to federal law enforcement agents from the district where he used to be US attorney as “stormtroopers.” What a despicable human being he is.

Meanwhile, in a Trump tweetstorm this morning:

Mr. Cohen, an attorney, received a monthly retainer, not from the campaign and having nothing to do with the campaign, from which he entered into, through reimbursement, a private contract between two parties, known as a non-disclosure agreement, or NDA. These agreements are very common among celebrities and people of wealth. In this case it is in full force and effect and will be used in Arbitration for damages against Ms. Clifford (Daniels). The agreement was used to stop the false and extortionist accusations made by her about an affair despite already having signed a detailed letter admitting that there was no affair. Prior to its violation by Ms. Clifford and her attorney, this was a private agreement. Money from the campaign, or campaign contributions, played no roll in this transaction.

You'd almost think someone besides Trump wrote those tweets, but when "played no roll" popped up the author of them becomes clear.

Edit to add: Trump actually liked one of his own tweets out of that tweetstorm...maybe he didn't write them? Who knows.

[Unagi]

[Unagi]

Wow.

Did Trump just call Stormy an extortionist? I mean.... that's libel (she isn't making a false accusation) if they had an affair and she has proof.

[Unagi]

"...very common between celebrities and people of wealth..."

"Grab em by the pussy. You can do anything."

[pr0ner]

From Mr. Fed:

Protip for federal criminal defense lawyers: when discussing a case on live television, make every effort to avoid accusing your client of money laundering.

[malchior]

Trump has a King Midas like touch for incompetence.

[Smoove_B]

This has to be a new strategy. I'll call it the "shooting people in the street" theory of legal tactics. If you make a super ridiculous statement potentially incriminating yourself or your client in casual "What's the big deal?" way, people will then question whether or not what you just said is actually a problem. Who would admit to crimes like that? Is that really a crime? No one would state they did something illegal in a calm, matter of fact way. I must be crazy!

[Chaz]

I'm 1000% certain that a lawyer wrote this morning's tweets. Yes, there's a typo. Lawyers make typos too, especially when you don't necessarily have the best lawyers that make sure to have someone else proofread something before sending it out. More than that, Trump would probably have deleted and posted a corrected version by now. A lawyer using his account either wouldn't have access long enough to do that, or would be cautious enough around presidential record keeping requirements to maybe not want to delete a tweet from the President.

[GreenGoo]

I'm 1000% certain that a lawyer wrote this morning's tweets. Yes, there's a typo. Lawyers make typos too, especially when you don't necessarily have the best lawyers that make sure to have someone else proofread something before sending it out.

+1.

[El Guapo]

[Remus West]

[Kurth]

Hey! That guy is a college friend of mine. Small world.

[GreenGoo]

"...very common between celebrities and people of wealth..."

"Grab em by the pussy. You can do anything."

"For you poor, simple folk at home, this is completely normal and nothing to worry yourself about. NDAs are not for little people"

[Unagi]

I wonder if the misspelled "no roll" was meant to communicate: "don't flip" ?

[Skinypupy]

Expect a tweetstorm of epic proportions very soon. The FBI wiretapped Cohen.

Federal investigators have wiretapped the phone lines of Michael Cohen, the longtime personal lawyer for President Donald Trump who is under investigation for a payment he made to an adult film star who alleged she had an affair with Trump, according to two people with knowledge of the legal proceedings involving Cohen.

It is not clear how long the wiretap has been authorized, but NBC News has learned it was in place in the weeks leading up to the raids on Cohen's offices, hotel room, and home in early April, according to one person with direct knowledge.

At least one phone call between a phone line associated with Cohen and the White House was intercepted, the person said.

[em2nought]

You'd almost think someone besides Trump wrote those tweets, but when "played no roll" popped up the author of them becomes clear.

Trump should admit that it's been Baron tweeting everything all along. Bahahaha!

[Sepiche]

You'd almost think someone besides Trump wrote those tweets, but when "played no roll" popped up the author of them becomes clear.

Trump should admit that it's been Baron tweeting everything all along. Bahahaha!

Because they are obviously the rambling, cluttered thoughts of a child?

[El Guapo]

Expect a tweetstorm of epic proportions very soon. The FBI wiretapped Cohen.

Federal investigators have wiretapped the phone lines of Michael Cohen, the longtime personal lawyer for President Donald Trump who is under investigation for a payment he made to an adult film star who alleged she had an affair with Trump, according to two people with knowledge of the legal proceedings involving Cohen.

It is not clear how long the wiretap has been authorized, but NBC News has learned it was in place in the weeks leading up to the raids on Cohen's offices, hotel room, and home in early April, according to one person with direct knowledge.

At least one phone call between a phone line associated with Cohen and the White House was intercepted, the person said.

Seems 90%+ likely that Trump tries to fire Mueller and/or Rosenstein before May is up, right?

[GreenGoo]

Expect a tweetstorm of epic proportions very soon. The FBI wiretapped Cohen.

I've got to think this was leaked to

a) Make the WH crap its pants
b) Scare Drumpf into making a bigger mistake next.

[tgb]

Expect a tweetstorm of epic proportions very soon. The FBI wiretapped Cohen.

Blaming Obama in 5......4......3.......

[El Guapo]

Expect a tweetstorm of epic proportions very soon. The FBI wiretapped Cohen.

I've got to think this was leaked to

a) Make the WH crap its pants
b) Scare Drumpf into making a bigger mistake next.

eh, again, from all indications Mueller's team doesn't leak. I suppose it could be a leak from the SDNY / NY FBI people (the NY FBI certainly leaked a lot during the campaign, though it was mostly anti-Clinton stuff).

I kind of wonder whether it was leaked by Trump people to make (more) certain that Trump won't call Cohen again.

[LawBeefaroni]

I wonder if the misspelled "no roll" was meant to communicate: "don't flip" ?

Far to subtle for Trump. If Trump wrote it, I'm sure it would indicate that he was thinking: "I'm out of KFC biscuits!"

[Blackhawk]

eh, again, from all indications Mueller's team doesn't leak.

No, but Mueller's team baits.

[Max Peck]

eh, again, from all indications Mueller's team doesn't leak.

No, but Mueller's team baits.

Examples?

[Blackhawk]

eh, again, from all indications Mueller's team doesn't leak.

No, but Mueller's team baits.

Examples?

Specific ones? Don't have any. I've seen in a couple of different articles that the team is thought to have intentionally 'leaked' a couple of non-secret items in order to bait people of interest into a response. It isn't a leak so much as an unannounced release.

[Max Peck]

But there is exactly zero evidence, that I am aware of, that they have ever done that. If anything, that sounds like pro-Trump disinformation to explain leaks by blaming them on Mueller rather than the actual leaker (e.g. Trump implying that Mueller's team "disgracefully" leaked the list of questions, when they couldn't have done so given that the list was written by Trump's own lawyer).