The Trump Investigation(s) Thread

[GreenGoo]

Ken covered this in this week's All The President's Lawyers. He didn't think she'd issue a full gag as it would immediately be appealed. Apparently the only issues well settled in the DC circuit are gagging the lawyers and prohibiting speech around the courthouse... her original order. He thought something like this would have little chance of being upheld. He also thought proving incitement had little chance of succeeding based on the platform of the speech (no immediacy) and Stone's previous poor use of cut and paste photos.

I'm not surprised, and I'm sure she understands this. I mentioned that I didn't think a judge would be happy issuing an order she knew was going to be overturned, but in this case it might be worth it to shut him up in the short term. It's not like judges are punished when they are overturned, although I suppose a long history of issuing illegal orders might come back to bite them in the ass, although even that I'm unsure about.

In any case, it's possible she issued the order knowing full well that it will be overturned, but hopefully not before the case progresses sufficiently that it no longer matters what he has to say.

And if she can't gag him legally, she sure as hell can't put him in the hoosegow for his current behaviour.

It's frustrating to watch a moron abuse his free speech rights, but it's the price of having free speech.

[El Guapo]

NYT reporting today that Manhattan DAs are preparing state charges against Manafort, to guard against a pardon.

[LordMortis]

How is it the nation doesn't grind to a halt the idea that states now believe they need to take it on themselves to protect the interests of the Union against the highest laws of the land as directed by the highest office of the land? Is this part of the checks and balances system? I must have slept through that day in government class.

[El Guapo]

How is it the nation doesn't grind to a halt the idea that states now believe they need to take it on themselves to protect the interests of the Union against the highest laws of the land as directed by the highest office of the land? Is this part of the checks and balances system? I must have slept through that day in government class.

I'm not really following what you're saying here at all, but since it seems potentially relevant I'll just add that the pardon power doesn't reach state and local level offenses (due to federalism), so New York would just be ensuring that their laws (separate from federal laws) are enforced as needed.

[GreenGoo]

How is it the nation doesn't grind to a halt the idea that states now believe they need to take it on themselves to protect the interests of the Union against the highest laws of the land as directed by the highest office of the land? Is this part of the checks and balances system? I must have slept through that day in government class.

Because stigginit, partisanship and NY being a liberal haven.

That's basically it. Not to get all Godwin-y here, but people are capable of a helluva lot worse than turning a blind eye when it's us vs them.

[GreenGoo]

I'm not really following what you're saying here at all, but since it seems potentially relevant I'll just add that the pardon power doesn't reach state and local level offenses (due to federalism), so New York would just be ensuring that their laws (separate from federal laws) are enforced as needed.

I think he's saying that he wonders how people can stand by while this shit is going on. That states need to protect the union against the union's highest leaders should be more than enough evidence for people to take notice.

[Skinypupy]

No report next week

Special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on the Russia investigation is not expected to be delivered to the Justice Department next week, a senior department official told The Associated Press on Friday.

The official could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. It was not immediately clear when the report might come, though Mueller is showing signs of concluding his probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election and ties to the Trump campaign

[Unagi]

Now watch, the week it shows up is the one week we were told in advance it would not show up on.

[hepcat]

Whaaaaaaa??? It's NOT coming out next week???

I am SOOOOOO surprised.

<sorry, I think we all knew it wasn't on the cusp of being released>

[LawBeefaroni]

It's getting an exclusive Netflix release on Feb 28 and wider release a week later.

[Holman]

The Manafort sentencing memo has been released.

It's 848 pages long, which (judging by the reactions from legal Mueller-watchers) is quite a lot.

[Jaymann]

Well he's nothing if not thorough.

[Isgrimnur]

[GreenGoo]

If there is justice in the world, one day we'll be reading something similar with drumpf's name in it. I have no doubt that if he were just a failed presidential candidate we would have already done so.

[GungHo]

Good grief...could you imagine being a lawyer and having to actually write that? Where's the seppuku emoji when you really need it?

[Smoove_B]

Manafort's legal team asked for leniency:

But Manafort's attorneys argued that he had been caught up in the highly politicized environment surrounding possible ties between Trump and Russia. Attorneys emphasized there was no evidence that Manafort was involved in any collusion with Russia. At its core, they said, this is a "mundane" case about someone who didn't properly document his income. "The Special Counsel's attempt to portray him as a lifelong and irredeemable felon is beyond the pale and grossly overstates the facts before this Court," Manafort's attorneys wrote.

Mundane case. What's the big deal. Also, F this guy.

"The prosecutions brought against Mr. Manafort have devastated him personally, professionally, and financially. The charges and intense negative media coverage surrounding them have destroyed his career," they wrote. Attorneys also noted Manafort's physical deterioration since his incarceration. "Although Mr. Manafort downplays his physical health challenges for his family and friends, the reality is he is not the relatively healthy man he was prior to his incarceration."

Snowflake.

His attorneys added: "There is no reason to believe that a sentence of years in prison is necessary to prevent him from committing further crimes."

But it sure does send a nice message to those inclined to repeat his behaviors.

[GungHo]

Manafort's legal team asked for leniency:

His attorneys added: "There is no reason to believe that a sentence of years in prison is necessary to prevent him from committing further crimes."

But it sure does send a nice message to those inclined to repeat his behaviors.

Lol wait. What?

The prosecution just laid out (in excruciating detail) how ole Paulie continued to commit crimes while he was merely indicted and/or under investigation(which is totally what normal, non-criminal people do). Think there are plenty of reasons to believe that a sentence of years in prison is absolutely friggin necessary to prevent this douche nozzle from committing further crimes.

[LordMortis]

In the Trump era that is called vigorously defending yourself unless you are a democrat. Then it is partisan obstruction.

[coopasonic]

Manafort's legal team asked for leniency:

His attorneys added: "There is no reason to believe that a sentence of years in prison is necessary to prevent him from committing further crimes."

But it sure does send a nice message to those inclined to repeat his behaviors.

Lol wait. What?

The prosecution just laid out (in excruciating detail) how ole Paulie continued to commit crimes while he was merely indicted and/or under investigation(which is totally what normal, non-criminal people do). Think there are plenty of reasons to believe that a sentence of years in prison is absolutely friggin necessary to prevent this douche nozzle from committing further crimes.

Pretty good chance he continues to commit crimes *while* he is prison.

[Isgrimnur]

That ship sailed last summer:

Don't cry for Paul Manafort — his nearly 24-hour jailing in solitary confinement is of the VIP variety.

President Trump's former campaign manager has been sending emails, making hundreds of calls on a personal telephone, and bathing in a private bathroom, a Wednesday filing from Special Counsel Robert Mueller showed.
...
Inmates are not supposed to send emails, but Mueller's office says that Manafort "appears to have developed a workaround." When his team visits the facility, they bring a laptop, which Manafort uses to read and compose emails. After his team leaves, the laptop connects to the internet and sends whatever Manafort typed out.

[pr0ner]

Twitter is BLOWING UP at a sitting member of Congress apparently threatening Michael Cohen.

Hey @MichaelCohen212 - Do your wife & father-in-law know about your girlfriends? Maybe tonight would be a good time for that chat. I wonder if she’ll remain faithful when you’re in prison. She’s about to learn a lot...

[Isgrimnur]

Gaetz is (R) FL-1.

[El Guapo]

I would think that Pelosi / the House should censure Gaetz for this.

[pr0ner]

I would think that Pelosi / the House should censure Gaetz for this.

Oh, at a bare minimum.

Gaetz is also mad that Jacob Wohl has been kicked off twitter, but that's best discussed in another thread.

[Pyperkub]

Twitter is BLOWING UP at a sitting member of Congress apparently threatening Michael Cohen.

Hey @MichaelCohen212 - Do your wife & father-in-law know about your girlfriends? Maybe tonight would be a good time for that chat. I wonder if she’ll remain faithful when you’re in prison. She’s about to learn a lot...

Popehat

[El Guapo]

Also, while I haven't blackmailed someone before - aren't you supposed to contact them privately and threaten to release the information (and issue your demands) *before* you tweet about it?

[Isgrimnur]

Twitter has @ signs, it's the same as an e-mail address, right?

[pr0ner]

Gaetz insists that he wasn't threatening Cohen.

Gaetz’s tweet, which appeared to be based on nothing of inherent knowledge, gave off the veneer of a thinly-veiled threat to Cohen in the hours before he is set to discuss his time working as Trump’s right-hand man and his involvement in hush-money payments to alleged mistresses.

But in a phone interview shortly after he posted the item, the Florida Republican insisted that he was not engaging in witness intimidation at all.

“No,” he stressed, “it is challenging the veracity and character of a witness. We do it everyday. We typically do it during people's testimony.”

“This is what it looks like to compete in the marketplace of ideas,” he added.

Suuuure, buddy. Sure.

[Alefroth]

Please let there be consequences this time, please.

[Zarathud]

That's definitely:
1. a challenge to ideas (of decency)
2. a price in the marketplace (his morals are sold cheaply)
3. a statement of character (or lack thereof).

I mean, Cohen's wife and father-in-law might already have questioned his fidelity after finding out his willingness to pay off porn stars and remain associated with pussy-grabbing Trump. But it's this Tweet that will be the last straw!

Goddamn Stupid Watergate.

[Defiant]

Michael Cohen will testify that Trump knew Roger Stone talked with WikiLeaks about DNC email dump

[Alefroth]

Michael Cohen will testify that Trump knew Roger Stone talked with WikiLeaks about DNC email dump

Mueller must have all of this, right?

[Alefroth]

Looks like Gaetz took the tweet down finally.

[LawBeefaroni]

Michael Cohen will testify that Trump knew Roger Stone talked with WikiLeaks about DNC email dump

Thus all the smear and distraction campaigns. With this Administration where there's denial, there's fire.

[GreenGoo]

Looks like Gaetz took the tweet down finally.

Thank goodness the mobster retracted his threats. Problem solved.

[pr0ner]

Wow, the Republicans are maaaaaaaaaad already.

[Smoove_B]

I don't understand why.

"This is an off the record . . . No leaks! . . . All right?” “What’s said in the family stays in the family,”

Burn them. Burn them to the ground.

[stessier]

538 is live blogging Cohen's hearing.

[Smoove_B]

Politico has an article and a PDF of Cohen's prepared opening statement.

Spoiler: It's a doozy.

[Holman]

As always, Daniel Dale is a great follow for thorough live-blogging of Trump and Trump-related public events.

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