Trump/Russia 2016 election investigation (continued, now with Ukraine!)

Simply that there is a cure.

But instead of lasers, we’re going to let climate change do it for us the slow painful way.

Looks like I’ve had that thread on mute for the last 2 years, unmuting a year ago to make my usual snide remark on the effictiveness of federal investigators.

So, did they find anything interesting?

Russians are Bad Dudes

Great news. Hollywood has at least another two decades of socially acceptable villains!

So if you’re ever in a position to accept a plea agreement for a slap on the wrist on federal charges from the DOJ, a good idea is to bow your head, say you’re sorry, and accept the terms.

At General Flynn’s sentencing tomorrow, we may get an object lesson on that.

Gonna be nuts if he blew it shooting his mouth off.

I expect the judge to basically say “You weren’t entrapped, stop saying that” in angry judge-speak and then go along with the sentencing agreement.

But it’s more interesting now than it needed to be.

Guess Flynn was determined to go full Trump, seeing how it’s worked so well for others.

I think the first thing that has to happen is the Trump crime family has to a) stop inadvertently confessing to crimes, and b) stop committing new crimes.

Mueller may never write the report everyone is hoping for; If you’re looking for a report, read the SCO’s “speaking” indictments.

(My understanding is the only mandatory reporting is explaining decisions to prosecute (which could be a simple “see the indictment for details”) or not prosecute (which could be as simple as “we found no evidence”). Plus, there doesn’t appear to be a requirement the report be made public.)

I think the type of report everyone is hoping for will more likely come from House Democrats.

Here’s something that I wasn’t able to get into the old thread while it was FUBAR: Rudy has dramatically tinkered with the public timeline of when the Trump Tower Moscow deal ended.

Recall that originally the deal was supposed to have died in January 2016; then just recently from Michael Cohen’s sentencing docs we learned the deal was still going as late as June 2016.

Now Rudy is raising the possibility that Trump pursued the deal as late as November 2016 … or beyond. (When Trump answered Mueller’s questions he didn’t talk about anything later than Election Day, citing executive privilege.)

It’s unclear whether this is significant or just part of Rudy’s bs ramblings. But Rudy has let important facts “slip” (intentionally or otherwise) in public interviews before. Recall he admitted Trump knew about the Stormy Daniels payments before Cohen testified about it.

On the issue of the Mueller “report”, people seem to be expecting one b/c that’s what Ken Starr did, but this is a good opportunity to remind folks they are not the same, at all. Ken Starr was a “special prosecutor” but not through the Justice Department’s internal rules for Special Prosecutors. Ken Starr was designated as a special prosecutor according to a post-Watergate law that is no longer on the books. Ken Starr actually replaced the true Mueller-equivalent from the 1990s, Robert Fiske, who was the original prosecutor investigating Whitewater.

So, Mueller is not equivalent to Starr, and does not have the same reporting requirements. Mueller’s investigation is governed by the internal Justice Department rules, and may not issue a public report at all.

Seems like Congress would subpoena the report if the DOJ tries to keep it under wraps.

Judge: “So, Mr. Entrapment. After the government filed two 302s forms, how are we feeling about that claim?”

Judge Sullivan sounds less than pleased.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-12-18/ny-ag-says-trump-foundation-signs-stipulation-to-dissolve

Trump Foundation, the “Charity” will be dissolved after reaching a deal with NY AG’s.
Big Ugly, Large Adult Sons, and Lady Complicit are all barred from serving on the board of NY charities for a “shocking pattern of illegality.”

Judge Sullivan sounds a wee bit pissed at General Flynn.

Probably not having a real good day.

There were lots and lots of takes from all over the Right-ward spectrum that Judge Sullivan was going to be the guy who all but exonerated Flynn and struck a blow against the Mueller investigation.

Maaaaaaaaybe not. :D

(I do think the severity of the Judge’s words are probably a verbal dressing down to precede Flynn not being sentenced to jail, however.)

(They’re now taking a 25 minute recess at Flynn’s request. Holy shit, though. Never piss off a federal judge.)

Never piss off any judge when he’s deciding your sentence.