RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE IN 2016 US ELECTION & SPIN-OFF INVESTIGATIONS

[HairOfTheDog]

I feel confident that Judge Ellis will rule similarly. I don't see any way that he can't.

We should know very soon. Mueller's team filed the unredacted scope memo under seal today and Judge Ellis is reportedly reviewing it.

[HairOfTheDog]

Inspector General Report Regarding Clinton Email Investigation


IG Horowitz has completed his 17-month investigation. His classified report has been submitted to some congressional bodies and provided to the subjects of the report for comment.

The report is expected to be critical of former FBI officials in their handling of the Clinton email matter and whether any mishandling negatively impacted Hillary Clinton.

James Comey's harsh statements/opinions when he announced in July 2016 that Clinton had committed no crimes and his October 2016 letter to Congress announcing he was reopening the investigation just before election day are expected to be called out as violations of protocol, according to most analyst opinions I've read.

(continued)

[HairOfTheDog]

Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe's alleged leaking and misleading statements are also expected to be addressed in the report, as is the conduct of the two FBI agents who were intimately involved and sent anti-Trump texts to each other.

Also said to be in the report is the matter of FBI agents (former or current) leaking classified information to Rudy Giuliani ahead of the election; information he appears to have alluded to during a FOX interview.

The comments from the subjects will be incorporated into the final report which is set to be publicly released next month.

Should be a very interesting read.

[Maggot]

I've sometimes felt that Comey was protecting Clinton when he did that. The surveillance on Trump started in the early summer of 2016.

[Duchess]

I've sometimes felt that Comey was protecting Clinton when he did that. The surveillance on Trump started in the early summer of 2016.

You felt that Comey was protecting Secretary Clinton when he announced she had committed no crimes but was reopening the investigation? Do I understand that correctly?

How could I have missed that trump was under surveillance? How?

[HairOfTheDog]

Whether Comey politically harmed Clinton, as Trump claimed when he fired Comey, is reportedly a major focus of the IG investigation. He sure didn't help her.

[Maggot]

Comey had ended the investigation into Hillary saving her from possible prison, possibly stopping any Obama involvement. He did not say a peep about Trump being wiretapped or that Clinton and the DNC paid for the Steele dosier. Now that was collusion. Be that as it may and even with some speculation either Mueller will end the investigation when it becomes apparent that the truth will come out or he will drag his feet and continue to dog Trump without any charges being brought up. Time will be the judge like sand slipping through the hourglass of life, these are the days of our lives.

Maybe the Dems are waiting for new marching orders from that good Catholic boy Steve Colbert.



Time will tell.

[HairOfTheDog]

I know you always believe, or at least contemplate, that Hillary Clinton and Obama are to blame for everything Mags -- especially anything that has to do with potential problems for Donald Trump.

You've made it clear plenty of times that you like to picture her in prison and that you believed him to be an anti-American operative and maybe even a Muslim! Hold on to your bucket of popcorn and your sign and all of your conspiracy theories. I accept you as you are and am not looking to change you. I'm just focused on the facts and the truth and stating my opinions.

Comey is a martyr who feels he has the innate responsibility to skirt protocols in order to maintain his sense of self-righteousness. That's my opinion after having listened to him discuss his decisions and actions openly. I have little doubt that he has bad judgment.

I don't think Comey's a liar though, just the opposite. In his need to be the most righteous person in any room and avoid seeming partisan, he talked out of turn to the public (in several instances, not just as it relates to the 2016 campaign and Clinton's email investigation) and caused problems for his agency, candidates, and elected officials.

He did not tell the public about the Trump campaign investigation when he told us about re-opening the Clinton investigation just before the election, for reasons he feels are righteous. Those decisions and actions by Comey were reportedly addressed in IG Horrowitz' investigation and report.

If Horrowitz's investigation turned up any wrong-doing by Clinton and/or Obama........they should of course be held accountable.

If Horrowitz's investigation turned up any wrong-doing by members of Trump's administration.............they should be held accountable. My mind hasn't changed about that.

If Mueller's investigation turns up criminal wrong-doing in addition to the crimes to which several members of Trump's campaign have already pleaded guilty..........everyone involved should be held accountable. My mind hasn't changed about that either.

[Duchess]

Comey had ended the investigation into Hillary saving her from possible prison, possibly stopping any Obama involvement. He did not say a peep about Trump being wiretapped or that Clinton and the DNC paid for the Steele dosier. Now that was collusion.

If you're going to talk about the dossier try not to forget to include the fact that it was a Republican who originally commissioned it. Thanks!

The FBI let voters go to the polls without disclosing they had suspicions that some members of trump's team were agents of a foreign power. Since that time there have been 19 indictments and 5 guilty pleas, including;

1 trump National Security Advisor
1 trump Campaign Manager
1 trump Deputy Campaign Manager
1 trump Foreign Policy Advisor

....aaaaand 1 person now doing time in da slammer.

I've read that there have been up to 75 meetings between trump's people and the Russians. Nothing wrong with talking to people but it's very strange that those people have all conveniently forgotten those meetings or have outright lied about them. Not only that, but Jared tried to set up a back channel for communicating with them at the Russian Embassy and it's now looking like Russia wasn't the only foreign power interested in our election.

I'm way more interested in what the SDNY has on those surrounding trump rather than what Special Counsel Mueller has.

[HairOfTheDog]

Investigating the Investigation

So, after tweeting about wanting an investigation into the Russian interference investigation this weekend, Trump summoned Deputy AG Rosenstein and FBI Director Wray for a meeting yesterday.

After the meeting yesterday, it was announced that Rosenstein has referred the matter to IG Horowitz. The IG will expand an existing investigation into the Russia probe by examining whether there was any improper politically motivated surveillance.

It's been confirmed that an FBI informant used by three previous administrations was used to try to find out more about reports of Russian influence attempts with Trump Campaign advisors George Papadoupolos and Carter Page. There's nothing inappropriate or unusual about using an informant when it's suspected a foreign government is undertaking such efforts.

But, Trump, with help from Devin Nunes and the 'witch hunt!' coalition, are claiming suspicion that the Obama administration planted a spy in Trump's campaign for political reasons (which would be inappropriate).

Trump’s demand of the Justice Department alarmed many observers, who felt it not only violated presidential protocol but also could have a chilling effect on federal law enforcement or its use of informants.

Refs:
https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politic...story.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/...c02434d72d

[HairOfTheDog]

I'm way more interested in what the SDNY has on those surrounding trump rather than what Special Counsel Mueller has.

One of those cases just got more interesting.

Snip:
A significant business partner of Michael D. Cohen, President Trump’s personal lawyer, has quietly agreed to cooperate with the government as a potential witness, a development that could be used as leverage to pressure Mr. Cohen to work with the special counsel examining Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Under the agreement, the partner, Evgeny A. Freidman, a Russian immigrant who is known as the Taxi King, will avoid jail time, and will assist government prosecutors in state or federal investigations, according to a person briefed on the matter.

Mr. Trump’s lawyers have been resigned to the strong possibility that the investigation of Mr. Cohen’s businesses could lead him to cooperate with federal prosecutors. That likelihood could become greater with a business partner of Mr. Cohen’s cooperating with law enforcement. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/22/nyreg...ation.html
-------------------------

Prosecutors must believe that Freidman has some significant information to share. He was facing a $5,000,000 tax fraud charge and 25 years behind bars. Under his plea deal, that was reduced to $50,000 tax evasion and 5 years probation.

[Duchess]

Prosecutors must believe that Freidman has some significant information to share.

Oh hell yeah! Something valuable!

[Donovan]

I expect we will see more "cooperating" witnesses as Trump tries to shift blame onto others and throw people to the wolves. I think Cohen's family might be threatened which is why he is taking so much of the fall. He made some cryptic comments weeks ago. And witnesses in Russian mob cases or associated with Putin and Trump seem to suffer unreasonably high rates of accidentally killing themselves with falls from tall buildings or running into blunt objects with their skulls.

[Duchess]

witnesses in Russian mob cases or associated with Putin and Trump seem to suffer unreasonably high rates of accidentally killing themselves with falls from tall buildings or running into blunt objects with their skulls.

This is what I think Manafort is afraid of.

[HairOfTheDog]

witnesses in Russian mob cases or associated with Putin and Trump seem to suffer unreasonably high rates of accidentally killing themselves with falls from tall buildings or running into blunt objects with their skulls.

This is what I think Manafort is afraid of.

Manafort is so fucked. His alleged crimes involve lots of numbers and bank transactions -- tangible evidence which gives top notch white collar prosecutors like Mueller's the ability to follow the money trail and squeeze accomplices into cooperation for plea deals.

So far, Manfort is fighting every charge tooth and nail. There are no signs he's willing or able to cooperate........... at this point.

BUT, his former son-in-law and real estate partner (properties in California and New York), Jeffrey Yohai, copped a plea deal last week in exchange for cooperation in any and all investigations.

Yohai, who divorced Manafort's daughter in August, was initially interviewed by Mueller's team in June.

So, prosecutors have got Manafort's long-time foreign consulting partner and Trump administration insider Rick Gates cooperating in regards to massive alleged financial crimes related to Russia and Ukraine. And, they've got Jeffrey Yohai cooperating in regards to alleged domestic crimes.

Ref: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-t...SKCN1II2YM

[Duchess]

So far, Manfort is fighting every charge tooth and nail. There are no signs he's willing or able to cooperate........... at this point.

Yesterday I saw it said that he intends to plead guilty but I never saw the story delved into so I chalked it up to someone's wishful thinking. He's in a great deal of trouble, a massive amount. So is Michael Cohen.

[Donovan]

I think in the long run fewer and fewer people will take the fall for Trump. There is no honor among thieves and these guys are facing real time while the Crusty Creamsicle disavows them publicly.

[Maggot]

"Boston Globe"

[Donovan]

They're called news outlets. With journalists and such. Not like Breitbart or Faux.

[Maggot]

They're called news outlets. With journalists and such. Not like Breitbart or Faux.

The Globe is not considered a reliable form of communication around here. Especially as it's a toy for a rich guys wife.