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NYT: Rick Gates, Trump Campaign Aide, to Plead Guilty in Mueller Inquiry and Cooperate

“The plea deal could be a significant development in the investigation — a sign that Mr. Gates plans to offer incriminating information against his longtime associate and the former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, or other members of the Trump campaign in exchange for a lighter punishment.”

UPDATE: Gates pleaded guilty to two charges brought against him by Mueller’s team in federal court in Washington, D.C. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy against the United States and one count of making a false a statement to the FBI agents investigating Russian interference.

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30 thoughts on “Flipped”

  1. @BarackObama

    “Young people have helped lead all our great movements. How inspiring to see it again in so many smart, fearless students standing up for their right to be safe; marching and organizing to remake the world as it should be. We’ve been waiting for you. And we’ve got your backs.”

  2. Whadya bet Trumpsky starts yelping about the media shifting focus from Parkland to the Russia probe?

    Guess what, we can follow multiple chains of information.

    We can care about banning assault weapons (cuz it is about more than just school safety), and banning bump stocks, and money and access to mental health care.

    We can also care about the interference of a foreign state into our elections.

    We can, additionally, remember simple statements like “I hear you” at a “listening” event without needing a crib sheet.

    You can pivot as much as want.  Eventually, everyone will stop following and simply stand in the middle and watch Trumpco run in a circle until it collapses on itself.

     

  3. In the face of so much bluster, it is hard to see how badly the NRA is being damaged.  Their issuing bank canceled their credit card and a lot of companies are ending associations.   But the shine is gone and they are revealed for what they are – people who don’t care about anything except money.

    Important to remember Trumpco will never admit defeat or admit they were wrong

  5. Poobah, Spring Break?  Hmmm. Boston or Ft. Lauderdale?   First, Gates is represented by counsel – I wonder why it was filed pro se – but I digress.   Since at the time he’ll be in Boston – 3/2-3/8, he will be a convicted but not sentenced criminal, I’d think unless Mueller gives his blessing the Court will say something like, “Do what?”  If the Motion was granted it would not surprise me to see a list of safeguards such as a GPS tracker, ground transportation only, twice daily personal appearance with U.S. Marshalls, stuff like that.  But I’m guessing the Court will say something like “I hope your wife and kids have a good time in Boston.  You’ll be Richmond and D.C.”  Manafort can’t like this turn in events, and trump has to be sweating bullets by now.

     

  9. I gotta say, if a BANK and 3 major car rental companies (how many are there? About 6?) are shunning the NRA it’s hard to say only the lunatic left (idiot at Wapo used this phrase for folks calling for gun control measures) is taking issue with them now.  Now if Hilton and Marriott follow suit, hoo hah.

  10. The following companies have cut ties with the NRA over the last 24 hours.

    – Enterprise
    – Wyndham
    – Best Western
    – First National Bank
    – Alamo
    – National
    – MetLife

  11. Well… I can kinda make a connection between both issues of Russiagate and NRAgate.  IMO, nothing will happen to change guns laws unless we change the Congress from rep to Dem.  The Russia story makes that more than likely despite the better economy.  So keep both stories in the forefront.  One makes LaPierre’s head explode… and the other makes SFB’s head do the same…     win, win!

  14. It ought to be a felony to sell or give a firearm or ammunition to any person who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or has been committed to any mental institution.

     
    I. In the first weeks of the trump Administration, the republican Senate and House passed the Guns for Maniacs Resolution, H.J. Res 40, and trump signed it into law. This makes every member of Congress who voted for it an accomplice to all the maniacs who shoot up schools, killing our children.
     
    II. Formerly US law prevented people from selling or lending firearms or ammo to insane people :  
     
    Under 18 U.S.C. § 922(d), it is unlawful for any person to sell or otherwise dispose of any firearm or ammunition to any person knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that such person “has been adjudicated as a mental defective or has been committed to any mental institution.” 
     
    III. I want to see the list of the names and the color pictures of all those kids who were killed by the Guns for Maniacs Law. I want that document sent in late September to every voter in America along with the name and picture of the local mis-Representative or Senator who voted to kill those kids. List each perp/politician as being Pro-Death. 
     

  15. Less than 1 year ago, the Child Killer in Chief signed the bill that let maniacs have at-15 and banana clips full of hollow point cartridges. And now he says that he’s against his own law. Sure.

    Lock him up.

  17. I’m so goldman angry that I could bite my Congressrat’s head off – on stage – to the accompaniment of a rock band.

  21. off subject, but was  wondering if the parkland deputy who waited 4 minutes before responding suffered from PTSD or for some similar condition became too paralyzed to take action.  has there been any report on his background history facing violence either military or civilian?

     
    he’s 54 years old, on duty at parkland since 2009
     

  22. another one for the hall of infamy
     
    new yorker
     
    March 5, 2018 Issue
     
    The N.R.A. Lobbyist Behind Florida’s Pro-Gun Policies Marion Hammer’s unique influence over legislators has produced laws that dramatically alter long-held American norms.
     

  24. UPDATE: Gates pleaded guilty to two charges brought against him by Mueller’s team in federal court in Washington, D.C. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy against the United States and one count of making a false a statement to the FBI agents investigating Russian interference.

  27. More re: Poobah’s update – from NY Post SFB’s favorite daily rag as I understand it.  Waiting for today’s NO COLLUSION tweet.  Money laundering $30M by campaign chair and his assistant and offering meeting to oligarch starts to take the shape of collusion (or at least to campaign coordinating with Ukriane if not Russia, and I’ll bet you SFB wouldn’t have been able to separate the two.  Throw Flynn’s little soiree with Putin in and this starts to have some legs.  (I’d almost give my left nut to see Lewandowski drawn into this).

  28. pogo, how helpful do you think it is on the way to proving the needed intent of twit will gates pleading guilty of conspiracy against the United States?  I know it’s not a solid line connecting directly to Russia nor directly to campaign, but it sure as hell is a squiggly dotted line to both. 

  30. Patd,  I’m not convinced.  I believe the conspiracy count is related to the money laudering and tax evasion rather than anything related to the campaign.  Regarding anything related to SFB, question is what SFB knew and when he knew it.   Gates is 45.  He’s got to be a very helpful witness to get all the money laundering charges let go and avoid what would be a very long jail term if convicted.  Manafort is either  posturing or stupid – and IMHO he is likely the key to the case against the SFB campaign and transition team.  That’s the shoe I’m waiting for dropping. If PM flips, SFB will be losing sleep.

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