The Washington Post’s revelatory report on Special Counsel Bob Mueller’s intentions toward Trump shows how risky it would be for the President to testify about his intentions toward Mueller’s investigation.
Did Trump intentionally try to obstruct the Russia probe? If so, hello impeachment.
According to the Post, Mueller has told Trump’s lawyers the President is a subject, not a target of the investigation, and that he is preparing a report looking at obstruction of justice — a broad hint that grounds for impeachment are forming.
Testifying might elevate Trump from a subject to a target facing impeachment charges if he commits perjury or in some unwitting way acknowledges an intent to obstruct the probe.
Two dots to connect in the Post article:
1. “In private negotiations in early March about a possible presidential interview, Mueller described Trump as a subject of his investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election.”
2. “Mueller’s investigators have indicated to the president’s legal team that they are considering writing reports on their findings in stages — with the first report focused on the obstruction issue.”
Connect that he is the subject of a criminal investigation with a report finding obstruction. Then you can see a path to impeachment. But only if criminal intent can be proved.
Obstruction is what lawyers call an “intent” crime, requiring solid proof the accused said or did things with the explicit intent to thwart an investigation. Mueller saying Trump is not a target suggests he lacks sufficient evidence that Trump intended to stop the Russia investigation.
While some prosecutors might lure a target to testify by assuring them they are not a target Mueller has a legendary reputation for honesty on these matters. So it seems reasonable to assume that one of the few things left that could give Mueller the intent proof he needs would be Trump screwing up his testimony.
Which is why just about any criminal lawyer anywhere would tell the President to Take the 5th.
along the way, the twit may shoot himself in the foot with minor crimes like alerting bff carl to market opportunities …. not that he hasn’t already. remember headlines like this last month in mediaite:
Carl Icahn Denies Insider Trading: Didn’t Know About Trump Tariff Announcement Before Stock Sales
and story in common dreams:
‘Such a Fortunate Coincidence’: Trump Ally Carl Icahn Ditched Steel Stocks Before Tariffs Made Public
“Hmmm, is this a coincidence or did Trump confidant Carl Icahn have insider information?”
Carl Icahn, a former special adviser to President Donald Trump, is facing allegations of possible insider trading after a federal filing revealed the billionaire investor started selling off millions of dollars in stock for a company that significantly depends on steel just a few days before the Trump administration started publicly considering a steel tariff, which the president officially announced Thursday.
As Common Dreams reported Thursday, Trump flouted warnings of a trade war from several members of his cabinet and announced that he will impose a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and 10 percent on aluminum—a decision that may have been helped along by the industry’s six-figure ad buy that appeared on major cable networks. That move followed a Feb. 16 report from Trump’s Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, which called for a 24 percent steel tariff.
Although Ross’s public report served as a signal to investors and traders that the administration was at least considering a tariff, as Judd Legum at ThinkProgress first reported on Friday, a Feb. 21 SEC filing shows that four days before the report was published, Icahn started ditching what would amount to $31.3 million in shares of Manitowoc, “a leading global manufacturer of cranes and lifting solutions.”
[tweet here]
“Icahn was required to make the disclosure because of the large volume of his sale. The filing reveals that he began systematically selling the stock on February 12, when he was able to sell the stock for $32 to $34,” Legum noted. Meanwhile, on Thursday, “Trump’s announcement rattled the markets, with steel-dependent stocks hardest hit. Manitowoc stock plunged, losing about 6 percent of its value.”
After the report was published, Legum added updates from regulatory filings. “The new information makes the sale look even more suspect,” he concluded, outlining the additions in a series of tweets:
[tweets]
The ThinkProgress report spurred a flurry of speculation about insider trading:
[tweets]
Some pointed to past allegations levied against Icahn, as well as his resignation from his position in the Trump administration.
[tweets]
Icahn resigned from his position as a special adviser to the president just before the publication of a New Yorker story that outlined conflicts of interest with his business investments and the appointment. Critics described it “as a kind of corporate raid on Washington,” including one who quipped, “It’s the cheapest takeover Carl’s ever done.”
so has there been any sign of carl activity with regard to the amazon bashing and other targeted tweets? hope someone at s.e.c. is paying attention.
50 years ago today shots rang out in the Memphis skies and a giant fell. What a loss.
Sekulow is not sleeping well these days I’d bet. He’s probably having SFB recite daily, “On the advice of my attorney l am invoking my 5th amendment right against self incrimination and decline to answer.”
Oh, and by the way, he’ll never say it to Mueller.
I see Roseann is losing her mind. Shows what happens when you put blind and ridiculous faith in the dotard.
An obstruction of justice charge is fine… but I want dotard’s balls nailed to the wall. I want Mueller to keep working on a collusion case. I want Mueller to bring to light how the Russians interfered in our 2016 election. Anything short of that is not justice in my mind.
renee, a finding that the election is null and void ab initio would be sufficient justice to me and equivalent to “dotard’s balls nailed to the wall”…. impeachment and removal is my second choice, a plea deal of resignation with an admission of guilt and heavy fines would be a distant third choice.
excerpt from today’s wapo daily 202:
— Phil Mudd, who held senior jobs at the FBI and CIA, said the president should be much more worried than he appears to be about what Mueller told his lawyers. “If someone walked into my office and said I was the subject of a multi-year criminal investigation led by [Mueller], I’d wet my pants,” he said on CNN last night in response to The Post’s story.
My Local Station
Turmoil inside KOMO News as conservative owner Sinclair mandates talking points
One of the reporters on the Post story, Robert Costa, added a juicy bit last night on TV, said Mueller plans to finish his obstruction report by June or July. Won’t that be fun fodder for the midterms. Plus, the Russia collusion probe will continue, and the second Manafort trial scheduled for September (first one in early summer).
Here is a SWAG about Mueller and SFB, he has passed off the criminal actions, such as money laundering, bribary, theft, state tax evasion and other state level crimes to various states. He passed federal tax evasion to the IRS. And other federal criminal activities to other federal agencies. In conjunction with treaties and other international agencies agreements, he has passed over information for their use. For U.S. actions he will do the “unindicted co-conspirator”, laying out all the criminal actions SFB did in a report for Congress to ponder. June, July, August and September are great times to indict the crime family leaving the head to simmer until the end.
BlueBronc… thanks for that explanation… Bobby 3 sticks has done good!
now in other news… Walker warns GOP at risk of a #BlueWave after Democratic win in Wisconsin court race…
Yep BB, the ole nixon “un-indicted co-conspirator” gambit seems a real possibility for Mueller’s collusion phase. Mueller probably won’t go to a real indictment because he is so by-the-book and not likely to challenge a long-standing DOJ policy that presidents cannot be indicted while in office. Too bad, I would like to see the Supreme Court settle this question.
i’m rooting for a Roger Stone trial. that would be quite a show
I don’t care which thing makes him go — I would like it to be humiliating and he has to take Pence-asshole with him
Scott Walker he’s another one that has to go. Dirtbag knows he a loser so he tried to cancel elections. Maybe the Koch Bros will sue him to get their money back
The Mercers and the Koch Bros – personally responsible for a lot of bad government – I think we should all take them to small claims court
What will it take to stop the media talking heads at strange desks on strange sets from discussing the tweets and sound bites of SFB as coming from a rational human being? The man is at best a senile racist, homophobe, misogynist who as bought his freedom from jail. I cannot imagine an “at worst”. Many specialists in mental health have stated he is of many serious mental conditions, others have stated he may have end stage syphilis, others he is going to the “keep a GPS monitor on him” Alzheimer’s.
But, no matter what is going on in his head, he is bonkers. His tweets are rants and rambling of a sick freak. It is when confronted that he does the tough stance of sticking with whatever idiocy he spouted minutes, hours or days ago.
The man is off his rocker. His tweets are crazy talk. Do not make them appear from a normal human.
BB is right….again
There is not enough blowback when he outright lies, like he did yesterday repeatedly. The Mexican government did NOT as the Dotard proclaimed stop the “caravans.” The Mexican government wouldn’t pee on SFB if he were on fire which he should be from all the lies
It doesn’t look like we will be removing the ‘dotard on board’ sign any time soon.
Meanwhile, turkey, iran and russian carve-up syria for gas station franchises leaving the US of AA out. The trumpence junta claims they have made a decision about withdrawing from syria…same way we were kicked-out of iraq.
The party continues in the WH. destefano and icing. RNC data boy, trump whisperer and gate keeper of nepotism, I always wondered if Mr. Mueller has interviewed him.
bbronc, but but prez doc dr. ronny Jackson says otherwise
(Chorus) Dotard. Dotard, Dotard, Dotard, Dotard, Dotard,
(Lead) Dotard ! Y’better stop that messin’ ’round.
(Chorus) Leave those girls alone, Dotard.
Leave those girls alone, Dotard
The US of AA had to borrow another $330 billion from china for trump’s tax cuts.
The trump slump continues, dirty air and water are back, shortages and food problems, killer bacteria, unaffordable healthcare and the misuse of citizen’s funds. How much is this guy costing us? And the real question, can we ever undo a lot of this damage before we can throw him out or vote him out? Hubby and I disagree on this. The tax cuts for the corporations are permanent and what party is going to undo that? It is why the tax cuts for the middle class were temporary…easier to screw. I am not optimistic at all in getting tower trash to go home and putting the place back together after his tirades.
I guess we should grateful China is willing to loan more, I wonder how big a surcharge we are paying
I disagree BB, the more Trump’s insane tweets get covered the better for Democrats in November.
They are only insane if you know the facts
“They are only insane if you know the facts”
kgc, you are so right about that. those who only get their news or only talk to others who only get their news from strictly pro-trump tv, radio and press never ever hear that what he’s saying isn’t factual, isn’t realistic and isn’t normal. in their view “he tells it like it is” …. trouble is he decides what is is and they never hear about the real is.
2/3 of the citizenry are free from the trump/rippofflcan spell. Dems have to keep things that way. Dems also have to point out that while trump is aiding putin, Dem candidates are out to solve local problems for actual Americans.
The head of Homeland Security just spewed out a whole bunch of numbers about border security some of which contradicted her own statements. When I listened all I could hear was round ’em up head them off and scare the crap out of the American public. Stepford Cabinet member
craig, about that virus you were fighting on the trail, I was alerted by Windows Defender Security Center of one called JS/Flafisi.D which attacked my computer yesterday.
patd – welcome to the club.
Craig – I want the loony stuff pointed out for how off the wall, howling at the moon crazy it is.
I’ve steadily posited Alzheimer’s……early, but unmistakable.
The Grumplestiltskins are over the edge…….they’re past the outskirts of reality….they are the people our parents warned us about…..
Sturgeone – As the disease runs in the family that is a great guess. I tend to think that he was never a Mensa member. The issue of early Alzheimer’s is something which explain things too. What is striking is the child like stance of “I said and I mean it” stances on weird stuff that floats out, the latest the pulling out of Syria. The hard part for patriotic Americans is that he puts military in extreme danger when he does that.
Sending troops to “guard” the border is on the silly thing. Sending reserves to the Mexican border to ride along with CBP is stupid. One, they cannot do anything unless posse comitatus is removed, two, they are now taken away from their normal lives and jobs and forced to sit in the heat for months to do nothing. It will costs millions to create base housing and all the equipment necessary for them to be their.
That not one greedy old pervert takes the senile old man to the side room and tells him to resign and go home is the absolute number one problem facing America.
‘murca’s mayor’s wife filed for divorce. Amazing she could stay with him as long as she did. When were they married? Last month? (Just kidding).Not sure who No. 4 will be, but I’m guessing about 30 and with a great body.
“That not one greedy old pervert takes the senile old man to the side room and tells him to resign and go home is the absolute number one problem facing America.” BB, I associate myself with that remark, BIGLY.
BB, posse comitatus? That sounds like Latin, and we know how much SFB hates Latin Americans. Besides, he has no idea that the Posse Comitatus Act even exists or if he does, that it applies to his use of the Military to enforce US law.
Pogo – yeah, I realize things like the laws do not matter to SFB. Besides he “thinks” that the federal government is just an extension of his mob. At some point someone has to direct him to the head and lock him in until he is either perp walked into a court house or just talked into the padded van and taken off to the Kremlin so he and his best f8&k friend Putin can spend the rest of their lives together.
Hey remember Mark “walking the Appalachian trail” Sanford? His ex-wife, Jenny, the Skil-Saw heiress, just re-married to an investment banker. Cool stuff in SC, by golly.
And Mark is being challenged by a Grumplestiltskin.
I always never fail to refrain from being positive about most anything, he mumbled into his beer, but this one—–I’d bet the north 40 AND the water rights. Alzheimer’s
I done seen this movie.
I remember one time we had to form a posse comi-taters…..it was a veritable French fry kami-kazi……..
You people type slow.
Boy I’d be pissed off if I were Tom Price Scott Pruitt has done ALOT worse and he is still there and being talked about as the next ag
Mueller after money from Russians to Trump campaign, hassles oligarchs, stops private plane. https://t.co/uDvwXSnxyc
Dealing with someone showing early signs of Alzheimer’s & it’s on par with Trumpsky’s behavior. They say one thing and 10 minutes later they take the opposite position and they are very angry about, too…even very inconsequential things.
I wonder what he was like at Trump Corp, though? A narcissist surrounded by folks who know they must agree or they will be history. He may just be a sociopath.
Who told Faux to run that file footage of a “caravan” of immigrants? Was it aired to set off Trumpsky? Was it run at the request of Trumpsky as a build up to what he already had planned for the border?
BiD, and who could be funding some moles who are “helping” move that caravan along unbeknownst to the good people trying to escape violence…. only to find more violence at the end of their journey.
People Without Borders; they’re just trying to help folks trying to escape violence. They aren’t pouring over our border, though, and they certainly aren’t violent, drug traffickers.
Did Fox air their fake slant to the story to whip up Trumpsky, knowing it would also whip up frenzy with his base?
Did Trumpsky tell them to air something immigrant-y so he could focus on the border & try to deflect attention from Russia?
I wonder what happened in the Trudy Judy marriage – I always thought they sort of deserved each other. Nice to see they are going to fight over assets that may give us a clue as to the problems in the marriage.
I’ll bet that trudy’s close, romantic, relationship with booze had something to do with it.
If trump developed dementia, how would anyone notice?