WTF Community

Day 680

General Discussion
#1

Updated 11/30/2018 1:04 PM PST

1/ Trump Jr.'s testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee conflicts with Michael Cohen's version of events that regarding negotiations of a prospective Trump Tower in Moscow. In Cohen's version, he says the discussions with at least one Russian government official continued through June 2016. Trump Jr. testified in September 2017 that talks surrounding a Trump Tower in Moscow concluded without result "at the end" of 2014 and "certainly not [20]16. There was never a definitive end to it. It just died of deal fatigue." Trump Jr. also told the Senate committee that he was only "peripherally aware" and didn't know that Cohen had sent an email to Putin's aide, Dmitry Peskov. In Cohen's guilty plea, he said he briefed Trump's family members about the continued negotiations. (NPR)

This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2018/11/30/day-680/
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#2

[Emphasis below is mine to highlight that multiple referrals were made. - KJ]

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr confirmed Friday his panel has made referrals to special counsel Robert Mueller.

The confirmation, made at a University of Texas forum, comes a day after Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to lying to Congress as part of Mueller’s investigation.

“I don’t want you to get us mixed up with Bob Mueller’s special prosecutor investigation. We have no criminal responsibilities. If we identify a crime in our investigation that has been committed, we refer it to the special prosecutor,” Burr said. “I won’t tell you the number of times, but we have made referrals to the special prosecutor.”

The Senate Intelligence Committee has interviewed more than 200 witnesses — including Cohen — as part of its investigation into Russian election interference and possible connections to the Trump campaign. Burr mentioned Cohen as one of those referrals.

“One of them, one instance just highlighted of late was the special prosecutor made the indictment yesterday using the transcripts of interviews we have done in our committee to indict somebody for lying to Congress,” Burr said.

“It’s a loud message to everybody that is interviewed by our committee, regardless of where that prosecution comes from: If you lie to us, we’re going to go after you…"

Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Thursday that the committee had made multiple criminal referrals to Mueller, but added “we’re not going to talk about any individuals.”

Some of the key people interviewed by the committee include Paul Manafort, Roger Stone, Jared Kushner, and Donald Trump Jr.

Sen. Burr leaves no doubt that Cohen was not the only person his committee referred to Mueller for investigation and possible charges of lying to Congress.

Once again, I believe we’re getting a glimpse of Mueller’s brilliance. Now we know for certain that Mueller has multiple referrals in hand that could, depending on the facts Mueller has at his disposal, turn into indictments. Strategically, it makes perfect sense that he would process Cohen’s indictment first – get that one out of the way, use it to leverage a crucial cooperation agreement, and then move on to the others.

We don’t know who the additional referral(s) might be. It could be that a witness fabricated testimony incriminating Trump and thus wound up incriminating himself/herself instead. However, I find it much more likely to suppose that at least one additional referral will turn out to be a Trump-friendly witness who lied trying to shore up Trump’s version of events and has now been found out – this will not be good news for Trump (or for the person who lied). This last sentence is purely me reading the tea leaves, but I could swear they spell out “another Trump associate is going down for lying.” :wink:

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#4

RIP GHW Bush
@preetbharara
When one says something kind and respectful upon a former leader’s death, it does not mean one loves everything that person did. But it is right and good and American to honor service and character, especially these days, when it seems in such short supply. IMHO. #RIPGHWB

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#5

This NYT article article discusses the culture of lying that surrounds this WH…
and adding the names Rick Gates, George Papadopoulos to the list above who lied.

Culture of lying…even against the advice of counsel…hmmm.

Paul Manafort and Rick Gates, former senior Trump campaign officials, lied to cover up financial fraud. George Papadopoulos, a former Trump campaign aide, lied in hopes of landing an administration job. And Michael T. Flynn, another adviser, lied about his interactions with a Russian official and about other matters for reasons that remain unclear.

If the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, has proved anything in his 18-month-long investigation — besides how intensely Russia meddled in an American presidential election — it is that Mr. Trump surrounded himself throughout 2016 and early 2017 with people to whom lying seemed to be second nature.

They lied to federal authorities even when they had lawyers advising them, even when the risk of getting caught was high and even when the consequences for them were dire.

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#6

Responding to the full Kompromat breakdown on Maddow show.

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#7

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#3

YES please, more indictments.

Maddow did a great recap tonight on what the T team did who were all (not sure) interviewed by Senate Intell Committee tonight - tune in.

T’s team all lied around the same thing…sanctions, and no, we weren’t trying to remove the Russian sanctions, but clearly they were.

Roughly Maddow is surmising this was where the Kompromat/compromise began.

Starting with the T family diligently hoping to get the financing and the ‘deal’ from the Russians for the Trump Tower in Moscow, T would indeed have to get those sanctions removed. It was Maria Butina who popped up at a T rally and posed the question - “What do you, T hope to do about those sanctions?” And he replied, well, get rid of them.

T could only get the Trump Tower Russia approved if the sanctions were offered. Putin knew T was also dangling a bribe (see $50M penthouse) to get in Putin’s favor. Bingo - compromat

In exchange for getting the sanctions lifted, T would get some Russian help in the election - see Cambridge Analytica

The aide to Putin - Dmitriy Peskov**: Deputy lead, Presidential Administration; Presidential Press Secretary, also carried the same T Team lie…no I never dealt with T 'n co…never spoke to anyone…we’re crazy busy in Russia and have no time for T’s dealings. Small fish as far as we were concerned…etc.

It was Maria Butina’s associate who recommended to hire KT McFarlane…go to this Maddow tape from earlier in the year…go to 4:10 - for the Butina/McFarlane/Flynn connection Link to Maddow review of Butina

But all their testimony to the Senate Intell Committee reflected the same story line - no we never discussed lifting sanctions to Russians.
KT McFarlane - revised her testimony to say well, and admit that we did speak about holding off on making Russia mad, because T intends to remove sanctions.
Flynn - indicted over it…reports came out that there were taped convos with Kislyak, and yes Flynn agreed that those sanctions would be removed.
Maria Butina - indicted as a spy (and may do a plea deal*) and a cut out Russian contact…luring in the NRA members, and T supporters…and gunning for no sanctinos
Sessions - he was in on the removing sanctions deal
T’s lawyers all were " "
Kushner - even discussed back channel communications w/ Russians via the Russian embassy, and yes, let’s get those sanctions removed.
Don Junior - no I never met with Russians and tried to get the Trump Tower deal passed and lift sanctions, get dirt on Hillary. But his testimony did tend to use ‘executive privilege’ as a way to bypass having to say anything.
Erik Prince My meeting in the Seychelles had nothing to do with getting Russia to do our Election bidding…
Brad Parscale - digital director T 2020 campaign and led the T campaign to victory. (Pundits are scratching their heads that T could win w/ such a small electorial victory, yet have such a huge 3 million vote difference…)

And so on…:male_detective::+1:

We now have a new title for T’s best seller book - The Art of the Kompromat Deal. :rofl:

Pence never testified in front of Senate Intell…but they feel/pundits/me! strongly that he was in on the Flynn knowingly did try to help smooth over the Russian problem, and therefore in on the ‘deal.’

The successive stories coming from T’s team all repeated the same thing…no we were not after getting those sanctions lifted, when faced with Senate Intell questions - and those must have been referred to Mueller.

What a strange and twisted amount of revelations that are going to come out now. Just the tip of the iceberg.

And so far, yes, Whitaker has not participated in any of it…

**

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