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New in Mueller's team for Russia probe: an expert in witness 'flipping'

T

Tovarisc

Member
A veteran federal prosecutor recruited onto special counsel Robert Mueller's team is known for a skill that may come in handy in the investigation of potential ties between Russia and U.S. President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign team: persuading witnesses to turn on friends, colleagues and superiors.

Andrew Weissmann, who headed the U.S. Justice Department's criminal fraud section before joining Mueller's team last month, is best known for two assignments - the investigation of now-defunct energy company Enron and organized crime cases in Brooklyn, New York - that depended heavily on gaining witness cooperation.

Securing the cooperation of people close to Trump, many of whom have been retaining their own lawyers, could be important for Mueller, who was named by the Justice Department as special counsel on May 17 and is investigating, among other issues, whether Trump himself has sought to obstruct justice. Trump has denied allegations of both collusion and obstruction.
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"It would seem to me the time is now to make some decisions about what you have and what leverage can be applied to get the things you don't have," Ray said, referring to Mueller's team.
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Kathryn Ruemmler, who served as White House counsel under former President Barack Obama, said Weissmann is willing to take risks to secure witness testimony that other prosecutors might not. Ruemmler worked with Weissmann on the Justice Department's Enron task force that investigated the massive corporate fraud that led to the company's 2001 collapse.

Ruemmler recalled that Weissmann had a hunch that former Enron treasurer Ben Glisan would be willing to talk despite already having pleaded guilty without agreeing to cooperate. So Weissmann had U.S. marshals bring Glisan before the grand jury from prison, Ruemmler said.

Other prosecutors might have feared Glisan's testimony could contradict their theory of the case, Ruemmler said, but Weissmann's gamble paid off when the former executive became a key witness.

"He's not afraid to lose, and that is sometimes an unusual quality," Ruemmler said of Weissmann.

Weissmann also led lengthy negotiations with lawyers for Andrew Fastow, Enron's former chief financial officer and a star prosecution witness in the case, gaining leverage from the fact that prosecutors had indicted Fastow's wife, also a former Enron employee, on tax fraud charges.

Both pleaded guilty, and Fastow testified against former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling, who was convicted in 2006.
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and some more at http://www.reuters.com/article/us-u...BN19A1CM?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Social
 
S

Sephzilla

Member
NXK1GwD.gif
 
S

Shoeless

Member
I think Trump's legal team is probably raising the def con level, even if he himself is unaware. It's amazing--and yet not--how insulated he is from what's happening to him. He's spent his entire life getting his way by being intimidating, and at his age, he's probably incapable of pivoting to a new strategy, which means he's basically doomed. He failed upwards so much that he finally hit a wall even he can't break with veiled threats of, "Or I'll fire you, and you know I can do it, so don't test me on this."
 
S

StoOgE

First tragedy, then farce.
Over/Under that this is about shifty financial dealings in real estate?

This guy's major cases fit that mold moreso than international espionage.

This is a guy who has been in high profile cases involving financial fraud.

My gut is Donnie is going down for something in his past with the argument that the obstruction charges were to stop the FBI from finding other things out and not Russian collusion per se.
 
Z

Zaru

Member
Do you even need someone for that?
These fucks betrayed their own country, it can't take much to make them sell out their "buddies".
 
S

Sgt. Kabukiman

Banned
No need for witness flipping:

"Now, now, Donald. You have such big hands. I'm so impressed, intimidated even. You're tremendous, just a terrific President. How about you sign this little paper I have? What is it? It's a confess... Ahem, it's an autograph for my son, he's a big fan. Your biggest fan, actually, because you're so great and handsome and rich."

Case closed.
 
T

Tovarisc

Member
StoOgE said:
Over/Under that this is about shifty financial dealings in real estate?

This guy's major cases fit that mold moreso than international espionage.

This is a guy who has been in high profile cases involving financial fraud.

My gut is Donnie is going down for something in his past with the argument that the obstruction charges were to stop the FBI from finding other things out and not Russian collusion per se.
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Didn't some finance crime investigation / prosecution veteran join Muellers team recently?

They are definitely digging up financial past of Trump and people around him.
 
S

Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
StoOgE said:
Over/Under that this is about shifty financial dealings in real estate?

This guy's major cases fit that mold moreso than international espionage.

This is a guy who has been in high profile cases involving financial fraud.

My gut is Donnie is going down for something in his past with the argument that the obstruction charges were to stop the FBI from finding other things out and not Russian collusion per se.
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I don't see how his shady Russian ties and shady real estate and shady loans don't all tie together like Charlie's chart.

ekrwlk4.png
 
B

Beartruck

Member
StoOgE said:
Over/Under that this is about shifty financial dealings in real estate?

This guy's major cases fit that mold moreso than international espionage.

This is a guy who has been in high profile cases involving financial fraud.

My gut is Donnie is going down for something in his past with the argument that the obstruction charges were to stop the FBI from finding other things out and not Russian collusion per se.
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Most likely. Pinning someone on russian collusion is likely a nebulous and difficult task. Nailing him for financial crimes (considering Trump's history) is probably much much easier. We're talking 1 year of russian collusion vs half a century of sketchy financial dealings.
 
M

midramble

Pizza, Bourbon, and Thanos
Prisoners dilemma taken to a beautiful extreme.

This is going to make an amazing movie some day. I really can't wait to watch this.

Want some Scorsese Spielberg FBI depictions in here.

Tom hanks catch me if you can kinda stuff.

A bunch of nontarnishable professionals relentlessly hitting the grind as a cocky villain slowly shifts from arrogance to panic.

Terminators in suits with a penchant for coffee.
 
C

cameron

Member
Prisoner's dilemma.

A veteran federal prosecutor recruited onto special counsel Robert Mueller's team is known for a skill that may come in handy in the investigation of potential ties between Russia and U.S. President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign team: persuading witnesses to turn on friends, colleagues and superiors.
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Robert Ray, who succeeded Kenneth Starr as the independent counsel examining former President Bill Clinton, noted that Trump's fired former national security advisor, Michael Flynn, has already offered through his lawyer to testify before Congress in exchange for immunity, suggesting potential willingness to cooperate as a witness.

"It would seem to me the time is now to make some decisions about what you have and what leverage can be applied to get the things you don't have," Ray said, referring to Mueller's team.
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Vyx3iwl.jpg
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Immediately thought of Carter Page, just for a laugh, but more important high profile people will eventually squeal.
 
P

Plinko

Wildcard berths that can't beat teams without a winning record should have homefield advantage
Mueller's team is like the Justice League at this point.
 
T

Tovarisc

Member
Plinko said:
Mueller's team is like the Justice League at this point.
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Imagine how Trump & Companions are feeling about this line up that is looking into them. So much veteran skill and integrity digging up everything you have done over past decades.
 
A

Akuun

Looking for meaning in GAF
Hope this investigation brings these fucks to justice.

Bonus points if you can get Trump to flip on himself without realizing it.
 
B

BoogieWoogie

Banned
Meanwhile, one of Trump's lawyer is being investigated and the other is going on Fox News saying that "Yes/No/Maybe" Donald is under investigation. Trump's pretty fucked.
 
I

Instro

Member
StoOgE said:
Over/Under that this is about shifty financial dealings in real estate?

This guy's major cases fit that mold moreso than international espionage.

This is a guy who has been in high profile cases involving financial fraud.

My gut is Donnie is going down for something in his past with the argument that the obstruction charges were to stop the FBI from finding other things out and not Russian collusion per se.
Click to expand...

Or even just obstruction to prevent embarrassment based on information found in the investigation. They will definitely have a strong narrative for the motive one way or another.
 
I

Infinite Stars

Member
I'm just imagining Mueller as John Wick right now.

"You know the Republican Party? The guys who wanted to fuck over the entire country and colluded with a foreign power? Mueller is who you send to fuck them"
 
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