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NYT: Mueller Seeks White House Documents Related to Trump’s Actions as President

Random Human

They were trying to grab your prize. They work for the mercenary. The masked man.
Hasn't it been rumored for a bit that Flynn might have already flipped?

I can't even remember the last time we heard Flynn get mentioned
It was rumoured, and then Flynn seemed to drop out of the news with the focus shifting to Manafort. Either way, the more Mueller knows about Flynn the better.
 

Thaedolus

Member
I don't think he feels he can, ever since firing Comey put the entire country into emergency mode.

I’m sure someone has drilled it trough his thick skull that it would only make his situation worse considering congress could/would put him right back in office outside the purview of the DoJ
 

smokeymicpot

Beat EviLore at pool.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...d975285475e_story.html?utm_term=.af28e598c0f6

The requests broadly ask for any document or email related to a series of highly publicized incidents since Trump became president, including the firing of National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and Comey, the people said. The list demonstrates Mueller's focus on key moments and actions by the president and close advisers which can address whether Trump sought to block the FBI investigations of Flynn and of Russian interference. His team is also eyeing whether the president sought to obstruct the earlier Russia probe.

The special counsel team's work has zeroed in recent months on Paul Manafort, a former chairman of the Trump campaign, and Michael Flynn, Trump's former national security adviser. An official close to the probe said both men are under investigation.

Mueller's agents have questioned witnesses and business associates of both men about whether the men sought to conceal the nature of consulting work they did that could benefit foreign governments. In a raid of Manafort's home last month, agents sought to seize records related to Manafort's finances.

”I am convinced that no matter where they end up, this investigation will run to completion even if they fire Mueller," the official said. ”There is a feeling of inevitability now that we didn't have before — not of the outcome of the investigation, but that there will be an outcome. There is no escaping this thing, whatever the conclusions."
 

CazTGG

Member
Semi-related question: Has there been any news in regards to the new FBI director (Chris Wray) i.e. is he slowing the organization's efforts to gather evidence/investigate the nature of the Russian ties?
 
They're going to claim executive privilege over a ton of shit. We may have another Supreme Court case like U.S. v. Nixon.

Curious:

The Court held that there is a qualified privilege, which can be invoked and thereby creates a presumption of privilege, and the party seeking the documents must then make a "sufficient showing" that the "Presidential material" is "essential to the justice of the case" (418 U.S. at 713–14).

Does it have to go to the supreme court to prove the material is essential to the justice of the case?
 

Socreges

Banned
Do you think there are days when Mueller just surfs Facebook, Instagram or some FBI NeoGAF forum equivalent and just procrastinates? Like, it'll get done eventually....but today I think I'll read these raving SMO previews...? Maybe he starts digging into some critical memo but his eyes get heavy so he changes tabs and checks his Facebook feed and catches up with his cousin's vacation photos to Italy?
 
Semi-related question: Has there been any news in regards to the new FBI director (Chris Wray) i.e. is he slowing the organization's efforts to gather evidence/investigate the nature of the Russian ties?

That's out of his hands. Mueller is Special Counsel, has complete control over the investigation.
 

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
I can't believe how Trump still hasn't tried to fire him at this point.

Keep up the good work Bob !

I think he'd have to fire Kelly also and I think most people would consider that a turning point.
 
Doc-ket Man


Cs7r4Fy.gif
 

Random Human

They were trying to grab your prize. They work for the mercenary. The masked man.
Do you think there are days when Mueller just surfs Facebook, Instagram or some FBI NeoGAF forum equivalent and just procrastinates? Like, it'll get done eventually....but today I think I'll read these raving SMO previews...?
He probably plays MOBAs, hard carry, farms for an hour, then comes out of the forest and destroys everyone.
 

CazTGG

Member
That's out of his hands. Mueller is Special Counsel, has complete control over the investigation.

I meant in terms of the FBI doing their own investigation into what happened given their vast resources and potentially passing on any evidence they find to Mueller's counsel (assuming that's legal).

I wouldn't be surprised if it's tactical leaks put out by Mueller's team. They probably know Trump and his underlings are stupid enough to take bait.

Eh, doubt it. Imagine if it turned out Mueller did leak out information like, say, Trump's tax returns. People would be questioning Mueller's integrity i.e. should he really be in charge if he's just going to hand sensitive information to the press instead of following the facts (see also: idiots like Newt Gingrich continuing to complain about this being a hit job because of his connections to Comey).
 

Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
Where’s all the dismissive “nothingburger” posts from 2013 accounts with .034 posts per day?
 
At one point wasn't Flynn basically offering to flip and Mueller's team turned him down?

Can't remember exactly.

Yeah, Flynn did. And they turned him down because they had everything they needed, which meant that Flynn had nothing to offer which Mueller and the justice league didn't already have.
 
Do you think there are days when Mueller just surfs Facebook, Instagram or some FBI NeoGAF forum equivalent and just procrastinates? Like, it'll get done eventually....but today I think I'll read these raving SMO previews...? Maybe he starts digging into some critical memo but his eyes get heavy so he changes tabs and checks his Facebook feed and catches up with his cousin's vacation photos to Italy?

No, he really isn't. I know it FEELS like it's been years since Trump took office, but it's only been 8 months. Mueller only started his investigation 5 months ago. The average time it takes to convict someone of murder is usually a year or more, and this is a lot more nuanced than that.

Where's all the dismissive ”nothingburger" posts from 2013 accounts with .034 posts per day?

Most of them already lit themselves on fire.
 
I meant in terms of the FBI doing their own investigation into what happened given their vast resources and potentially passing on any evidence they find to Mueller's counsel (assuming that's legal).

Pretty sure that's not how it works. When Special Counsel is appointed, they have sole control over it. It's possible Mueller may be working with other U.S. intelligence groups, but I think it would be highly unlikely that the FBI would run a parallel investigation. Doing so could cause problems and conflicts.
 
Yeah, Flynn did. And they turned him down because they had everything they needed, which meant that Flynn had nothing to offer which Mueller and the justice league didn't already have.

IIRC, it wasn't Mueller's team that turned the Flynn stories down. It was the congressional teams that did.
 

carlsojo

Member
Do you think there are days when Mueller just surfs Facebook, Instagram or some FBI NeoGAF forum equivalent and just procrastinates? Like, it'll get done eventually....but today I think I'll read these raving SMO previews...? Maybe he starts digging into some critical memo but his eyes get heavy so he changes tabs and checks his Facebook feed and catches up with his cousin's vacation photos to Italy?

Not really. I think this is what Mueller does for fun.
 
Semi-related question: Has there been any news in regards to the new FBI director (Chris Wray) i.e. is he slowing the organization's efforts to gather evidence/investigate the nature of the Russian ties?

I thought FBI Directors required Senate confirmation? Did he already go through that?
 

Random Human

They were trying to grab your prize. They work for the mercenary. The masked man.
Semi-related question: Has there been any news in regards to the new FBI director (Chris Wray) i.e. is he slowing the organization's efforts to gather evidence/investigate the nature of the Russian ties?
I think if Wray was throwing wrenches into anything we would've had a stream of Deep State Leaks all about it by now, so I'm not too worried.
 

CazTGG

Member
I thought FBI Directors required Senate confirmation? Did he already go through that?

Near unanimous approval, 97-3 if I recall.

Pretty sure that's not how it works. When Special Counsel is appointed, they have sole control over it. It's possible Mueller may be working with other U.S. intelligence groups, but I think it would be highly unlikely that the FBI would run a parallel investigation. Doing so could cause problems and conflicts.

Makes sense, thanks for the clarification.
 

Socreges

Banned
No, he really isn't. I know it FEELS like it's been years since Trump took office, but it's only been 8 months. Mueller only started his investigation 5 months ago. The average time it takes to convict someone of murder is usually a year or more, and this is a lot more nuanced than that.
Oh I was jk. Just drawing an absurd parallel between how the typical white collar person operates vs someone with the state of the country/planet at stake.
 

Africanus

Member
This is one of those events in history that feels like a side story in the present, but will go on to dominate the historical narrative how many decades from now.

Onward the investigation goes.
 
Semi-related question: Has there been any news in regards to the new FBI director (Chris Wray) i.e. is he slowing the organization's efforts to gather evidence/investigate the nature of the Russian ties?

Wray's not going to dick around with the investigation. The circumstances surrounding Comey's firing basically prevented any chance of Trump getting a patsy confirmed to lead the FBI. Also, Mueller's investigation isn't happening within the FBI anyway; it's under the broader DoJ umbrella.

If anyone's going to try to fuck this all up on Trump's behalf, it's Jefferson Beauregard Sessions. Nobody should trust Sessions to honor his recusal if Trump's pushing on him hard enough.
 

teh_pwn

"Saturated fat causes heart disease as much as Brawndo is what plants crave."
I think we'll see Mueller act on Trump by the holidays. This kind of evidence gathering is to build a case to go in for the kill.

Ironically with the intensity of the investigation increasing we see way smaller threads. People are burned out on it I guess.
 

Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
I think we'll see Mueller act on Trump by the holidays. This kind of evidence gathering is to build a case to go in for the kill.

Ironically with the intensity of the investigation increasing we see way smaller threads. People are burned out on it I guess.


Lots of folks want instant gratification. However, as this thing heats up and the screws turn, other actors will squeal and we’ll see more stories emerge from the investigation. I think it’s going to get pretty crazy in the next couple of months. Like, crazier than it already is, I mean.
 

Gutek

Member
Looking in from the outside (with only publicly available information), the obstruction case is a slam dunk. Trump tried to obstruct and openly admitted it to the Russians and, idiotically, on national TV.
 

smokeymicpot

Beat EviLore at pool.
I think we'll see Mueller act on Trump by the holidays. This kind of evidence gathering is to build a case to go in for the kill.

Ironically with the intensity of the investigation increasing we see way smaller threads. People are burned out on it I guess.

Gonna be a slow burn. They need a solid case even when a solid case happens will take time.

Remember as well Muller is already probably past this point. When we get news it is weeks old in Muller time.
 
Looking in from the outside (with only publicly available information), the obstruction case is a slam dunk. Trump tried to obstruct and openly admitted it to the Russians and, idiotically, on national TV.

...

is this the pivot

GUTEK HUG ME

WE GOIN' IN
 
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