Panic on Team Trump: Is Robert Mueller closing in on criminal conspiracy charges?

[ffr]

As Rudy Giuliani spins a story no one can follow and his boss melts down on Twitter, intriguing hints emerge
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Anyone who's been following this story has known that the odds of Trump not knowing about this meeting with visiting Russians were nil. If there is now some corroboration of a "pre-strategy" meeting to discuss this matter, and that later that night Trump went out and telegraphed that he knew about it, it only adds to the suspicions. Moreover, if that meeting happened with the people Giuliani named, there is almost certainly corroboration: Manafort's former deputy, Rick Gates, is cooperating with Robert Mueller. Whether Gates can say for sure that Trump was told about the Russian meeting is unknown. But something has Giuliani and Trump jumping out of their skin.

Giuliani says that Cohen's team has been shopping this June 7 meeting to the press. But former Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Goldman has another theory. He believes that Manafort's lawyers have now seen Gates' testimony and have given the Trump team a heads-up:

Link to tweet

If, as Goldman suspects, they're now privy to everything Gates has told Mueller, it would certainly explain the sense of barely contained panic we've seen these past few days. Remember, Gates remained part of the Trump team well into 2017. - Salon

[kentuck]

1. Dazed and Confused

[RandySF]

2. Not against Trump

Mueller doesn't believe a sitting president can be indicted. But Jared and Junior......

[FreepFryer]

6. Can you provide a link to that assertion? Matt Miller has made it, but afaik, Mueller hasn't. (n/t)

[dhol82]

11. Mueller hasn't made anything public.

[FreepFryer]

12. Didn't think so. Always question anyone putting words in the mouth of the Special Counsel. (n/t)

[triron]

19. Nope. You don't know that.

Chuck Rosenberg seems to think he might.

[manor321]

3. That is one theory about Gates

Another possibility is that there is something on Cohen's tapes revealing the meeting. Remember, Trump's team has the same tapes.

[marylandblue]

4. My theory is that every time Mueller looks in a dark corner

A bunch of rodents of the species rattus conspiritus magnus come scurrying out.

[empedocles]

5. Good

[GoneOffShore]

10. How about

rattus fuckus conspiritus magnus or would that be rattus conspiritus magnus fuckus ?

[Le Gaucher]

7. I don't care. As long as it results in Trump being driven to jumping off a building

Let's all keep calm and hope for the best.

[lindysalsagal]

8. All makes perfect sense.

Shoes are dropping faster than the press can catch them.....

[UTUSN]

9. Who da team?!1

[Bernardo de La Paz]

13. Testimony at this trial is going to be quite limited & thus limited disclosure to Manafort lawyers.

They will have received only as much as the prosecution needs to make its case. Hence nothing on Obstruction or Election Conspiracies (aka Collusion).

tRump's name will be barely mentioned, if at all, by Judge's direction (short of an order), and by prosecution guidance to witnesses. Manafort is scared that linking him to tRump would prejudice the jury against him.

[yuiyoshida]

14. I would love to see

Jared Kushner, Don Jr. and Ivanka arrested and handcuffed by the FBI...Wouldn't Trump go ballistic, of course He could pardon them but that only means they are guilty... but I don't think he can pardon himself, and maybe he will be next after that, and this Disaster can change.

[Buckeyeblue]

15. I think I agree that a sitting president can't be indicted

How would you carry out the indictment? Would there be a bond hearing? What would keep someone using indictment as a political trick?

I think the evidence has to be delivered to the house for an articles of impeachment vote. Then a trial would have to be held in the Senate.

Once removed from office, I believe the criminal proceedings could proceed.

[ChoppinBroccoli]

17. It Would Create An Interesting Double Jeopardy Question Too

And since it's never happened before, there would be no guiding precedent. We would be in completely uncharted waters.

As a defense attorney, if a President were impeached and THEN criminal charges were filed, I would argue Double Jeopardy. It's not the strongest of arguments, but it's worth a hearing.

[marylandblue]

18. Those questions are easy to answer

If a grand jury issues an indictment, you are indicted. Grand jury proceedings are secret, so it wouldn't even be a question until the indictment is actually unsealed.

No need for a bond hearing. Where would the president hide?

What would stop someone from using indictment as a political trick? Well, what stops someone from indicting you right now?

[triron]

20. Spot on.

[oasis]

16. Goldman's take makes plenty sense.