Reminder: Plea agreement doesn't necessarily mean a cooperation agreement. We need to know a lot

[MelissaB]

Reminder: Plea agreement doesn't necessarily mean a cooperation agreement. We need to know a lot more to speculate on what this might mean.

Link to tweet

[missingthebigdog]

1. I can't imagine a scenario where prosecutors would accept a plea without cooperation

They have him. He knows it. They know it. The only advantage to prosecutors of a plea deal is cooperation.

[RockRaven]

2. Also a cooperation agreement does not mean effective cooperation

See George PapaD's case for an example.

A long way to go still with Cohen.

[Leghorn21]

3. Spicy concurs, MelissaB:

Question remains what KIND of plea deal.
Is he a proactive cooperating witness?
Is he merely a “global” witness?
Is he secular to crimes in NYC -cough- Trump Org?
More importantly is Cohen cooperating with Mueller and that Investigation?
So many questions...


Here’s another thing, this -might- be merely a plea deal versus a cooperating witness as part of a plea deal.
That’s a relatively YUGE distinction most will conflate
When it comes to Cohen always know to look deeper, he’s not exactly a kosher business man. Just saying.
1:03 PM - Aug 21, 2018

Link to tweet

Still...if nothing else...Cohen’s name is IN THE NEWS, which surely causes upset and concern in certain quarters, so that’s always a GOOD THING!!!

[MelissaB]

6. Spicy is one smart, nerdy chick.

She is one of the best follows on twitter.

[nolabear]

7. This from her too!

4PM hearing expected to plead guilty to:
Tax Fraud
Bank Fraud
A (single) campaign finance violation charge
So @realDonaldTrump you may want to call your Dr and ask to be sedated it’s going to be a rough afternoon for you

twitter.com/nbcnewyork/sta…

[dalton99a]

4. "But it remains unclear if he has committed to cooperate."

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/michael-cohen-president-trumps-longtime-personal-attorney-reaches/story?id=57310974

ABC News has learned that Michael Cohen has entered into a plea agreement with federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York.

Given Cohen’s proximity to Trump during the past decade, including throughout his meteoric rise from mogul and reality television star to the White House, observers consider him one of most potent legal thorns to confront Trump’s presidency since he took office.

“The guy who knows where all the bodies are buried,” said Seth Hettena, an author and veteran journalist who has chronicled Trump’s business career.

The investigation into Cohen was referred to New York’s Southern District by special counsel Robert Mueller, and if Cohen agrees to cooperate, the information he provides could benefit the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. But it remains unclear if he has committed to cooperate.

[Hortensis]

5. Good point. "Plea" is being used as shorthand

for cooperation, but they're not the same and I'd actually kind of forgotten to remember that a long time ago.

So thanks, MelissaB!