I'm thinking Mueller has the goods on Ryan, McConnell and the rest of the enablers

[stopbush]

How far does Mueller go in taking down the people who conspired with the Russians to win not only the presidency, but the Congress in 2016? What if he has the smoking guns that prove that the entire R Party leadership was in on tRump’s treason?

What does he do? Can he really upset the entire house of cards? Would he not be afraid that the cure might be more damaging than the disease?

I believe Mueller has the fate of our country in his hands, and he knows it.

[SHRED]

1. Just start nailing them

Let justice prevail.

[zipplewrath]

2. Follow the money

What happened to all of that money Russia funneled through the NRA? It didn't have to all go to the presidential campaign.

[uponit7771]

9. +1, I'm think the NRA and the Russian red sparrow have done some notable dirt.

[BigmanPigman]

12. Cohen was in charge of RNC finances

and Broidy was too and both are guilty of financial crimes. A lot of Russian money went into the RNC and campaigns and there has to be a money trail.

[zipplewrath]

16. Yup

Mueller may be already well down that trail. Goodness knows what he found.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

3. Well, yesterday was a good start and probably now part of the grand plan

to get the population disgusted, one step-at-a-time to the big finale when he disrobes these russians in our midsts. The idea that someone would somehow trade on their citizenship as Americans and take money to further the designs of our mortal enemy is unforgivable.
"This has nothing to do with russia"...the sad refrain from his supporters. Damn. Give it a few weeks until the russia trial.

[ScratchCat]

4. I highly doubt

That Ryan or McConnell have done anything illegal. The investigation into the NRA and where that Russian money went will be interesting, but I doubt Ryan and McConnell are compromised in any other ways. Pence was probably too insulated and has plausible deniability that he didn't know the truth.

[ffr]

6. You made me laugh out loud. Welcome to DU.

[volstork]

44. Agreed!

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

7. I think you're dreaming.

But, that's just me.

[stopbush]

11. Mcconnell's PAC took $2.5-million from a Russian oligarch.

https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2017/08/03/tangled-web-connects-russian-oligarch-money-gop-campaigns

[ScratchCat]

18. The problem is

Every one of them is simply going to argue that the source of the money was hidden from them and they had no idea it was coming from Russia. This MAY get some GOPers, but I wouldn't count on it.

[stopbush]

19. Every criminal has an alibi. It's up to the prosecutor to poke holes in the alibi

and prove beyond a reasonable doubt that crimes were committed. That’s fairly easy to do when criminals use cut-outs and other schemes that prosecutors are exerienced in uncovering when it comes to investigations and prosecutions that ensue from an investigation.

[Qutzupalotl]

21. Two RNC finance chairs have flipped

and they for sure know the source of the funds that were funneled throught the NRA. Some in the RNC met with Kislyak and Butina. Gordon changed the RNC platform at the behest of Russia. Pence was hand-picked by Manafort over Christie. McConnell prevented public disclosure of the Russian attack. And Ryan squelched discussion of Russian payments. So they are all thick as thieves. That’s why Mueller is treating this as a RICO case, they being mobsters and all.

[Ponietz]

22. +1

[sfwriter]

27. This!

That’s it. An obstruction charge and a Rico case.

[suffragette]

60. + 1,000

[dalton99a]

25. And McConnell's wife is in the Trump Cabinet

[Grasswire2]

31. Good luck with that. nt

[Duppers]

38. You're getting my hopes up!

Pence too? Please yes.

[The_Counsel]

49. Lest We Forget...

...Mike Pence wasn't even on Trump's running mate radar until Paul Manafort put him there.

If you ask me, it's just a matter of time before Pence gets implicated some way or another.

That's just if you asked me, though...

[pnwmom]

50. Remember the audio tape where some R says he thinks Rohrbacher and Trump

are with Putin, and Ryan tells him not to say anymore, that what's in the family stays in the family?

I think Ryan may be complicit in his silence.

[meadowlander]

56. Yes, I'm sure Ryan is stepping down as speaker to spend more time with his kids...

Pence absolutely did know the truth about Mike Flynn at least because he was briefed by the FBI and did nothing about it. Pence is up to his eyeballs along with everyone else.

[ffr]

5. I know what we can do to help find the truth, GOTV in November.

No matter what happens, electing every democrat possible is the only way to drain this Яussian, I mean, Яepublican swamp.

[brooklynite]

8. What evidence remotely ties Ryan or McConnell to criminal activity?

[Ponietz]

20. Two items:

—McConnell’s refusal to sign bipartisan statement on Russian interference prior to the election. His refusal aided and abetted the criminal enterprise.

—Ryan’s statement to McCarthy at Republican convention after McCarthy said he thought Putin pays Trump: “No leaks. . . . This is how we know we’re a real family here.”

Extremely suspicious. Knowledge of the conspiracy and acts that support it. That makes Them ‘Persons of Interest’, at the least.

[sfwriter]

28. Mueller hired a RICO expert.

He is preparing conspiracy charges. Ryan and McConnel could easily get swept up in that via money OR obstruction.

[mjvpi]

41. Pease read post #11

[PatSeg]

10. Yes

Mueller is such a boy scout, he doesn't care who you are, if you broke the law, he'll hold you accountable. Wouldn't you love to know what Mueller knows?

[dameatball]

13. If McConnell really thought Clinton was going to win, he would have taken the Garland nomination.

Instead he refused to even allow it to be discussed. Garland was a somewhat solid conservative with good credentials. McConnell would not have taken the gamble based on the polling available at that time, unless he knew something was happening behind the scenes.
After the election he even stated that he had not thought Trump would win. I don't buy that.

[Grasswire2]

32. good point nt

[dameatball]

42. He also knew that if Clinton had won, her nominee would have been much more liberal.

So the gamble really was not a good bet at all for McConnell. Something doesn't add up.

[cab67]

46. If that's true...

...then Gorsuch should be asked to resign from the Supreme Court. He personally probably didn't do anything wrong - there's probably no way to know whether he was in on any sort of conspiracy - but his presence on the Court would be tainted.

Conspiracy theories are inherently non-parsimonious, so I tend to be skeptical of them. But I've often wondered about this myself; would McConnell have tried to ram the nomination of Garland through after the election had Clinton won?

[dameatball]

47. I agree with your comment on conspiracy theories. But Clinton may not have nominated Garland.

So, McConnell was risking a more liberal nominee from Clinton and quite possibly a series of them. Perhaps he could have blocked them, but the potential makeup of the Senate was unknown at that time. Probably still Republican majority, but that was not a given. The sensible thing would have been to take Garland.

[cab67]

52. unless he thought he could ram Garland through before January 2017.

[dameatball]

53. Okay, that could be. He's a wily bastid.

[Funtatlaguy]

14. Seeing the Turtle perp walked would be my happiest moment in life.

He stole a SCOTUS seat and deserves to be boiled in scalding turtle 🍲 soup.

[Grasswire2]

33. He also took $600,000 in Russian money. nt

[CrispyQ]

15. I don't know if Mueller has the goods on them, but I'm pretty sure Putin does.

That's what's keeping the GOP in line.

I hope Mueller has the goods, too, & he's waiting for the moment to go to McConnell & say, "Deal with the puppet now or I go public with the kompromat Putin has on you & the rest of the party."

[D23MIURG23]

17. So far I haven't seen much that would tie them in to the conspiracy.

If Mueller has much dirt on those two he's kept it very quite. I would love to see them go down, but I don't see it happening at the moment.

[duforsure]

23. I agree

I doubt either one is sleeping at night now, and waiting until they come and get them too. If i was a politician that was involved, took any putin money, or helped in the corruption or cover up , I'd be shaking in my boots , as many I'd bet are doing now, especially Mitch and Paul.

[ehrnst]

24. Well, in that case...

[tblue37]

62. Very funny! nt

[Eliot Rosewater]

26. Wouldnt that be something, Mueller CAN indict them!

[eShirl]

29. just back the paddy wagon up to Capitol Hill

[Frustratedlady]

30. I don't have the exact quote, but I do recall Ryan admonishing some of the House members with,

"Let's keep it in the family." They were discussing Trump's situation, I believe, and perhaps something about money coming in.

Of course, if they kept it in the family and didn't let the news get out to the public, they might have their own palms greased with
some of that dough. They certainly got something out of the deal...it wasn't done out of loyalty or the goodness of their hearts. There is no goodness of their hearts.

Shoot out the possibility that the House is being looked into and then question the ones who just wet their pants.

[lpbk2713]

34. I want my country back.

Round them all up and put them away for a long time.

[workinclasszero]

35. OMG I hope you are right!

I hope Mueller chops off the head of the dragon so the body dies too!

Then we can get back to fixing America for all citizens and hopefully bind up the grievous wounds inflicted by the Trump/GOP dictatorship on this country and world.

[Tiggeroshii]

36. Any word if either of them are under investigation?

[Cheviteau]

37. Hmmmm...Stopbush,

Have you been reading my mind? Opening my mail? Tapped my phone?

[stopbush]

40. Not me, but perhaps QAnon has the secret scoop on you!

[nevergiveup]

39. Jeff Sessions

I would bet the ranch that Cohen was in communications with Sessions concerning the pay-out to Stormy and McDougall. Sessions at the time was in the thick of all of it.

[saidsimplesimon]

43. John Brennan must also

have "the goods", imo. I would think that Mr. Brennan would cooperate with Mr. Mueller's investigation. The suspense is building.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

45. I don't think Mr. Mueller wants....

to flood the courts with so many indictments or suddenly release enough evidence that would collapse our government. He know the politics and he knows the government must continue to run. Beside, a collapse would delight the hell out of Russia.

I think he will continue to proceed with his slow, methodical approach but eventually will sink his eagle claws into Congress and the Executive big time. Our best hope is that he will scare the shit out of several congresscritters so that many more will just resign to save face, court time and jail.

[NickPeace]

48. I Agree

As this heats up, I keep wondering if the key players might need to go into the Witness Protection Program. I am hopeful that Mueller can get this investigation completed, but I wonder about the safety of those who "know too much."

[Mike Nelson]

51. It would be nice, but...

… I don't think so... he is still a Republican. He may even like the Judges they are picking. I do like that he's tough on the squealers - they shouldn't get off with no punishment & don't take flippers if you don't need them - lock them up!

[C_U_L8R]

54. The Russians surely have the goods on the GOP

They're either in league with the Russians or being blackmailed. Or both.

[scarytomcat]

55. he should lay down all his cards and let the chips fall were they may

his job is to bust criminals... sounds like RICO to me

[End Of The Road]

57. I'm old, and I remember good ol' Tom Delay...

and his ARMPAC (Americans for a Permanent Republican Majority). At the time, I was astounded that any elected official would so openly advocate for a one-party government. He and Abramoff were convicted (conviction later overturned) of laundering a lot of money, and that money was strongly rumored to be from Russian (private) oil and gas interests. So the modern Rs have a history of working with Russians, laundering the money, putting much of it in their own pockets, and using what's left over to marginalize Democrats.

After the election shenanigans in 2008, and again in 2016, I wondered if the Republicans were still at it. If so, I tend to think they would be using private donations from rich rabid Republican donors, and also use rich rabid Republican businessmen to do the dirty work behind the scenes.

There are some incredibly downright stupid Rs in Congress who would "accidentally" divulge details if they they were allowed any. Some of the smarter ones may have figured it out, and a few may be actively complicit. But if all the Rs were in on it, it would not be a secret, and Repub hopes for a permanent republican majority would suffer a severe setback.

My apologies to anyone who thinks I'm a crazy conspiracy theorist. I think most of us on DU would agree that some sort of conspiracy got Trump into office. I won't comment on crazy.

[LiberalFighter]

58. I hope so!

[tblue37]

59. He has rolled up mafia leadership before. nt

[Blue_true]

61. I hope so. Mueller dropping a dime on them all mid September would be something to relish. nt