Robert Mueller, Former F.B.I. Director, Is Named Special Counsel for Russia Investigation

This was something folks started talking about yesterday, and yeah.... raises quite a few eyebrows. Comes a day after Rupert Murdoch (owner of FoxNews) met with Mitch McConnell as well.

All could be a series of coincidences related to the end of the Mid-Terms, and a point of re-evaluating support for Trump. The other theory floating out there is that a RICO was served to media propaganda arms of the GOP but I'm skeptical of that.

Most likely its a "wait and see" holding period post mid-terms (where Trump got beat up pretty bad), waiting on Muellers final indictments, and how Trump will react to them. If Trumps reaction & survival works out for him maintaining political capital with the base, they'll be back on the Trump train in 2 seconds.

Either way its obvious that Trump is in a rather precarious situation at the moment, and its obvious the GOP and its propaganda arm are seriously considering total abandonment of Trumpism. Murdoch and McConnell could end Trump right now if they wanted to. Then again, they could be back at it in 2 days as well depending on how Trump survives what is coming next and how much support they really believe he still has with their consumers.

 

Hmm...

 

Its a theory but I honestly think Mueller could care less about Trumps testimony, but he’s actually been using the negotiations as a way to earn more time to shore up his investigation into his whole case, and allows him the ability to say “we did everything to give Trump a chance to explain otherwise”.

 

No prosecutor likes written interrogatory answers. The reason being they are always carefully crafted and answered by legal counsel. However they are still useful is locking down, under oath what the official version of events is according to a he President. That is to say Mueller will be told what Trump’s “version” of events is in a legal context. That will allow Mueller to focus his investigation on evidence adverse to, or that supports the President’s official position.

 

...yep.

A lie is still a lie, whether it's written or spoken.

And the best to be hoped for in all this might be to get the president to commit to one story ("on the record" and "official"), instead of the two-step he routinely does with the media, which routinely feeds this inane paranoia and giddy anti-intellectualism running though political and national discourse, particularly from the Republican right...

 

Not could. Couldn’t care less. Sorry, pet peeve that triggers me every time I see it.

 

I would not be surprised if Trump was not 100% truthful with his own lawyers. The implication is that Trump lawyers will give non-truthful answers to Mueller's questions. I suspect if this is the case Mueller will ask for clarification in another round of questions.

 

1. I doubt 45 has been 100% truthful in any substantial exchange since he was a child. It's not in his make-up or his m.o. He lies like he breaths.
2. But the lawyers' answers will be so oblique and vague that I doubt his untruth will be completely clear in the written answers.
3. What the heck do I know about the work of lawyers?

 

Have you seen an episode of Law and Order?

 

Having worked as a prosecutor and then later having defended some very wealthy people involving white crimes, I have reached the conclusion that often times clients do not intentionally lie to their counsel. Rather, often these people lie so often and about so many parts of their lives that they really do not remember if they said or did what is alleged, but at some point along the line convinced themselves that they did nothing wrong. This is really common with narcissists and sociopaths I have prosecuted and defended. We on the outside see their behavior and lies and view it as black and white behavior. The sociopath does not, he does not view his behavior as dishonest, but that it is either in response to someone else wronging them or that their lying was not a big deal because it was for the greater good.

That is a convoluted way for me to say that Trump's behavior is very similar to the white collar folks I dealt with. He likely does not believe he lied, as not all lies are equal and any variety of other rationalizations/justifications. With that in mind, it is very possible that Trump does perjure himself without even realizing it because breaking the law, or acting in an unsavory manner is common place for him.

 

Exactly, and in this case it is what can really hurt the President. He is going to be asked to remember specific conversations and events where alleged illegal acts occurred. For most people, if they are doing something ethically questionable, they remember all the events because they fear reprisals. In the case of the President, that isn't likely. He has for his entire life been able to do and say what he wants with no consequences.

That is the goal for a respondents attorney. However, there is a way to minimize that, the drafted of the interrogatories can ask specific questions that limit vague responses.

Lawyers are assholes.

 

LOL... lies, about everything.

 

That's the dude that heliumed himself, purportedly so his heirs could collect on his life insurance policy. Helium suicide is pretty crafty, if you know what you're doing.

 

Trump answers will probably all be:

"I don't remember"

 

Kinda like “falling” out of a window or “tripping” down a flight of stairs.

I’m not hugely conspiratorial but this one needs a bit of investigating especially since it came around the same time all those other dead Russians just happened to end up killing themselves in crafty ways that just so happened to have connections in this case.

 

Actually, I think trump's criminal ego would prevent him (or approving his lawyer's answer) "I don't remember". trump will always believe he is right and he will always believe he can say he is right, so even if the lawyer's written response is "I don't recall" he will always provide some version of a story, regardless of how unbelievable and inane. Expect criticisms of the press, and even a reference to Hillary Clinton and a predecessor or two.

 

I had the same thought initially, but it would be a really, really odd way to off someone. Would be slow, and with their cooperation. Maybe you could do it at gunpoint or something.

 

That is exactly why they didn't let him speak to Mueller and having his lawyers answer the questions for him in written format.