THE SECRET OF ROBERT MUELLER'S WAITING GAME

[pnwmom]

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/03/robert-mueller-donald-trump-obstruction-of-justice

Is the special counsel slow-walking part of his investigation in order to bring more damning charges?

Far from wrapping up his investigation, as Donald Trump’s lawyers hoped against hope he might do last Thanksgiving, Robert Mueller may be delaying indictments in his obstruction of justice case in order to bring broader, more damning charges of collusion. For the last several months, Mueller has been asking witnesses about three key events in the Russia probe: Trump’s decision to fire James Comey, his involvement in the drafting of a misleading statement about his son’s meeting with a Russian lawyer in Trump Tower, and his efforts to fire Mueller last summer. As Bloomberg reports, there are only a handful of people left for Mueller to interview, including Ivanka Trump and Don Jr., Trump’s former body man Keith Schiller, and, if he’ll go willingly, the president himself.

Mueller, however, appears to be slow-walking that portion of the investigation, and for good reason. Current and former U.S. officials told Bloomberg that Mueller is concerned that an obstruction case would be politicized by Trump and his allies to hurt the ongoing F.B.I. probe. It would be harder to prove without first securing evidence of an underlying crime. Future witnesses may prove more reluctant to speak with him. And, of course, there’s always the chance that Trump will buck the reins—as he has been wont to do of late—and fire Mueller altogether. Conversely, the special counsel reportedly fears that publicly clearing Trump of obstruction could have a similar effect, giving Republicans cover to call for the probe to be shut down.

SNIP

It is impossible to know exactly what is going on inside Mueller’s virtually leak-free investigative unit. Still, what we’ve seen suggests the special counsel is moving methodically toward Trump’s inner circle. So far, Mueller has primarily focused on indicting Russians (who will likely never set foot in America) and people accused of potentially unrelated crimes (Rick Gates, George Papadopoulos, Mike Flynn), giving the White House room to breathe. If Mueller has a bombshell, he’ll presumably wait to drop it until he has the evidence necessary to make his case undeniable. By that time, too, the political calculus may have changed—if Democrats take back the House in November, Mueller’s next chess move would face fewer headwinds. And, potentially, impel Congress to bring charges of its own.

[jeffreyi]

1. Timed

To inflict max damage, I hope.

[C_U_L8R]

2. It's not a race.

Trump will be prosecuted at the time and place of Mueller's choosing.

[Hoyt]

3. It seems to me that if Mueller is intent on getting trump, he'd do so quickly before more damage is

inflicted on America.

If he's still missing the requisite evidence at this point, it's going to difficult to take trump down. And that's the prize, not getting a few Ruskies, Flynn, etc.

If he has to interview trump to catch him in a lie -- so he can cite him for lying -- he might not have evidence to take him down, otherwise.

If all he's got is tenuous evidence, GOPers and many others will just ignore it and claim investigators found nothing to indict/impeach trump. If that happens, hopefully Kushner and his kids get indicted.

Hopefully, I'm totally wrong. But I can't believe they haven't found enough evidence to qualify as a "bombshell" in a story that has a "bombshell" almost every week. We all know trump is a crook and likely traitor, but a bunch of people -- including the majority of Congress -- voted for him anyway.

[Wellstone ruled]

4. Appears this investagation has

morphed way beyond what most thought. Once Manafort Raid was done, thinks took off. This is going to be on going for years. One only needs to remember this,it took 900 days to force Nixon out.

As the Onion unpeels,we are seeing a Crime so large and Global in nature,and it is going to get uglier by the day.


If tomorrows election goes the Dems way,you will see more ship jumpers,if it stays Rethugs,then you will see more of the same Obstructionary moves.

[CrispyQ]

5. He needs to destroy the republican brand.

If he just takes down Trump & leaves McConnell/Ryan/Pence in place, we'll be back here again. McConnell, especially, needs to be shown for the devious snake that he is. I think I hate him the most.

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

6. Reminds me of an old commercial

Some things you just can't rush.

[flotsam]

7. I will indict no swine...

Before their ass is mine!

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

8. Now that's a good one!

Orson Wells couldn't have said it better himself.

[krawhitham]

9. Trump can do a lot of damage while Mueller slow walks this

[at140]

10. If Mueller walks any slower, he will be going backwards...

I am sorry, the Trump damage continues while Mueller is walking slow.

[pnwmom]

11. He's been producing indictments and plea and cooperation agreements at a breakneck pace

for a complicated Federal investigation. He wasn't appointed till May 2017. It just seems like forever.

[at140]

12. Those indictments are mostly tangential to Trump's crimes

Take Manafort for example...his crimes were pre-Trump campaign.
Others like Flynn, Cohen, Stone etc were mainly were caught lying to FBI.

I understand this is what prosecutors do. Which is to squeeze the cronies of the Godfather,
and get them to spill the beans. Tried and true method in dealing with the mafia.
I hope Mueller can produce results BEFORE November 2020 election, now less than 21 months away.

[pnwmom]

13. The guilty pleas were often for a charge of lying or a FARA violation.

But the indictments and plea and cooperation agreements described many more crimes, as well as unnamed co-conspirators. (For example, an unnamed person "directed" some Trump person to contact Stone about Wikileaks.) And the charges in the documents are probably just the tip of the iceberg.

I of course also hope that Mueller can produce major results this year, but I'm guessing he has at least 6 more months to go, just based on the fact that he just collected Stone's treasure trove, and all those House transcripts, and asked for a delay of six months in one of the ongoing trials. . . . and nobody knows whether Stone will plead or go to trial.