***BREAKING NEWS*** Trump interview negotiations break down. Obstruction report may be forthcoming

[DemocratSinceBirth]

Trump, Mueller teams prepare to move forward without presidential interview

WASHINGTON — Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s office and President Donald Trump’s legal team are now proceeding with strategies that presume a presidential interview will likely not take place as part of the Russia investigation, after months of talks between the two sides collapsed earlier this week, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.

On Monday Trump’s lawyers were discussing a possible interview with Mueller's team and had begun to hash out the final sticking points, including the timing, scope and length, according to people familiar with the discussions. One person familiar with the strategy said the president’s lawyers had over the weekend sought to expand his legal team to include individuals who would prepare him for an interview. Another person familiar with the matter, however, said preparations had not yet gone that far.

But the prospects for a presidential interview dramatically dimmed once the FBI raided the home, office and hotel room of Trump’s long-time personal lawyer, Michael Cohen on Monday, these people said. The president criticized the raid as out of bounds in Mueller’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and possible collusion with Trump aides.

The president’s lawyers wanted an interview to last only a few hours, according to one person familiar with the matter. They also wanted Mueller to agree to write a report within at least three or four months after completing the interview, this person said.


https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-mueller-teams-prepare-move-forward-without-presidential-interview-n865421?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Why not just subpoena his fat orange ass?

Or maybe Mueller doesn't even need to talk to him any more.

[Doodley]

4. Once Trump gets a subpoena, it would be a lot harder to fire Mueller.

[MontanaMama]

9. I don't know why exactly

but your post made me lol! "Why not just subpoena his fat orange ass?" Simple and yet perfect.

[malaise]

13. +1,000 n/t

[RoadRunner]

18. Im serving on a grand jury

Nothing to do with this case. We were instructed to never subpoena a target of the investigation. Don’t know if that applies to a Federal GJ or not. If the GJ is considering obstruction he would most likely be the target.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

19. A federal grand jury can subpoena a target, but there are extra hoops to jump through.

From the U.S. Attorneys Manual:

9-11.150 - Subpoenaing Targets of the Investigation
A grand jury may properly subpoena a subject or a target of the investigation and question the target about his or her involvement in the crime under investigation. See United States v. Wong, 431 U.S. 174, 179 n. 8 (1977); United States v. Washington, 431 U.S. 181, 190 n. 6 (1977); United States v. Mandujano, 425 U.S. 564, 573-75 and 584 n. 9 (1976); United States v. Dionisio, 410 U.S. 1, 10 n. 8 (1973). However, in the context of particular cases such a subpoena may carry the appearance of unfairness. Because the potential for misunderstanding is great, before a known "target" (as defined in USAM 9-11.151) is subpoenaed to testify before the grand jury about his or her involvement in the crime under investigation, an effort should be made to secure the target's voluntary appearance. If a voluntary appearance cannot be obtained, the target should be subpoenaed only after the grand jury and the United States A ttorney or the responsible Assistant Attorney General have approved the subpoena. In determining whether to approve a subpoena for a "target," careful attention will be paid to the following considerations:

The importance to the successful conduct of the grand jury's investigation of the testimony or other information sought;
Whether the substance of the testimony or other information sought could be provided by other witnesses; and
Whether the questions the prosecutor and the grand jurors intend to ask or the other information sought would be protected by a valid claim of privilege.

[RoadRunner]

20. Yeah, I suspected its different for Mueller's GJ

because it was impaneled to investigate a series of events rather than a specific target, the target(s) evolved during the investigation. In District Court, we know the names of the target and all scheduled witnesses before testimony begins because we are duty bound to recuse ourselves if we know them personally. Even so, it’s always better to get voluntary testimony from a target, known or evolved. I suspect that’s why Mueller was negotiating for a voluntary testimony. If voluntary, there’s no room for a trial lawyer to claim the target was compelled to testify against himself, the charges invalid as a result. I also suspect Mueller already has a rock solid case and will soon make his move, with or without trump's appearance before the GJ.

[lindysalsagal]

2. Let's hope it's the first of many.

[brooklynite]

3. Gee, didn't see THAT coming.....

[fleur-de-lisa]

5. Link to article:

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-mueller-teams-prepare-move-forward-without-presidential-interview-n865421?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma

Trump, Mueller teams prepare to move forward without presidential interview

WASHINGTON — Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s office and President Donald Trump’s legal team are now proceeding with strategies that presume a presidential interview will likely not take place as part of the Russia investigation, after months of talks between the two sides collapsed earlier this week, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.

On Monday Trump’s lawyers were discussing a possible interview with Mueller's team and had begun to hash out the final sticking points, including the timing, scope and length, according to people familiar with the discussions. One person familiar with the strategy said the president’s lawyers had over the weekend sought to expand his legal team to include individuals who would prepare him for an interview. Another person familiar with the matter, however, said preparations had not yet gone that far.

But the prospects for a presidential interview dramatically dimmed once the FBI raided the home, office and hotel room of Trump’s long-time personal lawyer, Michael Cohen on Monday, these people said. The president criticized the raid as out of bounds in Mueller’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and possible collusion with Trump aides.

The president’s lawyers wanted an interview to last only a few hours, according to one person familiar with the matter. They also wanted Mueller to agree to write a report within at least three or four months after completing the interview, this person said.

[Wellstone ruled]

6. You just know Mueller will use a GD on this sucker.

Trump has poisoned the well so badly that there is zero trust and there for a Grand Jury will be needed .

[standingtall]

7. in my opinion nothing good can from

an obstruction report right now. Mueller should not issue a report on obstruction until the investigation is over. All an obstruction report now would do is give Trump and house republicans of the Devin Nunes variety a chance to rally their base.

[YessirAtsaFact]

11. What if 15 money laundering indictments are unsealed st the same time

And they are state charges against Trump?

[standingtall]

14. Still Mueller should announce all crimes at the same time

once the investigation is over. If there are state crimes against Trump particularly money laundering Mueller would not need to announce that sense he would not be the one bringing charges.

[AJT]

8. Perhaps that's the reason Rosenstein was at the that "building that doesn't have a name".

[Stallion]

10. Please Be a Mexican Immigrant-PLEASE!!!! Papa-cito

[LanternWaste]

12. I'm guessing Mueller's A plan was designed to proceed without Trump's cooperation

I'm guessing Mueller's A plan was designed to proceed without Trump's cooperation, and only his D (E? F?) plan was made with White House cooperation in mind.

[Awsi Dooger]

15. Trump is not going to interview with a person he plans to fire

That would lend credibility to the interviewer and the process. That's the way Trump looks at it.

Mueller is gone soon. Trump doesn't abide by law or truth and he doesn't fear consequences. Every atrocity is mended by the next wave of lies.

[C_U_L8R]

16. Tell it to the jury, Cheetolini

[Angry Dragon]

17. Nothing to hide.......do the interview