White House as crime scene: how Robert Mueller is closing in on Trump

[L. Coyote]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/aug/05/robert-mueller-donald-trump-russia

There is a grand jury in Washington DC. The special counsel’s team is full of experts in financial crime. On Russia, the president can feel the net closing

The legal net around Donald Trump’s beleaguered presidency tightened dramatically this week with news that a grand jury has been established a few hundred yards from the White House, to pursue evidence of collusion with the Kremlin.

It is a troubling development for the president, for several reasons. In the US legal system, a grand jury has broad powers to issue subpoenas, and ultimately indictments, at the request of prosecutors.

The special counsel investigating Russian interference in the 2016 US election, former FBI chief Robert Mueller, had been using a sitting grand jury in Virginia to authorise his team’s demands for documents and witnesses. The convening of a separate grand jury in Washington suggests the Mueller team – working in a suite of offices a few blocks’ walk from where the 20-odd jurors sit – is going to be making extensive use of it. It will not be hospitable terrain for the president. Trump won only 4% of the vote in the District of Columbia.

“This sets the scene of action for criminal trials, where charges will be laid, in the worst possible jurisdiction for Trump,” said Scott Horton, a lecturer at Columbia Law School. “Compared to Virginia, Republicans in DC are few and far between.”

The grand jury is also clear evidence that the inquiry is widening, not tapering off. It suggests that the special counsel is exploring possible crimes committed inside the District of Columbia.

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[FarPoint]

1. I'm so anxious for at least something goes forward...

I understand completely that this must be executed with precision.... I'm just overly in need of validation that this is real.

[dubyadiprecession]

2. Well, hopefully Mueller will help trump get out of that, whitehouse dump and into a place....

more fitting. Leavenworth would be a good start.

[MoonRiver]

19. I think he can decorate is 12X12 cell, so much better, lol!

[hlthe2b]

3. Tribe can't hide his disdain for the "Dream Team" including the handlebar mustachioed one--LOL

[Bernardo de La Paz]

4. Which "Dream Team"?

Reference / link?

Mueller's high-powered attorneys?

Trump's Wall Street alligators cabinet?

Some other?

[hlthe2b]

5. I guess you didn't see Tribe's tweet embedded in the OP?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

6. I did. It did NOT refer to a dream team and seemed vaguely supportive of Mueller.

What the heck are you talking about? Where is his disdain for a dream team and which dream team?

Trump's "crack legal team"? I've never heard or read of them referred to as a "dream team" but I have heard of his cabinet and Mueller's team referred to as dream teams.

Tribe talked about somebody's moustache? There's somebody with a handlebar moustache that we should all be instantly recognizing? Unless a reader is uncool like me?

[hlthe2b]

12. Post #8

[L. Coyote]

8. The 24 attorneys the WH hired after the Special Cousel said to retain all Russia docs, or Donnie's

private attorneys? Tribe just says trump's lawyers. I think he's referring to Trump not being able to hire any big firms to represent himself or his family members, having to find a scumbag "dream team" instead.

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[hlthe2b]

11. Exactly.. To me, Tribe's tweet is ULTRA clear--and my post refers to handlebar mustachioed one

Ty Cobb (who clearly is on Trump's "Dream Team"

Tribe clearly has nothing but respect for the special counsel and his now 24 very accomplished fellow attorneys. His tweet makes very clear (at least to me) his contempt for those Trump has enlisted.

I really don't know where the confusion about my post (or Tribe's) is coming from?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

13. Thank you for clarifying your post. . . . nt

[L. Coyote]

16. Mueller now has 16 attorneys working for him ... or maybe a couple more now?

This from four days ago:

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My 24 number is the number the White House hired the same week the WH Counsel ordered document retention of all things #TrumpRussia.

In March the WH Counsel hires number was 26, already more than Bush during the legal fiascos they created.

White House counsel's office is staffing up team of lawyers, with 26 total so far
Posted March 7, 2017

The list of lawyers who work for White House Counsel Don McGahn includes four who have followed him from the Jones Day law firm.

The office oversees judicial and executive branch appointments and gives the president legal advice .............

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. Trump's supporters love to cite the 4% figure when calling the investigation a witchhunt or a coup.

[Mr. Ected]

9. Perhaps Trump should have taken that 4% figure into account

Before methodically and pathologically committing crimes at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.

[not fooled]

10. Hey, give dump a break

he's been committing crimes his entire adult life. Can't tell the difference between criminality and being law-abiding any more.

[L. Coyote]

17. This could explain all the trips to his own properties!

If Mueller empanels a Florida grand jury, you'll know why.

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[Honeycombe8]

14. I wouldn't get overoptimistic until the fat lady sings. Crimes are hard to prove.

Particularly so when you're talking about powerful people that Congress supports.

But I'm hopeful that it's being looked at seriously by someone who knows what he's doing.

[L. Coyote]

18. Of course, admissions of guilt on Twitter are evidence.

Crimes committed by intelligent, sane criminals using buffers are often difficult to prove ....

[malaise]

20. Read this last night

Excellent read