Question about Meuller Investigation

Forums:

Hey does anyone know--is Meuller empowered to investigate all attempts to subvert the election by misinformation campaigns or social media manipulation (and worse) or is it just limited to Russia?  I realize that this was the primary issue, but I don't think we should be complacent and think that's the only entity who was doing this.  I know that companies like Cambridge Analytica use data mining on social media to target ads and otherwise help campaigns.  I assume there are people who we have never heard of targeting stories, using socks, all the stuff that Russian was doing.  Even if Meuller is limited, the gov't (or private entities) need to do a full investigation on all the ways this can happen to help us all understand the extent of it.  Lord knows that POTUS will never consider this an issue, but I feel like the focus being on Russia may prevent us from seeing the big picture.

>> is it just limited to Russia?

Looks like it's just Russia:

The Special Counsel is authorized to conduct the investigation confirmed by then-FBI Director James 8. Comey in testimony before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on March 20, 2017, including:

(i) any links and/or coordination bet ween the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump; and

(ii) any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation; and

(iii) any other matters within the scope of 28 C.F.R. § 600.4(a).

https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/3726381/Robert-Mueller-Special-Counsel-Russia.pdf

Orig. order specifies Russia but allows for following the evidence wherever it leads. Not clear if non-Russia leads will be explored, however.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/05/17/us/politics/document-Robe...

The investigation that ended up with Bill Clinton facing impeachment started as an investigation into a real estate deal in Arkansas and ended with a cum stained dress.

400lb guys lying in their bed should be afraid Mueller is coming...

Can't wait to see the DNA/genomic analysis on Trump from Stormy's dress showing his African American ancestry...

The "Russia thing" revolves around the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1937 (“FARA”) that created a general prohibition on political contributions from foreign nationals  See 22 U.S.C. § 611 et seq.  The FARA doesn't apply to meddling in elections by domestic companies, something the Citizens United decision says is constitutionally protected free speech. 

Of course, if the investigation also turns up obstruction of justice and money laundering, the FBI is going to prosecute.

Ken, that's what I was thinking, that some of this stuff may be legal on its face, and therefore FBI might not bother or be empowered.  I still want someone to study it.

Apparently Manafort’s lawyers think the scope is too broad (not surprising): “Manafort is also suing the Justice Department, seeking to overturn the appointment of the special counsel on grounds that Mueller’s mandate is too broad and gives him “carte blanche to investigate and pursue criminal charges in connection with anything he stumbles across.”

https://www.buzzfeed.com/jasonleopold/manafort-under-scrutiny-for-40-mil...

 

 

 

This language : (ii) any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation; gives Meuller wide latitude in the investigation just as it was used in the Clinton investigation as mentioned  before.  

He is being very methodical and opening many doors strategically so each one opens another.  Manafort, Gates, Flynn and others are helping him.   

>> gives Meuller wide latitude in the investigation just as it was used in the Clinton investigation as mentioned  before

That's a bad comparison. Starr had to go back to a  three-judge appeals court panel to get a court order to investigate the Lewinsky perjury matter.   He didn't get carte blanche fom the beginning.

http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/01/29/orders/

Ender - even so, Meuller has the latitude  

Indictments so far:

1) Manafort;

2) Gates (plead guilty and is cooperating);

3) Flynn (plead guilty as is cooperating);

4) Papadapolous (plead guilty and is cooperating);

5-17)  Russian Troll factory operatives;

18)  https://twitter.com/benjaminwittes/status/965952718530580481

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It's a good question, and I'm not so sure it's what we've traditionally referred to as "Russia" before ... and might be primarily driven by individual oligarchs who are running the show vs. rank and file Russian institutions.   In which case, we could mostly be dealing with glorified / sophisticated mobsters that are using official positions as a "front" to further their personal agendas.

So who is "Person A"?

I think Person A might be Thom 

The thought occurred to me this morning that if "Person A" happens to be Trump, it was a good tactic to release it as a variable at this point in time in so far as avoiding what would invariably be a "lightning rod frenzy of defense" that only serves to exacerbate and dig in on the "deep state narrative".   In this sense, I believe Mueller is keenly aware of the gravity of the situation in terms of how what could be an open and shut case could easily blow up via continued disinformation and lead our nation down the path of massive civil unrest.

He walks a thin line.

Mueller sought their (Cambridge Analytica) records in the fall.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/mueller-sought-emails-of-trump-campaign-dat...

 

Mercer's are all sorts of fucked.

Why else would Rebekah Mercer have to take out an op-ed, "gas lighting" and "poor me" it's everybody else fault typical deflection?

https://www.wsj.com/articles/forget-the-media-caricature-heres-what-i-be...

 

https://in.reuters.com/article/usa-trump-russia-lawyer/mueller-ups-press...

The description given by prosecutors for Person A appears to match Russian-Ukrainian political operative Konstantin Kilimnik, a long-time employee of Manafort’s political consulting operations.

Fed gonna go bankrupt trying to impeach this guy

Fed gonna go bankrupt trying to impeach this guy<<<

Aren't some things more important than money?

Does Jared Kushner even need to shave?

Hoping Mueller gets to the bottom of this...

New charges filed today against Gates and Manafort under seal:

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/21/paul-manafort-rick-gates-new-c...

 

How long are sealed charges typically kept sealed?

Can't wait for the 2018 version of Mark Slackmeyer's Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!

 

The classics always come back.

the intercept will broadcast a debate between greenwald and risen about all this russiamania chaos.

scahill will host and below is preview of the debate, a short audio clip, along with a write-up and more info.  

https://theintercept.com/2018/02/21/intercepted-podcast-russiamania-glen...

 

should be a good one.

The new Gates-Manafort charges were unsealed today:

https://www.npr.org/2018/02/22/588091558/mueller-brings-more-charges-aga...

More financial crimes like bank fraud.  Itt would seem the new charges are just squeezing these dudes' balls harder to get them to cooperate.

I am so over Greenwald.