Mueller Weighs Putting Off Trump Obstruction Decision

[babylonsister]

https://politicalwire.com/2018/03/12/mueller-weighs-putting-off-trump-obstruction-decision/

Mueller Weighs Putting Off Trump Obstruction Decision
March 12, 2018 at 7:05 am EDT
By Taegan Goddard

“Special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into whether President Donald Trump obstructed justice is said to be close to completion, but he may set it aside while he finishes other key parts of his probe, such as possible collusion and the hacking of Democrats,” Bloomberg reports.

“That’s because Mueller may calculate that if he tries to bring charges in the obstruction case — the part that may hit closest to Trump personally — witnesses may become less cooperative in other parts of the probe, or the president may move to shut it down altogether.”

[BigmanPigman]

1. I am sure that the money laundering/financial

part of the investigation is actually growing since now it is going into foreign relations such as the Middle East and loans to Kushner, etc.

[lagomorph777]

31. Yeah, makes sense to prosecute the underlying crimes first; then obstruction has context.

And there are a TON of underlying crimes.

[ehrnst]

2. Good. A swift uppercut waiting to follow a roundhouse will be more effective for a KO

than a roundhouse alone.

My apologies for the violent metaphors.

[Lucky Luciano]

9. After that smash him into tiny little pieces.

Violent metaphor intended!

[PJMcK]

39. Violence is called for

Trump threw the first punches. He urged his followers to attack and offered to pay their legal fees.

My money's on Bobby 3-Sticks.

[blugbox]

3. Mueller knows that

trump still has plenty of opportunities for further obstruction of Justice.

Can you imagine how many charges trump can rack up during the course of one "interview"??

[DownriverDem]

11. All at once

I think it would be great if Mueller came out with the charges for everyone including trump on the same day. That way trump couldn't pull any funny business.

[ehrnst]

18. Dunno - drop all the collusion charges one day...

Give them time to obsess over how to deal with it, then start to address it - then drop the money laundering charges.

Commander Bone Spurs will not be able to deal with both in any coherent fashion.

[JI7]

4. I want him to expose all the financial stuff

[ehrnst]

5. That's going to be where actual criminal guidelines will apply.

Russian collusion may not land, because if they consciously didn't loop Comrade Casino in on any emails or meetings they could mnaintain "plausible deniability" for him.

Also, the "I didn't mean to obstruct, I was just asking questions - you know I'm not a seasoned status quo politician" defense could give the GOP the excuse not to impeach.

But money usually leaves a trail.

[lark]

6. Dig deep & wide friend Mueller and expose the entire russian repug traitorous scheme.

McConnell, Ryan, Sessions, Pence, Tillerson, Jared, Eric, drumpf Jr, princess are all criminals and need to be taken out Washington and put in jail for conspiring against America with a hostile foreign power, campaign finance violatons, money laundering, and emoulements violatons, along with the biggest conspirator of them all, drumpf.

[lagomorph777]

32. Don't forget the Russian takeover of the NRA.

It drives me crazy that in all the media coverage of the NRA shifting from callous disregard for human life, to actively trying to kill Americans, they're all asking "why has the NRA changed?" But they are ignoring the obvious answer: #NRAROUBLES. The NRA is a Russian cutout now. They are working for Putin, and the more Americans they can harm, the happier their new boss will be.

[Nitram]

7. Mueller has the most strategic leaks I've ever seen.

He's playing Trump and Co like a fish.

[rzemanfl]

36. +1 n/t.

[thesquanderer]

8. I hope it drags on for, say, 9 more months.

You know, enough time for the Dems to take Congress, making impeachment actually feasible.

[NewJeffCT]

12. What I would really like

is for Democrats to win back the House and start marching Team Trump members into Congress and having them testify in public and on TV. Kushner, Don Jr, Eric, Ivanka will all look like morons when cross-examined by Schiff and other Democrats.

[lagomorph777]

33. AND marching their former colleagues in to testify: Dustbin Numbskull, McTurtle, Lyin' Ryan...

[DownriverDem]

14. Remember

Watergate and Whitewater took years to unfold.

[ehrnst]

19. Yes - and charges against Pence for issues during the transition right afterwards.(nt)

[lagomorph777]

34. Very important to take down Ayatollah Pence!

[NewJeffCT]

10. Mueller also knows that if he files obstruction of justice charges now

the GOP controlled Congress will basically just yawn and move on because Trump has an (R) after his name... sure, we may get a few sternly worded sound bites on the evening news or tweets.

[H2O Man]

13. Recommended.

Prosecutors (especially federal prosecutors) only bring charges they are very confident they can prove in court. Mr. Mueller knows that he can win an obstruction of justice case against Trump. What he is doing now is examining the other crimes, especially the money-laundering, to determine if he can convict Trump for those.

If we think back to the Plame scandal. Mr. Fitzgerald knew that Libby had committed more crimes than lying to the FBI and grand jury. But those were the charges easiest to prove in court.

[Eyeball_Kid]

20. Mueller will likely charge Lord Shart with dozens of counts of obstruction.

There's a logic to holding off on the Obstruction charges besides what Bloomberg reported. There's a chronological sequence that can be easily followed by the public. First, the Conspiracy (with all of the financial tentacles reaching far and wide), THEN the coverup of the Conspiracy. So let's do the big earthquake, followed by the aftershocks. This makes perfect sense. My only reservation is that it's taking a long time to see the GOP crumble. That event will be the cause of a national catharsis, which is for what the nation thirsts.

[H2O Man]

22. Absolutely.

You are 100% correct.

[yallerdawg]

15. I'd wait until after the November Congressional elections.

A Christmas resignation would be the best gift ever!!!

[babylonsister]

16. I wish for an

Ides of March resignation, while we're wishing.

[yallerdawg]

21. Yes!

That is a damn fine wish! The sooner the better!!!

[vi5]

17. I agree with this...

...also a decision that hits their cult leader hard might mobilize Republican voters more in the midterms. I could see quite a bit of "Well I don't really like Trump, but no libtards are going to touch our guy!!!" and that type of spite action that these idiots thrive on.

[Eyeball_Kid]

24. It's fascinating how desperate the Trumpy Fanboys are getting. They're in stark denial mode.

FNC and other outlets insist on calling the probe a gambit by "liberals". They ignore the clear fact that the Mueller probe is nonpartisan. It truly is. DOJ/FBI leadership is either neutral or on the "conservative" side of the spectrum. There is no Liberal conspiracy to doom The Trumpy. The fact of the matter is that Trumpy and his mob are criminals and traitors, and it couldn't be more obvious. They aren't "conservative patriots." They're criminals and traitors, even if there's a full-on effort by pro-Putin fascists to frame "liberals" for raining on their parade.

[lagomorph777]

35. TrumpTards are outnumbered 2:1; we are white-hot and Mueller will rile us more than them.

[dameatball]

26. I want this to drag on at least through Nov., However Mueller is not playing politics.

Mueller is a professional. He will make whatever case he has at the appropriate time. I do not believe he has any other motivation, nor should he......as much as we would like that.
If the shoe was on the other foot he would just be a taller Jeff Sessions. I trust him to follow this through without bias.

[pnwmom]

23. This is one more indication of how strategic a thinker Robert Mueller is,

how big this investigation is, and how important that we remain patient.

The bottom line is that Mueller needs to be able to strike a killing blow when the chance finally comes -- one that even the R's will have to acknowledge.

[lunatica]

25. If it will ruin Trump for life Im all for it.

He and his children deserve to have the same financial problems they’ve foisted on others. Jared and Ivanka should have to live in a dump with a slumlord landlord. Trump should live to see his name torn off everything and his followers ostracize him and expel him from the very tent cities he’s reduced them to living in. Donny Jr and Eric should just get trampled by elephants and eaten by vultures.

That would be Karma.

[still_one]

27. Just speculating, I think there is a real risk that if Mueller files charges, whether it be

obstruction or something else, trump will step in and shut the investigation down immediately, and based on what has transpired so far, it is probable that the republicans will do nothing to stop that from occurring, including impeachment

[bitterross]

29. You are so right. The GOP Congress would do nothing to stop 45 from quashing.

They have allowed him to run free and will continue to do so. He's a wonderful distraction for them. They're probably delighted at how he's distracted all the news coverage to himself and not all the horrible judges they've seated and other things they've done.

[bitterross]

28. I'm fine with him drawing it out. I think it's driving 45 more insane.

Now, the only satisfaction I think we're going to really enjoy is the eventual break down of 45. It's on its way.

[rzemanfl]

37. The trouble is, every day of Drumpf drives me more insane too. n/t

[bitterross]

38. You have a point.

I've stopped letting myself get spun up about everything he does. It isn't healthy.

My biggest fear for this nation isn't just 45. It's the whole capitalist ethic that has taken over. Certainly, 45 is the epitome of the worst of our nation. We sort of deserve him as a cautionary tale. Now, the question is, will we learn?

[dameatball]

30. As the colors pass the reviewing booth of the military parade......

Robert Mueller approaches the President and whispers in his ear......"Sir, I need you to come with me please."