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sunonmars

(8,656 posts)
Sat May 5, 2018, 01:19 PM May 2018

Breaking : Mueller has interviewed Tom Barrack.

https://apnews.com/6dd33b4234634079821e5825f112e85b

WASHINGTON (AP) — Investigators working for special counsel Robert Mueller have interviewed one of President Donald Trump’s closest friends and confidants, California real estate investor Tom Barrack, The Associated Press has learned.

Barrack was interviewed as part of the federal investigation of possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia in the 2016 election, according to three people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.

The specific topics covered in questions from Mueller’s team were not immediately clear.

One of the people who spoke to AP said the questioning focused entirely on two officials from Trump’s campaign who have been indicted by Mueller: Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and Manafort’s onetime deputy, Rick Gates. Gates agreed to plead guilty to federal conspiracy and false-statement charges in February and began cooperating with investigators.

A second person with knowledge of the Barrack interview said the questioning was broader, including financial matters about the campaign, the transition and Trump’s inauguration in January 2017.

Barrack’s spokeswoman, Lisa Baker, declined to comment.

Barrack has rare access and insight into Trump going back decades, since their days developing real estate. Barrack played an integral role in the 2016 campaign as a top fundraiser at a time when many other Republicans were shunning the upstart candidate. Barrack later directed Trump’s inauguration.

Barrack, a wealthy real estate investor with close ties to several Mideast leaders, met Trump in 1988 when he negotiated the sale of The Plaza Hotel in New York to Trump. Barrack’s publicist in 2016 described the men as having since “solidified a lifelong friendship between themselves and their families.”

Barrack employed Gates last year, wrapping up operations on the Presidential Inaugural Committee, before Gates was charged by Mueller.

Barrack spoke glowingly of Trump in a CNBC interview in early 2016.


.................

I'll bet Mueller had lots of answers and incentives for Mr Barrack. Real estate men have lots of dodgy secrets.
21 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Breaking : Mueller has interviewed Tom Barrack. (Original Post) sunonmars May 2018 OP
There's 50 million dollars unaccounted for from the inauguration fund. Barrack has a bit of OnDoutside May 2018 #1
I vaguely remember something about that $$$ missing. dixiegrrrrl May 2018 #15
I bet it does....Rachel has been on that missing money for ages. OnDoutside May 2018 #17
Sweet piece of news, thanks, sun! Every interview gives me a much-needed dose of hope! Leghorn21 May 2018 #2
right? FirstLight May 2018 #6
For all we know, Light, we're already in the *check mate* phase and just don't know it!? Leghorn21 May 2018 #7
TRUTH! FirstLight May 2018 #8
All blessings to your poor, overworked LIVER, Light!! Meanwhile, I just saw that "Barrack" is Leghorn21 May 2018 #9
Hey, thanks for the link..I need a refresher course. dixiegrrrrl May 2018 #16
That article on Barrack should have its own thread. WhiteTara May 2018 #20
Getting closer to the Big Fish every day. n/t manor321 May 2018 #3
Is that the same Tom Barrack whose grandparents were Lebonese immigrants? CincyDem May 2018 #4
Lots of Lebanese Christians whose families immigrated to the US Blue_true May 2018 #5
My grandparents came from Lebanon and were Christian. caballojm May 2018 #11
We have a Democratic Lebanese judge in town. LeftInTX May 2018 #14
Ironic that his closest "friend" has the name Barrack. C Moon May 2018 #10
Trump and his children must be feeling like they're standing on shifting sand lunatica May 2018 #12
Is it just me? BobTheSubgenius May 2018 #13
It does seem that threads are being pulled together WhiteTara May 2018 #21
Tweetstorm coming in 3,2, AwakeAtLast May 2018 #18
Kick Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin May 2018 #19

OnDoutside

(19,953 posts)
1. There's 50 million dollars unaccounted for from the inauguration fund. Barrack has a bit of
Sat May 5, 2018, 01:23 PM
May 2018

explaining to do !

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)
15. I vaguely remember something about that $$$ missing.
Sat May 5, 2018, 05:31 PM
May 2018

Trump got real quiet, has not posted for over 20 hours now. That Barrak news may have hit him hard.

OnDoutside

(19,953 posts)
17. I bet it does....Rachel has been on that missing money for ages.
Sat May 5, 2018, 05:38 PM
May 2018

Yet another red line crossed, I really can't see this lasting even a matter of months before Trump panics and everything explodes all at once.

Leghorn21

(13,524 posts)
2. Sweet piece of news, thanks, sun! Every interview gives me a much-needed dose of hope!
Sat May 5, 2018, 01:38 PM
May 2018

- especially when it’s a close, longstanding and intimate pal of LOSER45 who also had RICK GATES working for him, mmm, those are extra tasty!

FirstLight

(13,360 posts)
6. right?
Sat May 5, 2018, 02:22 PM
May 2018

I am so anxious for this to move to the "check-mate" phase.... can't wait to see just how many dominoes fall. (And with 70 new indictments in his pocket, yeah!)

Leghorn21

(13,524 posts)
7. For all we know, Light, we're already in the *check mate* phase and just don't know it!?
Sat May 5, 2018, 02:41 PM
May 2018

The AP link says Barrack was interviewed “months ago”...oh my, but nobody told US about it, the nerve!! (Ha ha)

So this news here tells me that Mr. Mueller & Co. are wayyyyy ahead of my mere mortal self in their work, and that perhaps I might want to keep the faith, eh?? (which is not so easy some days, right...)

Oh and also, I whine a lot, A LOT, omg why is this taking so loooong wannnhhh, and then I remember the list of LOSER45’s shell companies I saw long ago - I mean just his, no one else’s - and there were, I swear to you, fifty-five gazillion of those, and some poor investigator(s) have to untangle THAT knotted, super-glued, duct-taped mess...and then I read that this Barrack guy I’ve not heard much about was interviewed MONTHS AGO, whilst I’m sitting around whinnnning...

Shame on me!

Just came across this - a little Barrack background from October last year,
https://washingtonmonthly.com/2017/10/31/what-did-thomas-barrack-know-and-when-did-he-know-it/

Anyway, we shall keep the faith yet another day!!!

FirstLight

(13,360 posts)
8. TRUTH!
Sat May 5, 2018, 02:45 PM
May 2018

a) yes they are light years ahead of what we mere mortals know!

b) I kinda whine a lot too! I want them to "get on with it already"...if for no other reason than the sanctity of my LIVER!

Leghorn21

(13,524 posts)
9. All blessings to your poor, overworked LIVER, Light!! Meanwhile, I just saw that "Barrack" is
Sat May 5, 2018, 03:16 PM
May 2018

trending on twitter at #7!!!

https://mobile.twitter.com/search?q=%22tom+barrack%22

It’s just fun, I tells ya!

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)
16. Hey, thanks for the link..I need a refresher course.
Sat May 5, 2018, 05:36 PM
May 2018

I love that lil trick of Mueller's, to pick just the right time to release a lil bombshell like having Barrak nailed down.

I esp. love that Trump is so obsessed with Obama. I like the idea of "Barrak" helping to take him down.

One of these days someone will compile a list of all the weird co-incidences of this saga.

WhiteTara

(29,703 posts)
20. That article on Barrack should have its own thread.
Sun May 6, 2018, 12:23 PM
May 2018

I didn't remember this at all. There is so much criminal behavior that some just has to slip by. But please do post that right away.

Blue_true

(31,261 posts)
5. Lots of Lebanese Christians whose families immigrated to the US
Sat May 5, 2018, 02:13 PM
May 2018

several generations ago don't identify as middle eastern. Many identify as white and all that I have met have been republicans, often conservative too.

caballojm

(272 posts)
11. My grandparents came from Lebanon and were Christian.
Sat May 5, 2018, 03:28 PM
May 2018

My immediate family and I are as liberal as the day is long. My extended family however ... well, we need to work on that.

LeftInTX

(25,258 posts)
14. We have a Democratic Lebanese judge in town.
Sat May 5, 2018, 04:01 PM
May 2018

And another Lebanese guy is running for judge. (D)
We used to have a Lebanese congressman (D), but he died quite awhile ago.

I really don't know the politics of the rest of the community.

South Texas has a pretty vibrant community because of the proximity to Mexico. (Decent of Lebanese in Mexico!!)

C Moon

(12,212 posts)
10. Ironic that his closest "friend" has the name Barrack.
Sat May 5, 2018, 03:17 PM
May 2018

One less "r" would have had Trump running away.

lunatica

(53,410 posts)
12. Trump and his children must be feeling like they're standing on shifting sand
Sat May 5, 2018, 03:36 PM
May 2018

Even their close friends are going down now. These are people they know on a personal level. People that have been solid in their lives. That sick pain in the pit of their stomachs must be permanent about now.

Aah, karma.

BobTheSubgenius

(11,563 posts)
13. Is it just me?
Sat May 5, 2018, 03:43 PM
May 2018

Is my read of the situation wrong when I say that it seems that the pace of the RM investigation has picked up speed exponentially over the last few weeks? It seems that there is, if not "bombshell revelations," at least a revelation only one tier down just about daily.

WhiteTara

(29,703 posts)
21. It does seem that threads are being pulled together
Sun May 6, 2018, 12:27 PM
May 2018

and soon he'll have the whole affair knitted up like a tidy hot pad.

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