Breaking from Bloomberg: Mueller Expands Probe to Trump Business Transactions

[sunonmars]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-07-20/mueller-is-said-to-expand-probe-to-trump-business-transactions

The U.S. special counsel investigating possible ties between the Donald Trump campaign and Russia in last year’s election is examining a broad range of transactions involving Trump’s businesses as well as those of his associates, according to a person familiar with the probe.

The president told the New York Times on Wednesday that any digging into matters beyond Russia would be out of bounds. Trump’s businesses have involved Russians for years, making the boundaries fuzzy so Special Counsel Robert Mueller appears to be taking a wide-angle approach to his two-month-old probe.

FBI investigators and others are looking at Russian purchases of apartments in Trump buildings, Trump’s involvement in a controversial SoHo development with Russian associates, the 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow and Trump’s sale of a Florida mansion to a Russian oligarch in 2008, the person said.




Agents are also interested in dealings with the Bank of Cyprus, where Wilbur Ross served as vice chairman before he became commerce secretary, as well as the efforts of Jared Kushner, the President’s son-in-law and White House aide, to secure financing for some of his family’s real estate properties. The information was provided by someone familiar with the developing inquiry but not authorized to speak publicly.

The roots of Mueller’s follow-the-money investigation lie in a wide-ranging money laundering probe launched by then-Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara last year, according to the person.

FBI agents had already been gathering information about Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, according to two people with knowledge of that probe. Prosecutors hadn’t yet begun presenting evidence to a grand jury. Trump fired Bharara in March.

The Bharara probe was consolidated into Mueller’s inquiry, showing that the special counsel is taking an overarching approach to his mandated investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Altogether, the various financial examinations constitute one thread of Mueller’s inquiry, which encompasses computer hacking and the dissemination of stolen campaign and voter information as well as the actions of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.

Joshua Stueve, Mueller’s spokesman, declined to comment, as did Abbe Lowell, a lawyer for Kushner and a Manafort spokesman.

Spokesmen for the White House, Trump Organization and Ross didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

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

Trump said don't go there....Mueller just said Fuck you.

Investigation includes

-Wilbur Ross's connection to Bank of Cyprus
-Jared Kushner real estate deals
-Trump SoHo link to Bayrock

and much much more.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

1. Mueller: "Your move, Mr. President." nt

[sunonmars]

2. By the looks of it, Mueller is looking into everything......

[ananda]

39. The Deutsche Bank records should prove damning.

Probably just as bad as the tax returns we'll never see.

[MelissaB]

3. Off to the greatest!

[sunonmars]

4. The most scandal ridden Presidency ever, this guy will wish he never ran.

[erronis]

91. He was about to be offed by the Russrkis in any case

Defaulting on loans from the oligarch/thieves of the Putinesca regime, psychological instability where he couldn't be trusted to keep his frontal orifice closed, and a sense of narcissism that offended even the current tsar.

Why not take down the US at the same time for a few freshly-minted (Kremlin ink) billion$? He has no love for the country.

Please, when he is assigned cell# 325-07-3254, please don't give him a mirror or a hair-piece brush.

[Thrill]

5. He's fired now

Hopefully Congress can just rehire him

[sunonmars]

9. If Trump does, I think that will be the last straw. People should take to the streets.

[Duppers]

20. Knowing how that sick shitgibbon's brain works.

He'll call for martial law banning demonstrations.

[barbtries]

65. which will double or triple the size of them

i would hope.

[annabanana]

68. Sadly, none of those people will be Repub CongressCritters. . . . n/t

[UTUSN]

6. Zippidy do dah!1

[Not Ruth]

7. This is going to take a long time

Do all those lawyers working for Mueller get paid during this time or just during the trial?

[Duppers]

21. Kidding? All investigation time is paid. nt

[spanone]

8. Bingo!

[Baitball Blogger]

10. "In yo face!"

[sunonmars]

12. Gonna be a lot of people wish they had never been born.....

Who will now realise the mess they are in and will be willing to flip..... First one gets a free pardon......

[Baitball Blogger]

14. +1

[malaise]

54. Might be McCain

He'd love to go out as a real hero

[klook]

83. Oh, man - great thought

McCain would go a long way toward redeeming himself if he did that.

[PearliePoo2]

11. Hang on, cause' HERE WE GO!

Kick & friggin' Rec!

[ecstatic]

13. If Mueller is fired, will all the people he's hired be fired too?

And I wonder if Mueller has a strategy in place to make sure justice is served even if he's fired?

[sunonmars]

15. Talk is, if Trump does its the final straw because Mueller is well respected

Indications there are enough GOP'ers willing to break ranks and stop this now if he does.

[Perseus]

58. What I heard from Adam B. Schiff

is that if Trump fires Muller, and my understanding is that he cannot, due to Sessions being recused, Rod Rosenstein would have to do it, all that Trump can do is ask him to do it. Rod Rosenstein has already said he won't fire Muller, and Schiff said that if Trump were successful at firing Muller, that the Senate Investigating Committee would hire him back through some other process that I cannot remember at the time.

Anyway, my understanding is that there is not a whole lot that Trump can do about Muller. Please correct me if I am wrong.

[Blue_Roses]

69. Sounds right

and I hope Schiff is right !

[forgotmylogin]

16. Bee-hee hee hee hee!

TRUMP: "Whatever you do Mueller, you better not be looking at the finances of the Miss Universe pageant held in Moscow cause that's off-limits and would make you look partisan!"
AP: "Robert Mueller to expand probe to Miss Universe pageant held in Moscow, sources say."
TRUMP: "D'oh! Okay, Mueller, you better not move your bishop into position to take my knight cause that will put my king in check! It won't do you any good because I've got big plans if you put me in check like that!"
AP: "Robert Mueller plans to take Trump's red knight with white bishop, placing white king in check, inside sources say."
TRUMP: "D'oh!"

[Purrfessor]

37. More tips from the ignorant one.

Wednesday...Trump: Mueller is not authorized to search beneath the big oak tree at the bend in the creek on the back lot where the grass doesn't grow. That would be crossing a red line.

Thursday: Mueller pole vaults over red line, expands search to area beneath the big oak tree at the bend in the creek on the back lot where the grass doesn't grow.

Just how ignorant is Trump? Of the one quadrillion synapses in his brain it's like all but one of them is misfiring, and that last one is showing signs of impending instability.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

92. It really is kind of comical, isn't it? I mean, as serious as this is, I have to laugh.

Why not just draw a map to the buried bodies? His egomania simply does not allow him to shut his fucking mouth.

[Nay]

96. It's hilarious! He can't shut his stupid mouth! And less than 24 hours after

his 'threat,' Mueller goes after exactly what Cheetolini said not to go after! Mueller must be laughing his ass off, saying to himself, "What a fuckin' moron."

[ecstatic]

17. Also, did someone in Justice Department leak this to Trump?

Which then caused trump to bring it up in the NYT interview?

[Docreed2003]

52. Was wondering the same myself

[Bernardo de La Paz]

89. Someone at Deutche Bank may have tipped tRump. . . . nt

[Johnny2X2X]

18. Mueller has him

They aren't just looking at his dealings to rule them out, that wouldn't be normal. They know he committed crimes and they're trying to put all the pieces together.

Trump's greed and being a control freak will do him in. He ran a lot of the money laundering through his son and SIL's businesses, but he has to keep control so he ran enough of it through his own to cook him.

Mueller will get around to the voting machines eventually, that's when people start getting killed or disappeared. This is literally the crime of the century.

[ProfessorGAC]

24. Even If He Was Looking Into Those Things To Rule Them Out.. .

. . .he wouldn't make a public statement. (Agreeing with you here.)

The only purpose of a public statement is:
1. They is reasonable cause and something is likely there;
2. A stick in the eye because Mueller isn't going to be told what he can and can't investigate.

[Johnny2X2X]

28. No public statement

Mueller did not make a statement, these are leaks, and not leaks from Mueller or even from inside the investigation. Leaks can come from all over, when you're requesting info, those that have to give up the info can leak.

[ProfessorGAC]

51. My Mistake. Thanks

That said, Mueller still isn't taking orders from It.

[Johnny2X2X]

60. Mueller is running a tight ship

The less they leak the better for him. Trump is dying to find out what is going on, but it sounds like the latest records getting requested tipped Trump off. But Trump is still in the dark on 99% of what Mueller is doing.

My prediction is this. Mueller will finish his investigation and when its findings are released it will rock the foundation of American Democracy. The public is going to be shocked how their government was handed over to Russia so completely simply so greedy men could feed their greed.

[ProfessorGAC]

84. I Hope You're Right Johnny

And given this gang of morons, you probably will be

[PearliePoo2]

19. Now the wounded, cornered RAT is backed in the corner. Mueller has just crossed his 'RED LINE'!

I would bet the farm that Team Mueller has anticipated BLOTUS making a stupid move and they have planned accordingly. These Patriots HATE this corrupt, lying poser and the best and the brightest have signed up to take him out. Period.
Godspeed good ladies and gentlemen!

[Duppers]

22. What can he do after being fired?

[PearliePoo2]

63. I don't know. We're in uncharted waters especially with complicit ReThugs in control.

But I have to believe that there's a plan B, C and D.
Mueller is wicked smart and they have anticipated his firing. The one thing really different now from Watergate era is that the G.O.P. then were not traitorous, complicit bastards. It was RePugs that went to Nixon and said the jig is up. Would Paul Ryan do this? We will have to wait and see.

[BSdetect]

23. Its getting too painful to put up with drumph's daily outrages

[apnu]

25. Mueller: Fuck your red line.

Trump's crappy lawyers will make bleating noises, but Trump is screwed.

[HipChick]

26. Please Proceed..

Get your popcorn...

[leftyladyfrommo]

27. I guess Mueller didn't get intimidated! Well, that threat didn't work very well.

I doubt that anybody could intimidate Mueller. Or the other members of his team. They have spent their lives taking down crooked assholes like Trump and his whole crooked family.

[PearliePoo2]

29. lol...when I think of Mueller, I can't help but think of someone else who also..

"led the fight for law and order" "Hi-Yo Silver! Away!

[Duppers]

74. Love that clip.

Had my first smile today, so thank you!!

[PearliePoo2]

77. You're welcome! Made me smile too. One of the TV shows of my childhood!

I'd go find my little white cowboy hat that my Grandpa from Montana sent me, climb on the padded rocking chair arm and ride that rocker like it was Silver, my horse! That was tradition when we watched 'The Lone Ranger'. hahahaha

[Duppers]

79. 😊

Okay, Pearlie, now you've done it - I've now gotta tell my true story...

Like you, I always *loved* the Lone Ranger.

Back in 'em days, I too thought I was a little cowgirl with my Dale Evans "getup" - the hat, Dale Evans shirt and shirt with fringe no less, red boots from Texas - the whole works was my and my sister's Christmas presents one year. And on my mean little Shetland pony, I'd go riding around our farm and off to the neighbors. Got to ride in our small town parade one year.

I never missed a Lone Ranger nor a Sunday night Roy Rogers and Dale Evans show.
Happy Trails to You!!

😂

[sprinkleeninow]

81. Good reminiscing!

One of my fave shows back in the day.
Only, I dressed up in western cowboy gear. (Ima female!)
My maternal grandmother was a cowboy show fan-atic! Whass up with us?! 🐎

[BarbD]

88. Perfect!!!! Thanks

[LudwigPastorius]

30. All Mueller has to do is read Trump's daily statements/tweets.

They will lead him directly to where the most egregious malfeasance is going on.

Trump: "Mueller better not look into my family's finances."

Mueller: "OK fellows, I want everything on their financial transactions."

[NastyRiffraff]

31. So this is what Mueller's middle finger looks like

It's likely coincidence that this came out right after the NYT interview, but it's still great timing!

[Marie Marie]

82. And Mueller's middle finger is so much larger than Trump's.

[mucifer]

32. Even if trump gets a 90 year prison sentence the republicans and russians might

not allow us to vote.

It's all very horrific.

[Dan]

33. Well,

we know it will be the end game when Mueller requests a stool sample from Trump.

[flamingdem]

50. Okay I'm finally getting a laugh

even while feeling like Mueller's job is hanging by a thread

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

76. Trump *is* a stool sample.

[Maeve]

34. It has ALWAYS been about the money!!!!

Gee, that's why he ran, that's what the tRump 'foundation' is about, the licensing in Russia and China for tRump products...the great price paid for his moldy mansion in Florida by a Russia oligarch, the buildings that never quite were opened but carry the golden T....it's the only thing besides himself that he freakin' CARES about!!! (and the kids are just extensions of himself, so forget them)

[malaise]

35. Rec Rec Rec

This is great - Mueller - I double dare you Groper Don the Con

[Hekate]

36. KnR. Probe deeply. Dr. Mueller: Gastroenterologist.

[Gothmog]

38. Yeah

Link to tweet

[iloveObama12]

40. Trump Right Now

[sunonmars]

41. Love it, cracking Gif.......you can see the WH staff run for cover

They must wake up in the morning and go, "oh hell no, I aint going in there today"

[leftstreet]

42. DURec

[Mr. Ected]

43. Chances are, NYT was about to run the story about Mueller looking into Deutsche Bank

and Trump's bank records with DB.

They called the White House to allow Trump to rebut or to add his two cents.

Trump arranged the interview that was reported yesterday. He rambled, as always.

It's the only reason I can think of that Trump would go to the NYT, which he always refers to as "fake news".

[Tatiana]

47. It is part of his strategy of distraction.

Rachel really had it right when she said watch what they do and not what they say.

Trump always tries to say something sensational to distract the media when a damaging story is about to drop (which he knows in advance because the reporters contact the WH to confirm the information they want to publish).

[orangecrush]

44. Stand back!

[hamsterjill]

45. I feel like this is the Superbowl or something.

I find myself actually rooting for Mueller. Yelling "yes"!!!! at the television, etc. I definitely want justice. I want that orange ass taken down, baby. Down!!!!!

[IronLionZion]

46. Maybe something might actually happen from this

the suspense is killing me. Mueller knows what he's doing so I hope good things come of this soon.

[roomtomove]

48. I hope that Mueller saves his files on a remote hard drive/server......

in case he does get fired........nothing is beyond the Trump.

[Blue_Roses]

71. I would think that is a "given"

regarding the backing up of the investigative material.

[Plucketeer]

49. Does anyone have the notion

that Orange Marmadunce might take his own life if his EGO gets backed too far into a corner? We know he's nuts. I'm thinking he could opt for checkin' out as opposed to facing the music.

[flibbitygiblets]

61. In our dreams. Too narcissistic for that, unless prison time was imminent.

[Achilleaze]

53. the republican Draft-Dodger-in-Chief does not like having his crimes

exposed to the light of day.

I'll bet Mueller's got an info dump stored somewhere, in case the republican Draft Dodger fires him. The facts about his crimes will get out to the public some way. Will the republicans ever hold him accountable? Not likely since they all seem to be cowardly and complicit.

[flibbitygiblets]

55. I was thinking the same thing, Mueller is too smart not to have a "Plan B"

in case he gets fired. He's probably got people in place to start leaking all the stuff he's finding, to gin up public outcry for resuming the investigation. Repubs will have to comply.

It's almost better than Plan A! Mueller can't say what he knows while he's still heading the investigation. But once he's a private citizen again, he can take it straight to the press.

[Catmusicfan]

56. I know this might be mean but...

[uponit7771]

57. Amen and Amen !!!

[LanternWaste]

59. As Trump drew a line in the sand over this he can't really retreat from

As Trump drew a line in the sand over this he can't really retreat from, I'm morbidly curious as to the immediate reactions from all players in this theater of the absurd.

[LiberalLovinLug]

62. I hope Trump will rue the day he ever decided to run for President

And his brand will be tarnished forever

[barbtries]

64. money laundering.

my feeling is that money laundering will be his undoing. not that there aren't a plethora of other issues that should be.

[Not Ruth]

66. I would bet on bribery

NYC real estate guy in the era of Serpico? Fuggedaboutit.

[niyad]

67. cinnamon caligula KNOWS he is dirty all the way around, and thinks he can order Mueller,

just like he can any poor schmuck who worked for him.

[Harry Also]

70. If Trump fires Mueller

... Mueller should go Wikileaks and dump all of the documents the FBI holds onto the Internet. Better that than Trump successfully shutting the investigstion down.

[Blue_Roses]

72. Trump can't shut the investigation down

by firing Mueller. In fact, this would be the straw that broke. And I wouldn't give Wikileaks the time of day, much less info. Just my thoughts...

[Dopers_Greed]

78. HA!

Wikileaks is basically an arm of the Putie regime.

[lark]

75. And just what is the common denominator in all of these -

You got it, it's Russia! So funny he's shoving this up drumpfs' nose today after the not so veiled threat published yesterday.

I just hope Drumpf doesn't fire him, especially since it appears he's getting this totally right!

[Turbineguy]

80. Trump's M.O.

Act like you're guilty.

[Quixote1818]

85. Deep down I knew that mother fucker was pulling all kinds crap like this!

Just wanted to see if get looked into properly.

[HuskyOffset]

86. He was warned . . .

. . . and yet, he persisted!


Go get 'em, Bob!

[WoonTars]

87. He's daring Trump to fire him...

...buckle up kids, this could get bumpy...

[BigmanPigman]

90. Uh oh, he'd better be careful and not cross the dreaded RED LINE!

Or else he'll get the official PINK SLIP!

[McCamy Taylor]

93. Trump will eventually pardon a bunch of folks and resign as part of a plea deal

that will allow him to keep his illegally acquired bribes and extortion money. In exchange for being allowed to resign without an admission of guilt and without criminal charges or a presidential pardon, he will claim that he was politically naive which led to him being duped by the Russian Mob--and he will roll over and inform on each and every member of the Russian mob with whom he and his family every had contact.

How do I know? Because he has turned FBI informant before.

I don't care if Putin has golden showers video footage of Trump. Trump will dump Putin and all the rest to save his sorry skin. And since he has Secret Service protection for life, there will be nothing the Russian mob can do about it. Serves them right for spending their money and time on a worthless sack of shit like Donald Trump.

Trump will have to pardon or protect Americans involved in the plots, because they can be prosecuted by the DOJ and encouraged to rat him out. But Russian nationals can not be prosecuted and therefore they will have no incentive to talk. So, he will throw them all under the bus.

When it is all over, there will have to a villain--and it is going to be Putin and Russia and not Trump.

[sunonmars]

94. Wanna bet, if the Russian mob want to get you, they will......

[dalton99a]

95. Mueller is moving in the right direction