How Bob Mueller Can Use Paul Manafort to Bypass Matthew Whitaker

[babylonsister]

https://www.politicususa.com/2018/11/27/how-bob-mueller-can-use-paul-manafort-to-bypass-matthew-whitaker.html

Posted on Tue, Nov 27th, 2018 by Leo Vidal
How Bob Mueller Can Use Paul Manafort to Bypass Matthew Whitaker


Many people are very worried about Robert Mueller and his Russia investigation. Some people are worried that Donald Trump will undercut Mueller by issuing pardons. As Jason Easley from PoliticusUSA wrote yesterday:

“Democrats have been expecting that Trump would try to abuse the pardon power to obstruct justice since the Mueller investigation began. House Democrats are more than ready for Trump if he pardons Paul Manafort. It is clear that Trump is attempting to suffocate Robert Mueller’s investigation before Democrats have a chance to take power in January.”

Many people have also been worried that Trump appointed acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker for the purpose of stifling (or ending) Mueller’s investigation.

One aspect of this is the belief that Whitaker, as the acting head of the U.S. Department of Justice, has the power to prevent Mueller’s final Russia report from going public.

We know that Trump and other Republicans want to bury Mueller’s findings, but will they be able to use Whitaker to do that?

According to legal observers, that will not be easy to do. And in fact Mueller yesterday made clear that he plans to publicize his findings with respect to the case against Paul Manafort. His team filed a status report on Monday which included this language:

“The government will file a detailed sentencing submission to the Probation Department and the Court in advance of sentencing that sets forth the nature of the defendant’s crimes and lies, including those after signing the plea agreement herein.”

Yesterday’s Manafort news shows that there is a golden opportunity for Robert Mueller to address several aspects of the Russia investigation through a court filing. And he said he would do that with respect to Manafort when he wrote he “will file a detailed sentencing submission.”

snip//

When Mueller releases to the public his “detailed sentencing submission” for Manafort, we will probably learn exactly what Manafort was lying about and what Mueller was asking him about. We will be able to see what evidence Mueller has that may implicate not just Manafort but also others involved in the Trump campaign, including Donald Trump, Jr. and the president himself.

And there’s nothing that Matthew Whitaker will be able to do about it.

[Blue Owl]

1. Hey Whitaker, put that in your man-toilet and try flushing it...

n/t

[Laxman]

2. That Is Exactly Correct.....

and what my first impression was as well. The matters that Manafort will be called to task on will constitute, at the very least, an outline of just what Mueller has uncovered. There were other cooperating witnesses that have already spilled their sordid stories and continue to cooperate. Mueller didn't need Manafort to make his case, but I'll wager he was useful, even in deceit, for establishing Trump's state of mind when it comes to conspiracy, obstruction of justice and other inchoate crimes.

[Moostache]

3. Just spitballin' here...

Manafort is dirty and in it up to his eyeballs.

He knew everything about the Russian interference because it was quid pro quo for changes to the Republican platform regarding Ukraine and territory, and because he was brought into the Trump campaign SPECIFICALLY to carry this out due to his extensive experience with Putin's puppets in the region. Manafort was tainted by Russian money and influence decades before he became head of the campaign and convention...

He was caught lying to Mueller because he is trying desperately to avoid crossing Russian mobsters that are going to have his family killed first if they cannot directly get to him. As a result, Manafort had a choice - try to save his own skin and maybe not die in prison, but reveal the exact interactions and transactions between Russian Oligarchs and Gangsters and Trump; or lie, clam up and pray that the Russians only kill him in prison and allow his family to live...he did not count on the fact that Mueller already had corroborating evidence of this from other sources...

Sounds like the plot to a horrible Liam Neeson movie...

[Perseus]

9. But Manafort could have asked for protection for him and his family

Why didn't he choose that option? Now he is faced with life in prison, unless the man-child pardons him, although my understanding is that he will do time even with a pardon, maybe not life, but enough to risk dying in prison.

[lancelyons]

4. Whitaker can just stop that detailed sentencing submission.. He can review it and tell mueller

Whitaker can just stop that detailed sentencing submission.. He can review it and tell Mueller to remove the details that would be bad for trump.

Whitaker however must be very careful because he will be under the microscope. He will be questions. Mueller can be questioned on whether there has been any interference by Whitaker.

I am personally hoping the Mueller will put the details of the collusion crime that was committed in this sentencing guidelines however, i dont believe Mueller can add anything that Manafort wasnt already tried on. Mueller cant just add more crimes to the sentencing guidelines...i mean he could but it would not have any bearing other than messaging.

[LiberalFighter]

11. Gee! I wonder if Whitaker could be charged with a crime if he interferes or obstructs?

[H2O Man]

5. Recommended.

This is very important.

Also: what is happening per Manafort is not good for Trump. But it is good for Mr. Mueller, and thus for us.

[Perseus]

6. When you think about it, what an opportunity for Whitaker to become someone history will look up to

His resume stinks, as a lawyer his accomplishments have been very few and very low grade, nothing really to brag about. As a businessman, he has shown he is a con man.

If he recuses from the Muller investigation, becomes supportive of the rule of law, allows all investigations to move forward as an honest AJ would/should do, he would end up as a hero in the history books, people all over would start to see him on a different light, a positive one. Its almost a no-brainer. One can only dream...it is so hard to change a conman to become an honest man.

A big job has been handed to him, life is giving him an opportunity to shine, to become that person who history books would constantly talk about as one of the great patriots of this country...an he is most probably going to waste it.

[DallasNE]

7. This Could Only Come Out After

Trump submitted his written response to Mueller's questions. Manafort almost certainly was in contact wit Trump people so Trump could put together a narrative that was nearly identical to what Manafort was telling Mueller. This means Trump took the bait on the perjury trap, so Trump is now screwed. Mueller simply puts the narrative into his court filings, bypassing Whittaker. This is a twist I did not expect - very clever.

[yonder]

10. +1. I've been reeling the last two years with my head all a spinnin'.

If this is the case, I'll be adding a few more RPM's to the upstairs basket.

It also might explain why it took so long for tRump and crew to come up with answers - coordination with Manafort would've been problematic. All the while Mueller anticipating this scenario and having today's action planned for.

Chess, on another level.

[DallasNE]

12. Keep In Mind

I posted this 1 day before the NYT published their story attorneys for Manafort and Trump were in talks after Manafort agreed to a plea deal with Mueller. But that wasn't much of a limb I was going out on. Indeed, it was necessary to make the story work.

[LudwigPastorius]

8. Whitaker still has things he can do to try to stem the tsunami of tshit coming Trump's way.

He can fire Mueller.

He can stonewall subpoenas from the Democratic House.

He can not, and almost certainly would not, indict Trump regardless of what is in Mueller's report.