The Mueller team handled the Michael Cohen case brilliantly.

[pnwmom]

Two decisions they made lulled the Trump team into thinking Michael Cohen wasn't much of a threat.

1) Unlike with Manafort, they chose NOT to make a cooperation agreement with Cohen. Now we know this wasn't because Cohen refused to cooperate. He was so eager to cooperate he did it informally, without any promises.

2) They began his prosecution in the SDNY. The Trump team seems to have engaged in wishful thinking -- that the SDNY was where it would end.

Instead, Mueller waited to get Trump's written answers to the collusion questions and then and only then revealed Cohen's behind-the-scenes cooperation on . . . COLLUSION. And handed the case back to the Mueller team.

Way to go, Robert Swan Mueller!

[Marie Marie]

1. Well played Mr Mueller.

[uponit7771]

2. "And handed the case back to the Mueller team. " So SDNY handed case back to Mueller? tia

[pnwmom]

3. The new guilty plea was signed by the Mueller team.

Cohen will probably continue to work with prosecutors in NY and with the Mueller team.

[WheelWalker]

5. Actually signed by Mueller personally it looks like to me.

Fire for Effect.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

14. "Actually," Mueller's weapon of choice is still an FBI FISA Warrant: read ALL of this...

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211491422

GOTCHA

[WheelWalker]

15. Your point is not apparent to me.

Perhaps it is because mine is not apparent to you?

[ProudMNDemocrat]

4. Trump is done for......

Michael Cohen is going to sing like a canary.

If I were the elder Trump kids, I would be thinking of packing up and leaving because they are next.

[pnwmom]

6. They can ask for asylum in Saudi Arabia. Or join Eddie Snowden in Russia. n/t

[ProudMNDemocrat]

7. Daddy is in Argentina....

A non-extradition country....

[Merlot]

8. I wonder if he's coming back.

Did melania go on this trip? that would be interesting.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

12. She did. ...

Was seen holding his hand even.

[SergeStorms]

13. Yes, Melanie accompanied him.

She must be going through a "stand by your man" phase. Donnie probably promised her tens of millions more for sticking with him through thick and thin. There's only one reason she married the orange sphincter: Money. I'd think it hilarious if lawyers pick the Trump carcass clean and there would be nothing left for Melanie or the kids. She got married for money and all she'll get are Donnie's soiled Jockey Shorts. The Trump family deserves nothing but the worst, from everyone.

[Major Nikon]

18. I see it as the whole GOP is done for

I don't believe Mueller is going to indict Trump while he is in office although he may do so in the case of his kids and Kushner.

This might be the worst possible outcome for the GOP because they will be faced with either impeaching and removing Trump or defending Trump when he will be utterly indefensible. In other words, they can either shoot themselves in the leg and have it amputated, or shoot themselves in the head. There won't be a 3rd option.

[Stonepounder]

9. Three dimensional chess in action.

And this is just the warm-up to the 'Big Event'

Never argue with folks who buy their ink by the barrel.

Try not to make the entire Justice system mad at you at the same time you are pissing off the entire Intelligence Community, at the same time you are pissing off the military.

You may have to accept the bitter truth that your gut is not really as smart as the really smart folks brains.

[Progressive Jones]

16. Exactly where my head has been on this whole Trump mess.

He's been pissing off everyone who can crush him like a bug.
He's making money for the media, but they could have run him out of town a long time ago.
He should be very worried about law enforcement, the military, and the spooks.

[Midnightwalk]

10. Perjury has to make their lives harder

Thinking about your post I realize that going after perjury first might be part of the brilliance. I'm no lawyer, but proving perjury has to make it harder to defend against other charges.

They all have given false statements or testimony. That kills credibility of and testimony in future defenses in my opinion.

BTW, while trying to find more on credibility after perjury I learned that a perjury trap is having someone testify solely to catch them in a lie. Testimony as part of an investigation is explicitly not a perjury trap. At least that's what I understand. So people ought to call bs when that phrase is used for this case.

[pnwmom]

11. And by charging them just with perjury or a FARA violation

or something relatively minor, they can get their guilty plea and their assistance without tipping their hand -- to the Trump team and the world -- about the rest of what they know.

[lunatica]

17. The people who scream about perjury traps are the ones who know they

will be caught in the lies they tell. The louder they scream the more they’re lying. It’s practically a confession of lying.