Guide to the Mueller Report's Findings on "Collusion" (Ryan Goodman, Just Security)

[swag]

https://www.justsecurity.org/63838/guide-to-the-mueller-reports-findings-on-collusion/

Excerpts from a good read:

1. Trump was receptive to a Campaign national security adviser’s (George Papadopoulos) pursuit of a back channel to Putin.

. . .

3. The Trump Campaign chairman and deputy chairman (Paul Manafort and Rick Gates) knowingly shared internal polling data and information on battleground states with a Russian spy; and the Campaign chairman worked with the Russian spy on a pro-Russia “peace” plan for Ukraine.

. . .

5. Trump Campaign chairman Manafort expected Trump’s winning the presidency would mean Deripaska would want to use Manafort to advance Deripaska’s interests in the United States and elsewhere.

6. Trump Tower meeting: (1) On receiving an email offering derogatory information on Clinton coming from a Russian government official, Donald Trump Jr. “appears to have accepted that offer;” (2) members of the Campaign discussed the Trump Tower meeting beforehand; (3) Donald Trump Jr. told the Russians during the meeting that Trump could revisit the issue of the Magnitsky Act if elected.

7. A Trump Campaign official told the Special Counsel he “felt obliged to object” to a GOP Platform change on Ukraine because it contradicted Trump’s wishes; however, the investigation did not establish that Gordon was directed by Trump.
. . .

12. Michael Cohen, on behalf of the Trump Organization, brokered a secret deal for a Trump Tower Moscow project directly involving Putin’s inner circle, at least until June 2016.

13. During the presidential transition, Jared Kushner and Eric Prince engaged in secret back channel communications with Russian agents. (1) Kushner suggested to the Russian Ambassador that they use a secure communication line from within the Russian Embassy to speak with Russian Generals; and (2) Prince and Kushner’s friend Rick Gerson conducted secret back channel meetings with a Putin agent to develop a plan for U.S.-Russian relations.

14. During the presidential transition, in coordination with other members of the Transition Team, Michael Flynn spoke with the Russian Ambassador to prevent a tit for tat Russian response to the Obama administration’s imposition of sanctions for election interference; the Russians agreed not to retaliate saying they wanted a good relationship with the incoming administration.

. . . much more at link. Do have a look.

[Turbineguy]

1. Very Juicy!

Thanks.

[swag]

2. Five Conclusions From the Mueller Report (Benjamin Wittes)

The president committed crimes.
The president also committed impeachable offenses.
Trump was not complicit in the Russian social media conspiracy.
Trump’s complicity in the Russian hacking operation and his campaign’s contacts with the Russians present a more complicated picture.
The counterintelligence dimensions of the entire affair remain a mystery.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/04/ben-wittes-five-conclusions-mueller-report/588259/

[SuprstitionAintthWay]

3. In today's NYT Dwight Garner observes that if Mueller were to analyze...

...young George Washington's offense against the cherry tree he doubtless would conclude,

"It is possible that Mr. Washington swung his ax 27 times in the direction of the tree because he was attempting to ward off a hornet."


The Trump campaign, though, took more like, what, 100 cuts with Russians?

[Volaris]

4. It would also say:

But if it were the case that if we could find a single living and ornery hornet within a five fuckin miles of that tree,
'. .we would so state.'