General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsJEFFREY ROSEN SEPARATED THE INVESTIGATION THAT COULD TURN RUDY INTO A RUSSIAN AGENT FROM THE RUDY IN
JEFFREY ROSEN SEPARATED THE INVESTIGATION THAT COULD TURN RUDY INTO A RUSSIAN AGENT FROM THE RUDY INVESTIGATION
https://www.emptywheel.net/2021/05/28/jeffrey-rosen-separated-the-investigation-that-could-turn-rudy-into-a-russian-agent/
snip//
Now that we know about the Rudy search in November 2019, the effect of this memo is clear: it limited the SDNY investigation to the scope of the investigation as it existed at that time, into the Lutsenko attempt to fire Yovanovitch (which was included in the original Parnas indictment), but not Rudys meeting with a Russian agent to help Trump win re-election.
Instead, EDNY presided over all the Ukraine goings-on during the election, during which time they could have done something about ongoing tampering. Indeed, after Geoffrey Berman succeeded in ensuring that Audrey Strauss would replace him after Barr fired him to try to shut down ongoing investigations (including, undoubtedly, the one into Rudy and Barrs friend Victoria Toensing), Barr and Rosen replaced Donoghue with another trusted flunky, Seth DuCharme. Under DuCharme, then, EDNY sat and watched while Derkach interfered in the election and did nothing until per yesterdays NYT story the final months of the Trump administration. According to the public timeline, it appears that they just let a known Russian agent play around in our democracy.
There is plenty of risk for Rudy in the existing SDNY investigation. But what Rudy did in response to Lutsenkos entreaties amounts to lobbying, and so is probably most likely be charged as a FARA case (though Foreign Agent charges are on the table).
With Derkach, however, Rudy was affirmatively attempting to launder Russian-backed disinformation to affect the election. Theres no way that can be charged as lobbying. Plus, the government understood Derkach to be a Russian agent when Rudy attended that meeting (though Rudy claims he was not warned in advance). If Derkach were part of the SDNY investigation, in which Rudy is a subject, then treating Rudy as the Russian agent he has served as in recent years would be on the table.
snip//
ace3csusm
(969 posts)He will sell everyone to save his hid...I wouldnt be surprised if is already at the prosecutors with a signed blank paper saying here you put what u want on...