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MelissaB

(16,420 posts)
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 01:57 PM Mar 2018

Mueller Subpoenas Trump Organization, Demanding Documents About Russia

Source: New York Times

WASHINGTON — The special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, has subpoenaed the Trump Organization to turn over documents, including some related to Russia, according to two people briefed on the matter. The order is the first known time that the special counsel demanded documents directly related to President Trump’s businesses, bringing the investigation closer to the president.

The breadth of the subpoena was not clear, nor was it clear why Mr. Mueller issued it instead of simply asking for the documents from the company, an umbrella organization that oversees Mr. Trump’s business ventures. In the subpoena, delivered in recent weeks, Mr. Mueller ordered the Trump Organization to hand over all documents related to Russia and other topics he is investigating, the people said.

The subpoena is the latest indication that the investigation, which Mr. Trump’s lawyers once regularly assured him would be completed by now, will drag on for at least several more months. Word of the subpoena comes as Mr. Mueller appears to be broadening his investigation to examine the role foreign money may have played in funding Mr. Trump’s political activities. In recent weeks, Mr. Mueller’s investigators have questioned witnesses, including an adviser to the United Arab Emirates, about the flow of Emirati money into the United States.

Neither White House officials nor Alan S. Futerfas, a lawyer representing the Trump Organization, immediately responded to requests for comment. The Trump Organization has typically complied with requests from congressional investigators for documents for their own inquiries into Russian election interference, and there was no indication the company planned to fight Mr. Mueller about it.

Read more: https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/03/15/us/politics/trump-organization-subpoena-mueller-russia.html?referer=https://t.co/dPm4fN9ysw?amp=1#click=https://t.co/dPm4fN9ysw






76 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Mueller Subpoenas Trump Organization, Demanding Documents About Russia (Original Post) MelissaB Mar 2018 OP
Moving right along! mobeau69 Mar 2018 #1
The mummy erlewyne Mar 2018 #68
Excellent, and so true. janx Mar 2018 #75
Good analogy. mobeau69 Mar 2018 #76
Keep your jacket on Sessions underpants Mar 2018 #2
hopefully, muehler has a plan... getagrip_already Mar 2018 #16
Issuing a subpoena rather than an informal request could be an obstruction trap Fiendish Thingy Mar 2018 #38
Good point that investigation less likely to get shut down with grand jury subpoenas/indictments wishstar Mar 2018 #51
BOOM (ten exclamation points) nt lamp_shade Mar 2018 #3
Turning up the heat. shanny Mar 2018 #4
That explains the sanctions flip flop Deb Mar 2018 #5
Exactly- beat me to it! bronxiteforever Mar 2018 #7
Go Mueller! Go Mueller! eom Maeve Mar 2018 #6
Gracious! H2O Man Mar 2018 #8
Oh Boy... PunksMom Mar 2018 #9
More Stormy Clouds Gathering...lol n/t JawJaw Mar 2018 #10
The Twitter servers will be close to overheating today. C Moon Mar 2018 #11
Twitler won't like this. SergeStorms Mar 2018 #45
I'm sure he'll be on the phone with Putin early this morning. C Moon Mar 2018 #53
Yeah.... SergeStorms Mar 2018 #57
Gross! C Moon Mar 2018 #58
Kinda' initiates..... SergeStorms Mar 2018 #64
:D C Moon Mar 2018 #66
It's just dumping fast-food burgers which are already reprocessed "stuff" erronis Mar 2018 #71
Heading for a showdown?? HopeAgain Mar 2018 #12
Pruitt hasn't been confirmed for Attorney General, just as Pompeo hasn't been confirmed for SOS... George II Mar 2018 #17
Yeah, sounds like he's gonna have a real tough go. CrispyQ Mar 2018 #33
Curious thing about that rumor grantcart Mar 2018 #42
Very well could be. SergeStorms Mar 2018 #46
I have heard rumor McGahn has been leaking to stop Trump from further obstruction wishstar Mar 2018 #55
I always wondered if dump spoke russian or if there are some translators involved. erronis Mar 2018 #72
If Pruitt was confirmed and did fire Mueller wouldn't he be guilty of obstruction Maraya1969 Mar 2018 #62
Please end this nightmare soon Mr. Mueller. gademocrat7 Mar 2018 #13
This could be the beginning of the end........for trump or for Mueller. But if he get someone.... George II Mar 2018 #14
they tend to do this stuff late on fridays.... getagrip_already Mar 2018 #18
Just reposting this, as I do when I feel hope.... Drum Mar 2018 #15
OMG. I love this. MelissaB Mar 2018 #19
Mueller Time lindalou65 Mar 2018 #26
Nice. Except for Trump's tie ... knightmaar Mar 2018 #69
Trump will fire him duforsure Mar 2018 #20
I think we should really what what he does with Sessions at this point. MelissaB Mar 2018 #21
How would anyone in Congress duhneece Mar 2018 #34
If they conspired, duforsure Mar 2018 #47
Only if Congress did their job, right? duhneece Mar 2018 #52
Is it wrong that I'm smiling? ButSeeYa Mar 2018 #22
The Fateful Hour approaches for Dirty Donny* (R) Achilleaze Mar 2018 #23
Muller has crossed Trumps "red line". What will Trump do? MelissaB Mar 2018 #24
There has already been much chaos. janx Mar 2018 #28
Oooh, this is going to be good! geardaddy Mar 2018 #25
Sweet njhoneybadger Mar 2018 #27
Yeah, *in recent weeks* is delicious - it says to me that Mr. Mueller is waaaaay further Leghorn21 Mar 2018 #29
But according to Trump he hasn't done business with Russia. He's probably already Doodley Mar 2018 #30
There's a reason Mueller waited to do this. janx Mar 2018 #31
He wanted to get as far along as possible on rest of investigation before focusing on Trump Org. wishstar Mar 2018 #56
I'm guessing Mueller already has most of the documents needed. This is just a way to get the t-team erronis Mar 2018 #73
We must keep in mind... Pluvious Mar 2018 #49
Mueller should be made Man of the Year! ailsagirl Mar 2018 #32
This is why the Orange Horror has been going off the rails for the past few weeks. SeattleVet Mar 2018 #35
It actually does explain a lot about his recent behavior. bearsfootball516 Mar 2018 #36
It explains, Space Force. sarcasmo Mar 2018 #48
Russia Sanctions were a response to this! Johnny2X2X Mar 2018 #37
WOOP! WOOP! orangecrush Mar 2018 #39
If he set in motion the machinery needed to fire Mueller now, it would be so, so obvious Ligyron Mar 2018 #40
I'm actually kind of shocked / disappointed this hasn't already been done. Calista241 Mar 2018 #41
Wittes is really ramping up his little cannon shot there. grantcart Mar 2018 #43
"The subpoena, delivered in recent weeks"? red dog 1 Mar 2018 #44
This is why the political analysts have been saying recently that this will go into 2019. BigmanPigman Mar 2018 #50
This is big rufnear Mar 2018 #54
this makes sense with trumps past Locrian Mar 2018 #70
This is a big deal Gothmog Mar 2018 #59
I hear the sound of paper shredders grinding away. YOHABLO Mar 2018 #60
Paper shredders? janx Mar 2018 #63
E-mails are forever. Dave Starsky Mar 2018 #74
So my thought is Trump just ignores the subpoeonas. Does anyone think he will actually comply? Maraya1969 Mar 2018 #61
He cannot ignore a subpoena. n/t janx Mar 2018 #67
The subpoena orders them not to destroy documents Bayard Mar 2018 #65

erlewyne

(1,115 posts)
68. The mummy
Fri Mar 16, 2018, 02:47 AM
Mar 2018

Back in the army ... I was drafted

Many of my fellows were from New York. I was an okie from ohio.
We traine at Ft. Ding-a-ling. They talked about "the Mummy".

The Mummy was slow, real slow and he was pursuing us. We all
volunteered for Viet Nam and were sent to Germany. We were
so fortunate but we knew they were going to get us. We were
going to be reassigned to Viet Nam. We just waited for "the
mummy".

Please feel for Trump, cadet "bone spurs". He has a mummy, I mean,
he has Mueller. We ran, we outdistanced the Mummy, and every day
we read the news, Viet Nam. he mummy was already at our doorstep,
plodding, slow, we were going to get re-apportioned to Viet Nam.
Each day, 1968, thay needed more troops.

March, 2018, I have dreams, I am re-apportioned to Viet Nam. Each
minute Trump has Mueller.

mobeau69

(11,079 posts)
76. Good analogy.
Sun Mar 18, 2018, 03:03 PM
Mar 2018

I think this is going to end like a Greek tragedy for Dotard. He gains the WH but loses everything else. And he only wanted to be loved more than Obama. Bahahahahahaha!

getagrip_already

(14,250 posts)
16. hopefully, muehler has a plan...
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 02:16 PM
Mar 2018

for sessions getting booted and pruit coming in.

He could for example make a motion to one of his judges to block removing rosenstein from his supervisory role. He could claim that he has established a pattern of obstruction of justice from trump himself, and argue that appointing pruit is an extension of that obstruction, citing ways that pruit could effectively kill the investigation without firing him.

It makes sense a judge might restrain pruit from taking control or firing rosenstein.

Lets hope so anyway.

Fiendish Thingy

(15,369 posts)
38. Issuing a subpoena rather than an informal request could be an obstruction trap
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 03:26 PM
Mar 2018

Not illegal, but formal enough that if Trump fires Sessions, replaces him with Pruitt, who tries to shut down the investigation with outstanding subpoenas and possibly sealed indictments, a case fo obstruction might be more easily made.

 

shanny

(6,709 posts)
4. Turning up the heat.
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 02:02 PM
Mar 2018

"...in the subpoena, delivered in recent weeks...." probably explains the recent aura of panic in the WH.

SergeStorms

(18,903 posts)
45. Twitler won't like this.
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 04:09 PM
Mar 2018

I believe this will set the wheels of firing Mueller turning. Here comes a Constitutional showdown, ready or not.

SergeStorms

(18,903 posts)
57. Yeah....
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 06:03 PM
Mar 2018

we'll hear about it when he takes his morning dump. That seems to be when he likes 'tweeting' the best.

erronis

(14,955 posts)
71. It's just dumping fast-food burgers which are already reprocessed "stuff"
Fri Mar 16, 2018, 10:58 AM
Mar 2018

Although I think I read that Mickie-D is talking about using only real stuff.

HopeAgain

(4,407 posts)
12. Heading for a showdown??
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 02:10 PM
Mar 2018

The rumor is that Trump will fire Sessions and replace him with Pruitt who has already been confirmed by Congress, Pruitt would then be the one to fire Rosenstein and Mueller.

It would then be up to Congress, which would do what?

George II

(67,782 posts)
17. Pruitt hasn't been confirmed for Attorney General, just as Pompeo hasn't been confirmed for SOS...
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 02:16 PM
Mar 2018

...both have to be re-confirmed in their new positions. And it's looking like Pompeo may have a tough go in the Senate.

CrispyQ

(36,231 posts)
33. Yeah, sounds like he's gonna have a real tough go.
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 02:51 PM
Mar 2018
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/378257-schumer-says-he-isnt-actively-urging-dems-to-oppose-pompeo-haspel

snip...

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said he is not currently urging his caucus to oppose Mike Pompeo's nomination to be secretary of State or Gina Haspel's nomination to lead the CIA.

"At this point, I am not," Schumer told reporters on Tuesday, while stressing both nominees will face "unanswered" and "outstanding" questions.

more...

Pompeo was confirmed for his current post in a 66-32 vote last year. Fourteen Democrats, including Schumer, and Sen. Angus King (I-Maine), supported him for the post.

grantcart

(53,061 posts)
42. Curious thing about that rumor
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 03:54 PM
Mar 2018

Trump doesn't appear to be discussing these things with hardly anyone. He told Larry Kudlow that he hadn't discussed his appointment with a single person.

So perhaps he discussed the Session firing/Pruitt replacement with 4-5 folks max.

Times report seemed to have 3 sources.

It seems like whoever he talked about it with joined together to leak it to sabotage the move.

Maybe they leaked it to kill it.

wishstar

(5,267 posts)
55. I have heard rumor McGahn has been leaking to stop Trump from further obstruction
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 04:42 PM
Mar 2018

since McGahn himself does not want to be charged with perjury or being a party to to Trump's coverups and obstruction

erronis

(14,955 posts)
72. I always wondered if dump spoke russian or if there are some translators involved.
Fri Mar 16, 2018, 11:00 AM
Mar 2018

When you're on a conference call to Moscow do all the wiretaps count as one of those 4-5 folks max?

And I wonder what stories the translators have to tell - if they stay alive.

gademocrat7

(10,623 posts)
13. Please end this nightmare soon Mr. Mueller.
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 02:13 PM
Mar 2018

Everyday another assault on our country from chump and his cabal.

George II

(67,782 posts)
14. This could be the beginning of the end........for trump or for Mueller. But if he get someone....
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 02:15 PM
Mar 2018

...to fire Mueller it could also trigger the beginning of the end for trump.

I was laying in bed this morning thinking about all the turmoil in the cabinet (pretty sad way to start the day!) - Tillerson, possibly Mattis and Sessions. It got me thinking that there might be something big coming from Mueller.

This wasn't as big as I thought, but it's a start. It gets the ball rolling.

getagrip_already

(14,250 posts)
18. they tend to do this stuff late on fridays....
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 02:19 PM
Mar 2018

so lets hope he is too much of a whimp to try it. Let's also hope muehler is ready for it and has an injuntion waiting to prevent pruit from taking control away from rosenstein.

duforsure

(11,882 posts)
20. Trump will fire him
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 02:20 PM
Mar 2018

Rather than submit these documents, or testify for Mueller. Its coming , then it'll really backfire on Trump and all those involved. Tump knows he's already been caught, and getting more desperate every day. Many in the GOP, and in Congress will face prison time if they refuse to do anything to protect Mueller .

duforsure

(11,882 posts)
47. If they conspired,
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 04:15 PM
Mar 2018

Or lied to Congress. Or knew about corruption and was a part of it. Especially if it was organized.

MelissaB

(16,420 posts)
24. Muller has crossed Trumps "red line". What will Trump do?
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 02:28 PM
Mar 2018

Fire Sessions to fire Muller? This explains the chatter about replacing Sessions. If Sessions doesn't fire McCabe, Trump has an excuse.

McCabe met with Rosenstein this morning: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210362534

janx

(24,128 posts)
28. There has already been much chaos.
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 02:37 PM
Mar 2018

The subpoena apparently arrived in "recent weeks." Now that the news is out, things will escalate.

Leghorn21

(13,520 posts)
29. Yeah, *in recent weeks* is delicious - it says to me that Mr. Mueller is waaaaay further
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 02:37 PM
Mar 2018

along than I may think he is, and some hope is restored bc I swear I am going whacko crazy lately (which, I know, I should be used to by now, right?!?!?)

Thanks as ever, MelissaB - say, is the “B” here for

BOOM!!?



Ohhhh, on edit: ...Mr. Mueller issued it instead of simply asking for the documents from the company...

Mr. Mueller’s ‘bout had it with this shit
Hang tough, sir

Doodley

(8,976 posts)
30. But according to Trump he hasn't done business with Russia. He's probably already
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 02:39 PM
Mar 2018

had a lot of paper shredded and emails wiped away.

janx

(24,128 posts)
31. There's a reason Mueller waited to do this.
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 02:45 PM
Mar 2018

In other words, he's not just grabbing in the dark. He most likely has corroborating evidence that he needed for probable cause.

wishstar

(5,267 posts)
56. He wanted to get as far along as possible on rest of investigation before focusing on Trump Org.
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 04:54 PM
Mar 2018

so that Trump couldn't claim overreach as excuse to shut it down. Now that reports have revealed that Trump Tower/Moscow was still on table with Cohen's involvement in 2016 , Trump's claim of no business involvement with Russia has been revealed as false.

erronis

(14,955 posts)
73. I'm guessing Mueller already has most of the documents needed. This is just a way to get the t-team
Fri Mar 16, 2018, 11:03 AM
Mar 2018

to commit perjury.

Delish!

Pluvious

(4,278 posts)
49. We must keep in mind...
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 04:24 PM
Mar 2018

... That Mueller's teams have not only studied Benedict Bonespurs' tax returns, but also the trove of banking data of the org's activities.

SeattleVet

(5,468 posts)
35. This is why the Orange Horror has been going off the rails for the past few weeks.
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 03:06 PM
Mar 2018

Note from the article: "In the subpoena, delivered in recent weeks, ..."

This is something they have known about for a little while now, not something that was served today.

This explains a LOT of the recent headline-grabbing crap that P(ee)OTUS has been pulling, along with the recent firings - letting him set up to get rid of Sessions, Mueller, and anyone else that may have the goods on him.

Johnny2X2X

(18,745 posts)
37. Russia Sanctions were a response to this!
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 03:17 PM
Mar 2018

The token and meaningless Russian Sanctions Trump finally implemented today were a transparent attempt to distract from this subpoena. Trump is like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar, "But mom, I saw some cookies on the counter and was just putting them back into the cookie jar, honest."

Trump will now tweet, "Nobody has been tougher on Russia than me."

Ligyron

(7,592 posts)
40. If he set in motion the machinery needed to fire Mueller now, it would be so, so obvious
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 03:32 PM
Mar 2018

that Trump had something criminal to hide that I don't think he'd dare do it unless the crimes far outweighed the optics.

In that event, there's a decent chance that Congress might step in and do their job.

Calista241

(5,584 posts)
41. I'm actually kind of shocked / disappointed this hasn't already been done.
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 03:32 PM
Mar 2018

I mean, shouldn't this have been one of the first things he looked at?

grantcart

(53,061 posts)
43. Wittes is really ramping up his little cannon shot there.
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 04:01 PM
Mar 2018

wonder what it will be like when we get to the next level of indictments.

red dog 1

(27,648 posts)
44. "The subpoena, delivered in recent weeks"?
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 04:09 PM
Mar 2018

How recent?

Was there a deadline given to Trump Corp.?


K&R

BigmanPigman

(51,432 posts)
50. This is why the political analysts have been saying recently that this will go into 2019.
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 04:25 PM
Mar 2018

The UAE, Qatar, Seychelles, Japan, Saudi Arabia are all involved with money laundering with the Moron and his family. They never thought he would win so the moron and family said, "Let's make as much money as we can since we won't win and therefore no investigations will be coming to look into our money laundering deals". They were working with many foreign countries for personal financial benefit. The idiot always wanted to be a world player and oligarch. After he did win they still were stupid enough to continue doing it during the transition and were using his new position to make more political deals based on family business profits and political favors. This is going to take a long time to investigate and do it thoroughly. There has never been corruption on this scale in US politics ever!

rufnear

(29 posts)
54. This is big
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 04:40 PM
Mar 2018

Considering a few days ago, a few of us thought Mueller had all but thrown in the towel. I now think he's truly committed. This is getting good.

Locrian

(4,522 posts)
70. this makes sense with trumps past
Fri Mar 16, 2018, 07:35 AM
Mar 2018

trump is a pretty stupid business man

He thought he could just use the whole thing to make a ton of cash, lose, then ride the wave of anti-hrc that would have erupted had she won.

but he accidentally won - and is now screwed.

Dave Starsky

(5,914 posts)
74. E-mails are forever.
Fri Mar 16, 2018, 11:21 AM
Mar 2018

And you just know that every single person in this administration has 24 toolbars on their browser and wonders why they have to close pop-up ads for penis enlargement pills every three seconds.

Bayard

(21,806 posts)
65. The subpoena orders them not to destroy documents
Thu Mar 15, 2018, 11:39 PM
Mar 2018

I think they have no qualms about doing that. I am hoping Mueller has other proof, and is just wanting these as confirmation and/or backup.

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