Politics Grand jury subpoenas issued in FBI's Russia investigation

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http://www.politico.com/story/2017/08/31/fbi-comey-clinton-email-242213?lo=ap_e1

GOP senators: Comey drafted statement clearing Clinton before her interview
Grassley, Graham say evidence suggests decision not to file charges was 'prejudged'.

Former FBI Director James Comey began drafting a statement rejecting the idea of criminal charges against Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton over her private email account about two months or more before Clinton was interviewed in the FBI probe, according to partial transcripts of interviews released Thursday by two Republican senators.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and Sen. Lindsey Graham said they obtained the transcripts from the Office of Special Counsel, a government watchdog agency that launched an investigation into whether Comey's actions violated a federal law against government employees engaging in political activity while on duty.

In a letter sent Wednesday to Comey's successor, FBI Director Christopher Wray, Grassley and Graham said Comey's move to start preparing the statement sometime in April or early May reflected a premature conclusion that Clinton shouldn't be charged.

"Conclusion first, fact-gathering second—that’s no way to run an investigation. The FBI should be held to a higher standard than that, especially in a matter of such great public interest and controversy," Grassley and Graham wrote as they demanded all FBI records of the drafts Comey prepared as well as other materials related to the OSC probe.
 
Denny Crane said:
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/08/31/fbi-comey-clinton-email-242213?lo=ap_e1

GOP senators: Comey drafted statement clearing Clinton before her interview
Grassley, Graham say evidence suggests decision not to file charges was 'prejudged'.

Former FBI Director James Comey began drafting a statement rejecting the idea of criminal charges against Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton over her private email account about two months or more before Clinton was interviewed in the FBI probe, according to partial transcripts of interviews released Thursday by two Republican senators.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and Sen. Lindsey Graham said they obtained the transcripts from the Office of Special Counsel, a government watchdog agency that launched an investigation into whether Comey's actions violated a federal law against government employees engaging in political activity while on duty.

In a letter sent Wednesday to Comey's successor, FBI Director Christopher Wray, Grassley and Graham said Comey's move to start preparing the statement sometime in April or early May reflected a premature conclusion that Clinton shouldn't be charged.

"Conclusion first, fact-gathering second—that’s no way to run an investigation. The FBI should be held to a higher standard than that, especially in a matter of such great public interest and controversy," Grassley and Graham wrote as they demanded all FBI records of the drafts Comey prepared as well as other materials related to the OSC probe.
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Lorreta Lynch is the guilty party when it comes to the Clinton get out of trouble card, but that's all water under the bridge now...if anyone should get in trouble over the dems campaign and practices...it's her. She broke the rules....old news. Comey is the scapegoat now really only because he didn't follow Trump's lead..Comey has also kept detailed records of all this.....Lynch is the dems version of Mannafort.
 
riverman said:
Lorreta Lynch is the guilty party when it comes to the Clinton get out of trouble card, but that's all water under the bridge now...if anyone should get in trouble over the dems campaign and practices...it's her. She broke the rules....old news. Comey is the scapegoat now really only because he didn't follow Trump's lead..Comey has also kept detailed records of all this.....Lynch is the dems version of Mannafort.
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Comey's integrity is in question. It makes Trump firing him even more justified.

That isn't a biased opinion on my part. These are things that will be considered by Mueller. Or at least they should. If any trials occur, the defense will (or should) raise these things.
 
WaPost hasn't purged all of it's center right leaning op ed writers yet. Some bits of this opinion piece are objective Truths.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blog...ce-of-collusion-fades/?utm_term=.6595b4338eef

The Trump-Russia story survives, even as evidence of collusion fades

The media have too much invested in the Russia collusion conspiracy to just pack up and leave. So, they are eager to report on Paul Manafort’s work for Ukraine between 2012 and 2014 and the raid of his house earlier this year — as if either has something to do with Trump. They herald the subpoenas issued to former national security adviser Michael Flynn and anything even remotely concerning Donald Trump Jr.’s meeting with the Russian attorney at Trump Tower. And now, they are flogging a story about a Trump Organization executive trying to get some relief on a stalled project in Russia. But, as reports show, the executive didn’t even get the courtesy of a reply. The fact that the Kremlin completely stiff-armed this friendly overture suggests Trump and Russia were anything but colluding co-conspirators. Right?
 
Denny Crane said:
WaPost hasn't purged all of it's center right leaning op ed writers yet. Some bits of this opinion piece are objective Truths.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blog...ce-of-collusion-fades/?utm_term=.6595b4338eef

The Trump-Russia story survives, even as evidence of collusion fades

The media have too much invested in the Russia collusion conspiracy to just pack up and leave. So, they are eager to report on Paul Manafort’s work for Ukraine between 2012 and 2014 and the raid of his house earlier this year — as if either has something to do with Trump. They herald the subpoenas issued to former national security adviser Michael Flynn and anything even remotely concerning Donald Trump Jr.’s meeting with the Russian attorney at Trump Tower. And now, they are flogging a story about a Trump Organization executive trying to get some relief on a stalled project in Russia. But, as reports show, the executive didn’t even get the courtesy of a reply. The fact that the Kremlin completely stiff-armed this friendly overture suggests Trump and Russia were anything but colluding co-conspirators. Right?
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I've said all along Trump probably has little hands on connection to the Russian attempts at influencing elections...what he may have connection to however is money laundering and tax evasion....he's pretty experienced at dodging responsibility for shady business deals...and has a history of having a team of fall guys in place just in case things go wrong.....follow the money
 
riverman said:
I don't buy this at all...Trump fired Comey after being called out on not towing the Trump smokescreens
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He fired Comey within days of Comey's own testimony which showed Comey to operate outside the law. Not just that he admitted to leaking government documents that he had no right to, but deciding on the right of the Atty General to exercise her duties.
 
riverman said:
I've said all along Trump probably has little hands on connection to the Russian attempts at influencing elections...what he may have connection to however is money laundering and tax evasion....he's pretty experienced at dodging responsibility for shady business deals...and has a history of having a team of fall guys in place just in case things go wrong.....follow the money
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Those things are outside the mandate of Mueller's investigation.
 
Denny Crane said:
Manafort's deals in 2014 are outside the mandate of Mueller's investigation.
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Mannafort is Mueller's plea bargain chip....I read he paid 8 million cash for a 3.2 million dollar unit in Trump Tower..no wealthy businessman spends that much cash on real estate without using a bank loan....not claiming it as fact, but it made me think twice about how this would unfold....hence....money laundering...then I read they're looking into his 25 accounts in Cypress....the home of the Russian mob....if Trump's campaign guy turns out to be laundering Russian mob money and investing it in Trump's real estate....there's your connection...it's not politics as much as tax evasion ..whether Mannafort squeals is yet to be seen.
 
SlyPokerDog said:
You mean his private notes on meetings with Trump?

Those aren't government documents.
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Yes they are.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-m...nald-trump-comeys-leak-memos-totally-illegal/

Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University, said Comey’s sharing of the memo with a friend was "unauthorized and thus unlawful," because the material was FBI information covered by federal rules and regulations.

Comey was not allowed to treat the memos as personal property, Turley said, given that they were written in the context of a federal investigation, on an FBI computer and revealed to others in the leadership team.

Turley said Comey is unlikely to face criminal charges, but he could be found in violation of professional standards.
 
riverman said:
Mannafort is Mueller's plea bargain chip....I read he paid 8 million cash for a 3.2 million dollar unit in Trump Tower..no wealthy businessman spends that much cash on real estate without using a bank loan....not claiming it as fact, but it made me think twice about how this would unfold....hence....money laundering...then I read they're looking into his 25 accounts in Cypress....the home of the Russian mob....if Trump's campaign guy turns out to be laundering Russian mob money and investing it in Trump's real estate....there's your connection...it's not politics as much as tax evasion ..whether Mannafort squeals is yet to be seen.
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Manafort's 2014 deals are outside the scope of Mueller's mandate.
 
Denny Crane said:
Manafort's 2014 deals are outside the scope of Mueller's mandate.
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Tough cookies. They certainly aren't outside the NY AG's mandate.

barfo
 
barfo said:
Tough cookies. They certainly aren't outside the NY AG's mandate.

barfo
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Yes, the AG can do whatever he wants.

That doesn't change Mueller's mandate.
 
Denny Crane said:
Yes, the AG can do whatever he wants.

That doesn't change Mueller's mandate.
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Sure, but it appears that Mueller will be using the AG's investigations into Trump cronies as leverage to prevent Trump from using the promise of pardons to allow his cronies to perjure themselves or obstruct justice in the investigation that Mueller is doing.
 
Minstrel said:
Sure, but it appears that Mueller will be using the AG's investigations into Trump cronies as leverage to prevent Trump from using the promise of pardons to allow his cronies to perjure themselves or obstruct justice in the investigation that Mueller is doing.
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Trump pardoned Sherrif Joe.

He could have pardoned Manafort and Flynn months ago.
 
Denny Crane said:
Trump pardoned Sherrif Joe.
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Arpaio was facing a federal criminal contempt charge. The President can only pardon federal charges, not state ones. Charges brought by the NY AG can't be pardoned by Trump and it sounds like Mueller is going to use the threat of such charges to effect compliance from Trump's associates, as it's been reported that he's now working with Schneiderman.
 
Denny Crane said:
Trump pardoned Sherrif Joe.

He could have pardoned Manafort and Flynn months ago.
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The pardon given was was not to someone that was part of the campaign. Pardon for these guys would mean admitting faults with the campaign - something he has not done publicly so far.
 
Minstrel said:
Arpaio was facing a federal criminal contempt charge. The President can only pardon federal charges, not state ones. Charges brought by the NY AG can't be pardoned by Trump and it sounds like Mueller is going to use the threat of such charges to effect compliance from Trump's associates, as it's been reported that he's now working with Schneiderman.
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And?

Manafort and Flynn are facing federal charges.
 
andalusian said:
The pardon given was was not to someone that was part of the campaign. Pardon for these guys would mean admitting faults with the campaign - something he has not done publicly so far.
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It would admit that Trump doesn't want to see these people's life savings diminished to nothing defending against petty charges.
 
Denny Crane said:
And?

Manafort and Flynn are facing federal charges.
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And? It's the potential state charges that Mueller can use as leverage to make them talk, since they're unpardonable by Trump.
 
Minstrel said:
And? It's the potential state charges that Mueller can use as leverage, since they're unpardonable by Trump.
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Mueller would have nothing if Trump pardoned those guys months ago. Like February.

The point is Trump ISN'T
 
Denny Crane said:
Mueller would have nothing if Trump pardoned those guys months ago. Like February.
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Trump doesn't have to pardon them now. Just the promise of future pardons is equally powerful, so he has no incentive to drop more unpopular pardons. Trump has the leverage of those potential pardons to keep his associates from talking--Mueller has the leverage of unpardonable (by Trump) charges to make them talk, depending on whether Schneiderman finds wrongdoing.
 
Minstrel said:
Trump doesn't have to pardon them now. Just the promise of future pardons is equally powerful, so he has no incentive to drop more unpopular pardons. Trump has the leverage of those potential pardons to keep his associates from talking--Mueller has the leverage of unpardonable (by Trump) charges to make them talk, depending on whether Schneiderman finds wrongdoing.
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He could have avoided the investigation entirely by pardoning back then. Contrary to your beliefs, he's no idiot, especially about legal jeopardy.

Plus, there's nothing to all this anyway (why Trump hasn't pardoned anyone), so you're likely to be really disappointed in the end.

Will the disappointment lead to even more butthurt?
 
Denny Crane said:
Plus, there's nothing to all this anyway (why Trump hasn't pardoned anyone), so you're likely to be really disappointed in the end.
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If there's nothing to this, then that's great. I'd only have been disappointed if there weren't a good faith investigation, but that appears not to be the case.

You'll forgive me, though, if I let Mueller determine that and not someone who's admitted before that he's out to troll "liberals."
 
Minstrel said:
If there's nothing to this, then that's great. I'd only have been disappointed if there weren't a good faith investigation, but that appears not to be the case.

You'll forgive me, though, if I let Mueller determine that and not someone who's admitted before that he's out to troll "liberals."
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So you're disappointed about the Hillary/email investigation?

You don't show it.

I'm not surprised in the least.
 
Denny Crane said:
So you're disappointed about the Hillary/email investigation?
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Nope. That got a ton of scrutiny and investigation and it's almost certainly the reason she lost the election. It wasn't covered up, by any means.
 
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