Ya Think?
One of my real-life pals, Pam, called me the day all the Trump stuff started breaking and said, “Manafort. Manafort is the key. That man would sell his mother to keep his hiney out of prison.” Well, to be honest, I changed some of the words there. Pam is a fine, beautiful, well-educated and mannered woman who loves Jesus and attends the Methodist Church, which is to say she cusses like a damn sailor.
I’m thinking she was right. No, wait. I’m sure she is right and I know that Robert Mueller agrees.
Federal investigators sought cooperation from Paul Manafort’s son-in-law in an effort to increase pressure on President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman, according to three people familiar with the probe.
Investigators approached Jeffrey Yohai, who has partnered in business deals with Manafort, earlier this summer, setting off “real waves” in Manafort’s orbit, one of these people said. Another of these people said investigators are trying to get “into Manafort’s head.”
Get into Manafort’s head? So they’re going where no man has ever gone before?
Manafort probably is the weak link because he was the first to head for the hills. I do not feel sorry for him in the least. He’s a sumbitch. A wheeler-dealer. And he would sell his momma.
So, I asked Pam to keep a watch on her crystal ball to see if she sees something coming.
Too bad Paul is not like his father. Paul, Sr. was one of the more honest mayors of New Britain, Ct, and as a contractor was known to sometimes finish a project on time and within budget, a minor miracle around here.
1Mr. Mueller has Grand Jury subpoena powers. Yet he was able to show sufficient probable cause to convince a judge to sign off on a no knock warrant good prior to 6am. Even the dumbest of rats in the Donnie cartel should be feeling the heat.
That means two of the rats, Manafort and Flynn have been yapping. Who will be the third to complete the 3 rats running in a circle biting each other on the butt proverbial meltdown? Jughead? Dimwit Jr? Or, wait for it – Jefferson Beauregard Sessions.
2The $17 million Manafort got (took) from the Ukraine has got to play a big part in this and the financial tentacles to Russia will catch this guy in its web. Things can’t evolve quickly enough to get the orange carbuncle out of the Oval office before he starts WWIII.
3Billmoyers.com has a time line about Trump, Roy cohen, mannafort, stone and Russia.
4Very interesting.
Trump has been dealing with Russia since the 80’s.
Yup. He’s sung like a canary to the committee and handed over a bunch of papers but no one is convinced that he has told the whole truth and nothing but the truth. That pre-dawn FBI raid proved it. As for Trump dealing with the Russians for over 20 years, you bet! Look at the beauty pageant he hosted and the fact that he is still salivating over having a Trump hotel on Red Square but he has to make nice-nice with Russian, namely Putin. He thought as President all that would be wrapped up in cloth of gold and tied with a platinum bow. Pooty is saying, “Not so fast. You want in? Well, you owe me.” Translation: then I will own you. I think that has already transpired.
5As Josh Marshall and others have pointed out, at Eric & Junior’s meeting w/ Veselnitskaya and others, Manafort would have been the only person who would have known, beyond doubt, what the meeting was for and about, and what the Russian motives and intentions were. Not just more than any other person in that room, more than any other person in the campaign.
That he didn’t speak up, didn’t go to the FBI, and didn’t talk with the campaign lawyers (?), speaks volumes. Of course Mueller wants to get into his head: while others might be capable of colluding successfully, Manafort is the one with the most knowledge and experience in negotiating with Russia and its oligarchs.
He is absolutely key. Would he have done this on his own and sold out the Donald by keeping him in the dark? I dunno, but Manafort was beyond doubt behind the GOP plank changes regarding Ukraine.
6Kushner is the third rat. Watch this space…
7My lovely lady has said from the beginning that this guy looks like a gangster, and every time I see him that gets reinforced in my head. When we heard yesterday that Donnie’s favorite newspaper (the Enquirer) put out a negative story about Paulie, I thought, Oh yeah, it’s gonna start moving fast now.
8Charles R Phillips says: “Kushner is the third rat. Watch this space…”
You may very well be correct, Mr. Phillips. We can probably rule out Dimwit Jr. as being too dumb to be a rat, although his st00pid might take the legs out from under Donnie. Kushner does have a lot to lose, if his Russian and Chinese funds disappear paired with the possibility of some significant jail time. He’s so like Donnie that in a “him or me” contest, it’s a no brainer which way he’d fold. But sneaky little Jeff? Despite his tiny little hands and arms, I can’t discount the possibility he too is elbow deep in the cookie jar.
Maybe too soon to call or the proverbial 3 rats have become 4 1/2 and counting.
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