Robert Mueller indicts 13 Russians for election meddling

[Rewind]

Donald Trump today -- again -- called the Mueller investigation a "hoax." He also continues to call the probe a "witch hunt." CNN's Chris Cillizza notes that so far there have been 192 criminal counts filed, 36 individuals and organizations charged, seven guilty pleas, one person convicted at trial and four people sentenced to prison -- so, no, it's not a "hoax" or a "witch hunt." And many Trump associates lied to federal investigators about their contacts and dealings with Russia.

Trump dismisses as "insulting" the recent reports that he's been working as an agent of Russia -- but he didn't deny them. Cillizza says Trump needs to answer one question: If he did nothing wrong and the Mueller investigation is a hoax, then why has he gone to such great lengths to ensure nobody, not even the senior officials in his administration, learns what he and Putin discussed in their five meetings? There are no notes, no recordings and no files and the interpreters were sworn to secrecy -- and that, more than anything else, Cillizza concludes, makes Trump look guilty.

The one giant question Trump still hasn't answered on Russia

https://www-m.cnn.com/2019/01/14/pol...ler/index.html

[Rewind]

Vladimir Putin wanted Trump to win in 2016 and did everything he could to ensure Hillary's defeat. During a debate, Hillary denounced Trump for accepting Putin's help, encouraging espionage, spouting "the Putin line" and refusing to admit Russia was meddling in our election. She called him a "puppet" of Putin. She has been proved right -- as if there were any doubt -- by recent reports detailing how Trump tried to ensure no one would find out what he and Putin talked about in their five meetings. House Democrats are now considering subpoenaing Marina Gross, the interpreter who was present at the Trump-Putin meeting in Helsinki. Eventually we will learn the truth about BFFs Donald and Vladimir.

'Like I said: A puppet,' Hillary tweets after recent reports about Trump, Russia

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...sia/ar-BBSf9en

[Rewind]

The confirmation hearing of Attorney General nominee William Barr is underway. Barr says the Mueller investigation should be allowed to continue and the findings should be made known to the public. He also said it is not a "witch hunt." See, Donald? That's what we've been telling you. And here is an article detailing some of the collusion that you say never happened:

Mueller says Gates' cooperation continues, a possible sign investigation isn't done yet
CNN, Jan 15 2019 1:45 PM ET

Special counsel Robert Mueller's work does not appear to be done yet. Former Trump campaign official Rick Gates "continues to cooperate with respect to several ongoing investigations and accordingly the parties do not believe it is appropriate to commence the sentencing process at this time," attorneys from both Gates' legal team and special counsel's office said in a one-page statement.

The delay again in Gates' case suggests that Mueller's team and other investigators in the Justice Department are not done yet with the investigations into the Trump campaign and inauguration, for which Gates is seen as a key witness.

Gates was Trump's deputy campaign chairman at a time when the campaign had several suspicious communications with Russians or about Russia, including then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort sharing polling data with Constantin Kilimnik, the Trump Tower meeting in June 2016, and the party's decision to change its platform regarding Russian intervention in Ukraine.

At the same time, the Russians' military intelligence hacked Democratic targets and facilitated the public release of stolen emails to damage Trump's opponents. Russians backed by a powerful oligarch also at that time ran a propaganda campaign on American social media sites to influence voters in a way that would help Trump.

https://www-m.cnn.com/2019/01/15/pol...tes/index.html

[Rewind]

Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort -- one of the first Americans caught by Robert Mueller's "witch hunt" (as Trump keeps calling it) lied to federal investigators about financial matters and his involvement with Russia. His right to practice law in DC has been suspended and he resigned from the bar in Connecticut, were he was facing disbarment proceedings -- and things are going to get much worse, both for Manafort and for Trump.

New court filing indicates prosecutors have extensive details on Manafort actions not yet made public

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...lic/ar-BBSiwYs

[Rewind]

The Senator and former Rhode Island attorney general is Sheldon Whitehouse. "Whitehouse." Yeah, ironic, isn't it? He is hopeful that criminal charges will be filed against Trump. If Trump is ever arrested, I'm sure his BFF Vladimir will pay the bail.

Senator says Congress is almost ready to indict Trump

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...ent/ar-BBSjz3Q

[Rewind]

Rick Gates, Donald Trump Jr. and two other members of Trump's "inner circle" met with the CEO of Psy Group in 2016 to arrange for "social media manipulation tactics" that would help Trump win the Presidential election. Maybe Trump thought he needed more help than the Russians could provide. Psy Group's parent company, Protexer Limited, is registered in the British Virgin Islands. One of its subsidiaries, MGTM Financial, is controlled by the Metropol Group, a multi-billion-dollar consortium based in Moscow. The web gets more and more tangled -- and Gates is telling what he knows.

Rick Gates tells Mueller about Trump team's dealings with Israeli intelligence firm

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...irm/ar-BBSljqo

[Rewind]

Donald Trump has repeatedy insisted neither he nor his campaign ever colluded with Russia. Rudy Giuliani, Trump's toady, has said the same thing. We now know Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort met with Russian agent Konstantin Kilimnik (who is being investigated by Robert Mueller) and shared polling data with him -- and that means Trump's and Giuliani's "no collusion" assertions were lies. Giuliani spoke with CNN's Chris Cuomo yesterday and CNN's Chris Cillizza dissects Giuliani's lies and cover-ups:

Rudy Giuliani just totally contradicted 18 months of 'no collusion' talk from Donald Trump

https://www-m.cnn.com/2019/01/17/pol...ion/index.html

[Rewind]

Michael Cohen's prison sentence was given, in part, for his lying to federal investigators. Today, Donald Trump, who tells an average of 15 lies a day, again accused Cohen of lying to federal investigators in order to get a reduced sentence. No, Donald, telling more lies would lengthen his prison sentence. Cohen is telling the truth. You are the liar.

Trump again calls Cohen a liar after bombshell BuzzFeed report
The Hill, Jan 18 2019

President Trump today again accused his former personal attorney Michael Cohen of lying to reduce his prison time, after BuzzFeed News reported that federal investigators have evidence he directed Cohen to lie to Congress about plans to build a Trump property in Moscow.

Trump, after quoting a Fox News reporter noting that Cohen had been convicted on perjury and fraud charges, tweeted that Cohen is "lying to reduce his jail time." Trump also suggested Cohen's father-in-law be "watched," echoing previous comments he made to Fox News' Jeanine Pirro that Cohen "should give information maybe on his father-in-law because that's the one that people want to look at."

BuzzFeed, citing two federal law enforcement officials, reported late Thursday that Special Counsel Robert Mueller has witness testimony, internal Trump Organization emails and other evidence suggesting Trump directed Cohen to lie to Congress about the Trump Moscow plans. Cohen has also reportedly testified to the special counsel that Trump told him to lie.

Cohen pleaded guilty in November to lying to the House and Senate Intelligence Committees in the course of their investigations into Russian interference in the election and agreed to cooperate with Mueller's ongoing investigation.

Cohen admitted that discussions within the Trump Organization about plans to build a Moscow property extended into June 2016, at which point Trump was the presumptive GOP nominee. Cohen initially told Congress that the talks fizzled out that January.

Cohen also admitted to lying about plans to travel to Russia and his contacts with Russian officials in connection with the project. Cohen did so, court filings say, to "minimize links between the Moscow Project and Individual 1" (Trump).

Cohen has been sentenced to three years in prison for his false statements charge as well as a slew of other crimes he pleaded guilty to in a deal with prosecutors in Manhattan. Back in August, Cohen also implicated Trump in a scheme to pay off women who claimed to have had affairs with him in order to prevent the details from impacting the Presidential campaign.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...ort/ar-BBSqc32

[Rewind]

Lies and cover-ups led to the impending impeachment of, and resignation of, President Richard Nixon in 1974. Trump's lies and cover-ups are far more numerous and infinitely more flagrant. *Sniff, sniff* Do I smell another impending impeachment and resignation?

Congress to probe report Trump told Cohen to lie

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...lie/ar-BBSq2X2

[Rewind]

Alt-right news site Town Hall was quick to dismiss as "fake news" the report that Trump instructed Michael Cohen to lie. However, BuzzFeed News investigative reporter Jason Leopold told MSNBC, "We have seen documents. We have been briefed on documents. We are very confident in our reporting."

Buzzfeed report co-author responds to Donald Trump tweet on Michael Cohen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJTg_Dk6R8E