The Meuller Investigation Update

For John, BLUF:  When you wrestle pigs in the mud you get dirty, but they enjoy it.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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I have been assured by experts that Special Counsel Robert Mueller has the goods on President Trump and on Mr Paul Manafort.  And California Congresswoman Maxine Waters has impeachment right around the corner, or January 2019, at the latest.♠

Tapped Out:  The Manafort Mess

From the blog L'Ombré L'Olivier, by Guest Blogger Jason Garik, 22 September 2017.

LANGUAGE WARNING.  Some people never grow up.

Here are a couple of excerpts:

C.  Manafort has publicly stated that the feds can release the information from the wiretaps and he has nothing to hide.  Considering that the feds stopped tapping him at some point, this probably means he’s calling their bluff.  It’s not a good look for the feds, and it doesn’t look like Manafort has something to hide.

Over at The Spectator we have some musings about how the wire tapping that never happened, did.  They compare it to Watergate, where, after the CIA said no, the Committee for the Reelection of the President hired former operatives to do the job.  Today the FBI cooperates with the Administration in spying on political opponents.

Will we be looking an another Ray Donovan moment?  "Which office do I go to to get my reputation back?"  Probably not the FBI or Robert Mueller's law firm or the Obama Presidential Library.  Maybe Ms Susan Rice will step up, or Mr Ben Rhodes?

Then there is this question about the Clinton Camapign. 

D.  Look at this from Manafort’s side.  Why the hell would he be gallivanting around saying “Russia! Russia! Russia!” for the feds to maaaaaagically listen in on him?  It’s too f___ing cute, and too amateur hour from a guy who’s been working in the game as long as he has.  Also, the John Podesta—a Clinton consigliere also worked as an advisor with many of the same Russian/Ukrainian figures.  Why aren’t the feds checking him out?

On top of this there is the whole "raid" on Mr Paul Manafort's home.  Is that just Special Counsel Robert Mueller playing the tough guy, or was it FBI Agents out of control?  Really, picking the lock before dawn, while the person was still in bed?  What if he had greeted them with a shotgun?  On the other hand, shouldn't the FBI Agents have been wearing leather trench coats for this kind of operation?

Maybe the agents were in a contest with the US Congress, since "agents appeared the day Manafort was scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee".  "Appeared" is a euphemism for "broke into the home".

Here is how The Old Gray Lady wrote the lede:

Paul J. Manafort was in bed early one morning in July when federal agents bearing a search warrant picked the lock on his front door and raided his Virginia home.  They took binders stuffed with documents and copied his computer files, looking for evidence that Mr. Manafort, President Trump’s former campaign chairman, set up secret offshore bank accounts.  They even photographed the expensive suits in his closet.

Is Washington so out of control that the Special Counsel feels he needs "shock and awe" tactics?  Is the swamp that wide and deep and fetid?  And if it is, is Special Counsel Robert Mueller the person to drain it?

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  If it comes to pass in January 2019 that the Democrats control at least the Lower House, then you can probably thank Senator John McCain, who campaigned on a promise to repeal Obamacare (PP &ACA).