Harry Marks wrote:I'm a little worried that Mueller's team will not get into the money laundering issue. Not only does that mean Jared may get away almost unscathed, despite being up to his neck in it, but it means the emoluments clause is being mocked simply because it isn't on the original focus assigned for Mueller. Well, the good news is the Dems can expose it (without worrying about impeachment - exposure is ample protection to our liberty), if they win the House.
Don't worry about Mueller. I don't think his people are interested in the money laundering. The State of New York is and that's WAY worse for Trump. New York operates with impunity. The State of New York is already requesting records from the Trump Organization's finances. They are not waiting for Mueller, they are going ahead with their own investigation. I think maybe both teams agreed to split it. Maybe New York goes after money laundering while the Federal Office goes after conspiracy and obstruction of justice related to conspiracy. I've read something about the little diamonds that Ivanka's company was shipping around--a common money-laundering technique. You turn the money into small diamonds, you transport the diamonds and then convert them back into money with no trace going back to the original money. Apparently, the Russian mob as well as the American mob were using the Trumps for this service and that they are THE preferred operation. There's also the misappropriation of funds from the Trump Foundation. Trump's kids are neck deep in both the Organization and the Foundation. This looks like it is about to get really, really ugly.
The thing is, if Trump's kids go to prison upon conviction by the State of New York, Trump can't pardon them. He has no authority of individual states only at a federal level. He can fire Mueller or Rosenstein but he cannot fire the Attorney-General of New York. He may not be indictable by federal authorities but he is indictable by New York state. This looks like it is about to get UGLY. Don Jr. made the bizarre comment recently that he is not afraid of going to prison. He didn't say he wasn't afraid that he would be sent to prison but that he wasn't afraid of going. Are you expecting to, Donny J?
On top of this, Trump was forced to fold to Stormy Daniels. They offered to release her from the NDA but she now reveals she has a book coming out in October and there are supposedly some pretty juicy tidbits about her affair with Trump. She has completely turned the tables on him. Normally, Trump loves to file lawsuits and go to court but he is desperate to stay out of court with Stormy. The reason, I think, is simply that a long, drawn-out court case brings publicity that will drive Melania insane. Trump cannot have Melania blowing her stack and publicly denouncing him and a constant reminder that he cheated on her with a porn star would probably lead to such a scenario. I think Trump is already nervous because he doesn't know what she might do from one minute to the next. The solution was to give in to Daniels (and you KNOW that has to eat him alive) and give us back our $130,000 and you're free from the NDA but now Daniels is saying, "Not so fast, mister." Exactly what Trump doesn't want to hear. Stormy is not going to give that money back either. What are they going to do about it--sue her? Fine, then, seeya in court--exactly where Trump cannot allow Daniels to drag him. So he'll let her have the money too (and---OOOOOHHH--I would not want to be a staffer in the White House after Trump gets whacked by Daniels that second time. I would lock myself in a closet anytime I see him coming my way.).
Trump also has to answer question about the Summer Zervos sexual assault case. Now you couple all this with all the normal duties of a president as you pointed out with 50 phone calls coming in 90 minutes and 30 documents that have to be reviewed and signed and blah blah blah. He can't keep it up. I think he'll either resign or he'll be TFA'd. Meanwhile, his popularity continues to plummet. Then there are the behavioral problems--pumping his fists at the 9-11 shrine, making the attack all about him yet again. The public is done with him--just go.