Mueller asking if Trump knew about hacked Democratic emails before release

[UpInArms]

Source: NBC

Special counsel Robert Mueller's team is asking witnesses pointed questions about whether Donald Trump was aware that Democratic emails had been stolen before that was publicly known, and whether he was involved in their strategic release, according to multiple people familiar with the probe.

Mueller's investigators have asked witnesses whether Trump was aware of plans for WikiLeaks to publish the emails. They have also asked about the relationship between GOP operative Roger Stone and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, and why Trump took policy positions favorable to Russia.

The line of questioning suggests the special counsel, who is tasked with examining whether there was collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 election, is looking into possible coordination between WikiLeaks and Trump associates in disseminating the emails, which U.S. intelligence officials say were stolen by Russia.

...snip...

In one line of questioning, investigators have focused on Trump's public comments in July 2016 asking Russia to find emails that were deleted by his then-opponent Hillary Clinton from a private server she maintained while secretary of state. The comments came at a news conference on July 27, 2016, just days after WikiLeaks began publishing the Democratic National Committee emails. "Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing," Trump said.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/mueller-asking-what-trump-knew-about-hacked-emails-n851941

[bucolic_frolic]

1. "Russia, if you're listening ...."

July 27, 2016

Quite a reasonable question at this point, and a very quick way to a conclusion if you get a straight answer.

I mean didn't you know at the back of your mind that it was fixed all along? Trump was so confident and cocky, McConnell was ebullient and a concrete barrier in blocking a perfectly reasonable middle of the road Supreme Court nominee. What gave? When they're exuding abnormal levels of optimism and no anxiety, you just know they know something that the public doesn't. We were played, violated, our sovereignty sold for profits and pollution waivers, our efforts thrown on the craps table in a rigged game.

There is no Hell hot enough for the perps of these crimes if they ever catch them.

[shraby]

2. Mueller doesn't ask questions he doesn't already know the answer to. He's just getting further

confirmation of something he has in the bag.

[murielm99]

5. Of course that is true.

But he could be trying to rattle a few cages as well. 45 is certainly rattled.

That "Witch Hunt" tweet is almost as unhinged as covfefe.

[ButSeeYa]

3. Oopsie!

I'm sure Trump and his ilk will curse the day that he decided to run for president. All of their dirty deeds are coming to marvelous light. He should've stuck with Celebrity Apprentice.

[SummerSnow]

4. Easy answer...Trumps friend Roger Stone knew so Trump knew

A top Donald Trump supporter ominously declared that Wednesday will be the end for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's campaign.

Roger Stone, a former adviser to the Republican nominee's campaign, tweeted late Saturday night that Clinton will be "done."

"Wednesday @Hillary Clinton is done. #Wikileaks," Stone tweeted.

Wednesday@HillaryClinton is done. #Wikileaks.

— Roger Stone (@RogerJStoneJr) October 2, 2016
WikiLeaks this summer released internal emails from the Democratic National Committee that were believed to have been stolen by Russian hackers.

The anti-secrecy website's founder, Julian Assange, has said that it will release new material before the Nov. 8 elections.


*Of course, Trump knew

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/298883-roger-stone-threatens-wednesday-will-be-end-of-clinton

[orangecrush]

7. THIS!!!

[CabalPowered]

12. Bingo

[TheDebbieDee]

6. Of course Mueller ALREADY KNOWS the answer...

He's just phucking with Trump's simple head...

[Botany]

8. Trump, "Russia if you are listening .... "

Link to tweet

[bucolic_frolic]

10. OMG - he knew the number

not like he was floating a rumor, but an actual number. If he were being interrogated and spilled that gem, the obvious question would be "Where did you get that number?"

______________________________

You know, it's like ....

"Your friend's dead."

"Oh? Who shot him?"

[Botany]

17. Trump seems to be unaware of things being mutually exclusive

Trump; It never happened, no phone calls, fake news, no collusion and besides it didn't
effect the outcome of the election and it was Obama's fault too.

Nice catch on Trump knowing the # of emails.

[Upthevibe]

9. Okay....

It looks like Mueller knows what he's doing!

[bucolic_frolic]

11. Just imagine yourself in that position being asked that question

There is no room to lie. Mueller's team probably already knows. It could be he wants to see what you'll say, or if you know anything additional. It's like asking "Did you help pull the trigger, or did you see who did?" Total checkmate.

[Mr.Bill]

15. And even if the witness refuses to answer,

it's an answer in the affirmative.

If only there were people in Congress with the authority to do something about this president that were willing to do so. Right now Ryan and McConnell wouldn't impeach him if there was video of him chopping the heads off live babies. And I'm serious.

[Roland99]

13. K&R

[BigmanPigman]

14. What about Giuliani?

Didn't he tell the media a few days before hand that something big was going to happen in a few days, then BOOM, it did.

[UpInArms]

18. My favorite bread loaf (as opposed to a bread crumb) is this

On Aug. 21, 2016, President Trump's adviser Roger Stone published a cryptic tweet: "It will soon (be John) Podesta's time in the barrel," he wrote, referring to Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman. By September, Stone was telling Boston Herald Radio that "Julian Assange and the WikiLeaks people (are ready) to drop a payload of new documents on a weekly basis fairly soon. And that of course will answer the question of exactly what was erased on (Clinton's) email server."

[yonder]

16. this:

"When they're exuding abnormal levels of optimism and no anxiety, you just know they know something that the public doesn't."

That smarmy smile and constant paternalistic manner of McConnell is forever etched in my noggin. I ain't forgetting.

[Puzzledtraveller]

19. Maybe, but I feel like we are being strung along