Mueller Investigation!

[fraurosena]

• Could person 1 be Steve Bannon? (Ha, I see @Howl already posted this, so I suppose it's not such a weird thought of mine)
  Person 1 was a political commentator who worked with an online media publication during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign. Person 1 spoke regularly with STONE throughout the campaign, including about the release of stolen documents by Organization 1.
• Person 2 is almost certainly Randy Credico. 
• Could the 'associate who lived in the United Kingdom and was a supporter of the Trump Campaign' be Nigel Farage?

 

Stone apparently spoke with multiple individuals in the campaign:

In truth and in fact, and as described above, STONE spoke to multiple individuals involved in the Trump Campaign about what he claimed to have learned from his intermediary to Organization 1, including the following:
a. On multiple occasions, STONE told senior Trump Campaign officials about materials possessed by Organization 1 and the timing of future releases.
b. On or about October 3, 2016, STONE wrote to a supporter involved with the Trump Campaign, “Spoke to my friend in London last night. The payload is still coming.”
c. On or about October 4, 2016, STONE told a high-ranking Trump Campaign official that the head of Organization 1 had a “erious security concern” but would release “a load every week going forward.” 

[Howl]

Ah, @fraurosena, this is going to be a fabulous day indeed.  But no worries, Faux and Fiends is on top of it: 

I'm intrigued by Randy Credico as Person 2.  Randy Credico has also been on Ari Melber numerous times.  Randy is (charitably) yet another eccentric Roger Stone confederate/ally/associate.  

Randy brought his adorable little "service" dog Bianca to court when he testified to the Mueller investigation. Subsequently, Roger Stone is on video threatening to steal Bianca because he thinks Randy wasn't properly caring for her.  Truly, you can't make this sh*t up. 

Spoiler

 

Stone released the video after Credico was spotted bringing his service dog Bianca along with him to testify before special counsel Robert Mueller’s grand jury in Washington, D.C., on Friday morning.

“Credico plans to tell the grand jury that I threatened to take away his dog. How cruel, how heartless, with a prop dog right there!” Stone, donning a wide-brim Panama hat, says in the video while cradling his own dog, a Yorkie named PeeWee 2.0.

“What he won’t mention,” Stone continued, “is that I did so out of concern because of Credico’s substance abuse and his indigence, the dog was receiving neither food nor medical attention.”

 

 

[GreyhoundFan]

Analysis from the WaPo: "4 takeaways from the Roger Stone indictment"

Spoiler

The indictment we — including the indicted party — have been expecting for months has finally come. Roger Stone, President Trump’s longest-serving political adviser, has been charged with lying to investigators.

The lies pertain to his efforts to secure information from WikiLeaks about its release of Democrats' emails during the 2016 campaign. Here are four key sections and takeaways.

1. An abundance of contradiction

There’s really not a lot of ambiguity when it comes to Stone’s alleged lies. At one point, the indictment includes two exchanges in which Stone denies ever communicating with his WikiLeaks intermediary via text or email.

Here’s one exchange:

Q: [H]ow did you communicate with the intermediary?

A: Over the phone.

Q: And did you have any other means of communicating with the intermediary?

A: No.

Q: No text messages, no – none of the list, right?

A: No.

Later in his testimony, Stone repeats this:

Q: So you never communicated with your intermediary in writing in any way?

A: No.

Q: Never emailed him or texted him?

A: He’s not an email guy.

Q: So all your conversations with him were in person or over the phone.

A: Correct.

But the indictment details many messages and makes clear there was no way Stone would simply have forgotten about these things.

“In truth and in fact, as described above, STONE and Person 2 (who STONE identified to [the House Intelligence Committee] as his intermediary) engaged in frequent written communication by email and text message,” the indictment states. “STONE also engaged in frequent written communication by email and text message with Person 1, who also provided STONE with information regarding Organization 1.” (Organization 1 is WikiLeaks. It is not immediately clear who Person 1 is.)

2. A ‘Godfather’ reference

In perhaps the most colorful section, the indictment says that Stone urged someone who was testifying in front of the House Intelligence Committee (referred to by its formal acronym HPSCI in the indictment) to emulate a character from “The Godfather: Part II” who feigned ignorance during his own testimony:

On multiple occasions, including on or about December 1, 2017, STONE told Person 2 that Person 2 should do a “Frank Pentangeli” before HPSCI in order to avoid contradicting STONE’s testimony. Frank Pentangeli is a character in the film The Godfather: Part II, which both STONE and Person 2 had discussed, who testifies before a congressional committee and in that testimony claims not to know critical information that he does in fact know.

The clause “which both STONE and Person 2 had discussed,” is key, because it suggests both of them were familiar with exactly what the character had done.

For those unfamiliar:

... < Godfather video >

3. The big question: The Trump campaign’s role

There is no smoking gun in the indictment when it comes to the Trump campaign’s culpability, and for most of the campaign, Stone was an informal Trump adviser — not actually serving on the campaign. So as far as potential Trump campaign collusion with Russia via WikiLeaks, which the U.S. government regards as a front for Russia’s election interference, you still need to connect some dots.

But the indictment does make clear (repeatedly) the campaign was interested in the WikiLeaks information — and even sought the information from Stone — over a span of months, from the summer of 2016 to October 2016:

During the summer of 2016, STONE spoke to senior Trump Campaign officials about Organization 1 and information it might have had that would be damaging to the Clinton Campaign. STONE was contacted by senior Trump Campaign officials to inquire about future releases by Organization 1.

Later in the indictment:

Also on or about October 3, 2016, STONE received an email from a reporter who had connections to a high-ranking Trump Campaign official that asked, “[the head of [Organization 1] – what’s he got? Hope it’s good.” STONE responded in part, “It is. I’d tell [the high-ranking Trump Campaign official] but he doesn’t call me back.”

The “high-ranking Trump Campaign official” appears to be Stephen K. Bannon, who according to emails obtained by the New York Times emailed with Stone about WikiLeaks the next day.

And later:

On or about October 7, 2016, Organization 1 released the first set of emails stolen from the Clinton Campaign chairman. Shortly after Organization 1’s release, an associate of the highranking Trump Campaign official sent a text message to STONE that read “well done.” In subsequent conversations with senior Trump Campaign officials, STONE claimed credit for having correctly predicted the October 7, 2016 release.

You’ll recall Oct. 7 was the day WikiLeaks orchestrated an email dump shortly after The Washington Post reported on Trump’s “Access Hollywood” tape in which he talked crudely about grabbing women by their genitals. That apparent distraction was apparently appreciated by “an associate of a highranking Trump Campaign official.”

4. A strong hint of Trump?

The most significant reference to members of the campaign, though, could be this:

After the July 22, 2016 release of stolen DNC emails by Organization 1, a senior Trump Campaign official was directed to contact STONE about any additional releases and what other damaging information Organization 1 had regarding the Clinton Campaign. STONE thereafter told the Trump Campaign about potential future releases of damaging material by Organization 1.

The words “was directed” loom large here. Who did the directing? Why not just characterize who that was using vague terms, as is done throughout the indictment? Is it because it’s not clear who that was, or because Mueller’s team doesn’t want to reveal too much about that person’s role?

Though we can’t say for sure, it seems entirely possible this is Trump. He, after all, would seem to be the person who would have the authority to direct a “senior Trump Campaign official” -- though it’s possible another senior aide could also do so. Even if it was Trump, that wouldn’t necessarily be some kind of smoking gun, but it certainly be problematic.

As he has in past indictments, Mueller isn’t showing us too much here. But spending so much time detailing the campaign’s interest in WikiLeaks — which speaks to Stone’s alleged lies but probably isn’t entirely necessary — does seem conspicuous. Remember that Mueller routinely includes stuff like this that comes up later — most notably with Konstantin Kilimnick’s ties to Russian intelligence and Michael Cohen’s plea to lying about Trump Tower Moscow.

In many ways, this feels like another “speaking indictment.” There’s a hint of something possible to come.

 

[fraurosena]

3 minutes ago, Howl said:

I'm intrigued by Randy Credico as Person 2.  Randy Credico has also been on Ari Melber numerous times.  Randy is (charitably) yet another eccentric Roger Stone confederate/ally/associate.  

I did a google search to find out which radio show host had Assange on their show on August 21, 2016, which was mentioned in the indictment. Turns out that was Randy Credico. Logic therefore dictates that Credico is Person 2. 

Also, there's this little detail in the indictment: 

On or about April 9, 2018, STONE wrote in an email to Person 2, “You are a rat. A stoolie. You backstab your friends-run your mouth my lawyers are dying Rip you to shreds.” STONE also said he would “take that dog away from you,” referring to Person 2’s dog. On or about the same day, STONE wrote to Person 2, “I am so ready. Let’s get it on. Prepare to die [expletive].”

[fraurosena]

Short Abramson thread:

Another Abramson observation:

Neat timeline observation by Caroline Orr:

 

[mamallama]

Just an aside...Stone sure got the full on drug lord treatment.  We've had white collar arrests in my area and it's a bunch of guys in windbreakers with ear pieces.  I'm sure they have guns but not long guns and camo.

[fraurosena]

33 minutes ago, mamallama said:

Just an aside...Stone sure got the full on drug lord treatment.  We've had white collar arrests in my area and it's a bunch of guys in windbreakers with ear pieces.  I'm sure they have guns but not long guns and camo.

Those FBI agents aren't getting paid because of the shutdown. I wouldn't be surprised if they went all out just because they could. And to top it all off they tipped CNN so they could film it all. 

[AmazonGrace]

CNN was saying they were there on a hunch because there was Stone related grand jury activity yesterday

[AmazonGrace]

This was CNN on Thursday talking about the hunch.

 

[fraurosena]

Have we heard anything yet about Manafort's appearance in court today?

Stone's out on bond.

 

[onekidanddone]

6 minutes ago, fraurosena said:

Have we heard anything yet about Manafort's appearance in court today?

Stone's out on bond.

 

"South Florida"?  Isn't that a small town north of Moscow?

[47of74]

Hey FJ land.  Got a question after Stone got his ass hauled in....

Is this enough popcorn?

Or do we need several tons more?

[AmazonGrace]

 

[SilverBeach]

26 minutes ago, 47of74 said:

Hey FJ land.  Got a question after Stone got his ass hauled in....

Is this enough popcorn?

Or do we need several tons more?

OMG I just watched Stoneface and his lawyer talk to the press and there was big time heckling. "Lock him up, Lock him up!". You could barely hear Stoneface. It was great. We may indeed need more popcorn.

Sara "Lying face" Sanders was talking about this last night. Why does she always look like she needs a laxative and/or good bowel movement? She is full of shit though, so there is that. BEC, but deservedly so.

[fraurosena]

LOL... let's see how long it'll take before he squeals. All of them start off with this statement, only to back peddle as soon as they realize just how much Mueller knows and how royally screwed they actually are. 

 

[AmazonGrace]

 

Stone called Alex Jones show to beg for legal defense donations because of course he did

[onekidanddone]

49 minutes ago, AmazonGrace said:

 

Me thinks I've seen this somewhere before:

 

[47of74]

1 hour ago, SilverBeach said:

OMG I just watched Stoneface and his lawyer talk to the press and there was big time heckling. "Lock him up, Lock him up!". You could barely hear Stoneface. It was great. We may indeed need more popcorn.

Sara "Lying face" Sanders was talking about this last night. Why does she always look like she needs a laxative and/or good bowel movement? She is full of shit though, so there is that. BEC, but deservedly so.

According to an obscure German monk named Martin Luther, Naumberg Beer gives a person three good shits in the morning.

Maybe Sarah should drink a few gallons of that.  Not only could she take that giant shit (yeah, I know, real pleasant mental image there), but she'd then be drunk enough to skip out on a few of her hot air sessions.

[fraurosena]

7 minutes ago, 47of74 said:

Maybe Sarah should drink a few gallons of that.  Not only could she take that giant shit (yeah, I know, real pleasant mental image there), but she'd then be drunk enough to skip out on a few of her hot air sessions.

I'd pay money to see her do a drunk press-co. 

"Ishh all lieshhhh!"

"No -collushi...kaluah.... cauliflowersh.... shhit, wazzat word agin?"

"Fuck Newsh... Fuck.... oops... Fffaaake Newsh! Fake Newsh!"

"Blaaaarrrghhhh"

[SilverBeach]

39 minutes ago, onekidanddone said:

Me thinks I've seen this somewhere before:

 

I just read on The Root that Stone has Nixon's face tattooed on his back. Hmmmm...admire Nixon much ya think?

[47of74]

I'd pay money to see her do a drunk press-co. 
"Ishh all lieshhhh!"
"No -collushi...kaluah.... cauliflowersh.... shhit, wazzat word agin?"
"Fuck Newsh... Fuck.... oops... Fffaaake Newsh! Fake Newsh!"
"Blaaaarrrghhhh"

Her family would probably be like

SARAH! We never say fuck! We always say fornicate!

Along with chastising her for not drinking good ol murican beer like Old Milwaukee.

[GreyhoundFan]

20 minutes ago, SilverBeach said:

I just read on The Root that Stone has Nixon's face tattooed on his back. Hmmmm...admire Nixon much ya think?

I know this will require brain bleach, but ...

 

[Cartmann99]

I'm so far behind! I had some meat world shenanigans to attend to today, and promised myself that I wouldn't even look at the news until I finished. I pop on Twitter once I finished with said shenanigans, and I find out that Roger Stone has been arrested! 

 

 

[fraurosena]

7 hours ago, fraurosena said:

Anyone remember when the presidunce's accusations about Hillary's health began? If just after this suggestion (made on August 2, 2016) it would be rather significant.

Quoting myself here, but Kurt Eichenwald has the answer to my question above in this thread:

And boy is it significant. 

 

[fraurosena]