Lawyers representing Donald Trump’s current and former aides are giving their clients one simple piece of advice: Don’t lie to protect the president.
As special counsel Robert Mueller and congressional investigators prepare to question high-ranking aides — including Hope Hicks, Reince Priebus and Sean Spicer — in the coming weeks, Trump’s long history of demanding his employees’ complete loyalty is being put to the test.
But Trump stalwarts know the president is closely following the media coverage of the Russia case — and the last thing they want is to be deemed a turncoat whose answers end up becoming further fuel for investigators.
Several of the lawyers representing current and former aides told POLITICO they’re actively warning their clients that any bonds connecting them to Trump won’t protect them from criminal charges if federal prosecutors can nail them for perjury, making false statements or obstruction of justice.
“What I always tell clients is you can’t protect anybody. You can only hurt yourself,” said a lawyer representing a client involved in the Russia probe. The attorney added that any overt attempts to protect Trump will raise wider suspicions of a cover-up, making matters “worse for everybody.”
At this point, considering the loyalty that Trump demands of his people, I would be willing to bet that somebody is going to get charged with perjury. I think is kind of baked into the process at this point.
They will either do it out of some sense of gratitude or loyalty, or because they actually believe that Trump will ultimately protect them.
I would suggest that neither Sean Spicer of Reince Priebus are among those in danger of facing jail time however, as I see both of them as having been around politics too long, and having been too mistreated by Trump, to sacrifice their freedom to protect him from what they likely see as his unavoidable fate.
The thing about this Mueller investigation in particular is that he is going to gather a ton of folks who have knowledge of certain events, and if a Trump loyalist's story does not match that of everybody else they are truly FUBAR'd.
I am not certain that a person like Hope Hicks completely appreciates the gravity of their situation however.
She would be my first choice as one who would go down with the ship.
http://www.rawstory.com/2017/09/sen-warner-pushing-for-facebook-and-twitter-execs-to-testify-in-public-on-role-in-russia-meddling/
ReplyDelete"“We’re seeing more evidence of additional ads and how they are used to manipulate individuals,” Warner said. “I think, one of the reasons why we need to bring in Facebook, Twitter and others in some level of public hearing, is that this opens a whole new arena.”"
Mike Fuckabee's daughter and KAC could go down too
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rawstory.com/2017/09/olbermann-nails-why-trump-jrs-testimony-handed-mueller-all-he-needs-to-indict-trump-for-lying-and-obstruction/
ReplyDeleteNobody lives in a vacuum and few people can keep a secret, and when the going gets tough, somebody always spills their guts, and it slimes every person in any way connected to them. There's always a snitch.
ReplyDeleteI worked for an old attorney and he told me that he always looked for the weak link and there's always a weak link.
GeorgiaPeach
"the Justice Department "should certainly look at" prosecuting former FBI Director James Comey for leaking "privileged information" and giving "false testimony" to Congress.
ReplyDelete"His actions were improper and likely could have been illegal," ""Comey leaked memos to the New York Times," Sanders said, incorrectly."
http://www.businessinsider.com/james-comey-trump-white-house-russia-2017-9
Well, DJT either has an idiot talking for him or he's the idiot talking. Either way, stupidity reigns. GD, I hope these imbeciles get paid much money. Obviously, integrity is a lost soul in DJT'S WH.
DeleteGeorgiaPeach
Congress Overwhelmingly Approves Resolution Condemning White Nationalists
ReplyDeletehttps://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-unanimously-approves-resolution-condemning-white-nationalists-n800816
he measure, which now goes to President Donald Trump for his signature, urges the Trump administration to speak out against hate groups that espouse racism, extremism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and white supremacy. It also calls on the Justice Department and other federal agencies to "use all resources available" to improve data collection on hate crimes and "address the growing prevalence of those hate groups in the United States."
Oh, and Equifax, should lose everything.
DeleteGeorgiaPeach
You do know they've taken the White Supremacists off of the Homeland watch lists but have declared the "Anti-Fa", or protest groups to be domestic terrorist groups.
DeleteYes, taking all these domestic terrorist groups off the Homeland Security watch list was a BIG RED FLAG as to what this administration thinks of white supremacy.
DeleteIt seems like it went unnoticed and the media didn’t seem to report it very much, maybe something else was going on at the same time.
Thank you Georgia Peach!
DeleteMay they ALL go down with the ship.
ReplyDeleteAs for Hope Hicks, look where Monica got her.
Idiot.
Trump has been a liar and a bullshitter all his life, the problem is we are not talking about casinos or hotels here. Everything he has owned he never actually ran.
ReplyDeleteHe has no interest beyond his ego. He thinks being President is a title to achieve for his own ego.
When is the Republican party going to finally have enough. When are they going to realize they have a want to be dictator on their hands, they have to bring him down to save any semblance of values and i believe he will go down.
Actually,he did have more of a hand in running his Atlantic City casinos that went bankrupt.
DeleteIt is pathetic and should be criminal when an A-hole administration can't keep their word for people who are dying and in great distress. What about their families? Words are cheap, shit or get off the pot Donald Trump.
ReplyDeleteA Month Has Passed Since Trump Declared an Opioid Emergency. What Next?
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/10/us/politics/trump-opioid-emergency.html
Trump declares a lot of things that never seems to happen. Right now he has to show up for Florida it gives him a shot at playing a hero.
DeleteHe can sit there and spew all kinds of shit. Where's Melania Trump? Seems to me that as First Lady she could have a cause besides posing.
Laziest First Lady ever!With all the help she has she sits on her botox, fake boob ass and does nothing.
Her sole job is to make Donny fat ass ,ridiculous hair idiot look like good.
>>>A Month Has Passed Since Trump Declared an Opioid Emergency. What Next? <<<
DeleteNothing!
Just like Donald the OrangeANUS and his Yooge charity donations!
ALL BULLSHIT!
He doesn't even fart unless he's get paid!
Good attorneys are worth their weight in gold. Pretty sure that the ones representing Spicer, et.al, are talented in the ways of soft-shoeing around the actual truth.
ReplyDeleteGoing Down On dRUMPf>
ReplyDeletehttp://www.politicususa.com/2017/09/12/mike-flynn-refuses-request-witness-senate.html
wAtch and Take Heed: "Russ Feingold was the only U.S. Senator to vote against the USA Patriot Act, which established the surveillance state now in the hands of President Trump. The progressive Wisconsin native reflects on the legacy of the terrorist attack 16 years later as well as his new voting rights group LegitAction."
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/interviews/fmr-wisconsin-senator-russ-feingold/
Isn't Hope Hicks the one having an affair with Corey Lewandowski? She lives in a DC apt. that costs $10,000 a month, allegedly.
ReplyDeleteI think that's over now.
DeleteShe's being paid YUUUUUGELY by Trump. Maybe not him personally but her yearly salary is the highest of the White House staff.
Now, why do you think that is?
Are hopey hicks parents buddies with the mercers? Why is she so loyal? Something odd.
ReplyDeleteI think she intends to be the next Mrs. DJT.
DeleteEither Trump has the hots for Hope Hicks or they are having an affair, which has long been rumored. I saw them together once and the look on his face was pure lechery. She is only 28 years old and the highest paid White House employee? Things that make you go hmmm...
DeleteReince Priebus and Sean Spicer will not commit perjury.
ReplyDeleteHope Hicks most likely will. She's young, inexperienced and likely Trump's lover. She went from Ivanka's girlfriend to Trump's assistant making an annual salary equal to both Priebus and Bannon. What did she do to earn such a high salary? he he he. You tell me.
I still think Donnie Junior will open wide and insert footwear without even realizing it.
I think Kushner will say anything to save his own ass. Whether that involves perjury or not will depend on the questions.