New York Times Publishes Lists of Mueller’s Questions for Trump, Presumably Leaked by Member of Office of the Special Counsel

Some of the questions ask Trump “what were you THINKING while ……”
Shouldn’t whether he did this-or-that at all be established 1st??
How is that relevant to a fact-finding line of questions?
Is his INTENT more important over his act? Sounds like it.
Funny, considering intent was irrelevant to Hillary’s crime but was used as an excuse for not going after her.

What some legal eagles are saying is that these questions would merely constitute an opening to OTHER, follow-up questions based on Trump’s answers!
Never going to happen, I hope.

The leaks were by somebody inside the Trump White House or the Trump legal team, because it was the Trump legal team that came up with a list of hypothetical questions. The Special Counsel’s staff only advised them of the interview topics they could be interested in.

Mueller has been running a very tight ship. Nobody has a clue what they’ve got, which is why Trump answering questions could be so dangerous.

The Trump White House, on the other hand, has leaked like a sieve since the beginning.

@Mully:

And your proof of this assertion is from? Or am I confused it’s only your opinion?

Opinions count as facts to leftists. Pay no attention. He’s fired up after his May Day festivities yesterday.

@Mully, #4:

‘Fox & Friends’ claims ‘We don’t know’ who leaked the Mueller questions

On Wednesday morning’s edition of “Fox & Friends,” co-host Ainsley Earhardt did people a public service by reading an important passage from the news-breaking New York Times article containing questions that special counsel Robert S. Mueller III wants to pose to President Trump. Zeroing in on how that list leaked to the newspaper, Earhardt read: The “New York Times is saying … they were read by special counsel investigators — these questions — to the president’s lawyers, who compiled them into a list and then provided to the Times by a person outside the president’s legal team,” she said, summarizing a portion of this story.

Despite that wording, people all over the place have pointed the finger at Mueller for the leak. None other than Fox News host Sean Hannity railed that it was “clearly a leak by the special prosecutor’s office.”

Mueller’s people advised Trump’s legal team of the topics they were interested in covering in an interview; Trump’s team then compiled a list of questions. The source of the assertion that Mueller’s people leaked specific questions is Sean Hannity.

The New York Times neither said nor implied any such thing.

@Deplorable Bill, #6:

That “investigation” leaks like a sieve. If they have it, they’ve leaked it.

What, specifically, has the Mueller investigation itself been proven to have leaked? Each public revelation about what’s going on inside the investigation has come as the result of a formal legal action. Everything else has been external speculation.

If they’re now seeking sworn testimony from Trump, rest assured that there are things they already know and have the evidence to prove. This is an endgame move. Trump’s legal team knows this perfectly well.

@Deplorable Bill, #10:

When information that only the Mueller organization has (or has fabricated) is leaked, I would say that all indications point towards Mueller.

Which is not the situation in the case of the questions list. Obviously Team Trump had them, and most likely wrote them. They also most likely leaked them, in an effort to create an opportunity to attack and discredit Mueller.

Where Did the List of Questions Robert Mueller Allegedly Had For Trump Come From?

Yeah, Greg. Most likely, the Trump team writes the questions for Mueller to ask.

No, someone on the Trump team—most likely Jay Sekulow—wrote up a list of questions to prepare Trump for what he would most likely be asked.

Mueller’s team wouldn’t have revealed specific questions ahead of time. That’s not what potential prosecutors do.

A Rigged System – They don’t want to turn over Documents to Congress. What are they afraid of? Why so much redacting? Why such unequal “justice?” At some point I will have no choice but to use the powers granted to the Presidency and get involved!

7:45 AM – 2 May 2018

Uh, you are involved. And your only powers are those defined by the Constitution.

But they did, didn’t they?

I believe that was a demonstration of circular reasoning.

There’s no evidence that Mueller’s people leaked their questions, and doing so would have been illogical. To my mind, that argues against making such an assumption.

Trump’s legal and PR team, on the other hand, had a reason to release hypothetical questions and then attribute the leak to Mueller—namely, to provide a basis for the accusation they’re now making.

My bet is on Door #2.

Actually Mueller’s long professional history has been exemplary. Based on his record, George W Bush nominated him to become Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. That nomination was unanimously approved in the U.S. Senate. Obama subsequently offered him a two year extension of his tenure, which Mueller accepted, and that extension was also unanimously approved by the U.S. Senate. Most everyone thought well of the man and held him in high regard, until it fell to him to investigate Donald Trump.

Mueller’s military record poses a bit of a problem for those who would discredit him. His Vietnam service involves a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, two Navy and Marine Corps commendations, and a Combat Action Ribbon, along with the more standard decorations of the era. Still, his honorable service might be turned on its head. It’s been successfully done with others.
—
Mueller is just one more honorable public servant Trump zealots and republican sycophants are attempting to destroy to protect their boy in the White House. I wish them no luck whatsoever, because they deserve none. I wish them all exactly what they deserve.

@Deplorable Bill, #20:

His military career, while commendable and appreciated, has no bearing on him conducting a witch hunt at the behest of sore loser crybabies. In fact, his service is badly tainted by his anti-American and anti-Constitutional pursuit of this liberal sedition.

It’s fortunate one’s military history is irrelevant, since that of the draft dodger under investigation wouldn’t compare favorably.

How do we account for the fact that Mueller’s nominations as FBI Director—once by a republican president and once by a democratic president—were twice confirmed by unanimous votes of the U.S. Senate? Did they somehow twice miss that he was a seditious incompetent? Or might there be something seriously biased about that very recent appraisal?

Everything in Trump World, including our American values, seems to have been turned upside down, just as easily as they change their story. For example, Trump previously denied all knowledge of any Stormy Daniel payoff, which had been made by his attorney without his knowledge or direction, with funds out of his attorney’s own pocket; now Rudy is suddenly telling us that Trump actually reimbursed him, which would seem to suggest that he did know about it. Nobody in Trump World seems to care that one tale or the other must be a lie.

@Deplorable Bill, #22:

Even of the stories of a porn industry prick-cushion is to be believed, it was consensual and 11 years old. It has nothing whatsoever to do with Trump’s ability to govern, which has proven to be very able.

Republicans tried to take Bill Clinton down based on nothing more than a false statement he made concerning a consensual affair with a young woman who was not a porn queen, as I recall—and only managed that by terrifying her with threats of perjury charges, because she had no desire whatsoever to testify about a private affair. This was the final result of a prolonged, taxpayer-funded “witch hunt” that came up with little else to damage Clinton’s presidency.

Trump likely has more skeletons than closets to put them in.

As for Trump’s ability to govern, there are few signs that any such thing exists. He can’t even assemble a stable administrative staff or legal team. His “ability to govern” is little more than the product of self promotion, with a big assist from an irresponsible Congressional majority that would support the frickin’ Prince of Darkness if he were willing to rubber stamp their legislation.

These bozos just tried to fire the House Chaplain, following complaints to the leadership that he had asked in prayer that the legislative body be guided to seek the greater good of all the people they represent. Happily that attempt to silence the House’s voice of conscience has blown up in their faces. Maybe Pat Conroy should run for president.

@Greg:

Republicans tried to take Bill Clinton down based on nothing more than a false statement he made concerning a consensual affair with a young woman who was not a porn queen,

That was the result of an investigation (an actual criminal investigation) that led to Clinton committing perjury before a Grand Jury… before that was deemed legal for a Clinton. Clinton’s affair also happened while he was in office… IN the office.

Trump is governing on a level Obama or Hillary could not even imagine. Successful economic policies, successful foreign policies and restoring global respect for the US. All of your complaints are based on the simple fact that the criminal Hillary beat herself and you crybabies can’t accept facts.

The Times didn’t write the questions–Trump’s lawyers ADMITTEDLY did so —then released them—to get DT’S full attention?
Poor Rudy –reduced to an old man doing a comedic act–next gig the Borscht belt? Rudy’s 3rd wife filed for divorce in April so maybe he can get the 35 grand a month that DT was paying the disposed Cohn.
What brought on Neil Cavuto’s anti Trump rant today? Surprised the hell out of me.
Kudo’s to DT re dealings with the rocket man–let’s hope this détente is real and continues.

@Greg: #23

and only managed that by terrifying her with threats of perjury

Why did she stick her dress in a freezer, blue was the color I think.
Did you look at the questions? its tripe I dont think anyone leaked I think the Media came up with a fake wish list of questions, if they are the questions Mueller should be fired for idiocy.
What did you think, what was your opinion, it is all BS. Find the facts about Russian influence on our election, not opinions and feelings. Seems to prove he doesnt have squat.

@Greg: No, apparently a porn star is their focus, which tells you the width and breadth of his “investigation”. They’ve leaked their best shots. There is nothing and never was.

@Greg: #19

Actually Mueller’s long professional history has been exemplary

I guess the last 3 times I’ve posted this haven’t managed to scratch Greg’s ‘built-in bias’ and his apparent worship of all things Mueller (except maybe the truth…).

”Trump-Russia: Not Mueller’s First Botched Investigation

Some maintain that he is the ultimate professional dedicated to following the truth, but others say he is a political hack…One needs only to study his actions as FBI director when he managed the FBI’s most important investigation ever.

In September of 2001, an entity began mailing anthrax through the U.S. postal system, hitting such prominent targets as NBC and Senator Tom Daschle’s office. The terrorist attacks killed five and left others hospitalized. Simultaneous to planning the airplane hijackings, al-Qaeda had also been weaponizing anthrax…one of the hijackers, Ahmed al Haznawi, went to the emergency room in an American hospital with a skin lesion, which a team of bioterrorism experts confirmed was probably due to anthrax.

Under Mueller’s management, the FBI launched an investigation lasting ten years. The bureau now brags about spending “hundreds of thousands of investigator hours on this case.”

Mueller issued a statement in October of 2001, while anthrax victims were still dying: the FBI had found “no direct link to organized terrorism.” The Johns Hopkins team of experts was mistaken, the FBI continued; Haznawi never had an anthrax infection.

Mueller’s FBI honed in on Steven Hatfill – a “flag-waving” American who had served in the Army, then dedicated himself to protecting America from bioterrorist threats by working in the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases – as the culprit.

There was no direct link from Hatfill to the attacks, by the FBI’s own admission. The FBI never even charged Hatfill. The bureau only spied on, followed, and harassed him, non-stop, for years. Hatfill successfully sued the government for its unlawful actions. He won almost six million dollars.

After the Hatfill investigation blew up in the FBI’s face, the agents moved on to Bruce Ivins, another Army researcher…It wasn’t until five years after the attack that Mueller’s men decided that Ivins was a target. Ivins was never indicted. He was just given the Hatfill treatment: house raided and threatened with a death sentence, or, as his lawyer put it, put under “relentless pressure of accusation and innuendo.” He committed suicide.

One week later, U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Taylor stated that Ivins was guilty “beyond a reasonable doubt,” and law enforcement was “confident that Dr. Ivins was the only person responsible for these attacks.”

Director Mueller ordered an independent audit of the FBI’s case by the National Academy of Science but then quietly closed the case before the audit was finished. Mueller concluded that Ivins alone committed the terror attack. One year after Mueller closed the case, the NAS released its results and confirmed what many scientists had been repeating for years: the FBI’s science and conclusions were wrong.

Mueller made his position known – “I do not apologize for any aspect of this investigation” – and stated that the FBI had made no mistakes.”
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2018/01/trumprussia_not_muellers_first_botched_investigation.html#ixzz54jimZld0

Not one, but TWO incorrect suspects in a single investigation who were never charged with any crime. One of whom committed suicide, but was later shown to be innocent, the other who won almost $6 million taxpayer dollars – which is on top of however much was spent in ten years for ‘hundreds of thousands’ of investigator hours.

But I guess we’re supposed to be comforted by the fact that at least Mueller didn’t feel the need to apologize?

“Robert Mueller Is a Hothead Who Can’t Own Up to His Mistakes, Former Aides Say

Robert Mueller, special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election, is a “gruff guy” who routinely undermined his subordinates and evaded responsibility as head of the FBI, according to several former aides and investigators…

Those interviewed criticized Mueller’s handling of many high-profile cases stretching back to 1979, his temperament with government witnesses, and for directing his subordinates at the FBI to shield him from criticism. One former aide went so far as to say that Mueller is “someone that can’t accept the fact that he screwed up.”

The first of these cases took place in 1979, when Mueller took over the case against 33 members of the Hells Angels motorcycle club charged with drug trafficking, murder, and bombings. As reported by the Times, “after four months, the jury said it was deadlocked, and the judge declared a mistrial. Mueller decided not to ask for a retrial.”

Later, as director of the FBI, Mueller instructed his staff to protect him from the agency’s oversight division, according to former colleagues interviewed by the Times.

Most notably, Mueller is charged with scrapping a highly-critical review of his Directorate of Intelligence, a unit that he had created at the FBI to investigate terrorism more effectively.

“It was, ‘The director will get skewered. We’ve got to protect him, and we can’t issue this,’” a former official told the Times. “Anywhere it said ‘inspection,’ they changed it to ‘review.’ And said this was a review, not an inspection, and therefore they didn’t have to issue it to … the inspector general.”

Lastly, the Times article delves into Mueller’s unsuccessful attempt at negotiating with Russian officials to turn over Edward Snowden in 2013. According to a former official, Mueller would call his Russian counterpart, Alexander Bortnikov, “starting at 3 a.m. in Washington” every day for at least a week, “begging to talk to the guy.” Bortnikov reportedly never answered the phone, and Snowden was granted asylum in Russia soon after.”
http://www.newsweek.com/robert-mueller-special-counsel-russia-aides-criticize-722670

Not particularly ‘exemplary’ in my opinion. Mueller has a background of massive screw-ups to go along with his tendency to ignore facts that might lead in a different direction than his pre-determined outcome.

@Greg: Hmmm… so raiding the office of one of Trump’s attorney, who has NOTHING to do with the campaign or Russia, a MAJOR overstep, was just a tryst? I guess Mueller likes to have fun every once in a while, too.

@Jay: You have to understand, if these deep charactor flaws are directed at a Republican, he becomes “honorable”.

@Greg: #36

Following the money has always been a reliable way for criminal investigators to get to the bottom of things.

Yet the left always denies there is any reason why Hillary’s various questionable income streams should be investigated.

Perhaps because they are well aware of what is at ‘the bottom of things’ regarding Hillary.

(Greg #36) Stormy Daniels has little to do with what Mueller is attempting to zero in on.

Apparently Judge Ellis may feel the same way about the charges Mueller brought against Paul Manafort.

“I don’t see what relation this indictment has with what the special counsel is authorized to investigate,” Ellis told prosecutors. “You don’t really care about Mr. Manafort’s bank fraud … What you really care about is what information Mr. Manafort could give you that would reflect on Mr. Trump or lead to his prosecution or impeachment.”

Prosecutors said Friday that their investigative powers were outlined both in Rosenstein’s letter appointing Mueller in May and in the August memo. They also said they had additional authority that they could not disclose in the courtroom because it related to ongoing investigations and could affect national security.

But Ellis apparently wasn’t buying it, reportedly characterizing the special counsel’s office’s argument as: “We said this was what the investigation was about, but we are not bound by it, and we were lying.”

In the doublethink department,

Renato Mariotti, a former federal prosecutor, {said} “Whether the special counsel wants Manafort to flip is not relevant to the question of whether this indictment is within the scope of his jurisdiction,” he wrote. “If the judge considers Mueller’s motivation in bringing the indictment and dismisses it, that’s reversible error.”
http://www.businessinsider.com/judge-ts-ellis-mueller-manafort-flip-trump-russia-2018-5

If I remember correctly, isn’t (at least) one of President Trump’s travel ban EO’s in limbo as we speak because the judge is questioning Trump’s ‘motivation’ in issuing the order?

So it’s OK to question Trump’s motivation in federal court, but not Mueller’s?

Once again, it appears that if it weren’t for double standards, the left would have no standards at all.

@Greg:

Their tax returns and the Clinton Foundation’s annual statements are all there for examination, so have at it

When they are looked at, the Clinton’s have to go back and revise them to include the millions in foreign donations they “forgot” to declare. Their returns are as honest as they are.

Yes, indeed. It’s called the checks and balances system.

Federal judges don’t check or balance anything. Their job is to see law is enforced, not interpret intent based on their liberal bias.