***Update*** During her show Rachel Maddow got handed a new story which got published by McClatchy after she’d gone on the air. It noted a search warrant has been executed against someone that wasn’t named, as part of their talking to associates of Michael Cohen. However it seems part of the records seized (the FBI showed up without warning at the target’s home it seems) had to do with Cohen’s — regarding his involvement in Trump deals in recent years in several countries. This diary notes that Mueller has been looking into Cohen already. It seems they are focusing a lot more on him that I realized which makes my guess that he’s in serious trouble maybe more than a guess. Another diary tonight notes something I hadn’t been specific about — that it was Michael Avenatti (Stormy Daniel’s attorney) saying he didn’t think Cohen would be able to stand up to the pressure about to be applied to him & that he (Cohen) surely has all kinds of dirt on Trump. And that was before this new story by McClatchy broke tonight!
Well, I guess Trump could have shut retreated into his Office on Air Force One and slammed the door, but I supposed he figured they’d just wait outside and the country would be treated to “film at eleven” of his retreat & reporters shouting questions at a closed door followed by commentary about a President cowering inside. Afraid to face reporters. So he actually replied to the questions ( www.msn.com/... ) — as the exchange in the Washington Post shows he didn’t deflect or say “No comment” but actually gave a direct (if bullshit) set of answers:
As the president returned to Washington from West Virginia on Thursday afternoon, he spoke with reporters aboard Air Force One for about three and a half minutes. At one point, a reporter asked him: “Did you know about the $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels?”
Trump responded: “No.”
The reporter then asked: “Then why did Michael Cohen make it, if there was no truth to her allegations?”
“You’ll have to ask Michael Cohen,” Trump said. “Michael’s my attorney, and you’ll have to ask Michael.”
Another reporter then asked the president: “Do you know where he got the money to make that payment?”
“No,” Trump said. “I don’t know.”
That reporter then asked: “Did you ever set up a fund of money that he could pull from?”
Trump ignored the question and turned to another reporter who asked the president to repeat comments he made earlier in his visit.
It wasn’t until that last question that his brain housing group (such as it is) kicked into gear and he started deflecting. But, for reasons I’ll go into in a minute he just threw his personal attorney/fixer Michael Cohen under the bus.
Cohen is going to get himself an up close and personal understanding of what the underside of a bus looks like. And it’s not a pretty view. Especially when as is sure to happen the guy who threw him under it keeps backing it up and driving it over him repeatedly in the days and weeks ahead. As his clothes get ripped from his body those watching will see Cohen is as greasy and grimy as the underside of that bus. But the significance goes well beyond Trump’s having blown his own case to keep Stormy Daniels/Stephanie Clifford in arbitration — and details yet to be publicly known released. Cohen is already on Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s list of targets.
Forget the spectacle of the porn star trashing “Donnie Wannabee Juan’s” “World’s Bigliest Most Awesomest Lover EVER” credentials. And conservative “family values” KKKristians contorting themselves into positions even Cirque Du Soleil performers can’t even manage in his defense. I’ll enjoy all that of course — entertainment is where you find it. But the real action will happen with Mueller and his team. And with the New York State Bar & probably New York State AG Eric Scheiderman too.
Keep in mind that I noted that Cohen has not only been a long time personal lawyer for Trump, he’s been a confidant and “fixer.” As I saw brought up on TV in the last hour there surely is no small amount of dirt that Cohen possesses on Trump. Cohen is already being looked at by the Special Counsel’s investigation on the campaign finance angle. Now, he’s looking at an enhance case on that front due to both his own and now the President’s statements. But he’s also looking at fraud charges, and while lawyers on here might correct me (IANAL) possible fraud charges for entering into a contract and even making payment without the knowledge or approval of the party whom he was representing. And since the case was already on the Special Counsel’s radar and Cohen kept forcing the issue (both publicly and in legal proceedings) to keep Daniels/Clifford from speaking out including filing a 20 million dollar lawsuit we might be even talking witness intimidation. Daniels/Clifford after all could be called as a witness regarding the details of her being willing to enter into an agreement to keep silent two weeks before the election!
Campaign finance law violations might be civil matters, but fraud and witness intimidation are crimes both on a federal and state level.
As was noted on Air Melber’s show earlier, Michael Cohen is probably about to be put under enormous pressure. It’s almost a given he can kiss his license to practice law goodbye. That’s bad enough. He could still finagle a way to continue to be a “fixer”, maybe except he’s looking at being a defendant. Against a team of lawyers (both federal and state) who could have run circles around him back when they were in their first year in law school. And on Melber’s show it was noted that (even if he doesn’t realize it yet) Trump has just place a “yuge” amount of trust in Cohen. However, Cohen has never faced the kind of pressure he’s about to face. He’s used to working for a client with a reputation and lots of money to throw around, and against people without the resources to fight back.
Not this time.
And I’ll say it again — his client has thrown him under the bus.
Keep in mind a lot of what got all this Stormy Daniels business started, and why she had a potential claim to void that “agreement” is that Cohen complained to people he’d never gotten his 130k reimbursed. He was in such an all-fired hurry it seems he really might have put it up assuming he’d get paid back. Possibly because it had worked that way in the past (something else Mueller is apparently looking in to) although Trump’s dodging the question about whether there was a “fixer fund” of some sort is interesting.
I think in the end Trump has shown he’s is worst own enemy because he can’t keep his mouth shut, or take good advice when he gets it. I have no doubt at all that lawyers near him told him a long time ago to step up, and take the question(s) and reply “I’m not going to comment on stuff like that — if you have questions ask my lawyer.” Of course, since one of those lawyers and in fact the very one who is supposed to have handled this stepped in shit a long time ago that’s problematic.
Anyway, to quote another Trump confident and known ratfucker Roger Stone “Cohen’s time in the barrel is coming” and it’s coming soon. Cohen is in a world of shit. He’s (apparently) out his 130k, forking out who knows how much for his own lawyer, facing a future where he’s got no way to earn the kind of income he needs to support a lifestyle he’s grown accustomed to — and even facing jail time. IOW, we’re about to find out just how loyal he is to Trump. He’s yet another person facing a choice: Lose little or lose big. Losing little in this case would be cutting a deal with Mueller and giving up a lot of goodies. He’d still lose his law license but could maybe save some of his ill gotten financial gains he’s made from being Trump’s “sin eater” and a chance at maybe earning some type of income in the future. Or, if he really loves Trump as much as he claims he could end up losing big — loss of law license, loss of lots of money (in legal fees and in other ways) and loss of freedom AND the ability to earn any meaningful income when he gets out of jail.
I’m guessing, but it he was going around whining he hadn’t been repaid for that 130k there are limits to his loyalty/love for Trump. And when face to face with lawyers (Mueller’s team) who are capable of doing far more to him than he could ever have done to others when fixing Trump’s problems, when HE is the one experiencing genuine fear because HE is the one outmatched he’ll fold like a cheap lawn chair.
This could get really interesting and soon.