It’s hard to diagnose the series of events that led to Donald Trump being so agitated on Wednesday morning that he started the day by posting Islamophobic snuff films. There were probably several factors, including the ever-looming prospect that as America takes some steps toward shrugging off a culture of sexual harassment, someone might wake up long enough to say “what about Trump?” But some of Trump’s Nazi-connected hate spew was likely related to the faint, but constant sound of special counsel Robert Mueller moving ever closer.
It’s been clear since last week that former national security adviser Michael Flynn is attempting to find some information he can pass to the special prosecutor in exchange for a little mercy on the criminal idiocy displayed by both Flynn and his son. Flynn’s attorneys have met with Mueller more than once, and have ceased exchanging information with Trump’s legal team. It now seems that Mueller’s team and Flynn’s legal team may have a deal.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team has postponed an anticipated grand jury testimony linked to his investigation into Michael Flynn amid growing indications of possible plea deal discussions.
As part of the negotiations with Flynn, it seems that Mueller had a chat with Jared Kushner.
President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner has been questioned by special counsel Robert Mueller's team of investigators about former national security adviser Michael Flynn, a person familiar with the investigation confirmed Wednesday to The Associated Press.
The talk, which lasted about 90 minutes, wasn’t a general review of Kushner’s own activities during the Trump campaign—that Mueller moment is still to come. This appears to have been strictly some follow-up on Flynn. It could represent Mueller checking up on some of the info Flynn was offering. It could be the special counsel making sure that Team Trump wasn’t prepping some excuse for Flynn’s actions. Either way, Trump didn’t seem to like it.
The delayed grand jury session appears to be related to Flynn’s activities as a lobbyist for Turkey. It’s unlikely that Kushner had anything to say on that point, so it may be that what Flynn is offering up is information related to the campaign in exchange for dropping some of the potential charges related to his failure to follow the law on reporting lobbying activities … and that little $15 million scheme to kidnap a Turkish cleric currently living in Pennsylvania and bundle him off to certain death. Both of those things involved Flynn’s son, and the prospect of Junior making a long trip to prison may be providing Flynn’s biggest motivation to talk.
But what could Kushner know that was related to Flynn?
The meeting took place around the same time the special counsel asked witnesses about Kushner's role in the firing of former FBI Director James Comey and his relationship with Flynn, these people said.
Trump’s firing of Comey took place after Trump was angry about his failure to drop the Russia investigation in general, but specifically after Trump asked Comey to drop investigation into Michael Flynn. For reasons still not clear, Trump was very, very concerned about any investigation of Flynn’s activities. Which suggests that Flynn may actually have something valuable to offer against Trump.
What Mueller wanted out of Kushner may have been directly related to Flynn’s off-the-books connections to Russia, or he may have been collecting details for an obstruction of justice case.
Either way, it appears to have pushed some of Trump’s very easy-to-push buttons.