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I don't think a Republican congress would do anything if Trump fired Mueller. They are impotent.
I think it would be incredibly disastrous to their political careers if they did nothing in a scenario where Trump fires Mueller. Especially after the events of today.
After reading a transcript of the pleading, it's apparent that Cohen didn't cut a deal with the prosecutors.
That could mean he didn't roll over, or it could mean the prosecutors weren't interested in giving him any deal in the first place.
Since nothing was said about it, we will never know.
Cohen was asked by the judge several times if he was aware of the consequences of taking his guilty plea, and Cohen said that, as a lawyer, he was. He was uncomfortable admitting guilt aloud to the judge at least twice, but he did.
His admission doesn't prevent his cutting a deal with the prosecutors and/or the Mueller team later however. The timing could actually be better for such a deal after the judge has sentenced him than now, before the sentencing. Taking his plea with no deal could also influence the judge's sentencing, as his free admission of guilt, unqualified, may get him lighter sentences than he would have gotten otherwise.
Losing his license to practice law forever is a pretty stiff sentence by itself for an NYC lawyer who was making millions a year in legal practice. The judge will take that loss into account.
But Cohen also owns a large taxi business in NYC, and by taking the plea, was probably able to keep his possession of it. Part of the crimes he was charged with come from that business, not from his dealings with Trump. So, if he's able to cut a deal later on and still retain ownership of the taxi biz free and clear from any fines and charges, that's far better for his future income than losing both the biz and his license to practice law.
If he keeps his nose clean after all the dust settles, there's also the possibility of his being re-admitted to the bar at some future time again. His revocation was not permanent as far as I've seen; NYC lawyers in the bar association often leave that possibility open unless a lawyer has really gone against the bar association hard, and he hasn't done that.
So after a few years, if he makes nice to the bar and takes his lumps now, he could be re-admitted and return to practice.
All these things must have weighed on his mind very heavily over the past few months. Michael Cohen is a very smart lawyer, and part of being smart is knowing when you're licked and what it will take to come out of the licking in good shape.
Just 4 months ago, Cohen was still Trump's main man lawyer and everything was cool between them. That says a lot about the quality of the Mueller team and the NYC prosecutors' office. If Cohen had seen anyway out, he would have taken it, but they had him totally trapped. Defiance could have sent him to prison for 60 years if the judge had really thrown the book at him.
What impressed me most was the speed of these proceedings. 4 months is next to light speed in affairs like this. It displays just how much the Mueller team and the NYC city team really have on the Trump organization. His guilty plea also shows their confidence in the info they have being sound in court.
That Manifort was found guilty of 8 charges, and mis-trialed on 10, also shows how good their info is. Manifort has been a smooth operator for close to 40 years, and no one knows better than he how to cover up under many different international legal blankets. To get snagged on close to half of the charges against him, and the others still open for re-trial, shows the soundness of the Mueller team's evidence trove.
It's very rare when so many charges all get the same findings from a jury. If he had been found guilty of just 4 of the 18, that would have been a big win for the prosecutors normally.
And Manafort still awaits 2 more trials on totally different charges. If he tries to flip now, he probably won't get the deal Cohen got; his trial cost too much and he was too stubborn. But those attitudes could sure change once he sees the sentences of his assistant, who did turn state's evidence, and Cohen, who copped a guilty plea.
Maybe he's hoping Trump will give him a pardon. But any pardon is far into the future yet, as he can't be pardoned until after he's sentenced, and that could be months away. Will Trump be quick to pardon him by October, when the election is in full swing? Or afterward, when Trump is in deeper trouble than right now?
Who knows? Since a pardon could very likely lead to impeachment by December, it's very hard to predict what Trump will or won't do.
I said earlier I think Trump knew this was coming and that's why he distanced himself from Cohen that day on AF1.
As far as Cohen making a living, not only is he disbarred as a convicted felon he can't own a Taxi Medallion and he can't him sell Real Estate. He is done.
Whether he is or not, his statement today that tRump directed him to violate campaign law in the fall of 2016 in order to influence the election now makes tRump "an unindicted co-conspirator."
I just turned on Fox News for s***s and giggles and Mark Levin is incoherently going on about Cohen. He says there was no violation of campaign laws. He is just calling people names and screaming into the camera. Perfect little Trump puppet.
Cohen's lawyer is on Maddow blowing it up -heard it through the social media vine -- not MSM so keep you fake news accusations out of it -- it's just people chatting....ugh.
Haven't seen it yet -- off to see what there is to see.
You have any proof that this investigation is "corrupt"? I have a feeling you're saying it's corrupt simply because your hero and idol, Trump, is the one being investigated. If it were Hillary or Obama up there you wouldn't have a single problem with it. In fact I bet youd be in here praising it to no end.
I just turned on Fox News for s***s and giggles and Mark Levin is incoherently going on about Cohen. He says there was no violation of campaign laws. He is just calling people names and screaming into the camera. Perfect little Trump puppet.
Interesting interpretation considering Levin is a constitutional lawyer and unlike the ambulance chasers on opposition networks, Levin knows what he's talking about.
Bottom line is Trump has nothing to worry about. But it was really interesting to hear Levin say Lannie Davis, Cohen's lawyer and Clinton acolyte, essentially sold out his client by telling him to plead guilty to something he didn't have to. Sounds like Davis was working for Hillary instead.
I saw Davis debating Steve Bannon in Prague a couple of months ago - youtube has it. Davis may have been a good lawyer many years ago but clearly age has taken a toll on his mind. I was a bit shocked as I'd expected much more from him.
You have any proof that this investigation is "corrupt"? I have a feeling you're saying it's corrupt simply because your hero and idol, Trump, is the one being investigated. If it were Hillary or Obama up there you wouldn't have a single problem with it. In fact I bet youd be in here praising it to no end.
What do you think trump will do when put under oath?
Was just somewhere reading about him agreeing to a five year sentence with prosecutors. Didn't catch the details.
I think no one knows what Trump will do under oath, including Trump himself.
He doesn't worry about it, that's for sure. If he did, he wouldn't give away so much of what his thoughts are in his Tweets.
Five years sounds like a good compromise for Cohen, if that was the deal he struck with the prosecutors. I'm not at all sure a deal was struck at all, from the tone of the judge's comments to Cohen- the judge asked him several times if Cohen realized the judge did not have to follow any recommendations from anyone in the sentencing.
The judge was looking for some signs of true regret and repentance from Cohen today, and I think Cohen showed him some. Nobody knows yet if it will affect the judge or not, but it may help Cohen deal with the prosecutors in the near future.
As for Manafort? It looks to me that the prosecutors will be completely happy to see him behind bars for the rest of his life.
That probably won't happen, but he could do 20 years, and for a guy who's in his late 60s, 20 years is a lot of time. Manafort really screwed up when he tried to tamper with a witness.
I expect the prosecutors, judge and jury will all make him pay dearly for that one when he goes to trial for it. I also expect the judge's sentence may reflect what's in store for him in that trial too.
That's a smooth operator for you. Those guys learn how to slide through life untouched, get real good at it, and come to expect it's always going to happen. Manafort was the smoothest of them all for well over 30 years.
I can't imagine his humiliation when he was finally forced to get a mug shot in jail scrubs. For a guy who spent well over a million dollars a year in clothes and grooming, it must have been the very worst day in his life.
I love America. It's the Trumpists who love Russia and hate America.
Oh, and thanks for conceding that Trump is corrupt and most likely has entered into a quid pro quo arrangement with Kavanaugh.
Al Sharpton Tax cheat, Geithner a Tax cheat Etc and nothing has been done.
At the end of the day I care more about Mollie murdered by an illegal alien and we need a wall!
MAGA!
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