Jack - Trump's Love Letter to Mueller

Episode Date: June 6, 2018

BONUS - In this week's second free bonus minisode, we discuss the 20-page letter Trump's team sent to Mueller in January. Enjoy!

They might be giants that have been on the road for too long. Too long. And they might be giants aren't even sorry. Not even sorry. And audiences like the shows too much. Too much. And now they might be giants that are playing their breakthrough album, all of it.

And they still have time for other songs. They're fooling around. Who can stop? They might be giants and their liberal rocket gender. Who? No one. This had to stay forward forward somebody else's money. So to be clear, Mr. Trump has no financial relationships

with any Russian oligarchs. That's what he said. That's what I said. That's obviously what our position is. I'm not aware of any of those activities. I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign. And I didn't have, not have communications with the Russians. What do I have to get involved with Putin for having nothing to do with Putin?

I've never spoken to him. I don't know anything about a mother than he will respect me. Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. So, it is political. You're a communist! No, Mr. Green. Communism is just a red herring. Like all members of the oldest professional capitalist. Hello, this is Muller's She Wrote. I am your anonymous host, A.G. and with me, as always, is Julie Sejonsen and Jordan Coburn. This is a free bonus episode.

We're going to put out Happy Wednesday to you all. And basically, we went over this whole 20- page letter that Trump's lawyers, Dowd and Seculow, sent to Mueller's team back in January. We covered this in the episode. But I wanted to do a full detailed breakdown. So you guys had a little extra information because it was just too much to add to that episode. So this letter was sent in January, January 28th after a meeting with Mueller's team that

they had on January 8th where they all sat down. And that's when Mueller gave them the 16 topics in four areas, which we've covered. And I think Seculo took those 16 topics and wrote 49 questions. And that's where we got that whole bonus episode. And so now here we are. We've got the letter itself. It was leaked to the New York Times. And this weekend, Trump's team, I think they leaked it. That's conjecture. It was leaked. And as I said, he's attorney's sent this to Mueller. So the reason I think Trump

leaked it is because it's, it fits the narrative that Julianne has been pushing for the past few weeks. That Trump is above the law, basically. He can't be indicted. Right. And I wanted to do this on the major points of the letter. I think it's indicative of what Trump's defense will be. And I think he's mounting a political defense, not a legal defense, because anyone who's worth their salt legally, if he listened to Asha Rangapa's interview, would know that while it's great that they're actually addressing some of these issues, it's completely got no basis in legality whatsoever. Not at all. Yeah, I just doesn't take much to debunk what's in this, I can do it.

He'd be better off to hire me. And I can't imagine what Emmett T. Flood must be thinking. He's one of the top lawyers and he's probably like, oh, fuck my life. Exactly. So the 16 topics are, briefly, they include Flynn's contact with Kisleyak, Flynn's communication with Pence, Flynn's interview with the FBI, Sally Yates warning about Flynn, the February 14th meeting between Trump and Comey. Any other info you have about Flynn, that's a topic.

Trump's reaction to investigations into collusion, Trump's reaction to Sessions' recusal, which we've gone over, Trump's reaction to Sessions' recusal, which we've gone over. Trump's reaction to Comey's testimony before the House Intelligence Committee. Info related to the conversations with the intelligence community about ongoing investigations. Any conversations Trump has had with anyone about Comey's performance. Whether Comey's testimony led to his termination, Trump's communication with Kisleyak. Trump's communication with Kislyak. Trump's communication with Kislyak.

Oh, Lavrov and Lester Holt. Oh, this is Trump basically telling other people he fired. Right. Komi, because he was the rusher thing. Trump's reaction to the appointment of Mueller. Trump's interactions with sessions regarding the appointment of Bob Mueller. And Trump's statement about the meeting

and Trump tower being about adoptions. So the letter left out responses to three of those topics and the three of the left out were sessions recusal, Mueller's appointment and Trump's discussions with sessions about Mueller's appointment. So the letter goes on to say that Trump has the power to terminate the investigation and exercise his pardon power. Basically Trump's team is saying that since Trump could shut down any investigation he wants, he could shut down the investigation into Flynn therefore because he can do that He cannot have obstructed justice had he fired Komi over it and he could pardon Flynn

It also implies he could pardon himself which is a first Thing and he actually tweeted out today. Yeah, that he could pardon himself This is crazy and then Giuliani told Huff post today that and this scares me. He said Trump could shoot Comey and you wouldn't be allowed to indict him. Did you hear that? Jesus Christ. Giuliani said that. He could Trump could have shot Comey and he couldn't be indicted. You know what? It's not far from the truth because that's just the way we're going legally it seems. Yeah, no, that's terrifying. Not legally.

Politically. Right. Yeah. Yeah. They're just saying what a lot even mean anymore is what. And it's not a coincidence. I don't think that he's seriously tweeting about Manifort the same week. He's starting to be furious. He tweeted about pardons. Yeah. So next, there's a line that doesn't belong in a legal document at all, which is one that leads me to believe that Trump leaked it himself.

It says, quote, this incumbrance has only been compounded by the astounding public revelations about the corruption within the FBI and the DOJ, which appears to have led to the alleged Russia collusion investigation. I don't trust leaks with dramatic words. That's not legal speak. That's marketing. And that's all you know, I'm alert. I didn't do any mullers just working. He sees right through it.

Next, he didn't actually, Muller didn't respond to this letter when he sent it. Yeah. He's like, right. I think they had a meeting in February. He's like, I could subpoena you. Have a nice day. Yeah.

And then he freaked out about that. You can subpoena me. I'm a mad man. I'm a bad man. I'm a grown man. I'm a grown man. Next, Trump's team gives some foreshadowing into a subpoena fight saying, quote, under our system of government, the president is not readily available to be interviewed. And we know this is not true because of the Bill Clinton precedent.

That's a court precedent. That's a scotus Supreme Court precedent. Nope, you can be deposed. Sorry. You're not too busy. Put down your. Nope, you can be deposed. Sorry. Wow. You're not too busy. Put down your golf clubs. As it should be, yeah. They go on to say the president can't be subpoenaed because he's voluntarily given over

enough information and documents and has made other witnesses available. So interviewing Trump would not give Mueller anything new. Who says they gave enough evidence? But the truth is that Mueller's team can only get at what Trump was thinking to determine his intent, and that means he has to be interviewed So I personally think a subpoena is eminent. Oh, yeah, it's coming Now this is one of the best parts Trump's lawyers cite outdated case law saying there's another reason Trump can't obstruct justice And that's because the FBI investigations are not covered by the obstruction statute

The case law is siteed from 1982, but has since been superseded by a 2002 statute that criminalizes the corrupt and peeding of proceedings even if they haven't started yet. So either they're terrible lawyers or they're blatantly ignoring case law, which Ted Liu has said is punishable by disbarment for purposely misleading your client? Yeah, they'll go down with this ship. I think Giuliani is like, well, we're you know, we're friends. We're old Yeah, it's true. We'll go out together. Yeah, this is secular. The Giuliani had nothing to do with us That's right. He's a back in junior. But Giuliani for sure does that I mean, these motherfuckers are putting this in a quote-unquote legal document This is a legal presidential document to be enshrouded in the presidential record for

all time. It'll be framed first. Yeah, and we'll please believe it. Keep my head alive. Keep my head alive and just put this in a frame next to my head with a Mueller signature on it. There's a bit of a bombshell in here where we learned for the first time that Flynn has told top White House officials that the FBI investigation into him was nearly complete. Trump's lawyers bring this up because they argue that Trump cannot have obstructed justice in a case that he thought was over.

We hadn't heard that before either. So by Flynn telling the White House, oh this whole FBI investigation, I'm even though I'm your national security advisor is almost complete. And so Trump saying, since I thought it was done, I can't obstruct justice that's over. Even though I was just getting back to work. Like he thinks that once the interviews are done, the case is over. Exactly. Then they alleged that Mr. Comey's memos were misremembered or that he misunderstood the president. Then they talk about McCabe for a second, saying there was no obstruction of justice because

McCabe testified that, quote, there has been no effort to impede our investigation to date. But the thing is, if you listen to that whole thing, McCabe wasn't talking about Trump making an effort to impede. He was saying in context that despite the firing of Comey, the men and women of the FBI continue to investigate, an investigation moving forward does not exonery anyone that may have tried to impede it. Exactly.

God damn it. Next, Trump's lawyers go on to say, I can, all right, this is like a sixth grade mock trial. It's, I don't understand. Next, Trump's lawyers go on to say that Trump can fire anyone at any time, but they leave out the corrupt intent or abuse of power part completely. So a good attorney wouldn't do that. Then they deny that Trump said he fired Komi because of Russia, saying that the reporting on the Lester Holden review has been widely misreported and mischaracterized. And even if Trump did say that, it does not establish that the termination was because

of Russia. Why did you do it? Well, I had that old Russia thing on my mind. I mean, like he thinks or idiots or he thinks his base. He knows his base, aren't you? Yeah, I mean, either way. It's just crazy insulting. Then we get to what I consider to be the biggest news in this entire letter.

Trump's lawyers admit that Trump dictated Don Jr.'s response about the Trump tower meeting to the New York Times when they were on Air Force One. This is shocking because Trump is taking all this time to say, you can't touch me. I'm the president. You can't, you can't subpoena me. I'm too busy to interview. But by saying that he dictated that letter, he implicates everyone involved in obstruction of justice. Hope Hicks, Donald Trump Jr. His kids, his son, Donald Trump Jr. And what

Eric was there, I guess. This is where Carolo quit, right? He's like I got a quit That's right and this is also where Rafale was like I'm out of here, bro Rafale left when Hope Hicks resigned and while Trump has all sorts of excuses like I said why he can't obstruct justice He leaves everyone else involved that isn't a president like hanging in the wind Because he doesn't care about them and I think he will regret this part the most because I believe it will be used as evidence to implicate Donald Trump Jr. and Hope Hicks and Revell and all these other people with instruction of justice. So there's that.

Hmm. They may be given a deal for their testimony, but there's something to charge them with now because Trump handed it to them. Yeah. All right, guys, that's my little breakdown of the letter. Nice. Little breakdown. That's crazy.

That's packed. That's good. It is. You compacted really well, but that's insane. I tried. Two huge pieces of news that letter and what we talked about in our mini-sad, the one about Manafort. Sorry, I didn't know which one's getting released first.

I didn't want to do it. I didn't want to do it. Yeah, the one that came out yesterday. Yeah, the one that came out yesterday. The one that came out yesterday. I feel the stupid yesterday. Yeah, you want to come out yesterday. Yes, you want to come out yesterday. Record these a second before we release them. Yes, every day.

We spend together. Crazy news week. Yeah, it's gonna start. So far, I'll write it. It's gonna start getting crazier. And it's, yeah, it's gonna be nuts. And this is actually a week, like Saturday, this weekend news. Yeah, that's true.

This was the sabotage. We talked about it exactly where he talked about it. But I feel like does anyone else feel like, I'm like rubbing my hands together like, ooh, what's gonna happen? Oh, yeah. This is crazy. This summer is supposed to be intense

because the primaries are happening right now. You know, like it's just everything should be heating up right now. If not, it'd be weird. But you're right, It's exciting. And then I think it's going to get even crazier by October, November. Yeah, it's, it's great, great. Yeah, and for sure. And it's heating up in an irrevocable way. You could not even deny it. I can't miss it at all. Yeah, yeah. These people are putting John Spurlocks. I want to tell us. Yeah, no. This is a witch hunt. It's like dude. Witch hunts don't go this far

No, just don't not to play Kate that's stupid comment anyway. They would have released the witch by now, right? Or I don't know how they work actually and when Read up on sale yeah read up on that What are they do they catch wedges and they burn them? Oh, no I mean, I knew that, but like, they ever like release them. And it's nice. Oh, he's, yeah, if it's a witch hunt, he's going to get burned. Yeah, like what I don't think he's thinking that far

into it, into the phrase, honestly. I think you're giving him a little too much benefit of the doubt. Very true. Yeah, I'm at the point where if you still support Trump after he has come out and publicly said he is above the law, he could shoot somebody and wouldn't be indicted because he's the president. If you are still with him after that King George, the third bullshit, then you're not welcome

for my service. I don't know what to tell you. Yeah. You can't say it with this somewhere else. Yeah. Sorry. Yeah, we were pink on Tuesday. Yeah.

And we joke about this, but this is actually terrifying. This is right on the brink of complete fascism. For real. The shit that he's saying, we all can laugh about it because we have faith on our system and our government. Well, that's why I'm so giddy and that's why you're rubbing your hands together because it seems right now that the justice system

is working. Yes. And it's working for us and it is protecting us, the way that the founding fathers intended to set it up to protect us. Yeah. And it is what I signed up to fight for and it is what I have sworn in oath to protect and it seems to be working.

And so when I get excited about all this stuff, I don't want you to lose sight of the fact of how deadly serious I think it is. I just get a boner for justice. Right, and we laugh not to cry. So is justice boners and we're coping with the tragedy? Yes, coping with justice boners. Justice boners while laughing.

Brought to you by Mueller, she wrote. Yeah, title of this episode. That won't be good for you. coping with the tragic. Yes, yeah. Coping with Justice boners. Yeah. Justice boners while laughing. Brought to you by Mueller, she wrote. Yeah. Title of this episode. That won't be good for us at all. Yeah, I'm very confusing. The people searching for coping with Justice boners are probably not going to get what they want. No, not our audience with this. Although we should put some tags. No, we don't do tags on Apple Podcasts. It's fine. Anyway, this has been fun, and also terrifying. I'm your host, A.G. I'm Julie Sedgiansen. I'm Jordan Coburn. And this is Muller She Wrote. Muller She Wrote is produced and engineered by A.G. with editing and logo design by

Julie Sedgiansen. Mark Kik Consulting by Amanda Rita at Unicorn Creative. Our digital media director and subscriber managers are Jordan Coburn and Sarah Hirschberger Valencia. Our partners are fastgrass.org and joistyspune.com. Fact checking and research by AG is support from Jalisa Johnson and Jordan Coburn. Mollershee wrote staff includes AG, Jalisa Johnson, Jordan Coburn. Mollershi wrote staff includes A.G., Jolissa Johnson, Jordan Coburn, Sarah Hersberg of Valencia, Jesse Egan, and Sarah Lee Steiner.

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