It's a tarp.
Posted on 01/09/2018 10:43:54 AM PST by bkopto
The Washington Post reports that Robert Mueller has told President Trump’s legal team that his office will likely seek an interview with the president. I doubt that Trump’s legal team is surprised. It always seemed inevitable that Mueller would want to interview Trump.
What should the president’s response be? I agree with Alan Dershowitz. He says: “I would never let the prosecution interview my client.”
There are two reasons why, in this context, allowing such an interview is a particularly bad idea. First, the client is Donald Trump. He is notorious for imprecision with words and for shooting from the hip. He is probably uncoachable as a witness. Representing him at a deposition or similar proceeding strikes me as a lawyer’s worst nightmare.
Second, the prosecution is Robert Mueller and his team of Trump-hating partisans. Their purpose in interviewing Trump won’t just be to gather the facts needed to wrap up their investigation. In my view, it will also be to induce Trump to make statements the prosecution can use to build a case that the president has lied to the prosecution.
Accordingly, Trump’s legal team should resist being questioned by Mueller’s team. There is precedent for such resistance. As the Post reminds us, Bill Clinton resisted being questioned by Ken Starr’s team, though eventually he was compelled to testify.
In the likely event of a dispute over whether Trump must testify, one issue will be whether the information prosecutors seek can be obtained through another means. In this case, Mueller likely will be cross-checking Trump’s version of events with the versions of others, such as James Comey. In a sense the information will have already been obtained via, say, Comey, Michael Flynn, or Jared Kushner. But in a practical sense, only Trump can provide Trump’s version of what happened.
As noted, though, I believe the purpose of the interview will be more to catch Trump in something Mueller’s team can characterize as a lie than to obtain Trump’s version of the facts. Hence the need to be especially wary.
Agree only to answer questions in writing.
Never talk to a lawyer.
Have Clouseau submit his questions in writing, and Trump’s legal team will respond in kind.
Some big shoe will drop in the next few days, that will pull the rug right out from under Mueller. He won’t even see it coming....can’t wait for the OIG report next Monday
Just have the questions submitted in writing and answer them in writing. Trump and his lawyers can handle that.
It's a tarp.
Just walking into the interview room practically guarantees that the FBI is going to hit him with lying or obstruction or some other “process crime” at some point in the future.
Why should Trump even respond at all? What’s the worst that could happen? The Hate Needle is already at its max....
“As the Post reminds us, Bill Clinton resisted being questioned by Ken Starr’s team, though eventually he was compelled to testify.”
Bill Clinton was deposed in a civil case. With Trump they are conducting a criminal investigation and clearly targeting him. Nobody can be compelled to testify in a criminal case where they are a target.
Time to flop his crank on the table and tell Mueller that if he has any proof of any crime involving him to turn it in. No interview... period. This BS must stop.
I hope Sekulo gets listened to here.
The only one in a trap is Mueller himself.
Nope... no answers at all, written or otherwise. The FBI and special counsels have no authority over the presidency.
Yes very risky.
Although bubba was a target of alleged crimes that starr investigated
There has never been a crime identified in mueller’s fishing expedition in the first place
I think given the incredible bias that has come to light, Trump can make a case that the system is rigged and not merely an innocuous attempt to fact find. He should quit saying how open he is to talk to the investigators. They will find a way to use his words against him. I pray he is getting good counsel and he is taking it.
David Kendal did that for Hillary. It was a whitewash. At least Pres. Trump now has a roadmap on how to phrase...”I don’t recall” a million different ways.
http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-hillary-clinton-says-under-oath-she-can-t-recall-key-details-about-email-server-20161014-story.html
Time to go alpha male. State he will submit to an interview with precisely the same rules that Hillary’s interview had. His lawyers go with him and can interrupt at any time. No recording devices. No swearing in. A short time limit... and a letter of exoneration delivered BEFORE the interview.
Stick it right up their azz. It’s a golden opportunity.
That sounds more like a Bill Clinton tactic ;-) But you’re right - there is no upside to Trump talking with Mueller. Potus would not go walking thru a minefield either, even thought there’s a possibility nothing would go wrong.
In my view, it will also be to induce Trump to make statements the prosecution can use to build a case that the president has lied to the prosecution.
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Process crime. You said you had pizza on Wednesday, but they have a witness and a receipt saying on Wednesday you had Greek. Guilty of lying to the prosecution - ask Scooter Libby how his jail time went.
Muller at al hope to institute a Constitution Crisis and have DJT removed from office as a common criminal.
Don’t do it. If you do it, hold the meeting live on tv.
“Agree only to answer questions in writing.”
Exactly what I would do.
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