Mueller investigation - making money for America

[billvon 2,400]

So Trump likes to complain about how much the Mueller investigation is costing: "A.P. has just reported that the Russian Hoax Investigation has now cost our government over $17 million, and going up fast. No Collusion, except by the Democrats!"

Turns out he's wrong on two counts. One, it cost more than that - and two, it's making far more than it's costing. So the longer it goes on, and the more tax cheats are arrested and fined, the more America comes out ahead.

==================
Mueller Probe Cost $25 Million So Far, Report Says. It’s Pulled in $48 Million From Tax Cheats

By EMILY GILLESPIE December 14, 2018
FORTUNE

Robert Mueller’s investigation has cost just over $25 million in the first 16 months of its investigation, according to CNBC.

The Special Counsel’s Office released new an expenditure report Friday which revealed that the six months between the beginning of April through September cost about $4.5 million. More than half of the total cost is attributed to personnel compensation and benefits.

Since beginning the probe in May 2017, investigating whether Russia was linked to the Trump presidential campaign, Mueller has filed more than 100 criminal charges.

Though the investigation comes with a hefty price tag, it may have actually paid for its own investigation, with its probe leading to monetary estimated gains of up to $48 million for the government through the tax evasion the investigation has revealed.

Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign chairman, was sentenced for conspiracy and obstruction of justice in September. As part of his plea deal, Manafort agreed to forfeit assets that amount to between $42 million and $46 million, including about $22 million in property, CNBC reports. The case revealed how Manafort avoided paying more than $15 million in taxes by laundering $60 million from pro-Russian Ukrainians, CNN reports. . . .

Earlier this week, Trump’s personal attorney Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to financial crimes including paying hush money to a porn star and Playboy model. As part of his deal, Cohen agreed to pay $1.4 million in unpaid taxes and hand over $500,000 in assets as well as pay $100,000 in fines.
==================

[normiss 622]

How much did the Republicans waste "investigating" Hillary?

[billvon 2,400]

>How much did the Republicans waste "investigating" Hillary?

But her emails. . .

[rushmc 18]

More like how the mafia did their shakedowns.

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[BIGUN 1,055]

normiss

How much did the Republicans waste "investigating" Hillary?

Not enough.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[normiss 622]

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D

That's funny right there.

Russian disinformation efforts are STILL succeeding.

[SkyDekker 1,123]

rushmc

More like how the mafia did their shakedowns.

What's wrong with just following the law?

[SkyDekker 1,123]

BIGUN

***How much did the Republicans waste "investigating" Hillary?

Not enough.

Maybe Republicans just aren't smart enough.

Democrats are better for the economy and get convicted less.

But Republicans are against brown people and women, its tough to go against that.

[billvon 2,400]

>Not enough.

HA! Good one.

"But her emails . . ."

[JerryBaumchen 1,048]

Hi Keith,

Quote

Not enough.

Do you truly believe that the US gov't. should spend more of our ( that includes you & me ) tax money on investigating her?

If yes, at what point do you determine that enough is enough?

Jerry Baumchen

[BIGUN 1,055]

JerryBaumchen

Hi Keith,

Quote

Not enough.

Do you truly believe that the US gov't. should spend more of our ( that includes you & me ) tax money on investigating her?

If yes, at what point do you determine that enough is enough?

Jerry Baumchen

I think the only money need to be spent is that of a trial.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[billvon 2,400]

>I think the only money need to be spent is that of a trial.

Well, first you need some, you know, evidence and stuff. So far Republicans have spent over $100 million investigating Clinton and come up with zero. So maybe another $100 million might do it? Or perhaps $200M just to make sure.

Whatever the amount, I'm sure the GOP will appreciate your check to cover it.

[Phil1111 911]

BIGUN

***Hi Keith,

Quote

Not enough.

Do you truly believe that the US gov't. should spend more of our ( that includes you & me ) tax money on investigating her?

If yes, at what point do you determine that enough is enough?

Jerry Baumchen

I think the only money need to be spent is that of a trial.

So why has Jeff Sessions. not gone ahead with that? He had two years.

So why has Matthew Whitaker, not gone ahead with that? He has had more than a month?

Regularly he/they got instructions from trump to lock her up!

[SkyDekker 1,123]

BIGUN

***Hi Keith,

Quote

Not enough.

Do you truly believe that the US gov't. should spend more of our ( that includes you & me ) tax money on investigating her?

If yes, at what point do you determine that enough is enough?

Jerry Baumchen

I think the only money need to be spent is that of a trial.

Typical Republican:

Hillary should be in jail, even without evidence of a crime.

R get convicted of crime: perjury trap, not really a serious crime, didn't mean to.

[wmw999 2,123]

What if she were found not guilty? Would that still be enough?

There was a whole set of hearings trying to find enough evidence to convict. The rules of evidence apply to her as well.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[BIGUN 1,055]

wmw999

What if she were found not guilty? Would that still be enough

That would be the closure I need.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[billvon 2,400]

Apparently the Russians were afraid of Mueller as well. He was the biggest risk to their new asset, and Mueller stood in the way of their attempts to damage American political systems.
=================
Russian disinformation teams targeted Robert S. Mueller III, says report prepared for Senate

Elizabeth Dwoskin December 17 at 10:28 PM
WaPo

Months after President Trump took office, Russia’s disinformation teams trained their sights on a new target: special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. Having worked to help get Trump into the White House, they now worked to neutralize the biggest threat to his staying there.

The Russian operatives unloaded on Mueller through fake accounts on Facebook, Twitter and beyond, falsely claiming that the former FBI director was corrupt and that the allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election were crackpot conspiracies. One post on Instagram — which emerged as an especially potent weapon in the Russian social media arsenal — claimed that Mueller had worked in the past with “radical Islamic groups.”

. . .

Together the reports describe the Russian campaign with sweep and detail not before available. The researchers analyzed more than 10 million posts and messages on every major social media platform to understand how the Russians used American technology to build a sprawling online disinformation machine, with each piece playing a designated role while supporting the others with links and other connections.

The reports also underscore the difficulty of defeating Russian disinformation as operatives moved easily from platform to platform, making the process of detecting and deleting misleading posts impossible for any company to manage on its own.

. . .

One unexpected star of the new reports Monday was Facebook’s photo-sharing subsidiary Instagram. Over the years of the disinformation campaign, Instagram generated responses on a scale beyond any of the others — with 187 million comments, likes and other user reactions, more than Twitter and Facebook combined.

But it had been the least scrutinized of the major platforms before this week as lawmakers, researchers and journalists focused more heavily on Facebook, Twitter and Google. Instagram’s use by the Russian teams more than doubled in the first six months after Trump’s election, the researchers found. It also offered access to a younger demographic and provided easy likes in a simple, engaging format.
====================

[wolfriverjoe 1,341]

BIGUN

***Hi Keith,

Quote

Not enough.

Do you truly believe that the US gov't. should spend more of our ( that includes you & me ) tax money on investigating her?

If yes, at what point do you determine that enough is enough?

Jerry Baumchen

I think the only money need to be spent is that of a trial.

For what?

What crimes?

What specific charges?

The Rs spend a whole lot of time and money investigating her.

They had both houses plus the White House for 2 years.

If there were legitimate charges to be filed, why weren't they?

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[JerryBaumchen 1,048]

Hi Joe,

Quote

If there were legitimate charges to be filed, why weren't they?

Do we really need to answer that for you?

I didn't think so

Jerry Baumchen

[SkyDekker 1,123]

Appeals Court has upheld a Grand Jury subpoena in a secret Mueller linked case.

Company A was arguing they were exempt from the subpoena under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, ie a foreign state owned company.

My guess is that this relates to the Qatar Investment Authority and their purchase of the 19% stake in Rosneft.

[yoink 321]

BIGUN

***What if she were found not guilty? Would that still be enough

That would be the closure I need.

I think you should stand trial for something.

No idea what. Let’s say kiddy-fiddling. Sure... That works.

There’s absolutely no evidence of it, but we can only be sure if we arrest you and put you through a lengthy public trial, obviously. I’m sure it wouldn’t inconvenience or traumatize you much and you’d understand that this is how I can get closure...

Thanks for your understanding.

[SkyDekker 1,123]

Yup, nobody should talk to law enforcement, because perjury trap.

Other people need to be prosecuted without evidence so closure can be achieved.

People hold the above opinions at the same time, all while claiming the rest of the world is biased.

[billvon 2,400]

>Yup, nobody should talk to law enforcement, because perjury trap.

Apparently, per Trump, lying to investigators isn't something you should be arrested for. Everyone does it, right? Right?

[ScottishJohn 25]

billvon

>
lying to investigators isn't something you should be arrested for. Everyone does it, right?

Didn't work out too well for Flynn.
Looks like he has been given a chance to spill a few more beans with the hope of getting a lighter sentence next spring.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
If you think my attitude stinks you should smell my fingers

[Phil1111 911]

SkyDekker

Yup, nobody should talk to law enforcement, because perjury trap.

Other people need to be prosecuted without evidence so closure can be achieved.

People hold the above opinions at the same time, all while claiming the rest of the world is biased.

Welcome to the minds of FOX and National Inquirer. Turning brains to mush hour by hour and page by page.