Comrade Trump

[BlueK]

stupid russian hackers? Feels like you're minimizing here. They are 12 GRU intelligence and military officers.

The indictments Mueller puts out always present some evidence for public consumption. Since he's not going to be able to extradite these people, getting some information public would seem to be the main reason for doing this. I'm sure Trump will stick with the tried and true "Putin told me he didn't do it and I believe him" line.

Rosenstein's comment below indicates likely more to come:

"defendants "corresponded with several Americans during the course of the conspiracy through the internet."

That's getting pretty close to saying there were Americans involved in helping Russian intelligence commit cyber crimes in the US for a political/election purpose.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Bring on President Pence! He will get that wall built.

Edit: Damnit... just more stoopid russian hackers.

President Pence may actually be one of the few things more frightening than President Trump. We have to ride out this bastard through the next election.

[Moliere]

I like the timing of the indictments of twelve Putin henchmen coming shortly before Putin will be meeting with an unwitting thirteenth.

Didn’t you hear? Trump can’t be indicted because he nominated Brett to the Supreme Court and Brett thinks presidents should be above the law so Trump won’t ever be indicted thanks to Brett.

[PaloAltoCougar]

Didn’t you hear? Trump can’t be indicted because he nominated Brett to the Supreme Court and Brett thinks presidents should be above the law so Trump won’t ever be indicted thanks to Brett.

Yeah, I just meant he's an [unwitting, as I'm still willing to believe] thirteenth henchman, not that he'll be indicted, although wouldn't that be fun? I'm open to a constitutional argument that sitting presidents can't be indicted. I'm aware of some pretty smart constitutional lawyers who believe that (and others who don't). Bret Bair, however, wouldn't be one I'd rely on; I wonder where Hannity comes down on the issue.

[falafel]

Yeah, I just meant he's an [unwitting, as I'm still willing to believe] thirteenth henchman, not that he'll be indicted, although wouldn't that be fun? I'm open to a constitutional argument that sitting presidents can't be indicted. I'm aware of some pretty smart constitutional lawyers who believe that (and others who don't). Bret Bair, however, wouldn't be one I'd rely on; I wonder where Hannity comes down on the issue.

What about Brett Kavanaugh? Or Sally Ann Kavanaugh for that matter.

[Topper]

Yeah, I just meant he's an [unwitting, as I'm still willing to believe] thirteenth henchman, not that he'll be indicted, although wouldn't that be fun? I'm open to a constitutional argument that sitting presidents can't be indicted. I'm aware of some pretty smart constitutional lawyers who believe that (and others who don't). Bret Bair, however, wouldn't be one I'd rely on; I wonder where Hannity comes down on the issue.

What's the theory that a sitting President can't be indicted? I guess I should have boned up on my Watergate materials, but the concept that inoculates a sitting President from prosecution eludes me.

[hostile]

What about Brett Kavanaugh? Or Sally Ann Kavanaugh for that matter.

There will be a connection to Provo, Utah (or Spain) before this is all done.

[PaloAltoCougar]

What's the theory that a sitting President can't be indicted? I guess I should have boned up on my Watergate materials, but the concept that inoculates a sitting President from prosecution eludes me.

Not answer (I don't have the energy), but here's a foreword to a long symposium on the issue long ago that mentions professors representing both sides of the issue. Interestingly, one of the professors who say a President can't be indicted is BYU's very own Jay Bybee, who authored the famous Bybee Memo that essentially greenlighted "enhanced interrogation techniques" for the Bush administration. That was enough to get him nominated to the Ninth Circuit.

[frank ryan]

The indictments Mueller puts out always present some evidence for public consumption. Since he's not going to be able to extradite these people, getting some information public would seem to be the main reason for doing this. I'm sure Trump will stick with the tried and true "Putin told me he didn't do it and I believe him" line.

Rosenstein's comment below indicates likely more to come:

"defendants "corresponded with several Americans during the course of the conspiracy through the internet."

That's getting pretty close to saying there were Americans involved in helping Russian intelligence commit cyber crimes in the US for a political/election purpose.

It was Seth Rich!

[Topper]

Not answer (I don't have the energy), but here's a foreword to a long symposium on the issue long ago that mentions professors representing both sides of the issue. Interestingly, one of the professors who say a President can't be indicted is BYU's very own Jay Bybee, who authored the famous Bybee Memo that essentially greenlighted "enhanced interrogation techniques" for the Bush administration. That was enough to get him nominated to the Ninth Circuit.

Where's the link or forward? Judge Bybee is a very decent person, even though he was derided in the press for that memo.

[Crockett]

Didn’t you hear? Trump can’t be indicted because he nominated Brett to the Supreme Court and Brett thinks presidents should be above the law so Trump won’t ever be indicted thanks to frat-boy Brett.

fify

[Crockett]

Just to make sure we are all clear here and can avoid fake news:

Embedded Tweet

[creekster]

I know many of you are following this very closely, so I wonder if you can tell me if this 'hack' referred to in the indictment is in reference to the phishing of podesta's (and others) passwords and user names? Or is there some actual hacking involved?

[tooblue]

Just to make sure we are all clear here and can avoid fake news:

Embedded Tweet

Mueller: Congressional candidate sought stolen emails from Russian spies in 2016

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...ies/783317002/

[falafel]

I know many of you are following this very closely, so I wonder if you can tell me if this 'hack' referred to in the indictment is in reference to the phishing of podesta's (and others) passwords and user names? Or is there some actual hacking involved?

Spear-fishing.

Per Wiki:

Phishing attempts directed at specific individuals or companies have been termed spear phishing.[9] Attackers may gather personal information about their target to increase their probability of success. This technique is by far the most successful on the Internet today, accounting for 91% of attacks.[10]

Real question: Does it really matter how the Russian GRU gained access to this information? Whether it was spear-fishing or "actual hacking"?