I’ve been in a deep depression about the current political situation we find ourselves in here in America. I’m just over it, and I know now that it will take a generation or longer to even begin to climb out of this utter catastrophe, and even then, we’ll only be able to climb out of it if a majority of people understand how horrific the current situation is. To be clear – since people were yelling at me – I still hope that people go vote, still protest, still disrupt, still resist. But just be realistic about the hellscape too.
One of the many reasons for my deep political depression is that the Mueller investigation seems to be the probe that never ends. I want Mueller to find out all of the information, of course, and I want it to lead to indictments and treason charges and lifetime jail sentences and impeachment. But what’s taking so long? It feels very strange that Michael Cohen is out in the world right now like a loose end. Cohen was Trump’s personal lawyer and a middleman for all kinds of shady sh-t in Trump’s business and political life. Loose End Cohen has been hanging out with George Stephanopoulos for months now, and Cohen is ready to “tell his story.”
President Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen was interviewed by ABC’s “Good Morning America,” teasing Monday’s broadcast with a cryptic message on Twitter, saying his “silence is broken!” ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, in an article published before the televised segment about the interview, wrote that Trump loyalist Cohen signaled he would work with special counsel Robert Mueller and federal prosecutors, even if that meant turning on the president.
“My wife, my daughter and my son have my first loyalty and always will. I put family and country first,” Cohen said. “Once I understand what charges might be filed against me, if any at all, I will defer to my new counsel, Guy Petrillo, for guidance.”
ABC News reported that Petrillo is expected to take over as Cohen’s lead counsel. Cohen is under investigation for possible bank fraud and campaign finance violations in relation to a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels weeks before the 2016 presidential election. Stephanopoulos’ interview with Cohen was not on camera, and he reported that Cohen would not comment on key subjects, citing the advice of his attorney. But he said Cohen hinted that he may speak out later.
“I want to answer,” Cohen said of questions swirling around his payment to Daniels. “One day, I will answer. But for now, I cannot comment further, on the advice of my counsel.” Cohen believes he has been unfairly portrayed as a villain, according to Stephanopoulos. “I will not be a punching bag as part of anyone’s defense strategy. I am not a villain in any story and won’t allow others to depict me in that way,” Cohen said.
Cohen told Stephanopoulos he “respects the process of the prosecutors.” The host added that Mueller’s team has not yet spoken to Cohen. In the interview, Cohen broke from Trump on several subjects. He affirmed his respect for the FBI, which Trump has regularly attacked. Cohen said he objects to the president referring to the investigation as “a witch hunt,” and unlike Trump, accepts U.S. intelligence agencies’ conclusion that Russia interfered in the 2016 election.
So what’s really happening here? Do you know? Do you care? My theory is that Robert Mueller hasn’t contacted Cohen yet because… they don’t need him, and they’re not going to make a deal with someone who was up to his eyeballs in illegal sh-t, you know? Maybe Mueller believes that no matter what, Cohen should be in jail for a long time anyway. Maybe this is Cohen’s way of begging for a deal with limited jailtime, some kind of public plea to Mueller. Except that Mueller isn’t overseeing the prosecution of Cohen right now – it’s a local/state issue. Right now.
“My wife, my daughter and my son have my first loyalty, and always will,” Michael Cohen told me https://t.co/svj067Z314 pic.twitter.com/CTm7wLoEMR
— GeorgeStephanopoulos (@GStephanopoulos) July 2, 2018
Spent Saturday afternoon with @GStephanopoulos @abc (not on camera) interview for Monday’s @GMA. My silence is broken! pic.twitter.com/ed6WRYpvVA
— Michael Cohen (@MichaelCohen212) July 2, 2018
Photos courtesy of WENN, Pacific Coast News.
Somethings coming, and I hope it’s incredibly damaging to Trump. C’mon Cohen, hurry up and flip. Flip him over! Lock him up!
AND if it’s a state’s issue (not Federal), Dump CANNOT pardon him! WIN!
I think one of my favorite things is how it’s absolutely a given that Michael Cohen *has* stuff on trump that he *could* flip. Like, even freaking FOX has talked about MC potentially flipping. That is an acknowledgement that trump is shady, that he has participated in illegal activity that could get him in trouble.
Sounds like maybe it’s too little, too late for Cohen. His statement is laughable. He’s putting country first…only NOW that he’s been caught. He’s no better than any of the other scumbags around Trump.
Yes. I don’t trust him to spill on Donnie, even though he betrayed him like he does with everyone.
I dunno. Trump has very stupidly been letting Cohen dangle and denying he even had much to do with him. It has very likely finally dawned on Michael Cohen that he will get no help from Trump, financial or otherwise, and owes no loyalty to Trump. Himself and his family have to come first.
I think he knows plenty that will be useful to Mueller. I just hope the FBI protects him as he swaggers around NYC.
jwoolman, let’s hope!
The list of charges against Cohen is going to be exhaustive, and most of them will be around his own shady business dealings related to taxi medallions and unpaid taxes. Trump will portray him as a small time crook who tried to attach himself to Trump’s coat strings. If Mueller needed Cohen, Cohen would have flipped by now.
At this point, I tend to think the indictments are sealed and Mueller is simply waiting until after the elections to release them so there is no doubt about his intent.
It never ceases to amaze me that there are still people who will sign up to work for Trump. He has demonstrated for decades that he will ALWAYS throw you under the bus if it’ll massage his ego or save his skin. Always.
I agree. If Cohen wasn’t up shits creek without a paddle, he definitely wouldn’t be putting his family and country first, he’d still do anything to defend Trump. Too late, Mikey, they gotcha!
These “crumbs” or hints are still aimed at Donnie. Help me, Donnie! Cohen is looking at tons of charges but he’s still desperate for Donnie’s affection via dirty money.
I can’t imagine working for years for such a scummy individual like drump, always servile always hoping for a scrap from the table. I think their relationship is disturbingly masochistic. And Cohen isn’t very bright. Wasting your entire life being fixer for some one who despises you. Donnie has replaced Cohen’s slavish adulation with his idiotic base.
I think you are right. This is one last public attempt to get Trump’s attention ie I need a pardon. I don’t believe Cohen will flip on a Trump.
I saw the TV headline this morning about MC, and he’s like the boy who cried wolf to me. How many “sources” have said he’ll turn on his daddy figure in recent weeks? Those legal fees are piling up and he’s wanting help by sending these messages.
Less than three months ago, he was puffing cigars in public while his lawyers argued for him in a court case. I think that summed up his hubris, which he certainly shares with his (de)mentor.
This. Trump’s method of dealing with underlings is to wave a carrot at them, then slap them once they follow him. His first instinct is to distance himself from the “losers” who take a fall for him, even when it would be safer to help them. Here’s hoping he really is all first instincts!
Cohen’s dream is to be a mobster, but he lacks the intellect and cunning to be a real mafioso, so he did a few payoffs for Trump and felt like a big shot. At the end of the day, I suspect what he “fixed” for Trump was pretty minor stuff, like hushing up mistresses and proof reading National Enquirer articles. I think Mueller uncovered tax evasion and other state-level crimes committed by Cohen and referred him for prosecution, but I don’t get the sense Cohen is of interest to Mueller in the Trump investigation.
I think Trump’s concerns about Cohen flipping are probably more about keeping the peace with his wife, who looks like she won’t suffer the humiliation of another porn star on 60 Minutes.
That’s very possible, Megan. I also think that Cohen handled international money deals for Trump. I think it is possible that Cohen could help Trump face justice on a number of crimes that aren’t directly related to the Russia scandal.
I think Cohen’s testimony might not be necessary, because he kept incriminating information that the prosecutors now have. If you tape someone to blackmail them, that tape can also be used against you as evidence of a crime. He supposedly had 20 phones that were seized.
I know this is weird but I want Trump to be caught in a video with a dominatrix. That is the only thing that will make him lose his supporters.
They love him for “being a man” and disrespect women and so something showing Trump in S & M with him being submissive, well that will be the game changer.
A porn star “spanking” him with a rolled up magazine didn’t make them blink an eye. Wouldn’t matter to the “Holy” Rollers.
Trump could admit to being a Russian spy who paid Putin to win the campaign for him and his base would still cheer and kiss his fat orange ass. Even if the alleged footage of him beating the daylights out of Melania in an elevator could be released and they would still cheer for him. They don’t care who he is and what he has done, as long as he is giving them what they want they do not care.
Maya, I hear you, but I think the followers are so blind, they’d spin that to be like “He’s such a tough man, he can take it!”
It’s a sad state of affairs.
OMG I spit coffee
“He’s such a tough man, he can take it!”
The only thing that will change the mind of his supporters is if proof of the payoffs to women to have abortions comes out. You know there’s more than one woman out there.
I don’t think paying for abortions or anything to do with abortions would make them bat a single eyelash. Not. A. One.
His fan base would blame the women and keep supporting the heinous orange turd.
lol no it wouldn’t. THEIR abortions are always justified, don’t you know? You’d be amazed how many of those women protesting with signs have had one or know someone who has.
I don’t think a photo of him signing a cheque for an abortion will make a difference. They are shameless. Twitter has strong rumours about stuff involving children though, especially with Epstein. If there are solid links there, then I can see some of them distancing themselves. But even then cult 45 is strong.
it’s a bizzaro world where one is hoping for President Pence. As repugnant as his politics and his treatment of women are to me, at least he isn’t an active grifter-traitor.
Yeah but no. Still hearing Omarosa say that Pence would be a million times worse.
And she’s a nut job, but she had access.
Trump is a narcissistic nut job, but Pence is a true believer. Trump would overturn roe v wade. Pence would push for a law that would ban abortions at the federal level. Trump would push religious freedom. Pence would make the US an evangelical republic,
Just saying, pence is not he goal to aspire to.
President Pence = Gilead come to reality. Trump is destroying the democratic institutions of the US, Pence would take it further and make it into a right wing evangelical religious autocracy just like the Handmaids Tale.
The thing about Pence is that Trump’s army of idiots wouldn’t follow him. He never had a reality show.
He would try but he lacks the charisma of Trump and wouldn’t be able to hold the following. And he is not liked within his own party. They were going to oppose him in Indiana.
Lightpurple, the Repub establishment doesn’t like Trump either. It won’t matter if they like Pence or not, as long as he lets them deregulate, and plunder the public.
The repub establishment would rather have Trump than Pence. Trump’s outrageous behavior gives them cover while they do awful things like dismantle social security and medicare. Pence can’t create such distractions, nor does he have the blind trust of the evangelical wing. Unlike Trump, the base will hold him accountable. And shows how f-ed up this country has become.
Trump’s power comes from his cult of followers who are now holding the establishment hostage. The base no longer trusts the establishment because they made promises but never delivered. Even George Bush a true believer never came through enough for the Evangelicals. The establishment is scared of Trump’s cult because with one tweet, they will get voted out. The cult don’t care how depraved he is as long as he comes through with their agenda.,
Pence has no such power. Pence is a low level politician who is no different from the establishment, he wants money and power. He was pushed out in Indiana. But unlike Trump, the cult wouldn’t follow him because he lacks Trump’s charisma, psychotic balls and true belief in overturning our system of Democracy. In fact the only people that mention Pence are Democrats! His name never comes up with the GOP or internet trolls. If Trump tells them to attack Pence, the cult will.
Pence unlike Trump will never get away with being a dictator. If he shot Comey, his butt will end up in prison. Their are lot of Evangelical “True Believers” who are hypocrites and worship money above all else. Those True Believers have abortions then ask Jesus for forgiveness while judging other women.
Yes, Pence is also a traitor.
This! Does anyone seriously believe Pence was ignorant of the Russia connection, particularly when he was picking Russia-friendly cabinet members during the transition he was running. Pence is a slippery one.
Not too surprised he flipped. Threaten a man with jail time and many will be very eager to talk all of a sudden. I do wonder if his wife threatened to leave him over this mess because he didn’t seem to care about his family a few months ago when he was still Ride or Die for Trump. Or maybe his kids threw a fit and made him reevaluate his role in this macabre show. Anyone who places Trump above their own family has questionable morals in my book.
I really think that Mueller is waiting for the midterms. I think he knows Coney botched up the 2016 election with what he did to Hillary and this might be the best way to right that wrong.
I (respectfully disagree. From insiders Mueller is so by the book that that will not happen, he will avoid the midterms like the plague.
I’m not surprised that this investigation is nearing the 1 year mark, given the cast of characters/clowns involved, the amount of money undoubtedly moved around, the number of inditements involving everything from collusion, obstruction, money laundering and treason this investigation is on a scale that we’ve yet to experience in this countries history. I hope Mueller takes his time and result is so thorough and air tight it won’t leave any wiggle room for all involved.
A former DA from EDNY predicted Mueller would wrap up before Labor Day.
We have to remember too that the investigation into Watergate and President Nixon took much longer than this as did the investigation into President Clinton’s shady dealings.
Someone is desperate to cut a deal with Mueller or its a threat to make the Trump family stump up for his legal fees.
I’m totally frustrated and fatigued from getting crumbs of good news while the fascists have feasts in leaps and bounds. This Cohen interview is just another crumb that keeps me frustrated. That being said, here is my take: Gains happen slowly over years, but the fall is swift. Although it seems that the rise of fascism in America happened swiftly, it has actually been building for decades. But when the fall of fascism comes, it will be swift and painful, for all of us. Here’s my thoughts, take them as you will. This fanatical movement by the right is a last-ditch effort to hold onto power and privilege for white, straight males. The writing is on the wall. The census predicts that whites will no longer be the majority race in this country by 2040-2050. Women are fighting like hell against the patriarchy. The good old boys are terrified of what will happen to them when they lose power so they are holding on for dear life, trying to keep immigration down and controlling women by controlling their bodies. It won’t work, not in the long haul. We will inevitability overcome them with sheer numbers. So we must not lose hope and we must keep fighting and resisting. Because they are going to make it as painful for us as possible. But we will prevail. It is inevitable but we must remain vigilant.
@Juls, I love your very cogent comment. It is on a par with “the wheel of Justice grinds slow, but exceeding small”. It is the only thought that keeps me sane in this world gone mad. At the end of the day I do believe that good will, and must, prevail, but it cannot be a painless or comfortable process, unfortunately. I can only hope that it goes from your mouth to the gods’ ear! We must all be vigilant, and PERSIST……and VOTE!
Juls, I must thank you for this take. It gives me hope for my children, 2 of whom are female, all of whom are not white. I simply have to hope that there is a future in which they will not be targeted by fascists for simply being ‘other,’ and I hope we all make it long enough to witness the ‘fall’ you refer to.
I think you are right, Juls. The GOP is acting like a wounded animal, lashing out even though they know their era of exclusive power is coming to an end. They will do all they can to preserve the status quo that keeps white males at an elevated status. We must persevere.
You’re kidding about the length of the probe, right? Look at the length of Benghazi and Watergate. This is nothing. It really bothers me – as a defense attorney who gets to see (later in the game) how long a federal prosecutor and his agents built a case against my two bit drug trafficker, much less a sitting president – when laypeople ask what’s taking so long.
Exactly. This will be a thorough investigation, and it will take more than 260 work days in a 365 day year. I am taking the long view and I have trust in it. One day – BOOM!
I agree 100% percent!! I commented above about how long it took investigate Presidents Nixon and Clinton. I looking at the run as well…..with patience. There’s a ton of information here to sort through.
Yep. The fact that Congressional Republicans are trying to pressure Mueller to conclude it quickly is a sign of how corrupt they are. They’re actively trying to sabotage his investigation.
The Cohen raid alone has lead to literally a million different documents seized… that is a lot for lawyers and cops to review. Mueller is keeping his head down and doing the work, but the problem is that the GOP has laid down and so the chaos is accelerating. It’s concerning to see the rule of law violated to this degree and so quickly.
There is a part of me that loves that he is turning on Orange Foolius but there is a bigger part of me that is disgusted with the spectacle that this has become. Just do it and get it down Droop Doggy Dog. The man is not going to save you no matter how many times you beg him to do it. He is a narcissistic sociopath who only cares for himself, save what little dignity you have left and turn on him so you can spend a little time with your kids and grandkids.
This should be a huge scandal: a lawyer and confidant to the president of the US is about to admit that his boss is a criminal and he helped him commit crimes for over a decade. And yet, vert few in the MSM is outraged or shocked. It is treated in the media like a normal event that has no bearing on anything as if it is irrelevant news that EVERYONE should know about.
I just don’t understand it. And I don’t even want to try anymore. I just want this over with. I hate almost everyone lately.
This is a huge investigation and I want Mueller to get it right. That doesn’t make waiting any easier.
When Trump goes down I want Gorsuch & what other cretin he appoints pulled down with him as illegitimate. He is Putin’s puppet and all he has touched should be overturned. All those who willingly assisted need to be shown the door as well.
As for Cohen, Mueller doesn’t need this craven trumpite. The State of New York will own his bottom for 5 to 15. #nopardonforyou
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
That’s me yelling my support, appreciation and respect for using your platform to inform and encourage your readers to do something about the horrible and catastrophic shifts that are taking place in American policies. This can only be changed by getting the apathetic, complacent and uneducated but caring folks mobilized and voting. We will only win back our 50 years of civil rights gains by yelling louder, bolder and longer than the trumpsters, so SHOUT it and DON’T STOP SHOUTING sisters!
I’ve been reading this blog for years, but never commented. The commenters here are remarkably thoughtful and articulate, and it’s why I love Celebitchy so much. That being said, I work in the legal industry and perhaps can offer a bit of insight into why these investigations take so long.
Mueller’s team is poring through dozens of potential witness’ data (we refer to them as “custodians”). E-mail accounts, phones, tablets, etc. – all in different locations and requiring various forms of subpoenas and consents to get to them and extract the data. If data has been deleted and copied over in an attempt to truly rid the device of the data, that makes the data recovery job all the much harder. So not only do they have to identify all custodians with potentially relevant data and likely fight to get it, that’s not even the hardest part: review.
Document/data review on this scale takes months, if not years. It is incredibly time-intensive and tedious. Think millions of documents (not pages, which will be an even greater amount). You have to use specialized document management programs to manage this much data, and for sure use analytics and targeted keyword searches to even cull down to a manageable size for review. Metadata will be analyzed to determine each individual piece of data’s creation date, author, recipient, etc. Then they have to tie all the pieces of data, from all the various devices collected, together to determine if they can prove up their allegations, and apply the various elements of each law as it relates to certain allegations.
So yeah, I wish they were moving faster. I’m as angry as I’ve ever been with the state of our country. It’s a daily horror show. But I also have read his team’s bios and I can tell you they are effing rock stars in the legal world. If anyone can do it, it’s this team.
Wow!!!!! Thanks for that breakdown!!! Found it really interesting how that part is done. Lots of work!!
Thank for this. And please comment more!
I always wonder why people believe mueller is taking a long time with this investigation. I remembered that Nixon investigation took more than two years, Bill Clinton took more than two years, and ended d up he lied about a BJ, Benghazi took more than two years and nothing, nil. Why the hurry with this investigation knowing the Russians/Putin put his weight behind the Dotard to win. That’s a foreign gov tampering with our votes and thus our election, yes I believe they did mess with the votes, and IMO they dotard is not a legitimate president.
I’m hoping Cohen stop 🛑 playing games hoping the dotard will pardon him and spill the beans on the crime family.
I believe some senators and congress men and women are compromised that’s why they want the investigation to end prematurely. I’m praying 🙏 Cohen put family and country first.
Thank you!! It makes so much more sense why it takes so long. It’s not merely just reading through a pile of documents and pulling out the relevant pages to the investigation. I envisioned (in the most basic sense) of just piles of file folders on desks/in boxes and they just had to read all of that stuff and then file the correct charges. But, I just didn’t think about what it would take in order to get all the documents, the data recovery needed, the supoenas needed to get those documents. . .While it’s still frustrating to wait, it is more of an “Ooooh” moment to see why it feels like forver since we hear any sort of news whatsoever. It’s a daunting process, but I believe you when you say Mueller has assembled a rock star team who will, in the end, do what’s right for this country and the American people.
Thank you for posting this.
There was a fed case involving public corruption that led to several executives and board members (plus their attorney) being prosecuted. All but one took a plea deal (the one who did not was sentenced to federal prison). Their charges involved receiving trips, gift cards, etc. Very small scale by comparison. It took a couple of years to get through each indictment and the one trial. They went from the smaller to the biggest fish, one by one. The feds did not mess around, and I have to trust that is always the case.
I think Michael Cohen’s sunglasses are generally too small for his heart-shaped face. If I were styling him, I’d try bigger lenses, or wider frames that ride a bit lower.
What’s taking so long? Don’t forget that the Watergate investigation took 2 years.
That being said I think the political parties put country over party then. Hell even Nixon knew to step down. I don’t think the GOP gives a shiz about anything but keeping themselves in power.
Boy, Cohen’s wife must have read him the RIOT ACT about the ‘take a bullet for Trump’ nonsense. I’ll bet she’s altogether done with her weasel husband.
Hoping that your country isn’t in flames by the time these indictments go down. And that nothing happens to Mr Cohen.
Muellers team has access to so much documentation that was seized. He may have everything he needs already. He may be leaving Cohen out there like a loose end to distract and possibly bait trump (into further obstruction of justice).
That is my hope at least.