[QUOTE]Investigators working for the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, recently asked the White House for documents related to former national security adviser Michael T. Flynn, and have questioned witnesses about whether he was secretly paid by the Turkish government during the final months of the presidential campaign, according to people close to the investigation.
Though not a formal subpoena, the document request is the first known instance of Mr. Mueller’s team asking the White House to hand over records.
In interviews with potential witnesses in recent weeks, prosecutors and F.B.I. agents have spent hours poring over the details of Mr. Flynn’s business dealings with a Turkish-American businessman who worked last year with Mr. Flynn and his consulting business, the Flynn Intel Group.
The company was paid $530,000 to run a campaign to discredit an opponent of the Turkish government who has been accused of orchestrating last year’s failed coup in the country.
Investigators want to know if the Turkish government was behind those payments — and if the Flynn Intel Group made kickbacks to the businessman, Ekim Alptekin, for helping conceal the source of the money.
The line of questioning shows that Mr. Mueller’s inquiry has expanded into a full-fledged examination of Mr. Flynn’s financial dealings, beyond the relatively narrow question of whether he failed to register as a foreign agent or lied about his conversations and business arrangements with Russian officials.
Mr. Flynn lasted only 24 days as national security adviser, but his legal troubles now lie at the center of a political storm that has engulfed the Trump administration. For months, prosecutors have used multiple grand juries to issue subpoenas for documents related to Mr. Flynn.
President Trump has publicly said Mr. Mueller should confine his investigation to the narrow issue of Russia’s attempts to disrupt last year’s presidential campaign, not conduct an expansive inquiry into the finances of Mr. Trump or his associates.
Mr. Flynn declined to comment. Ty Cobb, special counsel to Mr. Trump, said, “We’ve said before we’re collaborating with the special counsel on an ongoing basis.”
“It’s full cooperation mode as far as we are concerned,” he said.
Investigators are examining the flow of money into and out of the Flynn Intel Group — a consulting firm Mr. Flynn founded after being forced out as the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency — according to several potential witnesses who have been interviewed by prosecutors and F.B.I. agents.
Taking money from Turkey or any foreign government is not illegal. But failing to register as a foreign agent is a felony, and trying to hide the source of the money by routing it through a private company or some other entity, and then paying kickbacks to the middleman, could lead to numerous criminal charges, including fraud.
Prosecutors have also asked during interviews about Mr. Flynn’s speaking engagements for Russian companies, for which he was paid more than $65,000 in 2015, and about his company’s clients — including work it may have done with the Japanese government.[/QUOTE]
[URL="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/04/us/politics/robert-mueller-michael-flynn-turkey.html"]https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/04/us/politics/robert-mueller-michael-flynn-turkey.html[/URL]
BONUS: This was a Memo Sent By Mattis to the DOD which sent to a lot of journalists.
The Contents IS NOT WORRYING AT ALL!
[media]https://twitter.com/AaronMehta/status/893614050927562752[/media]
That's such a puzzling memo. I have no idea what he's trying to say by it.
[QUOTE=The Rifleman;52540544]That's such a puzzling memo. I have no idea what he's trying to say by it.[/QUOTE]
I have been told Mattis Sends these memo's when something big is about to happern, Mattis sent something similar pre-Iraq War
[QUOTE=The Rifleman;52540544]That's such a puzzling memo. I have no idea what he's trying to say by it.[/QUOTE]
It sounds an awful lot like the memo is stating that ethical behavior trumps unethical orders. Or, in other words, ethical behavior trumps Trump's orders. The investigation is now digging deep into the meat of Trump's administration, and Trump is growing increasingly agitated and panicky. Perhaps Mattis has concerns over what the president might attempt to do.
[QUOTE=Big Dumb American;52540559]It sounds an awful lot like the memo is stating that ethical behavior trumps unethical orders. Or, in other words, ethical behavior trumps Trump's orders. The investigation is now digging deep into the meat of Trump's administration, and Trump is growing increasingly agitated and panicky. Perhaps Mattis has concerns over what the president might attempt to do.[/QUOTE]
So its pretty much Mad Dog going... "Watch your backs guys...no telling what Trump will do..."
[QUOTE=OmniConsUme;52540552]I have been told Mattis Sends these memo's when something big is about to happern, Mattis sent something similar pre-Iraq War[/QUOTE]
If that's true, it could potentially be in response to the Korea situation as well, and the apparent connection to Meuller's investigation ramping up may just be exceptionally unfortunate timing.
james mattis for president, 2018, "I don't understand how I got here..."
[QUOTE=Big Dumb American;52540596]If that's true, it could potentially be in response to the Korea situation as well, and the apparent connection to Meuller's investigation ramping up may just be exceptionally unfortunate timing.[/QUOTE]
It has to be one of the more shitty coincidences in history that we have this president + this investigation + the perfect timing of North Korea.
[media]https://twitter.com/AaronMehta/status/893633424300310529[/media]
Hope to God this is true and not just deflection. :worried:
sounds like a warning to do the right thing in case Trump does something rash. Mattis probably wants the troops to follow the rule of law and the constitution, so hopefully he will be a voice saying "if he's impeached, he's out" as that's how it lawfully works. I really hope he is an actor against any attempt by Trump to remain in power and doesn't turn out to be less trustworthy than he seems
Even if related to the North Korea situation more than Trump, Trump's presidency does play a factor. Trump is not a coolheaded man. He spooks easily, and does not reflect before he acts. Despite having it explained to him several times before he took office, he did not seem to understand why using nukes was a bad idea.
So Mattis might in fact be warning his troops to think carefully before following any rash orders from Trump - even if not directed against the American people, those orders could cause the deaths of millions of them in a worst case scenario.
Yeah, looks to me like Mattis is basically warning either that Trump may try to use the military for something abhorrent or else the military may be called upon to stand up to Trump.
I feel like in 50 years people will be reading that memo in history class
Can somebody direct link the memo? I cannot see twitter, and I cannot find it searching in google. Sorry!
[QUOTE=YOMIURA;52540988]Can somebody direct link the memo? I cannot see twitter, and I cannot find it searching in google. Sorry![/QUOTE]
I found a transcript here: [url]https://www.roughlyexplained.com/2017/08/mattis-on-ethics/[/url]
[QUOTE]
MEMORANDUM FOR ALL DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES
August 4, 2017
Re: Ethical Standards for All Hands
Those entrusted by our nation with carrying out violence, those entrustedwith the lives of our troops, and those entrusted with enormous sums of taxpayer money must set an honorable example in all we do.
I expect every member of the Department to play the ethical midfield. I need you to be aggressive and show initiative without running the ethical sidelines, where even one missstep will have you out of bounds.
I want our focus to be on the essence of ethical conduct: doing what is right at all times, regardless of the circumstances or whether anyone is watching.
To ensure each of us is ready to do what is right, without hesitation, when ethical dilemmas arise, we must train and prepare ourselves and our subordinates. Our prior reflection and our choice to live by an ethical code will reinforce what we stand for, so we remain morally strong especially in the face of adversity.
Through our example and through coaching of all hands, we will ensure ethical standards are maintained. Never forget our willingness to take the oath of office and to accept The associated responsibilities means that even citizens who have never met us trust us to do the right thing, never abusing our position you’re looking the other way when we see something wrong.
I am proud to serve alongside you.
James Mattis
[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=archangel125;52540880]Even if related to the North Korea situation more than Trump, Trump's presidency does play a factor. Trump is not a coolheaded man. He spooks easily, and does not reflect before he acts. Despite having it explained to him several times before he took office, he did not seem to understand why using nukes was a bad idea.
So Mattis might in fact be warning his troops to think carefully before following any rash orders from Trump - even if not directed against the American people, those orders could cause the deaths of millions of them in a worst case scenario.[/QUOTE]
Something in me makes me feel that Mattis and Kelly wouldn't follow any rash orders by Trump like a surprise nuking (hopefully).
[QUOTE=OmniConsUme;52540552]I have been told Mattis Sends these memo's when something big is about to happern, Mattis sent something similar pre-Iraq War[/QUOTE]
Can we get the Iraq War one?
[QUOTE=chipsnapper2;52541226]Can we get the Iraq War one?[/QUOTE]
[t]http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/5148871f69beddc23c00000a-960/genmattisltr-1.jpg[/t]
I think it's this one?
[QUOTE=Sableye;52540616]james mattis for president, 2018, "I don't understand how I got here..."[/QUOTE]
I wouldn't mind a mattis presidency in all honesty. for being called the mad dog he's the most sane out of trumps band of brigands.
[QUOTE=Shirt.;52541418]I wouldn't mind a mattis presidency in all honesty. for being called the mad dog he's the most sane out of trumps band of brigands.[/QUOTE]
I'm not saying I'd want Mattis for president for this reason, but imagine how sick it would be to have a president whose nickname was Mad Dog
Can't be routine. Bearing in mind the chaos when Government departments started individually responding to Trump's tweets with action, combined with the Transgender scandal which was also entirely the President's fuckup, it seems sensible at this time to remind the DoD who is in charge and not to act rashly without thought to ethics and basically keep our heads screwed on. Mattis is a distinguished and honestly superlative military commander.
[QUOTE=The Rifleman;52540544]That's such a puzzling memo. I have no idea what he's trying to say by it.[/QUOTE]
He's basically saying 'blow the Trump administration wide open if you spot a chance to tell the truth, but don't make shit up to do so'.
He doesn't like trump at all, this much is clear.
[QUOTE=Big Dumb American;52540559]It sounds an awful lot like the memo is stating that ethical behavior trumps unethical orders. Or, in other words, ethical behavior trumps Trump's orders. The investigation is now digging deep into the meat of Trump's administration, and Trump is growing increasingly agitated and panicky. Perhaps Mattis has concerns over what the president might attempt to do.[/QUOTE]
I don't mean to talk down the importance of Mueller's counterintelligence probe, but I would not call Mike Flynn or Paul Manafort anything close to the "meat" of the current administration. IIRC one of them never made it into the White House, and the other didn't even last a month.
[QUOTE=znalecc;52541375][t]http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/5148871f69beddc23c00000a-960/genmattisltr-1.jpg[/t]
I think it's this one?[/QUOTE]
Goddam that guy can write a good memo.
[QUOTE=Chonch;52544470]I don't mean to talk down the importance of Mueller's counterintelligence probe, but I would not call Mike Flynn or Paul Manafort anything close to the "meat" of the current administration. IIRC one of them never made it into the White House, and the other didn't even last a month.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, specifically because of the controversies surrounding both. But both were intended to be major parts of the administration. Trying to deflect from that is intellectually dishonest.
[QUOTE=Chonch;52544470]I don't mean to talk down the importance of Mueller's counterintelligence probe, but I would not call Mike Flynn or Paul Manafort anything close to the "meat" of the current administration. IIRC one of them never made it into the White House, and the other didn't even last a month.[/QUOTE]
Both of them played critical roles in Trump's campaign, and were intended to serve important roles in the white house. They were only fired because the heat was getting too high. Are you kidding me?
Also, "counterintelligence probe." Lmao. This is a [B]criminal investigation[/B] now, Chonch. You can lie to yourself, but don't think you can get away with lying to everybody else.
[QUOTE=Big Dumb American;52544822]Both of them played critical roles in Trump's campaign, and we're intended to serve important roles in the whitehouse. Are you kidding me?[/QUOTE]
I am not kidding you. These people have no influence in the current administration. While I believe nobody doubts the circumstances for which they have drawn Mueller's attention, I would stop short of saying this could escalate into a threat to the President himself just yet.
[QUOTE=Chonch;52544838]I am not kidding you. These people have no influence in the current administration. While I believe nobody doubts the circumstances for which they have drawn Mueller's attention, I would stop short of saying this could escalate into a threat to the President himself just yet.[/QUOTE]
No shit they have no influence, they've been fucked out of it because of their shady shit. Guarantee you they would've had an influential position if muellers probe hadn't gotten to them first.
[QUOTE=Chonch;52544838]I am not kidding you. These people have no influence in the current administration.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, you're right. I mean, them both fucking off for the exact same reason Mueller's probe is going on probably has nothing to do with anything, right?
I swear, Trump supporters must be having their jaws close to falling off with the perpetual dicksucking they're doing.
[QUOTE=Chonch;52544838]I am not kidding you. These people have no influence in the current administration. [/QUOTE]
Didn't Trump ask Comey to the investigation against Flynn?
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