New information suggests that special counsel Robert Mueller is preparing his endgame in the long-running investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election.
That could be the key reason why President Trump has become ballistic against his former fixer and attorney Michael Cohen.
Mueller’s prosecutors have told defense lawyers in recent weeks that they are ‘tying up loose ends’ in their investigation, as reported by Yahoo News.
Significant new details on what cooperation Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn and Trump’s ex- personal lawyer Michael Cohen provided to the Russia investigation are expected to come to light this week when the special counsel’s prosecutors file memos about three of their most high profile defendants.
Flynn’s sentencing memo is due Tuesday while memos about Manafort and Cohen are expected Friday.
Mueller is now expected to make a public filing about Manafort, suggesting he may no longer feel the need to withhold information about his case in order to bring additional indictments against others.
Peter Carr, spokesman for the special counsel, confirmed to Yahoo News on Monday that the Manafort memo ‘will be public,’ although he added there could be some portions that are redacted or filed as a sealed addendum.
The Manafort memo has been requested by the federal judge in his case so that prosecutors can highlight what matters they believe Manafort has lied to them about.
It could be indicative that Mueller may no longer feel the need to withhold information about the Manafort case in order to bring additional indictments against others.
Cohen pleaded guilty last Thursday to lying to Congress, a charge that his lawyers said resulted in part from information he voluntarily provided Mueller’s team in meetings governed by a limited-use immunity agreement.
He also admitted to making misstatements regarding the Trump organization’s efforts to develop a branded property in Moscow to congressional committees investigating Russian influence on the 2016 election, including the House Intelligence Committee, according to court documents.
Mueller is also believed to be focused on a matter concerning former Trump adviser Roger Stone and conspiracy theorist Jerome Corsi.
Stone emailed Corsi in July 2016, asking him to get in touch with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who has been living in Ecuador’s embassy in London since 2012, according to the documents.
Stone said he wanted Corsi to try to obtain emails the group possessed about Hillary Clinton.
In a series of lively tweets this morning, Trump blasted his former attorney, while offering praise to Stone for vowing not to testify against him.
“Michael Cohen asks judge for no Prison Time.” You mean he can do all of the TERRIBLE, unrelated to Trump, things having to do with fraud, big loans, Taxis, etc., and not serve a long prison term? He makes up stories to get a GREAT & ALREADY reduced deal for himself, and get…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2018
….his wife and father-in-law (who has the money?) off Scott Free. He lied for this outcome and should, in my opinion, serve a full and complete sentence.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2018
“I will never testify against Trump.” This statement was recently made by Roger Stone, essentially stating that he will not be forced by a rogue and out of control prosecutor to make up lies and stories about “President Trump.” Nice to know that some people still have “guts!”
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2018
Bob Mueller (who is a much different man than people think) and his out of control band of Angry Democrats, don’t want the truth, they only want lies. The truth is very bad for their mission!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2018
Stone is currently suspected of having possibly served as a conduit between the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks during the 2016 campaign.
Some prominent lawyers, including George Conway, the husband of Trump’s White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, and Neal Katyal, a former solicitor general in the Obama administration, have suggested that Trump’s public lauding of Stone is part of a broader effort to dissuade Stone — and others, like former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort — from cooperating with special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe.
Witness tampering is a federal crime.