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MelissaB

(16,420 posts)
Wed Apr 12, 2017, 10:08 AM Apr 2017

The importance of getting Trump team members to flip

KremlinGate and the Limits of Classified Evidence
The FBI’s been investigating possible links between the Kremlin and President Trump for nearly a year—here’s why it’s moving so slowly

By John R. Schindler • 04/12/17 9:30am

...snip

Comey faces a particular problem, little understood by the public or even by most journalists covering KremlinGate. That’s the fact that classified evidence is inadmissible in court, and top-secret information will never be shown to a jury. FBI agents therefore face the uncomfortable difficulty of knowing (from highly classified reports) what was going on—and finding unclassified corroboration if they want to prosecute anybody.

Hence the pressing need to get co-conspirators to “flip” on each other and, even better, coercing confessions from those facing possible prison time. This is the usual FBI modus operandi, and it’s most effective against smaller fish who aren’t eager to take the rap for bigger ones. We can safely assume that the Bureau will lean on former members of Team Trump to get confessions; here the recent ham-handed effort by Michael Flynn, Trump’s disgraced former national security guru, a man with plenty of odd ties to the Kremlin himself, to get immunity in exchange for telling what he knows seems relevant.

Without such cooperation, including confessions from at least some members of Team Trump, the transition of KremlinGate from the investigation phase to prosecution is likely to stall. We don’t know exactly what the FBI knows, but some examples from past counterintelligence cases can illuminate the conundrum the Bureau faces right now.

More here: http://observer.com/2017/04/kremlingate-and-the-limits-of-classified-evidence/
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KittyWampus

(55,894 posts)
1. This may be why Frum said it may not lead to criminal trials and that a 9/11 Investigation
Wed Apr 12, 2017, 10:10 AM
Apr 2017

is needed.

Get to the truth, release as much as possible to the public and FORCE Congress to act.

Hugin

(32,778 posts)
2. That's why they need the corroborate the dossier... Lots of unclassified, but, juicy (pun intended)
Wed Apr 12, 2017, 10:11 AM
Apr 2017

bits in there.

awesomerwb

(139 posts)
3. So it's a huge up hill task
Wed Apr 12, 2017, 10:16 AM
Apr 2017

Why would co-conspirators want to flip on each other if they know they can be pardoned for example. Carter Page does not look too worried every time I've seen him on TV.

I try very hard every day not to lose faith.

flamingdem

(39,304 posts)
4. How motivated is Comey really?
Wed Apr 12, 2017, 10:52 AM
Apr 2017

Does he want the Trump mafia on his ass for the rest of his life?

Meanwhile Trump is getting less flak from the media..

L. Coyote

(51,129 posts)
5. I read that Carter Page has been cooperating with the FBI for some time now.
Wed Apr 12, 2017, 10:58 AM
Apr 2017
Did he wear a wire on Trump?

L. Coyote

(51,129 posts)
7. Unconfirmed, but would we know this if the Carter page bundle wasn't all wrapped up and tied?
Wed Apr 12, 2017, 11:32 AM
Apr 2017

A good indicator of where the investigation is at is what gets released. Once something can no longer interfere with the ongoing criminal inquiry, it can be fed to the hungry public. The FBI revealing the Page FISA warrant means that the carter Page phase is not only over, but that the other conspirators will not benefit in any way from knowing about the surveillance. In other words, that line of surveillance is also wrapped up.

Most interesting about this is it signals to anyone, including Trump, that everything anyone said when anywhere near Carter Page is likely recorded. It is a notice of "We gotcha."


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