Trump charges Mueller obtained emails improperly, but legal experts challenge those claims

[Quixote1818]

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Randall Eliason, a former federal prosecutor who teaches white-collar crime at George Washington Law School, said it was not at all surprising that Mueller's team sought Trump transition emails. "It would be almost prosecutorial misconduct for them not to," he said. He said it was also not surprising that Mueller would ask GSA for emails sent using government accounts.

Trump calls conduct at the FBI 'disgraceful' in latest criticism of the bureau
"It's not your personal email. If it ends in .gov, you don't have any exception of privacy," he said.

But he said that if Trump's team had a valid legal claim, there is a standard avenue to pursue - they would file a sealed motion to the judge supervising the grand jury and ask the judge to rule the emails were improperly seized and provide a remedy, like requiring Mueller's team to return the emails or excluding their use in the investigation.

"You go to the judge and complain," he said. "You don't issue a press release or go to Congress. It appears from the outside that this is part of a pattern of trying to undermine Mueller's investigation."

Eliason said he could think of "no apparent privilege" that would apply to emails sent between private citizens who have not yet joined the government, as Trump's team suggested. But, he added, "If they're right about that, they have a remedy: They go to the judge, file a motion under seal, and ask him to intervene."

More: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-mueller-investigation-trump-transition-emails-20171216-story.html

[emulatorloo]

1. Kick and Rec. "You go to the judge and complain," he said. "You don't issue a press release or go to

Congress."

[Irish_Dem]

3. You use PR if that is all you have. Trump has to cement his base.

They are protection and bargaining tools.

[emulatorloo]

6. Lawyerly antics to muddy the waters of public opinion. New false content for Fox News to broadcast

[Irish_Dem]

8. yes. nt

[janx]

10. The firm involved is called StateCraft, which appears to be

a combination of legal/PR. Weird.

[Irish_Dem]

12. If you are a wealthy and well known criminal, it makes sense to hire

a law firm/PR team who work in tandem. They work the law and the court of public opinion.

[janx]

13. Yes. They also specialize in crisis communication.

It seems to me that I read an article mentioning Kushner's hiring of that nature. It might be the same one.

[Irish_Dem]

15. Exactly, if you are rich and in deep do do, you hire these people.

They will handle all public statements.

[4139]

2. If I recall the original story they learned out mueller having the emails on the 12&13th

... then there is a gap, then on the 16th they went to congress.

My guess they tried and failed to find a way to block the use of the emails😂

[underpants]

4. I read they got a hint from questions asked in WH interviews

The DoJ team asked questions about things (not gotcha questions) that they shouldn't have known about.

[Irish_Dem]

9. yes they should have realized by the questions asked. nt

[emulatorloo]

5. Great catch.

[underpants]

7. Uh, I coulda told you that. Government property

I used to BE government property

[Sophia4]

11. This is how the Trump administration thinks it is going to shut down the Mueller

investigation. My theory.

[janx]

14. It may be an early attempt, but at least some of them know it's very weak.

This is what Nancy Pelosi calls "red meat" for the base, I think.