By Julian Borer
The spread of Russian-made fake news stories (click here) aimed at discrediting Hillary Clinton on social media is emerging as an important line of inquiry in multiple investigations into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow.
Investigators are looking into whether Trump supporters and far-right websites coordinated with Moscow over the release of fake news, including stories implicating Clinton in murder or paedophilia, or paid to boost those stories on Facebook.
The head of the Trump digital camp, Brad Parscale, has reportedly been summoned to appear before the House intelligence committee looking into Moscow’s interference in the 2016 US election. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee carrying out a parallel inquiry, has said that at least 1,000 “paid internet trolls working out of a facility in Russia” were pumping anti-Clinton fake news into social media sites during the campaign....
Sparing with civilians and trying to out smart the government are very different things.
By Michael Schwirtz, William K. Rashbaum and Danny Hakim
...He went (click here) on to serve as a key confidant for Mr. Trump, with an office near the boss at Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue. Officially, his title was special counsel, but he appears to have served more as a kind of personal arm-twister. If anyone crossed Mr. Trump or stood in his way, Mr. Cohen, who was known to sometimes carry a licensed pistol in an ankle holster, would cajole, bully or threaten a lawsuit, according to a half-dozen people who dealt with him over the years.
“If somebody does something Mr. Trump doesn’t like, I do everything in my power to resolve it to Mr. Trump’s benefit,” Mr. Cohen once said during an interview with ABC News. “If you do something wrong, I’m going to come at you, grab you by the neck, and I’m not going to let you go until I’m finished.”
Since Mr. Trump became president, his need for loyal foot soldiers like Mr. Cohen has never been greater. But instead of helping his longtime employer navigate F.B.I. and congressional investigations into whether his campaign colluded with Russia in the 2016 election, Mr. Cohen now appears to be outside the Trump inner circle, a man on the defensive....
Robert Mueller has a free hand in carrying out his Special Council, including his team. If everyone believed in Mueller at the beginning all of a sudden his integrity is at risk? I don't think so. Either there is trust or not. I sincerely doubt there are many honest Republican lawyers. There in lies the rub.
July 5, 2017
By Matt Zapotosky
...At least seven of the 15 lawyers (click here) Mueller has brought on to the special counsel team have donated to Democratic political candidates, five of them to Hillary Clinton — a fact that President Trump and his allies have eagerly highlighted. These critics also point to some of the lawyers’ history working with clients connected to the Clintons and Mueller’s long history with former FBI director James B. Comey as they question whether those assigned to the investigation can be impartial.
Many lawyers and ethics experts say they can see no significant legal or ethical concerns with the team’s political giving or past work, and they note that Trump often misstates the facts as he casts aspersions. But others say the optical problem is a real one that threatens to undermine public confidence in the probe.
“In my view, prosecutors who make political contributions are identifying fairly strongly with a political party,” said William P. Barr, who served as attorney general under George H.W. Bush. “I would have liked to see him have more balance on this group.”...
It is all legal. Anyone want to see how many lawyers line up with Republican donations? If Quarles worked on the Watergate investigation, he probably knows Hillary Clinton personally. She worked on the committee to impeach.
The American people want this concluded as soon as possible. The more lawyers and investigators the better. I am sure if there are leads coming from lawyers outside the investigation they will be given as much brevity as appropriate. If Mr. Quarles is an example of the EXPERTISE on the Mueller Committee, then I am impressed.
13 June 2017
By Brendan Kirby
Friday afternoon we gathered the newly announced partners at WilmerHale in DC: securities pro Matt Holmwood, Jeannie Rhee,...
Ah, securities fraud. No wonder no one wants her there. Welcome, Ms. Rhee.
...One of the hires, (click here) Jeannie Rhee, also worked as a lawyer for the Clinton Foundation and helped persuade a federal judge to block a conservative activist's attempts to force Bill and Hillary Clinton to answer questions under oath about operations of the family-run charity.
Campaign-finance reports show that Rhee gave Clinton the maximum contributions of $2,700 in 2015 and again last year to support her presidential campaign. She also donated $2,300 to Obama in 2008 and $2,500 in 2011. While still at the Justice Department, she gave $250 to the Democratic National Committee Services Corp....
I am sure Former Director Mueller stated to each member, 'If you feel you cannot serve without bias, then recuse yourself.'
Mr. Quarles' practice (click here) has been exclusively devoted to litigation. For the past 15 years, his practice has focused on intellectual property litigation matters. Most recently, Mr. Quarles has tried (or co-tried with Bill Lee) to a successful conclusion 9 matters before the International Trade Commission, and, together with Mr. Lee, represented Broadcom Corporation in its litigation against Qualcomm Corporation. He has extensive experience with the trial of complex civil matters, ranging from the successful trial defense of Legent Corporation in a shareholders' class action to the defense of ITT Corporation in a claim arising out of the construction of the Nine Mile Point II Nuclear station in Oswego, New York (selected as one of the 15 outstanding defense jury verdicts of 1992 by The National Law Journal). Mr. Quarles has argued before the United States Supreme Court and Court of Appeals for the Federal, First, Second, Third, Fourth, Sixth and District of Columbia Circuits.
...In addition, Quarles gave money to former Sen. John Walsh (D-Mont.) and three current Democratic senators — Ron Wyden of Oregon, Ed Markey of Massachusetts, and Robert Menendez of New Jersey. He chipped in $300 to the DNC Services Corp. $300 in 2012.
Quarles did donate to a couple of GOP politicians — $250 to then-Sen. George Allen (R-Va.) in 2006 and $2,500 to Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) in 2015.
Mr. Weissmann's congressional testimony begins at mark 49:17.
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Enforcement (click here) Deputy Assistant Attorney General Greg Andres and international criminal law attorneys testified on the enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The law, passed in 1977, made it illegal for certain people and organizations to pay foreign government officials to assist in obtaining or retaining business.
May 4, 2016
Students studying for exams (click here) in the Wolff Library were delighted to look up from their books and see Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Elena Kagan, and other distinguished guests gathering in Hotung Lobby for the annual Supreme Court Institute reception on April 27 celebrating the conclusion of oral arguments for the Term. This year’s event — thanking the many volunteers who participate in SCI’s Moot Court Program — honored Michael Dreeben, deputy solicitor general of the United States.
Each of the three Justices congratulated Dreeben, who that morning delivered his 100th argument before the Court. Justice Breyer also thanked Georgetown for the Supreme Court Institute’s role in helping to improve advocacy before the Court. “I think it’s made a difference,” Breyer said.
Donald B. Verrilli, solicitor general of the United States, and Kannon Shanmugam, head of Williams & Connolly’s Supreme Court practice, also participated, along with Dean William M. Treanor and SCI Executive Director Irv Gornstein....
...A fourth lawyer on Mueller's staff, Michael Dreeben, donated $1,000 to Clinton 2006 and $250 to Obama in both 2007 and 2008. He was deputy solicitor general and has appeared many times before the Supreme Court....
I doubt there are many questions about integrity, ethics, honesty and the truth, is there?
