WaPo Obtains Transcripts From Trump's First Calls with Mexico and Australia

[Fortybox]

Is that Bill in the background with the shit eating grin?

I can't tell, all old white men look alike to me.

Racist! Hate speech! Climate change denier!

I think that's Time4fun.

[Neveragain]

Man she got into the oxy pretty heavy that day.

[Archigeek]

TRUMP TO TURNBULL: “This is going to kill me. I am the world’s greatest person that does not want to let people into the country. … It makes me look so bad, and I have only been here a week.”

I love a good qualifier when claiming to be the world's greatest person.

[time4fun]

Well done comrade, you won the Cuban vote. Tomorrow, Russia!

(Note: Trump only won 54% of the Cuban American vote in Florida, and no one parses it out anywhere else. No one should be surprised that Trump can't even get the facts right in a humble brag, if you can call it that.)

You think he realizes Cuba isn't in Mexico?

[time4fun]

And what "sinking fake Russian narrative" would that be? The one where his own children were caught red-handed colluding with Russian operatives? The one where his Attorney General lied under oath repeatedly about his meetings with Russia? The one where Flynn was forced to resign after a handful of days for similarly lying? The one where his son-in-law has been forced to, erm, "retroactively" disclose dozens of foreign contacts and meetings? The one where Trump blatantly committed obstruction of justice by trying to influence an investigation into his campaign's wrongdoing, and then fired the FBI director in order to do the same? And then admitted to that motivation explicitly? The one where there's a special prosecutor investigating all those issues as we speak?

Oh. That "sinking fake Russian narrative."

Good to know that you don't care about the president bald-faced lying, as he is called out for doing on a weekly basis, though.

So super fun timing:

WSJ reporting today that:

Special Counsel Robert Mueller has impaneled a grand jury in Washington to investigate Russia’s interference in the 2016 elections, a sign that his inquiry is growing in intensity and entering a new phase, according to people familiar with the matter.

The grand jury, which began its work in recent weeks, signals that Mr. Mueller’s inquiry will likely continue for months. Mr. Mueller is investigating Russia’s efforts to influence the 2016 election and whether President Donald Trump’s campaign or associates colluded with the Kremlin as part of that effort.

Oh, and there's more:

CNN reporting today that:

Federal investigators exploring whether Donald Trump's campaign colluded with Russian spies have seized on Trump and his associates' financial ties to Russia as one of the most fertile avenues for moving their probe forward, according to people familiar with the investigation.

The web of financial ties could offer a more concrete path toward potential prosecution than the broader and murkier questions of collusion in the 2016 campaign, these sources said.
One year after the FBI opened an investigation, the probe is now managed by special counsel Robert Mueller. Sources described an investigation that has widened to focus on possible financial crimes, some unconnected to the 2016 elections, alongside the ongoing scrutiny of possible illegal coordination with Russian spy agencies and alleged attempts by President Donald Trump and others to obstruct the FBI investigation. Even investigative leads that have nothing to do with Russia but involve Trump associates are being referred to the special counsel to encourage subjects of the investigation to cooperate, according to two law enforcement sources.

"Sinking fake Russian narrative"

Riiiiight.

[SHAFT]

Hooray, grand jury! You know what comes after a grand jury? Indictments!

[hello]

Wouldn't be surprised if Trump goes down for something totally unrelated.

[time4fun]

Hooray, grand jury! You know what comes after a grand jury? Indictments!

Ha. Not necessarily. But it means that there's enough evidence to start getting subpoenas. Purportedly they have already issued some in relation to the Trump Jr meeting.

[ClydeR]

Will they ever catch the leaker? There have never been this many leaks from a White House. Ever.

Leaking the transcript of a presidential call to a foreign leader is unprecedented, shocking, and dangerous. It is vitally important that a president be able to speak confidentially—and perhaps even more important that foreign leaders understand that they can reply in confidence.

More...

[SHAFT]

Ha. Not necessarily. But it means that there's enough evidence to start getting subpoenas. Purportedly they have already issued some in relation to the Trump Jr meeting.

I'm assuming. The grand jury will lead to subpoenas and also indictments. I'd bet cash on it.