Article

2017-11-04 -Lurid Crime Tales-

Mueller grand jury investigating top DC lobbyists

[FINANCE.YAHOO] Special counsel Robert Mueller's grand jury is investigating a prominent Democratic lobbyist and a former GOP congressman for their involvement in an influence campaign on behalf of Ukrainian interests tied to Paul Manafort, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investigation.

At the center of the widening probe are Tony Podesta, a longtime Democratic operative, and Vin Weber, a former GOP congressman and leader of his own high-powered lobbying firm, Mercury LLC. The two men were hired as part of a multimillion-dollar lobbying effort directed by Manafort and longtime associate Rick Gates.

With the emphasis on the Ukrainian lobbying efforts, Mueller's criminal probe is moving beyond investigating ties between the Trump campaign and Russia and is aggressively pursuing people who worked as foreign agents without registering with the Justice Department. More witnesses are expected before the grand jury in coming weeks.

Representatives for Weber's firm and Podesta said they are cooperating with the special counsel's investigation. Podesta, whose brother was the chairman of

Perennial Presidential Campaigner Hillary Crooked Hillary Clinton
... former first lady, former secretary of state, former presidential candidate, Conqueror of Benghazi, Heroine of Tuzla, formerly described by her supporters as the smartest woman in the world, usually described by the rest of us as The Thing That Wouldn't Go Away...
's campaign, has resigned from his firm.

FBI agents working for Mueller are asking witnesses about meetings between Gates, Podesta and Weber to discuss the lobbying work in detail and any communication with representatives of a pro-Russian Ukrainian political party, according to two people familiar with the interviews who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the investigation.

"There were questions about how much Podesta and Vin Weber were involved. There was a lot of interest there," one of them said.

FBI agents also expressed interest in the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, which produced a 2012 report used to justify the jailing of an opposition politician in Ukraine.

Posted by Fred 2017-11-04 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11135 views ] Top

#1 Mueller is hard to figure. Is he part of the Swamp or not? If you look at who he surrounds himself with and what he has been involved in, you'd think he is a part of the Swamp. Occasionally, I hear and read otherwise.

Posted by JohnQC 2017-11-04 08:08|| 2017-11-04 08:08|| Front Page Top

#2 That's nice. However, the mission statement was 'Russian Collusion' not 'Committee of Public Safety'.

Posted by Procopius2k 2017-11-04 08:40|| 2017-11-04 08:40|| Front Page Top

#3 Let me resolve it for you JQC - Mueller is a swamp creature who's good at pretending.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2017-11-04 09:41|| 2017-11-04 09:41|| Front Page Top

#4 P2k nails it.

This has absolutely nothing to do with a Russian hacked the election warrant.

This seems like nothing but self-aggrandizement by a swamp creature trying to inflate his power structure.

Posted by AlanC 2017-11-04 10:07|| 2017-11-04 10:07|| Front Page Top

#5 One of the problems Mueller has is that he was appointed Special Counsel, not Independent Counsel. It's a different animal, with different legal requirements.
The bottom line is there better be a violation of a law at the other end or the investigator is in trouble.

Posted by ed in texas 2017-11-04 10:37|| 2017-11-04 10:37|| Front Page Top

#6 It is highly suspicious that Podesta was not indicted at the same time as Manafort.

Posted by Abu Uluque 2017-11-04 11:15|| 2017-11-04 11:15|| Front Page Top

#7 Maybe Podesta "lacked intent". /sarc

Posted by Abu Uluque 2017-11-04 11:16|| 2017-11-04 11:16|| Front Page Top

#8 Good one, Abu!

Posted by Alaska Paul 2017-11-04 17:35|| 2017-11-04 17:35|| Front Page Top

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