COTW: It Is Not Over Yet

credit: Chris Weyant, Boston Globe

It was a busy and significant week for the investigation that will not stop. Michael Cohen was sentenced to three years in federal prison and three years supervised probation on Wednesday for the crimes committed on behalf the proto-fascist* now know to history as Individual I. He was also ordered to pay $1.4 million in restitution, forfeited $500,000 and fined $50,000 for lying to Congress. In return for his cooperation he was sentenced to the minimum security prison camp at Otisville, NY where his punishment will consist mostly of boredom.  More importantly however, he told interviewers what the nation has come to understand: the President of the United States is not telling the truth about his Russian Connection, and that he knew the hush money paid to the notorious women he laid with were illegal. Individual I was in the room when Cohen and National Inquirer publisher David Pecker discussed a $150,000 payment to a Playboy model for her story in what is usually referred to as a “catch and kill” offer on August 25 2016. This evidence is fatal to Individual I's repeated defense that he relied on his attorney to act in accordance with federal campaign financing laws. The admitted statement of facts at Cohen's sentencing reads, "the principle purpose in making the payment was to suppress the woman's [Karen McDougal's] story so as to prevent it from influencing the election."

Cohen is not known for his veracity; but rest assured that his version of events has been corroborated by independent evidence diligently gathered by the Special Prosecutor. In a politically charged, extremely high profile investigation such as his, it would be career suicide to do otherwise. Mr. Mueller is a career professional who does not strike US Person as emotionally unstable.

US Person is not a stock picker, but after eighteen months of closely following the steady progress made by Mr. Mueller, he will pick one here: Individual I will be impeached in the House of Representatives. The charges could range from making false statements, illegal campaign payments, conspiracy with foreign agents to influence the election, and obstruction of justice to possibly tax evasion and fraud. Mr. Mueller is known to be in possession of Individual I’s tax records as well as the Trump Foundation’s records. The breath of his Russian Connection investigation is breathtaking: it extends from the 2016 campaign and the election through inauguration and transition to the presidency.

Whether Individual I will be convicted in the Senate is a political calculation that hinges on the number and severity of his high crimes and misdemeanors, which cannot be plausibly denied. Repugnants will have to weigh defending a bombastic, unpopular nabob against the future electoral success of their exclusive plutocratic club. The potential bill of particulars against Individual I pales Bill Clinton's impeachment for a false statement made during a deposition in connection with the Monica Lewinsky affair; he only escaped conviction by a single vote. As one shrewd citizen observed, Trump made the big mistake of running the government like he runs his business.

*When Democratic leadership balked at paying for Trump's Folly--the border wall-- during a meeting attended by the press, Mr. Yuge played to the mob by threatening to shut down the government again, saying he would be "proud" to do so, or use the US military to complete the construction. What's the next step, Donito Trumpalini, marital law?

credit: Ed Bagley, Salt Lake Tribune

BC Idonwanna sez:  He make small rocks from yuge rocks soon!