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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsA Holiday Mystery: Why Did John Roberts Intervene in the Mueller Probe?
A mysterious grand jury subpoena case has been working itself through the D.C. courts since August. Doughty reporting by Politico linked the grand jury case to Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Some of us, connecting the dots, wondered whether Muellers antagonist in this secret subpoena battle might be President Donald Trump himself. Speculation heightened two weeks ago when the D.C. Circuit cleared an entire floor of reporters assembled for the oral argument, in order to protect the identity of the litigants.
Four days later, the D.C. Circuit judges burst the speculative bubble with a decision that halfway revealed the identity of the party litigating against the government: not President Trump, but an unnamed corporation (the Corporation) owned by an unnamed foreign state (Country A). Although the case is still plenty mysterious (What foreign state? What records of what transactions? Why the hard-fought litigation?) the evident fact that President Trump was not directly involved in the litigation seemingly drained further proceedings of direct suspense. Mueller-watchers headed off for the holidays.
And then, this week, on the Sunday before Christmas, Chief Justice John Roberts personally intervened in this matter.
Thats right: The chief justice of the United States himself issued an order on a Sunday, in this very case. If you think thats highly unusual, youre right. And the action he took was equally unusual: At least for the moment calling into question the unanimous decisions of the courts below, the chief justice blocked the District Courts order requiring the foreign corporation to comply with the grand jury subpoena, until the governments lawyers could respond to the Corporations briefings.
So now, in abrupt fashion, Muellers investigation has suddenly reached the Supreme Court, and with the personal attention of the chief justice, no less.
More at https://www.politico.com/magazine/amp/story/2018/12/30/supreme-court-john-roberts-robert-mueller-investigation-223569
kentuck
(111,110 posts)...and secret bank accounts of Donald Trump?
Everybody is guessing at this time.
ewagner
(18,964 posts)My first bet would be on Deutsch Bank...why?
1. The Trump family got a lot of financing through that bank
2. Jared got his 666 Building loan bailed out by that bank
3. Deutsch Bank has be NAILED for laundering Russian money...a LOT OF RUSSIAN MONEY on other cases.
4. There is a link between former Associate Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy's son who resigned from Deutsch Bank and Trump's kids?
Second guess would be the bank that wrote a memorandum of understanding to fund Trump's Trump Tower Moscow...I think it VPN or something like that...Russia would protest LOUDLY about releasing those records.
Just my humble opinion
marylandblue
(12,344 posts)ewagner
(18,964 posts)empedocles
(15,751 posts)manor321
(3,344 posts)The case is obviously an important one, given the crazy secrecy. Roberts' action is a procedural one to give the court time to decide if it wants to do anything. We'll find out soon enough if they decide to rule on it.
2naSalit
(86,775 posts)UBS and Bank of Cypress... unless there's some south or central American bank accomplice.
OR the Saudi's bank.
benld74
(9,909 posts)Did Politico take that into account? I didnt read that in the article
Hotler
(11,445 posts)It's a good short read, you may like it, things that make you go huuummmmmmm.
UpInArms
(51,284 posts)last paragraph
CousinIT
(9,257 posts)I know it's now renamed itself something else but the operation still exists with the same people running it and perhaps some others just as evil. But I remember reading that company was based outside the US.
Adrahil
(13,340 posts)Baitball Blogger
(46,757 posts)former9thward
(32,077 posts)It is his job to respond to appeals. He made a response. The full court will look at it later. That is SOP.
Baitball Blogger
(46,757 posts)Texin
(2,597 posts)The articles I've been reading indicate that this delay is in order to allow the government's attorneys to prepare a response to the motion. I'm not certain which government is being referred to though.
onenote
(42,759 posts)He was the justice to issue the stay request because he is the justice assigned to the DC Circuit, which is the court that issued the order under review. And while the issuance of a stay of a appeals court order pending further review is not an everyday occurrence, it is not unheard of, particularly where, as here, not issuing the stay would render the challenge to the subpoena basically moot.
The Poitico article is basically crap.
Here is a list of the circuits and the justices assigned to them:
https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/circuitAssignments.aspx
NoMoreRepugs
(9,457 posts)in my opinion is that we have Mr Mueller and a team of ultimate professionals working for our side - our best team is on the field...PERIOD.
Baltimike
(4,146 posts)through his intervention.
Duppers
(28,126 posts)onenote
(42,759 posts)The speculation that Roberts and the conservative majority on the court were up to no good turns out, as some of us predicted, to be utterly unfounded.
empedocles
(15,751 posts)Robert's intervened anyway, suspiciously?
Baltimike
(4,146 posts)That goes too far.
watoos
(7,142 posts)No one mentioned China or UAE banks. We are all assuming its a bank and I would agree, but one thing for certain, we aren't going to hear anything from Mueller's team.
EffieBlack
(14,249 posts)jberryhill
(62,444 posts)Good luck.
Some days it's like drowning.
EffieBlack
(14,249 posts)jberryhill
(62,444 posts)Clearly you did not understand my post.
My amusement is at the effort to piss against the tide here which demands "rule of law" and has no clue what it is.
EffieBlack
(14,249 posts)You're right