Thread by @grantstern

#THREAD

Yesterday's indictment is a major signal that we're nearing the end of the #TrumpRussia prologue.

I interviewed @Mimirocah1 about the story which she said indicates that "prosecutors are putting the pieces together."

I agree.

Here's my $0.02.

washingtonpress.com/2019/01/08/a-m…

Why is Natalia Veselnitskaya's link to the Kremlin so important?

1 - SDNY provides Mueller with apolitical evidence sent from the target that predates all investigations.
2 - Proves Don Jr. met a Kremlin Agent
3 - Burns the Russian prosecution against @Billbrowder

2/

Natalia Veselnitskaya had been working on the Prevezon case for years, but in 2014 she involved herself drafting of the official response to the DoJ's invocation of a treaty for legal assistance.

She sent the evidence that she worked with the Kremlin to SDNY prosecutors.

3/

For Mueller, the timing, provenance, and source of the evidence could not be better.

The Russian lawyer sent over documents with proof in the Track Changes feature of Microsoft Word.

Her disclosures occurred in 2014.

SDNY makes the source another USAO and not the SCO.

4/

It is illegal to solicit anything of value for an election from a foreign person, and a government as well.

Success or failure of the solicitation isn't required.

The Veselnitskaya was a paroled alien.

Defs: law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/…
FECA: law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/52…

5/

Don Jr.'s meeting came after an email from Emin Agalarov's agent @GoldstoneRob, his musician client who in turn was acting on behalf of his father Aras Agalarov.

Trump Jr. "loved it" and set up the Trump Tower solicitation.

6/ politico.com/story/2017/07/…

I produced this #DworkinReport interview with @GoldstoneRob about the Trump Tower meeting, it has what he told the Special Counsel's grand jury about Veselnitskaya.

Goldstone's email got Don Jr. to call Emin Agalarov and setup the Trump Tower meeting.

7/ dworkinreport.com/2018/12/02/rob…

Trump Jr. knew he was meeting a foreign national representing Russia's government on a campaign matter and all of the elements are in place now.

But Veselnitskaya won't be detained, so long as she stays in Russia.

8/

What was Natalia Veselnitskaya doing here?

She was legal counsel to Prevezon Holdings, who bagged the cash from the Magnitsky Affair, a $230 million tax scam by executives of state-owned Russian Railways and the Prosecutor-General9 against @Billbrowder.

9/

We asked @Billbrowder to explain how he and attorney Sergey Magnitsky were quite literally railroaded in Russia on the #DworkinReport w @funder.

Russia's posthumous prosecution of Magnitsky led to Browder championing Magnitsky Act sanctions globally.

10/ dworkinreport.com/2018/07/22/bil…

To understand the chummy relationship between Natalia Veselnitskaya, Russian Railways and its former Chairman who endorsed Donald Trump, read the 2nd half of this July 2017 story about the Trump Tower meeting

11/ thesternfacts.com/proof-trump-kn…

Bill Browder responded by lobbying and getting the US government to sanction those involved in the Magnitsky Affair in 2012. Today, 49 Russians are sanctioned under the act.

12/ home.treasury.gov/news/press-rel…

In 2016, Congress expanded it to cover all human rights abusers with the Global Magnitsky Act, and Browder has successfully lobbied numerous other states to adopt their own Magnitsky Acts including Canada, the UK, Estonia, and Latvia.

13/ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnitsky…

Putin has retaliated against Browder by filing false documents with Interpol, the police organization that allows cross-border law enforcement. Veselnitskaya's slip up is a legal reason for most countries deny Putin's future harassment of Browder.

14/ fortune.com/2018/05/30/bil…

I hope this thread explains how Natalia Veselnitskaya's interference with an international treaty obligation of Russia on behalf of her tax-cheating and money laundering client incriminates Donald Trump Jr. and exonerates @Billbrowder at the same time.

THE END