So, boiling down several stories into a likely set of punchlines:
- A mobbed up Russian oligarch, Firtash, was indicted by the feds
- He was arrested in Vienna and is fighting being extradited to the U.S.
- In an effort to buy his way out of trouble, he started spending $$
1/
- A mobbed up Russian oligarch, Firtash, was indicted by the feds
- He was arrested in Vienna and is fighting being extradited to the U.S.
- In an effort to buy his way out of trouble, he started spending $$
1/
- He hired Trump’s lawyer friends Toensing and DeGenova
- He hired Giuliani’s dirty Ukrainian pals
- He splashed money around looking for dirt on Biden
2/
- He hired Giuliani’s dirty Ukrainian pals
- He splashed money around looking for dirt on Biden
2/
The play is pretty obvious: get in the good graces of people connected to Trump and then horse-trade some useful political dirt for some help beating the indictment.
3/
3/
Per new reporting, Rudy just so happened to have a meeting at the DOJ recently.
Rudy was there to talk about an unnamed client facing bribery charges.
That is nearly certainly Firtash.
4/
nytimes.com/2019/10/18/us/…
Rudy was there to talk about an unnamed client facing bribery charges.
That is nearly certainly Firtash.
4/
nytimes.com/2019/10/18/us/…
But Rudy alleges he doesn’t work for Firtash...
And I suspect Rudy isn’t lying.
Because he wasn’t seeking Firtash’s release on behalf of Firtash...
He was seeking it on behalf of TRUMP.
5/
And I suspect Rudy isn’t lying.
Because he wasn’t seeking Firtash’s release on behalf of Firtash...
He was seeking it on behalf of TRUMP.
5/
If Firtash was dangling the prospect of helping dig up Biden dirt, getting him out of the clink was of obvious benefit to Rudy’s efforts there.
He could help Rudy on the outside far more than on the inside.
6/
He could help Rudy on the outside far more than on the inside.
6/
Remember, Firtash is in jail in Vienna.
Rudy’s buddies were on their way to Vienna.
Rudy was due to go to Vienna.
Rudy was trying to negotiate Firtash’s way out of his indictment. I guarantee it...
7/
Rudy’s buddies were on their way to Vienna.
Rudy was due to go to Vienna.
Rudy was trying to negotiate Firtash’s way out of his indictment. I guarantee it...
7/
And the quid pro quo was that the Russian mobster was going to help the Trump campaign by helping Rudy scrounge for Biden dirt.
That’s all rather illegal - and is another bribery case for Firtash.
It may well be a new pile of crimes for Rudy too.
8/
That’s all rather illegal - and is another bribery case for Firtash.
It may well be a new pile of crimes for Rudy too.
8/
...and the best part?
As we learned from the unsealed indictments of Rudy’s buddies, the feds had warrants up the wazoo and may well have been sitting on wiretaps.
Rudy has been a bad boy... and just how bad is all coming to light.
Happy Friday.
9/9
As we learned from the unsealed indictments of Rudy’s buddies, the feds had warrants up the wazoo and may well have been sitting on wiretaps.
Rudy has been a bad boy... and just how bad is all coming to light.
Happy Friday.
9/9
One correction: Firtash is under house arrest not in jail.
