Page 68 - Devlin Barrett News Today

Some lawyers believe thats an indication that mueller is actually a couple months away from issuing a final report, and that these cooperators are probably never going to appear at a trial. other lawyers, frankly look at this same fact pattern and say well, mueller may be rolling the dice a little bit here, but i dont think we should assume yet that that means that this thing is coming to a head. >> right. devlin barrett, "washington post" reporter, thank you very much. really appreciate you ton...

Mcfarland and her lying about these russian sanctions discussion, reporter shane harrison and devlin barrett at "the washington post" had this remarkable, remarkable piece about her back in skpeeptember it didnt get that much attention at the time, but now turns out to be pretty important. in that piece in "the washington post" in september, we learn that not only did k.t. mcfarland lie to the senate about those conversations with russia about sanctions, she lied to the fbi about those conversat...

But now i remember. yeah, i think we probably did talk to the russians about sanctions. im so sorry. and the fbi decided not to charge her, because they believed her, that she just forgot? heres the next line in that remarkable story from shane harris and devlin barrett. quote, just days after flynn talked to the russian ambassador, mcfarland said that her memory was clear and that flynn and the russian official had never discussed sanctions. quote, early on the morning of january 13th, 2017, mc...

A hot minute became the deputy white house counsel under mike flynn. during terms of transition at the time, we know k.t. mcfarland was in on what flynn was doing on these calls to russia. she knew he was talking to the russian government about lifting sanction, but nevertheless, she lied about it too. she lied about it famously to the senate under oath, which scuttled her chances of becoming an ambassador. thats what they tried to do with her after flynn had to resign and he plead guilty. but, ...

Rather spoken from memory without the aid of any documents that would have helpeder remember the exchanges with flynn. the fbi appears to be satisfied according to k.t. mcfarlands account. here is the amazing thing. k.t. mcfarland told the fbi, no, we didnt talk to russia about sanction, even though they did. then flynn pleads guilty to lying to the fbi about talking to russia about sanctions. after flynn pleads guilty, she goes back and oh, wait, oh, wait, sanctions? is that what you were talki...

See him do i think earlier on in his term. >> devlin, you and your colleagues have been breaking a lot of the stories that i think its fair to put in the collusion side of the investigation. that over the thanksgiving holiday, you and your colleagues broke the story about jerome corsis plea deal conversations. where do you think this story is going next on the collusion front? we know theres pressure on stone, know corsi is still under scrutiny. what do you think is the next development for us t...

And i think trying to get a straight, rational version out of someone who doesnt believe the moon landing happened is always going to present a pretty significant challenge. >> let me just press you one more time on this, devlin, do you think that that is part of the signal that muellers team is sending when they charged the lying liars for lying? >> i think so, but look, at the end of the day, cases need witnesses. you know, one of the challenges that were starting to see, i think, with corsi a...

The evidence provided by others. so whos come to mueller, who has sat down and said, look, the president talked with me about what this was all about. we needed to keep manafort silent. his intent was this. you have enough people saying that, you got your obstruction case, youve got evidence of sbe intent. i think thats whats there. i have to tell you, nicolle, i think theres more going on here to manaforts of a pardon. youve heard people say what can happen on the state level. you know that man...

Think its an open question, what does that actually mean for muellers investigation? does that have a real-world consequence for muellers investigation? and could this breakdown in the plea be one of those consequences? >> and so i do -- i appreciate that devlin gives rudy this sort of curve that he may not be the best narrator, but he is, again, the person the president chose to represent him in this matter. where nothing short of his presidency is on the line. so were going to, for the purpose...

Of the day, he is able to get everything else about the presidents actions from other witnesses, other people in the room. so to the extent he needs to establish the presidents intent when he took the action, all of the suspect actions around obstruction of justice, firing jim comey, asking intel officials to interfere with the fbi. he has enough other witnesses to make his own conclusions. if anything, its in the presidents interest to come in and offer an alternative explanation. so i suspect ...