Discussion: Blumenthal: Pre-Dawn Raid At Manafort Home Clear Sign Of ‘Serious Crime’

The noose is slooooowly beginning to tighten.

13 Likes

The wheels of justice turn slowly, but grind exceedingly fine.

15 Likes

Gee really? Never would have figured that one out.

“To see what is in front of one’s nose needs a constant struggle.”

– George Orwell

7 Likes

No. The senator, wisely, did not say that a serious crime has occurred. He said that, searching under a warrant was, " typical of serious criminal investigations dealing with uncooperative or untrusted targets." Very different. (Also, for what it’s worth, it was not the judge issuing the warrant who decided when it would be served. That was up to law enforcement.)

7 Likes

We’ve wondered why the neighbors didn’t say something earlier. My thoughts. 1) the neighbors are probably relieved that they weren’t the ones “raided” and 2) we think of “raid” as helicopters with black-clad ninjas swarming down, vans and cars screeching to a halt outside the target house with sirens and lights twirling, spotlights glaring on the house, women and children weeping on the yard while handcuffed men are thrown to the grass. That’s for the brown people. The FBI probably pulled up in two discreet sedans, knocked on the door, and entered the house. The manaforts have probably had people like that coming and going for the past few months, so nothing to see here.

2 Likes

“Persuasive evidence of probable cause” is not at all the same thing as “a serious crime has occurred.”

TPM needs to work on its copyediting. In this country, so far, we’re still innocent until proven guilty. Despite what the liar in chief wants to accomplish.

1 Like

Has always been a terrible phrase. It carries an inherent predisposition towards assumption of guilt. If we were interested in truly blind justice, it would be “innocent UNLESS proven guilty”.

5 Likes

While all of the chatter is going on about this and that, Mueller is methodically moving in on “the evil doers” (remember that?)with stealth and resolve and without fanfare. It’s under the radar. I love it!

3 Likes

Haven’t been here long, have you?

4 Likes

Wait … Let’s let the courts work their magic and not convict Manafort before the fact Mr Blumenthal. I am no kind of trump supporter but I do believe in our tradition of “innocent until proven guilty”. But the raid does have the effect of rattling cages which is good.

4 Likes

What do you bet Sessions just opened a secret wire tap of Blumenthal’s Senate office…after getting a back channel phone call from Putin?

2 Likes

The phrase is meant to describe what happens within a court of law. A person is not, and never has been, innocent until (or unless) proven guilty. The person is entitled to a presumption of innocence in and by the trial court and the trier of fact. No one else need presume squat.

(In Texas, at least, AND means OR, except when it doesn’t. Work on cleaning that one up for a while.)

4 Likes

I think it would be smarter if Blumenthal just stayed out of this for now.
What on Earth does he accomplish commenting - especially via twitter?

3 Likes

I’d point out that here in Wisconsin, the FBI and state agencies raided several of Scott Walker’s people’s homes but nothing came of it because their wholly owned subsidiary at the State Supreme Court essentially legalized the crimes being investigated retroactively. It ain’t over 'till its over.

2 Likes

Baiting Trump. Showing he won’t be bullied. You might think he shouldn’t do it, but I’d argue that’s what he cn accomplish.
That’s how you deal with a bully.

9 Likes

I am disappointed I am not reading about computers being taken. Spiral bound notebooks but no computers.

A key point in the WaPo story…Manafort was woken by FBI agents knocking on his bedroom door. That implies they were already in the house, which in turn means a no knock warrant. The Court DOES have to issue that type of warrant, the LEO don’t get to decide that.

And those sort of warrants are issued when there is probable belief that the suspect may attempt to destroy evidence when the cops coming knocking on his front door.

But they didn’t. They entered his home without knocking and instead woke him up in his bedroom. Part of the reason for conducting this type of raid is to psychologically rattle the target. Which means going in with lots of manpower under cover of night. This wasn’t Mulder and Scully stopping by for a cup of tea, and politely asking Manafort to turn over the requested materials.

11 Likes

“Probable cause” is a description of the strength of the evidence. So saying “persuasive evidence of probable cause” is assessing the strength of the evidence twice. And, more important, “probable cause” is not the same as persuasive. It is only enough evidence that a reasonable person could believe it. That’s a much lower standard.

1 Like