‘Russiagate,’ the Manafort Trial Starts Today and Rudy Giuliani Goes Wild on TV

Published in la Repubblica
(Italy) on 31 July 2018
by Arturo Zampaglione (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Federica Vavala. Edited by Elizabeth Cosgriff.
The former mayor of New York is showing up on all the TV shows, raging against prosecutor Mueller, Trump’s former attorney Cohen, and everything and everyone in order to defend President Trump. In the process, he repeatedly contradicts himself. Meanwhile, the trial against The Donald’s former campaign chief begins this evening.

Rudy Giuliani used to swear to the sincerity of Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former attorney. Now he publicly denounces him as a “liar” and speculates that he might have tampered with the president’s secret recordings concerning the case of a Playboy bunny. Giuliani has next launched into an attack against “Russiagate” Special Counsel Robert Mueller, accusing him of bluffing. At any rate, he questions whether the possible collusion between Trump’s campaign management and the Kremlin constitutes a crime.

Giuliani, the former mayor of New York during 9/11, who has now been hired as a defense attorney, has been appearing increasingly wild in recent days. His defense of the president during the many TV talk shows to which he is invited is a real performance. He is willing to say anything and to nonchalantly contradict himself. But why are his appearances becoming more and more frequent? The reason is simple: The investigation into “Russiagate” continues and today, the first trial against Paul Manafort begins. In the event Manafort is convicted, the former chairman of Trump’s election campaign is likely to end up in prison for decades, barring a last-minute presidential pardon.

Given the situation, Trump has launched a counteroffensive. Not only are his morning tweets against an alleged “witch hunt” becoming increasingly frequent – even leveling personal attacks against Mueller – but the president is also unleashing his most faithful allies: Giuliani, Fox News journalists and many Republican members of Congress. Theoretically, the investigation should approach its conclusion in September, with Mueller submitting a report and his recommendations. However, the special counsel wants to question Trump in person first; a delicate step, as the president might contradict himself or feel pressured.

One also has the impression that Cohen, Trump’s former attorney, may want to actively cooperate with the “Russiagate” investigation in exchange for lenience concerning the charges leveled against him. For example, Cohen himself leaked the recording of a phone call between him and Trump during which they discussed paying a Playboy bunny in order to buy her silence. Moreover, the former attorney is allegedly ready to testify that, despite official denials, the president was aware of a meeting on June 2016 at Trump Tower between his associates (including his son Donald Jr., his son-in-law Jared Kushner and Manafort himself) and Russian officials promising to deliver compromising documents on Hillary Clinton.


Russiagate, oggi parte il processo a Manafort. E Rudy Giuliani si scatena in tv

Contro il procuratore Mueller e l'ex avvocato di Trump Cohen, contro tutto e tutti, l'ex sindaco di New York imperversa in ogni programma per difendere il presidente Trump, smentendosi più volte. In serata, intanto, il procedimento contro l'ex capo della campagna elettorale di The Donald

Prima Rudy Giuliani giurava sulla sincerità di Michael Cohen, l’ex-avvocato di Donald Trump; adesso lo tratta pubblicamente da “bugiardo” e ipotizza che possa avere manomesso le registrazioni segrete del presidente sul caso di una coniglietta di Playboy. Giuliani poi spara a zero contro il procuratore speciale del Russiagate, Robert Mueller, che accusa di bluffare. E comunque mette in dubbio che le possibili collusioni tra l’organizzazione elettorale di Trump e il Cremlino possano configurarsi come un reato.

Ex-sindaco di New York ai tempi dell’11 settembre e ora scelto da Trump come consigliere legale, Giuliani appare nelle ultime ore sempre più scatenato. Invitato da vari programmi televisivi, si esibisce in veri e propri show a difesa del presidente. Ed è pronto a dire tutto e il contrario di tutto, senza farsi troppi problemi. Ma perché lo si vede sempre più spesso? La ragione è semplice: l’inchiesta sul Russiagate continua e proprio oggi si aprirà il primo processo contro Paul Manafort, e l’ex-capo della organizzazione elettorale di Trump rischia di finire in carcere per decenni in caso di condanna, a meno che non arrivo in extremis il “perdono” presidenziale.

In questa situazione Trump ha lanciato una controffensiva. Non solo i suoi tweet mattuitini contro una presunta “caccia alle streghe” si fanno sempre più frequenti, con attacchi a Mueller anche a livello personale, ma il presidente sguinzaglia i suoi alleati più fedeli: Giuliani, i giornalisti della Foxnews e molti parlamentari repubblicani. In teoria l’inchiesta dovrebbe avviarsi a conclusione a settembre con un rapporto di Mueller e le sue raccomandazioni. Ma prima il procuratore speciale vuole interrogare Trump in persona: un passaggio delicato perché il presidente potrebbe cadere in contraddizione o essere messo alle strette.

C’è anche la sensazione che l’ex-avvocato di Trump, Cohen, voglia collaborare in modo attivo con il Russiagate in cambio di clemenza su una serie di reati che gli vengono contestati. E’ stato proprio Cohen, ad esempio, a far circolare la registrazione della telefonata di un suo colloquio con Trump in cui si parlava dei soldi per pagare il silenzio di una coniglietta di Playboy. L’ex-avvocato sarebbe anche pronto a testimoniare che, nonostnate le smentite ufficiali, il presidente era al corrente di una riunione del giugno 2016 alla Trump tower tra i suoi collaboratori (compreso il figlio Donald Junior, il genero Jared Kushner e lo stesso Manafort) ed esponenti russi che promettevano documenti compromettenti su Hillary Clinton.
This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

Hot this week

Turkey: Will Trump’s 28 Points Be Enough for Ukrainian Sovereignty?

South Korea: A Free Pass for Violence: The ‘Triple Collusion’ of Ronaldo, Trump and FIFA

Japan: National Guard Shooting in US Capital: Misguided Incitement of Anti-Foreign Doctrine

Saudi Arabia: ‘Either Donald Trump or Benjamin Netanyahu’

Spain: Cartoons in the Pentagon*

Topics

Japan: National Guard Shooting in US Capital: Misguided Incitement of Anti-Foreign Doctrine

Spain: Cartoons in the Pentagon*

Egypt: America’s New Security Playbook: How Trump’s 2025 Strategy Redraws US Power and Purpose

Saudi Arabia: ‘Either Donald Trump or Benjamin Netanyahu’

Taiwan: The Slow Spread of Anti-American Sentiment Affecting Taiwan

Austria: There Is Still Some Check on the US Administration

India: Washington Attack: Why Pakistan Will Want Trump To Get Entangled in Afghanistan

Kenya: Peace in the Great Lakes Region Now Made Possible

Related Articles

Japan: National Guard Shooting in US Capital: Misguided Incitement of Anti-Foreign Doctrine

Egypt: America’s New Security Playbook: How Trump’s 2025 Strategy Redraws US Power and Purpose

Saudi Arabia: ‘Either Donald Trump or Benjamin Netanyahu’

Taiwan: The Slow Spread of Anti-American Sentiment Affecting Taiwan

India: Washington Attack: Why Pakistan Will Want Trump To Get Entangled in Afghanistan