Trump team leaking again

CNN doesn't say it was the Trump team, of course, but I have no doubt it was.

President Donald Trump told special counsel Robert Mueller in writing that Roger Stone did not tell him about WikiLeaks, nor was he told about the 2016 Trump Tower meeting between his son, campaign officials and a Russian lawyer promising dirt on Hillary Clinton, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

One source described the President's answers without providing any direct quotes and said the President made clear he was answering to the best of his recollection.

  CNN

In other words: prove it. And when they do, it will be, "I forgot." So he might not be charged with lying to investigators, but I'm guessing there's taped or documentary evidence that he was told about everything, and perhaps even directed it to be done.

The President's lawyers previously told CNN the answers would match his public statements. Still, these written answers could be subject to criminal charges if false.

I think that's a questionable conclusion. "To the best of his recollection" might clear him. It worked for Reagan in the Iran-Contra hearings. (At which point, Reagan should have been impeached for not having a good enough memory to function as President.)

"It's well-documented how frequently he says or tweets false things, and there's no criminal exposure for that," said CNN legal analyst Carrie Cordero. "The difference is, if he lies in his statement to federal investigators, he is potentially exposing himself to criminal liability, assuming he attested to the accuracy of the information."

Which, apparently, he didn't. I.E. "to the best of his recollection." I know that's standard for legal purposes, but I don't know how or whether strong evidence negating the claims can be used against the caveat. I've seen attorneys and prosecutors say intent is hard to prove. I would think memory would be even harder. Maybe reasonable doubt comes in there somewhere. Some charges require a preponderance of the evidence to convict, and some reasonable doubt. I don't expect Trump to be indicted, but if it happens, I certainly wouldn't look for a charge of lying to the investigators.

I also expect, in the end, Junior will take the blame, and do any jail time like a true mafia lieutenant. I expect that's part of the reason for his divorce. Getting ready to do jail time, and parking his fortune in a trust for his kids, or in their names, to keep the government from getting it.

And I could be wrong about everything.