Scuttlebutt is Pence was pushed by the party. And Manafort purportedly talked Trump out of dropping him repeatedly. So less selected by Manafort than agreed to by Manafort if true.
As to Pence and indictments. He doesn’t necessarily need to be indicted or charged to go down with the ship.
And I simply find it hard to believe that he’s uninvolved in any of this shit to the point where if he doesn’t get indicted or charged. That he can simply continue on in his career, or assume the presidency.
While we don’t have any direct, public information indicating he’s specifically under investigation or being eyed for charges. That’s roughly true for a number of other people likely to be involved.
And we do know the transition and transition team are specifically a focus of the investigation. And Pence ran the transition team. Papadopoulos and Flynn we’re both members of the transition team. Both have been charged and plead out. Pence had regular involvent with Manafort, whose deeply involved in anything coming out of investigations of the campaign. And whose already been charged and convicted of unrelated crimes.
In the circumstances around that Russian hotel meeting it looks likely that Pence was involved in some way. The reveal of that particular tid bit involved multiple instances of Pence lying or misrepresting the subject to the public.
And while the original stated reason for Flynn’s firing was that he lied to Pence about the subject. Leading to Pence inadvertently lying to the American public. We pretty much know that’s untrue. We’ve seen multiple competing explanations for the firing. And it’s pretty clear at this point that Flynn’s overall involvement in multiple illegal things is what lead to his firing.
We also know that Pence has very little concern about lying directly to the American public. Or even being called out for it. Via the debate at the very least.
So you got a guy who’s regularly, blatently lied to the American public. Including potentially to conceal wrong doing in the administration, and to cover Trump. Who was deeply involved in 2 organizations, the campaign and the transition, that employed criminals. That are under investigation. And where multiple participants have been arrested and convicted. Who’s direct subordinates have plead guilty. Who was in charge of one of those organizations.
And as the investigation has ramped he’s withdrawn from public view and separated himself from the president. Taking clear steps to insulate himself.
I find it really hard to believe a guy in that position is clean. That he really didn’t know what was going on, and really didn’t participate. At least in a cover-up.
for The Specials!