The plot thickens. Bob Woodward (FEAR) and Politico have revealed that there is a long-standing Joint Defense Agreement involving 37 members involved in the RussiaGate saga. Here are some of the implications.

1/ The title of the Politico article must be taken with a grain of salt. (It is, after all, a quote from Giuliani, who has apparently lost his mind — if he ever really had one.) http://tinyurl.com/ybtxa4ba

2/ Keep in mind that Giuliani also said that Trump had nothing to fear from MIchael Cohen, who according to Rudy was also an honorable man — before HE flipped and ratted on Trump.

3/ But the revelation about the 37 member Joint Defense Agreement is shocking, and undoubtedly complicates matters for Mueller. Here are some of the implications as outlined by @emptywheel (Marcy Wheeler) in a valuable writeup: http://tinyurl.com/yco44tdl

“That means when John Dowd complained that the raid of Manafort’s condo (where his eight iPods were seized), that was based on privileged conversations between lawyers. [sic] And when, in January, Trump confidently said he was sure Manafort would protect him, that was based on privileged conversations between lawyers. And when, just before the EDVA trial, Kevin Downing was ostentatiously saying there was no way Manafort was flipping, and when he was balking on a plea with Mueller immediately after the trial, he was also talking to Rudy Giuliani.

Mind you, Rudy G will learn right away if Manafort starts considering cooperating, rather than just pleading, because Manafort will have to (finally!) drop out of the JDA before those discussions start.”

4/ @Emptywheel lists other individuals, besides Manafort, who have had a role to play in the RussiaGate narrative who might be members of the JDA. It’s quite a list. I recommend taking the time to read it.

5/ Consider also that, as part of a Joint Defense Agreement, ALL 37 people have possible criminal exposure for incriminating evidence that Mueller has or will find about any one of the others.

6/ To an extent that is hard to calculate, their fates are linked because of the JDA.

7/ For example, JDA member A might have lied or withheld important evidence based on what he or she knew about what JDA member B was going to testify. If that turns out to have been a bad bet, A will have exposure.

8/ And always keep in mind what Christopher Steele told Luke Harding about the major players in RussiaGate: “They are all lying.”

9/ The plot thickens.